Once they first brainstormed on the Brooklyn Woodworkers Co-op in 1976, Stuart Spector and Ned Steinberger have been dedicated to steering the electrical bass away from the Precision, Jazz, EB, 4001, and all the pieces else gamers had identified. Collectively, they developed the NS-1, an instrument with a radically totally different form, really feel, and sound that match properly with the aggressive bass-forward funk, disco, and fusion that was cresting on the time. It additionally paved the way in which for a technology of bass builders untethered by custom.

Immediately, Spector is a part of the Korg empire and one in every of its latest choices is the Doug Wimbish Euro 4, primarily based on the Residing Color bassist’s ’87 NS-2.

Utilizing the novel physique form and measurement that made Spector well-known, the Wimbish Euro 4 has maple physique wings with a figured-maple high supplied in Amber Stain or Black Stain. Tones come courtesy of Spector’s Legacy preamp (designed along side Darkglass) with controls for Quantity, Pickup Steadiness, Bass Increase, and Treble Increase guiding energetic EMG pickups which are custom-wound to match these Wimbish utilized in ’87. Different touches embrace proprietary sealed die-cast tuners and Wimbish-chosen Rotosound 66 stainless-steel strings.

Weighing eight kilos and hanging comfortably with near-perfect steadiness, the DW Euro 4 feels nearly as good because it seems. Bass equal of a supercar, the physique’s contour and measurement invite aggressive play; on the treble aspect, the hand rests in excellent alignment for slapping and popping. It’s no marvel gamers like Wimbish have gravitated to the shape for practically 50 years.

Spec’d to match his ’87, the custom-shaped three-piece maple neck has a 34″ scale, Jazz-adjacent really feel (1.5″ broad on the brass nut), and is superbly contoured the place it meets the bass wing simply earlier than the twenty first fret, making even the best notes reachable with no pressure or stretch. It’s testomony to the desirability of neck-through.

Plugged right into a powered three-way monitor and a 2×10 bass cab, the Legacy/Darkglass tones spanned the spectrum; rolling the selector to the mid-position and adjusting the Boosts produced all the pieces from dense old-school thud to surprisingly snappy highs. Favor the bridge pickup and mids verify in; once more, the Increase knobs make nearly something potential. Talking of, whereas the beveled/knurled knobs are ergonomic and don’t detract from the general aesthetic, one may make a case for one thing dressier, given the instrument’s total grace.
– Ward Meeker

This text initially appeared in VG’s October 2025 problem. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.