Seeking donations for a charity build

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Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

Hi all. I have recently become involved with an organization that raises money to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis. As a respiratory therapist, and a bass builder, I decided I would like to build a custom bass to be auctioned off at one of their events. Knowing my schedule, I won't be able to get it done for this year's event, but I would at least like to have a good start on it so I might be able to show it at the event, and start to garner interest either for next year, or their next event. I am mainly looking for donations of hardware ie tuners, a bridge, pickups, a two-way truss rod, and strap locks. Other needs may arise as the build progresses, but these are the main things I am hoping to acquire at this time. If anyone is interested in helping me with this project by donating any of these items, it would be greatly appreciated.
David King
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Location: Portland, OR
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Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by David King »

Hi Kurt,
Perhaps you could tell us a bit more about the instrument you would like to build. I really like your idea and would gladly donate some wood knobs if they would fit into the general aesthetic you have in mind. I'd suggest you hold some of the body cut offs if you want the knobs to match.
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

Thanks for the offer David! I'll be sending you a pm. As for the design, I have some things in mind, but want to keep the specifics under wraps until it's done. I'll reveal what's needed on a need to know basis, at least for now. I'm thinking I want to keep the bridge and tuners chrome, for mass appeal, but wood knobs would be great. For now, the plan is for a simple hard maple neck and possibly cherry body. Maybe birds-eye for the neck and fretboard. I'll have to see what I have in the basement.
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

So, how can I get more exposure for this project?
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

David, one thing I will need, that could prove difficult to get donated, is a blue-green epoxy that appears to almost glow. So far I haven't been able to come up with a supplier, and haven't heard back from those I've contacted about it. I'll see if I can figure out how to post a pic of what I'm looking for.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/133348838940089683/
David King
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Location: Portland, OR
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Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by David King »

It's either inlace or photo-luminescent powder. If you are just doing traditional inlays you can get sheets of the glow in the dark stuff from luminlay in Japan. Luminlay appears mostly white in daytime. Inlace is available in many colors including malachite. You can buy some photo-luminescent powder and add it to the inlace though I don't know how well that would work.
David King
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Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:01 pm
Location: Portland, OR
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Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by David King »

Set up a facebook page to promote what you are doing and post a link to it so folks here can "like" it. Add a Paypal "contribute" button to the FB page and post regular updates with specific asks. I had good luck asking larger commercial concerns for in-kind donations. Be sure to thank them at the end and send them photos they can use for their promotions.
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

Thanks for the ideas David! I know, it probably seems like I had fallen off the face of the earth. I apologize for not keeping up with this. I'm back now, and working on making significant progress on this project. I have the neck and body wings glued up, and am working on getting them connected.

If you are still willing to make some knobs, it would sure be appreciated. The top of the bass is curly maple, and the body has an accent stripe of walnut, which I think would make for nice knobs. Please let me know if this is still an option.

Thanks again for the ideas!
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

0206181652 new.jpg
This is the bass I will be donating for auction to support cystic fibrosis cure research.
Bob Francis
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Bob Francis »

What a brilliant design!
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

Thanks Bob! If you've read the rest of this thread, you know this is to benefit cystic fibrosis, which is, if you didn't know, essentially a disease of the lungs. Originally I wanted to airways to be brighter green, almost luminescent, but couldn't find resin/material to make this happen, within my budget. Once finished, we are hoping this thing takes on a life of it's own, and gains national exposure. I originally was thinking it might bring in $1-2k, but then the others on the committee started talking about how maybe some celebrity has a friend or family member with CF, and gives $10k for it. Or maybe some hospital or foundation really wants it...who knows. Should be exciting once it goes up for auction.
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Bob Gramann
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Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Bob Gramann »

When I saw that picture, I wished that I was in yout neighborhood so I could bid on it (even though I have enough basses and I could build another anyway), but $10k worth of competition in the bidding damps any desire. It’s beautiful and inspired. Congratulations.
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

Bob, that $10k is a pipe dream. Honestly, I would be shocked if it went that high. As it's for a charity, anything is possible, but realistically? I doubt it. We are planning on this being an online auction, so you would definitely have a shot at getting this! We are tentatively considering something like a 5 day auction, timed to end around the same time as the end of Artprize in Grand Rapids, MI. If everything works out, we are hoping to have some skilled (possibly professional, high profile) bassists record short videos with it, talk a little about it, how it plays, sounds etc. For each day of the auction, we are hoping to roll out a new video, with the featured player in each video dropping a teaser at the end, encouraging viewers to return the next day for a new video. It's going to be alot to coordinate, and will require alot of things to work out for it to all take place as mentioned, but we're hoping...
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Bob Gramann
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Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Bob Gramann »

That sounds like a great plan. I hope it works well for you. I did a build over a decade ago for a fundraiser auction out of some very special wood (a 150 year old crib dam removed to restore a river to free-flowing). The guitar was well appreciated but the musicians were left behnd in the bidding. Even so, it sold for $1000 less than what we expected for it. I didn’t have the imagination to come up with a plan like what you have.
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

What type of instrument was it? And could I ask what it went for?
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Bob Gramann
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Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Bob Gramann »

It was about a size O, 14 fret acoustic guitar with white oak (silver grey after 150 years underwater) back and sides and a “yellow” pine top (kind of green after submersion and still smelled like pine when sawn). It sounded pretty nice. At the same time I built it, I made two in the same mold with EIR back and sides and spruce tops. They sounded a lot nicer. I expected $2500. It went for $1500. I found the old web page for it: http://bobgramann.com/damguitar.html This page should have been deleted. I will try to remember to do that when I get home.
Kurt Veltman
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 12:53 pm

Re: Seeking donations for a charity build

Post by Kurt Veltman »

I'm not much of an acoustic person, but that's a good looking guitar! I've never seen that silver color on an acoustic before...I like it!

Without knowing anything about the organization you made this for (simply judging by the name), I have a feeling I may have a bigger target audience, so hopefully that means we are able to maximize the income from this. I'll try to remember to post pics when I get it "completed".
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