I’ll admit it – I’m a sucker for boutique top woods. That’s why I had to do a double take when I saw Nordstrand’s first NX5 Bolt-on bass guitar. Its spalted maple top and matching headstock have a gorgeous textural look with striking light and dark contrasts thanks to the spalting, which is naturally created in wood by fungi.
Equally eye-catching is the birdseye maple fingerboard and abalone block inlays, which is then complimented with matching pickup covers. The neck is a 3-piece maple laminate. In fact, the only wood that isn’t maple is the body, which is a striking piece of Ash.
Not surprisingly, Nordstrand stocks their basses with their own pickups. In this case, it’s a pair of FatStacks. The bridge and tuners are by Hipshot.
What do you say? What’s your favorite top wood? Tell us about it in the comments.
Nordstrand NX5 Bolt-on Bass Photo Gallery:
