- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
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Aircraft Carrier Theme Bass
- Thread starter Doner Designs
- Start date
As far as themed basses go, that is really, really cool. Can't wait to see it at 100% completion.
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Thanks Plec! I do some (very light) (hot rod) themes on a couple my personals but these elaborate designs are fun to do and they tend to do better at charity auctions than an ordinary guitar.
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
On vacation from the day job this week and son is off school...trying to make some major progress...
Center line on body is a bit wide but we wanted to match the neck...see diagram at end.
Not easy to see in the photo, but the runway on the body has a mist of black over the silver to give it more of a blacktop look.
Our expectation is that we'll have the signature of a very famous naval aviator on the forearm contour.
Axetreme Creations did the inlays and PG work to our spec. On the PG they contributed a lot of the ideas too.
The red is something that is on the bottom of ships but it is below the water line so you normally would not see it.
Black stain with tung oil on the Allparts neck. Fingerboard is ebony.
No additives in the tung oil from this place.
Look closely...did you know Fender spec necks are not symmetrical in the neck pocket? This made the straight line inlay a nightmare to do. Some final tweaking to the cut required the centerline to be a little wider than we had planned but it still looks great.
Axetreme Creations really went out of their way to help us out on this one donating materials and countless hours of effort on the PG and neck inlays. They were more of a partner than a vendor on this build.
Center line on body is a bit wide but we wanted to match the neck...see diagram at end.
Not easy to see in the photo, but the runway on the body has a mist of black over the silver to give it more of a blacktop look.
Our expectation is that we'll have the signature of a very famous naval aviator on the forearm contour.
Axetreme Creations did the inlays and PG work to our spec. On the PG they contributed a lot of the ideas too.
The red is something that is on the bottom of ships but it is below the water line so you normally would not see it.
Black stain with tung oil on the Allparts neck. Fingerboard is ebony.
No additives in the tung oil from this place.
Look closely...did you know Fender spec necks are not symmetrical in the neck pocket? This made the straight line inlay a nightmare to do. Some final tweaking to the cut required the centerline to be a little wider than we had planned but it still looks great.
Axetreme Creations really went out of their way to help us out on this one donating materials and countless hours of effort on the PG and neck inlays. They were more of a partner than a vendor on this build.
Last edited:
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Done except for some serious setup work, Naval aviator signature and professional photo work...
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
A few updated pics here. We changed to no-hole pickup covers and painted them to match the lines. Also fixed the neck alignment.
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Ex Navy pilot (and Apollo 13 Commander) Jim Lovell signed the bass this week. He was on the board of JDRF at one time (the charity which will get the bass to auction). He also signed a book and browsed some Apollo news clippings I had from when I was 10 yrs old. Unfortunately my son was unable to attend the signing.
Last edited:
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
My favorite part of the Apollo 13 movie. Here is a video and a transcript....
Invalid Link Removed
Actor Tom Hanks, playing Captain Jim Lovell, tells the true story of Lovell's dramatic landing on the aircraft carrier Shangri-La during his time in the United States Navy…
TV Reporter Jules Bergman:
Apollo 13 commander, Jim Lovell, has more time in space, almost twenty-four days already, than any other man, and I asked him recently if he was ever scared.
Captain James A. Lovell:
Oh, well, I've had an engine flame out a few times in an aircraft, and was kind of curious as to whether or not it was going to light up again, things of that nature, but, uh, they seem to work out.
Jules Bergman:
Is there a specific instance in an airplane emergency when you can recall fear?
Jim Lovell:
Uh well, I'll tell ya, I remember this one time - I'm in a Banshee at night in combat conditions, so there's no running lights on the carrier. It was the Shrangri-La, and we were in the Sea of Japan and my radar had jammed, and my homing signal was gone... because somebody in Japan was actually using the same frequency. And so it was - it was leading me away from where I was supposed to be. And I'm lookin' down at a big, black ocean, so I flip on my map light, and then suddenly: zap. Everything shorts out right there in my cockpit. All my instruments are gone. My lights are gone. And I can't even tell now what my altitude is. I know I'm running out of fuel, so I'm thinking about ditching in the ocean. And I, I look down there, and then in the darkness there's this uh, there's this green trail. It's like a long carpet that's just laid out right beneath me. And it was the algae, right? It was that phosphorescent stuff that gets churned up in the wake of a big ship. And it was - it was - it was leading me home. You know? If my cockpit lights hadn't shorted out, there's no way I'd ever been able to see that. So uh, you, uh, never know... what... what events are to transpire to get you home.
Invalid Link Removed
Actor Tom Hanks, playing Captain Jim Lovell, tells the true story of Lovell's dramatic landing on the aircraft carrier Shangri-La during his time in the United States Navy…
TV Reporter Jules Bergman:
Apollo 13 commander, Jim Lovell, has more time in space, almost twenty-four days already, than any other man, and I asked him recently if he was ever scared.
