Hi guys, 10 years ago I met some guys on an internet guitar forum from South Dakota. I live in Connecticut and go out there every year during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and they very graciously allow me to sit in with them 4 or 5 nights during rally week.
Four years ago, the bass player was in a motorcycle accident and lost the use of his legs. Since then i've been watching him struggle with his bass and felt it was time to do something about it.
The bass you see here features a Warmoth neck and represents 9 months of designing and building.
I just retruned from South Dakota tonight where I delivered the bass to him in person and we played a gig for friends and family. It is by far the most fun project I've ever done, and I've done a lot of projects!
I call it "Ergo-Vibe" because it is ergonomically designed for the special needs of someone who plays in a wheel chair.
The neck is rotated 15 degrees as are the bridge and pickup. This angle allows the player to slouch back in their chair while keeping the fingerboard perpendicular to the floor. Otherwise, the player needs to reach further around the neck to fret the notes.
The leg cut has also been moved back a few inches to position the instrument more directly in front of the player. But this created a balance issue where the bass became "neck-heavy."
To address this issue, I made a small leaf spring that attaches to the body and supports the neck in a "hands free" posture!
I contoured the neck heel area so I could use 5 screws of equal length to secure the neck.
The end result is a bass guitar that is infinitely easier to play than a conventional instrument. This bass was a gift to my friend who needed a little help. Others have helped me out in my lifetime and when I saw an opportunity to give something back, I took it.
Four years ago, the bass player was in a motorcycle accident and lost the use of his legs. Since then i've been watching him struggle with his bass and felt it was time to do something about it.
The bass you see here features a Warmoth neck and represents 9 months of designing and building.
I just retruned from South Dakota tonight where I delivered the bass to him in person and we played a gig for friends and family. It is by far the most fun project I've ever done, and I've done a lot of projects!
I call it "Ergo-Vibe" because it is ergonomically designed for the special needs of someone who plays in a wheel chair.
The neck is rotated 15 degrees as are the bridge and pickup. This angle allows the player to slouch back in their chair while keeping the fingerboard perpendicular to the floor. Otherwise, the player needs to reach further around the neck to fret the notes.
The leg cut has also been moved back a few inches to position the instrument more directly in front of the player. But this created a balance issue where the bass became "neck-heavy."
To address this issue, I made a small leaf spring that attaches to the body and supports the neck in a "hands free" posture!
I contoured the neck heel area so I could use 5 screws of equal length to secure the neck.
The end result is a bass guitar that is infinitely easier to play than a conventional instrument. This bass was a gift to my friend who needed a little help. Others have helped me out in my lifetime and when I saw an opportunity to give something back, I took it.
