BootLegger Guitar Absinthe Long Scale Headless EMG Active 4 String 2026 - Clear Honey Matte

Bootlegger Guitar Authorized Dealer Bootlegger, James Trussart & James Tyler Guitars

Absinthe Bass Short and longScale General information 

Bootlegger Absinthe Bass 4 & 5 String Both long & Short Scale

This stunning bass, a true boutique-style instrument, boasts exceptional features beyond its striking appearance.

EMG Pickups Active

Our Absinthe short and long scale basses are available in both 4 and 5-string models. The Absinthe pickup system was recommended by our friends at EMG. The EMG SJ5AX Active Jazz set, featuring an EMG X Preamp and Active Tone Control (VLPF), attenuates high frequencies, similar to a typical passive tone control. This results in a noiseless single-coil guitar pickup with a classic EMG sound that seamlessly blends active and passive tones.

Bootlegger Monorail Tuning and String System

Our Bootlegger headless manorial tuning system is arguably the most innovative in the industry. The basses feature individually mounted monorail tuners at the butt, which do not touch each other. There’s no mounting plate, so the strings attach directly to the guitar body. The string locks on the head are also individually mounted and do not touch each other. This design minimizes sympathetic vibrations, resulting in a clean wooden tone that can be adjusted by the onboard preamp.

All our bass guitars use this monorail string locking and tuning system that utilizes single ball strings.

Our new headless head is a V-shape, providing more wood for strength and making it easy to use a clip-on tuner. It also gives a unique look, proudly displaying the Bootlegger name in a colorful shell design.

The Absinthe is a neck-through design. The center block is made of 5-piece hard maple, with two mahogany stingers running through the block and neck. The wings are swamp ash. The nut is graphic, not plastic, and the fretboard is hard, beautiful Ebony.

IT’S IN THE DETAILS 

The long scale length is 35 1/4 inches while the Short scale is 30 inch, with a fingerboard radius of approximately 13 to 14 inches, providing a comfortable and versatile playing experience. The beautifully set-up intonation ensures precise pitch, and it runs on a single 9-volt battery for the electronics and preamp.

Design

The string locks and monorail tuning system are engineered to operate independently, which minimizes transient string vibrations and results in a rich, wood-like tone. This design also makes string replacement straightforward. I personally installed a set of my signature Bootlegger strings “Roger Kohrs” (40-120), and the process was effortless.

The body shape is very comfortable in a sitting or standing position. If you want to play the bass standing or sitting in any position, it is comfortable. It is well balanced and has both a belly cut and arm relief cuts. 

This bass is a meticulously crafted instrument that delivers an excellent jazz bass tone with exceptional playability and reliability.

**Roger Kohls**

Bootlegger Artist