My wife pulled the perfect sneak play, and a Talkbasser helped her do it.
I left my longtime career in AV to pursue a collegiate teaching career, and graduated with my Bachelor’s last week. The past few years have been challenging, like it has for most of us, and I made the excruciating decision to sell my beloved Modulus Quantum 5 a while back. I have been a gigging bass player on and off for 25+ years, and she knew how much it wrecked me to sell my Q5. Fast forward to a couple of months ago.
She had seen me constantly pining over this bass or that on TB, and knew that I had fallen in love with a Maruszczyk Frog 5 in the Hellwood (Padauk) on trans-black finish… The “Hellfrog.” It just looked so sick, and is my favorite body style out of all the boutique/high end basses. She secretly took up a collection from friends and family, then came here to TB, created an account, and bravely sought out the seller of the Hellfrog.
(original post: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/maruszczyk-hellwood-frog-5.1633779/)
Jones64 took the time to make sure she was legit, then worked with her to make sure the bass shipped totally without my knowledge. She and her family put together an incredible graduation party for me at my favorite venue.
The venue owner - a dear friend - put it in a cello hard-case. When she rolled out the cello case at the party with a gigantic bow on top, I had three immediate thoughts:
1.) Oh crap, she thought she bought me an upright, and instead bought me a cello.
2.) I’m about to act really, really happy to get a cello!
3.) I guess I’m about to learn to play the cello.
Of course, I opened the case and had to fight back the tears… only she could have known how much I adored that gorgeous Maruszczyk Hellfrog 5, and she only could have pulled it off with the help of the TB’er who sold it.
There it was, nestled in that cello case, in all its German/Polish glory!!!!
She also ensured that two of my past band-mates were there, and the stage was already set and mic’d up. Immediately upon opening this incredible gift, I was able to get on stage and play an impromptu jam session with my favorite drummer and guitarist.
I am so humbled and blessed, thank you @Jones64 . The Maruszczyk is an incredible instrument, the jam session was like trying to reign in a race car, and I have found my new favorite bass.
THIS bass will be my main axe from now on. I do prefer it to my beloved and beastly Modulus… the Maru is a different animal altogether, it is my perfect bass.
Thank you @Jones64 – and thank you to the Talkbass crew. This website has endured for a long, long time, and it is home to so many of us in this select culture… we learn gear, sell gear, buy gear, and sometimes help each other to discover a new dream instrument we’ll never part with.
Now… off to grad school, where I need to find a new band!!!!!
Mastiff_5
I left my longtime career in AV to pursue a collegiate teaching career, and graduated with my Bachelor’s last week. The past few years have been challenging, like it has for most of us, and I made the excruciating decision to sell my beloved Modulus Quantum 5 a while back. I have been a gigging bass player on and off for 25+ years, and she knew how much it wrecked me to sell my Q5. Fast forward to a couple of months ago.
She had seen me constantly pining over this bass or that on TB, and knew that I had fallen in love with a Maruszczyk Frog 5 in the Hellwood (Padauk) on trans-black finish… The “Hellfrog.” It just looked so sick, and is my favorite body style out of all the boutique/high end basses. She secretly took up a collection from friends and family, then came here to TB, created an account, and bravely sought out the seller of the Hellfrog.
(original post: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/maruszczyk-hellwood-frog-5.1633779/)
Jones64 took the time to make sure she was legit, then worked with her to make sure the bass shipped totally without my knowledge. She and her family put together an incredible graduation party for me at my favorite venue.
The venue owner - a dear friend - put it in a cello hard-case. When she rolled out the cello case at the party with a gigantic bow on top, I had three immediate thoughts:
1.) Oh crap, she thought she bought me an upright, and instead bought me a cello.
2.) I’m about to act really, really happy to get a cello!
3.) I guess I’m about to learn to play the cello.
Of course, I opened the case and had to fight back the tears… only she could have known how much I adored that gorgeous Maruszczyk Hellfrog 5, and she only could have pulled it off with the help of the TB’er who sold it.
There it was, nestled in that cello case, in all its German/Polish glory!!!!
She also ensured that two of my past band-mates were there, and the stage was already set and mic’d up. Immediately upon opening this incredible gift, I was able to get on stage and play an impromptu jam session with my favorite drummer and guitarist.
I am so humbled and blessed, thank you @Jones64 . The Maruszczyk is an incredible instrument, the jam session was like trying to reign in a race car, and I have found my new favorite bass.
THIS bass will be my main axe from now on. I do prefer it to my beloved and beastly Modulus… the Maru is a different animal altogether, it is my perfect bass.
Thank you @Jones64 – and thank you to the Talkbass crew. This website has endured for a long, long time, and it is home to so many of us in this select culture… we learn gear, sell gear, buy gear, and sometimes help each other to discover a new dream instrument we’ll never part with.
Now… off to grad school, where I need to find a new band!!!!!
Mastiff_5