Captain James A. Lovell:
Oh, well, I've had an engine flame out a few times in an aircraft, and was kind of curious as to whether or not it was going to light up again, things of that nature, but, uh, they seem to work out.
Jules Bergman:
Is there a specific instance in an airplane emergency when you can recall fear?
Jim Lovell:
Uh well, I'll tell ya, I remember this one time - I'm in a Banshee at night in combat conditions, so there's no running lights on the carrier. It was the Shrangri-La, and we were in the Sea of Japan and my radar had jammed, and my homing signal was gone... because somebody in Japan was actually using the same frequency. And so it was - it was leading me away from where I was supposed to be. And I'm lookin' down at a big, black ocean, so I flip on my map light, and then suddenly: zap. Everything shorts out right there in my cockpit. All my instruments are gone. My lights are gone. And I can't even tell now what my altitude is. I know I'm running out of fuel, so I'm thinking about ditching in the ocean. And I, I look down there, and then in the darkness there's this uh, there's this green trail. It's like a long carpet that's just laid out right beneath me. And it was the algae, right? It was that phosphorescent stuff that gets churned up in the wake of a big ship. And it was - it was - it was leading me home. You know? If my cockpit lights hadn't shorted out, there's no way I'd ever been able to see that. So uh, you, uh, never know... what... what events are to transpire to get you home.
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
My dad, who passed away a year and a half ago, served on the Shangri-la back in the 60s. I'm not into military-themed basses (or motorcycles or anything else really) but this is pretty cool. That is one of the less-famous aircraft carriers, but it was special to my dad, who had a lot of photos and stories to tell.
And when you said a "famous naval aviator", I was hoping you were talking about Jim Lovell.
And when you said a "famous naval aviator", I was hoping you were talking about Jim Lovell.
Something from the Top Gun soundtrack.
Great job on the bass, there are so many cool details. I especially like your use of the white and black strings, and the neck pickup poles coming through the pickguard. Looking forward to hearing sound clips!
I work for the Department of Defense in Bremerton - I was going to ask if you needed anything to help with your project - but it seems you definitely have got a handle on it. Looks incredible!
BTW, here she was back in the day. After the Vietnam War the ship was put in mothballs in Philadelphia. My dad worked in Philly and lived across the Delaware River in South Jersey. He would take us to Fort Mercer and we would look across the river at the Shangri-la as it lay there, and eventually it was sold for scrap and towed away to the breakers.
The ship was built in 1944. During my dad's time on it, the ship typically carried F-8 Crusaders and A-4 Skyhawk jets, along with A-1 Skyraiders. This was the mid-60s Vietnam War era.
The ship was built in 1944. During my dad's time on it, the ship typically carried F-8 Crusaders and A-4 Skyhawk jets, along with A-1 Skyraiders. This was the mid-60s Vietnam War era.
Awesome. I've worked on the Kitty Hawk, Stennis, JFK, Reagan, Carl Vinson...and when the Enterprise comes in, I'll be helping to cut her up (in the recycle program now)...
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Captain Lovell had agreed to sign before we named her. It was the logical choice in view of the signature. Sorry to hear of your loss. My dad is around Lovell's age and is slipping toward Alzheimers. I'll miss him a lot when he is gone and probably before then.
Did your dad cross paths with Lovell at all?
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Thanks to all for the many kind remarks. I am not big into military themes, but they do well at the charity auctions. But, THIS one I like enough to want one for myself.
We could not have done it without a lot of help from our friends at Axetreme Creations. They did the neck inlays and the pickguard. Usually the guards are to our design spec, but in this case Axetreme had a lot of creative input too. It was their idea to have the neck runway continue onto the guard and to have the tail sections of the planes sticking out on the E side.
The detail most often commented about (by far) is the black and white strings. We are including an extra mixed set with the accessories since it really is an important part of the look.
The pickup cover paint was an afterthought that really helps tie things together as well.
Sweetwater Sound is going to shot some professional pictures for us in early August then we will be done except to finish up the print materials.
Thanks again for the encouraging comments. The kudos help keep us going when the fun starts to feel more like work.
We could not have done it without a lot of help from our friends at Axetreme Creations. They did the neck inlays and the pickguard. Usually the guards are to our design spec, but in this case Axetreme had a lot of creative input too. It was their idea to have the neck runway continue onto the guard and to have the tail sections of the planes sticking out on the E side.
The detail most often commented about (by far) is the black and white strings. We are including an extra mixed set with the accessories since it really is an important part of the look.
The pickup cover paint was an afterthought that really helps tie things together as well.
Sweetwater Sound is going to shot some professional pictures for us in early August then we will be done except to finish up the print materials.
Thanks again for the encouraging comments. The kudos help keep us going when the fun starts to feel more like work.
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