My custom-made bass from start to finish

[Lord Larehip]

In January of 2015, one year later, I drove back to Muskegon to get my bass. My instructor, also a good friend, went with me. We took the bass to his house and he held it up for me so I could get photos.






This is called an Occitan cross--the official seal of Count Raymond V of Toulouse dating from 1165. Occitania is a region in southern Europe--mainly France. Dan and his band had gone to France in late summer and he sent me photos he had taken. One showed a type of cross carved on a wall and I told he'd have to put that on my bass since I wanted my bass to have medieval themes. I found this particular version on the internet and sent it to Dan saying that I wanted it carved on the back but he said that would compromise the wood. He suggested either inlay--very expensive--or oil painting--less expensive. He then would varnish o'er the paint making it permanent. So I said ok. He knows this lady who oil paints on instruments and hired her.


The lady decided that the cross by itself look a bit bare so she added a fleur-de-lys at the top and bottom. That was nice of her and it looks fantastic.