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NBD: Tribute bass for my Dad, ongoing project

redstrand

redstrand

May 18, 2007
6,837
12,155
Saint Louis, MO
Disclosures
Fool For Four Strings
#1
Been a couple of weeks, my Dad passed away. Sucks but as he lived his motto was live everyday. Keep going. After sifting through a lot and getting things in order I decided to make a Tribute bass for my Dad. He was a Ham radio guy and did EMA work since he retired. All about the frequencies and wavelength, this will be a mutt of the highest order. I took a rack case and some pedals to GC and came back with this.

Changes will be afoot. It's light resonant and the neck is killer. Perfect modding platform. He loved it when I modded things as he did all these years.


The plastic will come off later lol and stickers will be made, I got plans
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#4
Silent key. :( Rest in peace.

On the bright side, as a ham myself, I look forward to seeing how this turns out. I might know some guys who have some parts if there's something in particular you're looking for. Working his call sign into the design (even if it's small) would be a meaningful tribute to a ham.... especially if he had a vanity sign, or had been a ham for years. A 12th fret inlay? Or maybe on the headstock?

Sorry for you loss. Good luck with the project.
 
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#5
two fingers said:
Silent key. :( Rest in peace.

On the bright side, as a ham myself, I look forward to seeing how this turns out. I might know some guys who have some parts if there's something in particular you're looking for. Working his call sign into the design (even if it's small) would be a meaningful tribute to a ham.... especially if he had a vanity sign, or had been a ham for years. A 12th fret inlay? Or maybe on the headstock?

Sorry for you loss. Good luck with the project.
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Thank you, his friends gave him the silent key tribute at the funeral. We had a radio set up, the last one he used.
Good lord I have soooooooo much stuff. Between the Icom's and the handhelds I'm set. I donated so much to the EMA and the local hams there to help people. What I kept will keep me busy for years.

I'll have a waterslide made of his call sign for the headstock and decals made of his vietnam medals. Also will get one of his sharpshooter patches made into a decal. I'll post a bunch of that as I go along.

I'm a pro at photoshop/illustrator so believe me the dad stuff will be cool
 
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#7
Sorry for your loss. My dad was a ham radio aficionado, too. Before the internet, we were all pretty amazed when he'd talk to people in Australia and China. The neighbours weren't impressed when he built the big tower in the backyard and badgered him until he took it down. I'll never forget being a kid at a gathering of operators in Florida and feeling so mature for understanding the joke imprinted on this one guy's shirt: "ham radio operators do it with greater frequency" ... this bass is a great tribute!
 
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#8
Green Knight said:
Sorry for your loss. My dad was a ham radio aficionado, too. Before the internet, we were all pretty amazed when he'd talk to people in Australia and China. The neighbours weren't impressed when he built the big tower in the backyard and badgered him until he took it down. I'll never forget being a kid at a gathering of operators in Florida and feeling so mature for understanding the joke imprinted on this one guy's shirt: "ham radio operators do it with greater frequency" ... this bass is a great tribute!
Click to expand...

One of the reason I live in the neighborhood that I live in is no homeowners association. When I get time, I'm putting up some wire antennas for sure.
 
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#10
redstrand said:
Thank you, his friends gave him the silent key tribute at the funeral. We had a radio set up, the last one he used.
Good lord I have soooooooo much stuff. Between the Icom's and the handhelds I'm set. I donated so much to the EMA and the local hams there to help people. What I kept will keep me busy for years.

I'll have a waterslide made of his call sign for the headstock and decals made of his vietnam medals. Also will get one of his sharpshooter patches made into a decal. I'll post a bunch of that as I go along.

I'm a pro at photoshop/illustrator so believe me the dad stuff will be cool
Click to expand...


That's gonna be awesome. Yeah please keep us updated. I have often thought about doing something with my dad's medals from Vietnam. He's still with us for now.
 
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#14
redstrand said:
Been a couple of weeks, my Dad passed away. Sucks but as he lived his motto was live everyday. Keep going. After sifting through a lot and getting things in order I decided to make a Tribute bass for my Dad. He was a Ham radio guy and did EMA work since he retired. All about the frequencies and wavelength, this will be a mutt of the highest order. I took a rack case and some pedals to GC and came back with this.

Changes will be afoot. It's light resonant and the neck is killer. Perfect modding platform. He loved it when I modded things as he did all these years.


The plastic will come off later lol and stickers will be made, I got plansView attachment 3711433View attachment 3711434
Click to expand...
Very cool what you are doing ! I'm a ham operator myself ( extra class ). I have ham plates and people always are like "what the hell is ham radio", like I'm part of a radio station or something . My dad sounds a lot like your dad ( retired Navy, loves planes and ham radio, probably tinkering the most Making his own antennas ). Keep us posted 73's ( your dad would know what that means ).
 
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#17
stuntbass77 said:
Very cool what you are doing ! I'm a ham operator myself ( extra class ). I have ham plates and people always are like "what the hell is ham radio", like I'm part of a radio station or something . My dad sounds a lot like your dad ( retired Navy, loves planes and ham radio, probably tinkering the most Making his own antennas ). Keep us posted 73's ( your dad would know what that means ).
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I know what that means too:thumbsup:
 
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#19
Sorry for your loss and condolences about your Dad.

I played several basses while dinking around at GC last night and I tried that very same model. It felt great to me, and normally maple fretboards turn me off. Should be a great starting point for your project!
 
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#20
mexicanyella said:
Sorry for your loss and condolences about your Dad.

I played several basses while dinking around at GC last night and I tried that very same model. It felt great to me, and normally maple fretboards turn me off. Should be a great starting point for your project!
Click to expand...
Best plank anyone had, knowing I was basically stripping the parts off, I just need a good body and a straight neck.
 
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