Question A very special request from Music Man?

[JayDawg]

Hey all,

I'm nit sure who to even request this too so I decided to make this a post. I also didn't want to PM Mr. Ball as he has requested no PM's. I know the Ernie Ball/Music Man as a company does not sell directly to individuals but I was wondering if they would bend the rule a little bit and allow me to have a bass very slightly custom made and then purchased through an authorized Music Man dealer?

Here is my situation. On March 29th, my birthday of all days, my wife found a lump in her right breast. Obviously that concerned us so she scheduled a mammogram to be done a few days later. They called her back the next day and said that they found a mass and wanted a second mammogram done and an ultra sound. That came back that they needed to surgically remove the mass. This past Thursday, 04/22/10, my wife had the lump removed. Unfortunately, today we got the results back that the lump was breast cancer. Right now my mind is still racing with everything that was said to us but the type that she has is the most common. There are also 3 levels with 1 being the best and 3 being the worse. She was diagnosed with a level 2. The options given to her were to go in an d remove different things but then have radiation or to go in and remove the entire breast. My wife has opted to have her entire right breast removed because of the type of cancer it it, this procedure has the best chances of never having the cancer return. They also said that later on she can have re constructive surgery.

Rochelle's surgery is scheduled for Wednesday May 12th. What sucks is our youngest sons birthday is the very next day and Mom will still be in the hospital. But to be honest with you all, I am more concerned with just getting my wife taken care of at this point.

Here is my request though. Prior to this, every year we have done a relay for life for breast cancer here in my town. This year it will be in June. In the next coming years, I plan on playing at the relay in addition to walking. But from this day forth, I have an additional mission of doing what I can for breast cancer awareness. The bass that I would like to have made is one the Music Man already makes but I would simply like a pink ribbon added above the bridge in the upper body part.

The bass I wanted is a Classic Stingray in the Shell Pink color with a White Pearloid pickguard and the birdseye maple fretboard and neck. The only thing I would want custom is the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness in the area of the body right above the bridge or really, anywhere on the bass where it could be seen by others. From here on out, I plan on doing what I can from doing shows or just being there for others to raise awareness and help others out. This bass would be a great way to help raise that awareness. Again, I know this is something that Music Man probable normally does not do but if you all would please bend the rules this one time so I could get this bass made, I cannot tell you how much it would mean to me and my wife. I also want to add that I am not looking for a handout or anything or free. I will pay for the bass and again, I don't mind going through an authorized dealer to get the bass I just would really like to get it with that pink ribbon added somewhere to it.
Thank you,
Jason



Here is a picture of the bass from another member of this site.

 

[Holdsg]

Very noble thing to do. Hope BP comes thru for you. I am married to a Breast Cancer survivor who was first diagnosed when she was 31 years old. Now, 15 years later, still cancer free. It was a life altering experience for us both, obviously, her much more than me.

Now I'm pretty sure you thought of this, but you can find stickers/decals of pick ribbons all over the place, I see them on cars all the time. I understand why you would want the ribbon below the finish, but in case that just won't work, you could use the other approach as a compromise.

 

[JayDawg]

Very noble thing to do. Hope BP comes thru for you. I am married to a Breast Cancer survivor who was first diagnosed when she was 31 years old. Now, 15 years later, still cancer free. It was a life altering experience for us both, obviously, her much more than me.

Now I'm pretty sure you thought of this, but you can find stickers/decals of pick ribbons all over the place, I see them on cars all the time. I understand why you would want the ribbon below the finish, but in case that just won't work, you could use the other approach as a compromise.

I have thought about that as well and that is probably what I will do in the event that I cannot get the ribbon painted on.

I am also glad to hear that your wife has been cancer free for 15 years. My wife is 36 so hopefully after this, she will also be cancer free from here on out.

 

[davidjbass]

Sorry to hear about your wife. My best wishes to her and your family. The North Dallas Guitar Center has 2 shell pink classics with white pickguards in stock. At least as of yesterday they did. You could always get one there and change the pickguard and like holdsg said above put a sticker on it. Good luck on your quest.

 

[GGK]

Positive thoughts for your wife, yourself and family and friends.
Take Care

 

[Chuck B]

All the best to your wife and you and your family!

And all the best to Mrs. Holdsg!

 

[Aussie Mark]

You could always buy a stock shell pink classic, buy a clear pickguard, and put large color "pink ribbon" stickers or logos underneath, as other people have done with "custom" graphics under clear pickguards. In effect, the clear pickguard becomes a "billboard" for whatever graphic you wish to advertise.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I hope everything turns out well for your wife and family. Good luck to you.

