Harmony Central live NAMM video

just click on the above underlined link and then click on Bogdon Box Bass.  i'm still a bit dizzy from playing bass 10 hours straight Fri - Sat - Sun,  but once i can think straight i'll post the story. We won the Best In Show at the Summer NAMM in Nashville 2008, and i cant sleep because i cant stop smiling.

The Ark in Ann Arbor, MI can be contacted at http://www.theark.org/

FINALLY FINALLY finally... the proper magazine does the proper interview...

Detroit Fashion puts me right smack dab in the middle of where I'm supposed to be, in the Fashion Pages of course! Me rehearse? nev-ah! Practice hurts. And as everyone in Motor-Tinsle-Town knows, it doesn't matter what ya sound like, because it's what ya LOOK like whats really counts in show-biz today, baybee. What ya look like shows what ya feels like, and I FEEL MAH-VELOUS

(dig the link...) http://www.detroitfashionpages.com/music/music-492.asp

i may now relax for the moment, but i think i need a haircut soon.

Less than a year ago, I emailed Bass Player Magazine editor Greg Olwell. He returned my email and politley told me that he's seen my box bass video. I returned his email with my box bass sales numbers and purchasers positive feedback posted at EBay. He offered to put the Bogdon Box Bass in the June issue "New Products" catagory. That was very exciting, and Mr. Olwell then asked to do a formal review. Of course i mailed him a box bass kit and I had to agree to accept whatever Bass Player publishes about the box bass. I was nervous beyond belief because i actually get hate mail from bass players that despise my bass. The Bogdon Box Bass is just a crazy fun novelty bass that sounds much better than it should. But it isn't a replacement for quality materials and fine luthier craftsmanship. I agreed to accept the outcome of the review.

January 2008 issue of Bass Player Magazine has a 3 page rave review about the box bass. It features photos, assembly instructions, and Mr. Olwells story of how he enjoyed making and playing the box bass. Bass Player Magazine went further to post 3 videos of Greg Olwell assembling and playing the Bogdon Box Bass.

I'm thrilled and satisfied beyond belief. The new Bogdon product is an Electric Washtub Bass currently selling in the Elderly Instruments store and catalog.

I need to gig real bad but it's impossible to rehearse in my domain, and almost equally impossible to escape the constant events of daily life....

THAT's the main reason that i manufacture cardboard box upright basses.
Elderly Instruments is supporting my endevours by allowing me to use their workshop and bass-techs to further my explorations in acheiving "tone" via unconventional materials.
dig this site http://elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=bogdon&x=0&y=0

i'm almost finished with my Upright Bass Transducer which blew their minds yesterday.
I brought in a small metal disc with a few wires attached and asked to compared their most expensive upright bass pickup to mine... they brought in a $199 pickup and attached it to a $2500 upright bass... i asked their bass tech to play it, then play mine...
He played the $199 pickup on the $2500 bass, then played my cheap mess of wires and smiled at the tone. His first words were somewhat confused "wow, this is pretty good..."
to me, THAT translates into "HOLY MOLY THIS THING IS FRIGGIN AMAZING..." because he stopped playing to get a better look at my pickup.

Elderly allowed me to use their facility for about 4 hours experimenting with amps, basses and wiring.
My Bogdon partners are Alan - an acoustic engineer for Ford, Mark - an electronic engineer for Westinghouse, and Dave - a small manufacturing business owner. When we were done, every single Elderly employee stopped what they were doing to see and hear our creation. The Bogdon Upright Bass pickup will be the finest pickup on the market and will beat the price of the finest Barcus Berry.
This pickup is designed to capture the full spectrum of tones within an upright bass, and unlike every single bass pickup out there, mine amplifies the tones found within the body WITHOUT feedback! And i refuse to have to ever deal with a preamp. NEVER!!!!!!
The feeling of freedom is almost overwhealming.

