Spector is a company that makes bass guitars. Founded in 1974 by self-taught luthier Stuart Spector, Spector's first few instruments were essentially crude experiments in instrument design and craftsmanship. Over the next few years, the design and manufacturing process was refined and in 1977, with the help of furniture designer Ned Steinberger, the company developed its most popular design, the NS.

With the success of the NS, the company grew rapidly and was eventually sold to Kramer Musical Instruments. Kramer produced bass guitars for five years under the Spector name until they were forced to file bankruptcy. After Kramer's failure, Stuart Spector was still building instruments under the name "Stewart Spector Design" and was actively fighting in court to regain the Spector trademark, which he finally won in 1998.

Currently, Spector produces their finest instruments in their Woodstock, New York shop, with less-expensive versions of the classic Spector instruments produced in Korea, China, the United States, and the Czech Republic.