NCBGD!

[Outbush]

Beautiful bass, beautiful gift - and congratulations on retirement!

 

[Lucas Carioli]

Great Stuff! The name must be "CH-47 Helicopter Bass", of course!

 

[Acoustic356]

That's just cool!

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Seems the obvious name would be “Blade”.

 

[Hummergeist]

I retired at the end of last year from a Company that repairs helicopter rotor blades and produces rotor blade static balancing equipment. They had my retirement luncheon today and I was totally floored with the retirement gift they presented to me!

It's a 4-string CBG made with rotor blade materials. The body is made from fairing skin pieces from a CH-47 rotor blade, the bridge and nut are solid composite from a trailing edge wedge, the sound holes are lead-lag damper bushings, the pick-up cover is the pre-cured skin that we use for patches, the purple paste adhesive is the EA9309-3NA adhesive that we use for repairs, the neck is purpleheart (with a touch of flame), and they even put a custom UID data plate on it! Shellac finish.
View attachment 5022411 View attachment 5022413 View attachment 5022416 View attachment 5022418 View attachment 5022420 View attachment 5022424 View attachment 5022425

I'm a big fan of re-purposing materials, and boy did they come up with a great plan/design with excellent execution. I promise to play the heck out of it (probably into a MB Subway TT-800 w/SW112), and will always treasure it!

Now I need to come up with a good name for it....

Cheers,

Nice - they obviously liked you, and it's a very thoughtful gift.

 

[Jigmay]

That is really cool. The fact that they know enough about you to design and execute for your gift speaks highly. Congrats. Really looks like a fun instrument.

^^^^^^^^This!

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I retired at the end of last year from a Company that repairs helicopter rotor blades and produces rotor blade static balancing equipment. They had my retirement luncheon today and I was totally floored with the retirement gift they presented to me!

It's a 4-string CBG made with rotor blade materials. The body is made from fairing skin pieces from a CH-47 rotor blade, the bridge and nut are solid composite from a trailing edge wedge, the sound holes are lead-lag damper bushings, the pick-up cover is the pre-cured skin that we use for patches, the purple paste adhesive is the EA9309-3NA adhesive that we use for repairs, the neck is purpleheart (with a touch of flame), and they even put a custom UID data plate on it! Shellac finish.
View attachment 5022411 View attachment 5022413 View attachment 5022416 View attachment 5022418 View attachment 5022420 View attachment 5022424 View attachment 5022425

I'm a big fan of re-purposing materials, and boy did they come up with a great plan/design with excellent execution. I promise to play the heck out of it (probably into a MB Subway TT-800 w/SW112), and will always treasure it!

Now I need to come up with a good name for it....

Cheers,

AWESOME! Love it! Only one like it in the world. Congratulations and enjoy retirement (and your new bass), you lucky SOB!

 

[nickpc]

Page 3 and no one has asked for the weight yet? What is TB coming to?

That is really, really cool!

 

[happygilmour]

Whirly.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

That’s an awesome! You’ve got some handy people on your team, because that build looks great.

Now, this being TB, any plans to swap the stings for piccolo strings?

 

[BassToGoGo]

An amazing gift. Congratulations on your retirement!

 

[Bassamatic]

Wow! You worked with some fantastic people that obviously cared about you a great deal. What a fantastic gift! Congratulations !!

 

[ThudThudThud]

This is the goofiest looking thing I have seen on TB! Not even THE MOTHMAN can scratch this!

Are rotor blades good for metal?

Oh, great. You've invoked the Mothman. Now I won't sleep. Thanks a lot. Geeesh!

 

[40Hz]

Fellow CBG enthusiast here. That bass hits me where I live!

Maybe name it “Igor” after the great man himself?

 

[WRM]

Seems the obvious name would be “Blade”.

Fellow CBG enthusiast here. That bass hits me where I live!

Maybe name it “Igor” after the great man himself?

View attachment 5023175

Both are great suggestions - thanks!

 

[StealthBass4]

That BOEING plate they engraved for you just gives it so much more BADASS-NESS.
Like you and others have stated, they really love and know you and wish you well on your next chapter.
That was real heartwarming.

Oh, and I like the name Igor for the reason above, and it fits so well since you're the Dr. Frankenstein, who's definition of "chopper" mean two different things !

 

[WRM]

Got some pics of the party today - when I first laid eyes on (still haven't decided)!


Weight: 3.5 lbs/1.6kg

I hope to get some samples up soon....

(Edited to add a couple more photos)

Yep - Chinook blade shipping containers everywhere!...

 

[retslock]

I retired at the end of last year from a Company that repairs helicopter rotor blades and produces rotor blade static balancing equipment. They had my retirement luncheon today and I was totally floored with the retirement gift they presented to me!

It's a 4-string CBG made with rotor blade materials. The body is made from fairing skin pieces from a CH-47 rotor blade, the bridge and nut are solid composite from a trailing edge wedge, the sound holes are lead-lag damper bushings, the pick-up cover is the pre-cured skin that we use for patches, the purple paste adhesive is the EA9309-3NA adhesive that we use for repairs, the neck is purpleheart (with a touch of flame), and they even put a custom UID data plate on it! Shellac finish.
View attachment 5022411 View attachment 5022413 View attachment 5022416 View attachment 5022418 View attachment 5022420 View attachment 5022424 View attachment 5022425

I'm a big fan of re-purposing materials, and boy did they come up with a great plan/design with excellent execution. I promise to play the heck out of it (probably into a MB Subway TT-800 w/SW112), and will always treasure it!

Now I need to come up with a good name for it....

Cheers,

What a wonderful gesture. It shows great respect and affection.

I spent some time in Vietnam in 1968 and the Chinooks were in service back then. It’s amazing that they are still going strong. There were also C47s (we know them as DC3s) at work over there too. Kind of like the Precision bass really. A design that works so well there’s no reason to change it.

 

[WRM]

What a wonderful gesture. It shows great respect and affection.

I spent some time in Vietnam in 1968 and the Chinooks were in service back then. It’s amazing that they are still going strong. There were also C47s (we know them as DC3s) at work over there too. Kind of like the Precision bass really. A design that works so well there’s no reason to change it.

I just missed Vietnam, but worked with a lot of Vets over the years, so heard many of the stories. I just realized that I'm the "same age" as the Chinook (1962)!...

Thank you,

 

[WRM]

Congrats, that is fantastic! If you have a chance, please post some sound clips.

I finally got the gear out to do a quick sample - MB SW TT-800 Post EQ DI on the left, mic'd MB SW112 on the right (SM57 clone), both XLRs into an H6. Tuned GDGB, "Subway" Channel first, then probably a little too much gain on the "Boogie" Channel?...

Cheers,