After experimenting at Elderly, we went to a dairy farm and drank fresh squeezed unpasteurized milk!
i brought a gallon home, but no one here will drink it so "CHEERS to you..."

anyway, heres my newest marketing idea
http://www.geocities.com/washtubbass/bogdonblack.html

i'm not crazy, i'm filling a void in the universe.

Bogdon

Bass Therapy Lesson  8-28-2007

" 'tis the ability to think and display evidence of thought that is what separates us from the non-artists.

Therefore, it is our life's duty as musicians to offer inspiration using physical vibrations to stir excitement within souls of everyone everywhere."

Bogdon Vasquaf

Saturday was the perfect day. It was sunny with no humidity, warm fresh air, no breeze. I went to Plymouth MI to be seen with my Bogdon Box Bass. I circled Kellogg Park once and decided to park right on Main Street to sit on a park bench where everyone passing by can see me. I played the box bass softly at first, and got quite aggressive beating a rhythm on the box and answering the rhythm with a little melody. I played for a bout 5 mins and drew a few people that were casually sitting in the shade. An elderly woman simply said "you're a nice boy... I love music" I smiled and nodded in thanks... a roller blade guy stopped and asked what it was I was playing, I said that I'm just making it all up as I go, he said "no, no, I mean what is that thing your playing...?" Ohhh, this is a genuine original Bogdon Box Bass, American made. He sat and said that I should have a tin cup. I disagreed and said that I am here to change the world slowly. "What do you mean?" he said. I said "I'm sitting here to show everyone that anything is possible..." He just laughed and so did I.

          People came a little bit closer as I maintained the groovus maximus.
A cop walked by and didn't even look at me (I was ready to be asked to leave, and I would have quietly). A teen on a bike stopped and told me that I was amazing. He went on to say that he watched the box bass video on youtube and wondered if the guy playing it was from New York. "Why do you think that?" I asked. He shrugged and told me that he plays a jaw harp and harmonica. I said, "That guy you see on youtube is me..." His jaw dropped and he got off his bike. I sensed a feeling of jubilation as he called his friends over. Now, I know I'm an old guy in their eyes. I told them that I simply couldn't afford an upright bass so I made one. They cheered and I was amazed for the moment. They said that they all played guitar and went on explaining that someday they'll be a band. I told them that anything is possible.

          I jammed with the kid playing the jaw harp. He took out his harmonica and started to have a hard time playing it. I got my harmonica out and started to show him everything I know. His harmonica was the problem, he seemed capable of doing things that I did, but his harmonica was cheap, so I gave him a tattered beat up Blues Harp (the best money can buy). The harmonica I gave him was now below my standards because I play so hard that I wear out the reeds and they become unbalanced. I told..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

him to take this harmonica to any music store and say "give me a new one of these..."

"I guarantee that you'll play much better with a better harmonica." His friends each tried out the Bogdon Box Bass and all agreed that it's something they want to own. I gave them my phone number and the Bogdon web page, then told them that I am married with children and they can't hang out at my house, but they are welcome to come over and play the box bass thru an amplifier. Each of the 5 kids said that they've seen me on youtube and can't believe that were sitting in the park jamming.  A guy in a suit stopped his car and came towards us with a camera but didn't take any pictures. He looked around, then left without saying anything either. I was really having fun jamming and talking about the Bogdon experience.

          After a few more moments, I sensed that my time was up. There's nothing worse than becoming a figure of boredom, so I bid my farewell and went home. I wish I had a battery powered amp to play bass at the park because I'll be going back more often. I now realize that I need a small power supply to bring an amplifier everywhere I go. I checked out the battery powered amplifiers at Guitar Center, but they all sounded horrible for a bass, so I think one of those power supplies made for jumping a car would work. They have a plug-outlet and I can plug my Crate amp into it. If it powers my amp for an hour, it'll be worth it. Guitar stores should sell those things. I think I'll run up to Sears to check em out.