Spector NS-2 2012 - The Black Pearl

"The Black Pearl"

She's back, after being refinished by Spector - she's as good as new!

Comments from Spector:
"If I had a dime for every customer who referenced this bass for a build...I'd be loaded"  

"Sadly it's hard to find a piece of quilt that comes close."

"The Black Pearl is one of the finest Spector's ever built!"

Notes from Original Owner:
This is a very special - one-of-a-kind - custom bass guitar builds by master luthier Stuart Spector - built for me in 2012.

In a conversation I had over dinner with Stuart Spector back in 2011, we discussed how the instruments of Antonio Stradivari were given proper names like people. 300 years ago "serial numbers" hadn't been invented. I suggested to Stuart that perhaps a special series of Spector hand-made instruments could be made and instead of serial numbers; they could be given names.

That way the owner would have a truly unique, one-of-a-kind instrument. Stuart wasn't crazy about the idea but was willing to do this for me - since then he's built me three bass guitars, each with proper names. They are "The Black Pearl", "The Blue Dream", and "The Steel Beast".

I also knew that I wanted Stuart to build me an NS-2 using the finest AAAAA tube-quilt maple, finishing it in transparent black - high gloss, and I wanted the new Birdseye Maple fingerboard option. The issue for me was that the Abalone shell used to make the unique "Crown Inlays" is a greenish blue and that wouldn't really go with the look I wanted. Regular Mother-of-Pearl would wash out against the lighter maple fingerboard. I did some research and came across a material - Black Mother-of-Pearl.

I asked Stuart if he could do the inlays using "Black Pearl". He said, "Let me check with the guy who supplies the inlay material to me and I'll get back with you." The next day he called me and said, "Yep, I can do black pearl." Spector NS-2 #739 is a very special bass for several reasons.

It is the very FIRST Spector to have Black Mother-of-Pearl inlays. A look that was so striking Stuart decided immediately to add Black MOP to the list of options for Spector - and since, Black MOP with the maple fingerboard has become an extremely popular finish option.

It is the FIRST Spector to have been given a proper name. This is "THE BLACK PEARL". The ONLY Black Pearl. The name is written across the back of the headstock - in Stuart's handwriting, something he has never done before - (he's done custom signatures from time-to-time for friends and really good customers, but these signatures usually say stuff like, "For so and so." or "So and so custom build"). This was the first.

This bass has incredibly intricate AAAAA maple wings. This bass is solid maple - rock maple neck - tube quilt maple wings - birdseye maple fingerboard. This bass was the "poster child" bass for all of Spector's advertising between 2012-2013 - it has been in magazine ads, on DVDs, it was on their website, their FB page, and used in catalogs overseas in Japan and Europe.

It has the other USA Series NS-2 features which include:
- Hand-made in Saugerties, NY (Woodstock)
- Neck-Thru construction
- Spector USA 9v Circuit
- EMG P/J pickups
- Gotoh tuning machines
- Hipshot Xtender
- Solid hand-fitted brass nut
- Spector USA solid brass bridge with intonation screws
- 34" scale

This bass is the apple of many Spector collector's and artist's eyes - don't miss your chance to own it and have a truly special bass - Did I mention that it sounds amazing?