I like the idea of the clear pickguard with a graphic under it.

 

[jlepre]

You could always buy a stock shell pink classic, buy a clear pickguard, and put large color "pink ribbon" stickers or logos underneath, as other people have done with "custom" graphics under clear pickguards. In effect, the clear pickguard becomes a "billboard" for whatever graphic you wish to advertise.

Mark,
What a great idea...

 

[bovinehost]

Mark,
What a great idea...

It's dead simple and, as Mark says, you can change it anytime you like. I've done it many times over the years.

 

[aBoMoFo]

I have been through a "near miss" concerning breast cancer with a gal I dearly cared about (she's doing just fine, just an ex now) and my mother went through a bout with it ten years ago. You have my sympathies with what you are going through right now. Every day I am thankful in some way that these people are healthy now.

Best wishes to you, your wife, and surrounding family and praying May 12th is the end of the scare for Rochelle.

 

[RaginRog]

As has already been said...good luck to your wife! My soon to be mother in law has had a couple of lumpectomies last year.

Can't you just get a pink ribbon decal placed on the pickguard? It's an option.

 

[RaginRog]

You could always buy a stock shell pink classic, buy a clear pickguard, and put large color "pink ribbon" stickers or logos underneath, as other people have done with "custom" graphics under clear pickguards. In effect, the clear pickguard becomes a "billboard" for whatever graphic you wish to advertise.

+1 No wonder people make effects pedals named after you!

 

[sitonmybass]

Have a graphic artist paint one on the bass.

 

[JayDawg]

Thank you all for the suggestions. If I can't get one custom done, that is the way I will go. I like the pink ribbon on the pickguard as an idea too. I think that is actually a better location than my idea. It will probably be a little easier to have it done too. Our local relay for life walk is June 11th and if I go that route I will try and get the bass by then to possibly play at it while I am not walking.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Thank you all for the suggestions. If I can't get one custom done, that is the way I will go. I like the pink ribbon on the pickguard as an idea too. I think that is actually a better location than my idea. It will probably be a little easier to have it done too. Our local relay for life walk is June 11th and if I go that route I will try and get the bass by then to possibly play at it while I am not walking.

Here's what I mean about the clear pickguard idea. You can put anything you like - sticker, printout, logo whatever underneath the pickguard.

 

[Big Poppa]

We can do it for you. Marks way is pretty slick too.

Just let me know what dealer you want to use.

Positive thoughts here for your wife and her ordeal

 

[scottbass71]

That is so cool of you sterling ( I know you didn't do it for the recognition)
But think it is so nice and a 1st class act from you and the company.

Best wishes to you and your wife JayDawg lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago a terrible disease.

 

[JayDawg]

We can do it for you. Marks way is pretty slick too.

Just let me know what dealer you want to use.

Positive thoughts here for your wife and her ordeal

Mr. Ball, thank you very much! I will let you know what dealership I will go through and be in touch soon.

To all of you who have given your thoughts and prayers, thank you all so much. This last year has been a very rough year for my family. My youngest son was born with aortic stenosis and we were told that he would eventually have to have open heart surgery. Last June we found out it was that time so last July he had a procedure called the Ross procedure where they replaced his aortic valve with his pulmonary valve and then replaced his pulmonary valve with a cows jugular vein. We are told that eventually he will need more surgeries when the jugular vein of the cow wears out or the pulmonary valve that is now being used as his aortic valve wears out. The last year has been very stressful for my wife and I but God has been good to us. Zach has recovered wonderfully. Then this hits and man it has been like a punch to the stomach. I am a Christian pastor and I was telling another friend that with everything that has happened, I have felt like Job from the Old Testament. Still though God has been good. My wife Rochelle and I were talking tonight and she was feeling really bad that she discovered the lump on my birthday and then had to have one of the mammograms on our wedding anniversary which was on April 14th. She was feeling bad because she felt as if she had ruined my birthday and our wedding anniversary. I told her not to fell bad. I said I was looking at it as a gift from God that we discovered the lump fairly early on that day because who knows how much worse it could have been had it been caught later. We have also been blessed in that the doctor said the lump was pretty centralized in her breast and he does not think the cancer has spread but instead has remained to just the lump but as a precaution, once he removed everything, will have everything tested to make sure the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. I will keep everyone updated as we progress through this.

Again Mr. Ball thank you so much for doing this. Whenever this bass is played and I am sharing the story behind it, you better believe that I will let others know what your company did for me and was willing to help out in the fight to raise awareness. I will also be doing my best to steer others in the direction of using and purchasing your guys' products.
Thank you again!
Jason

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Good vibes your way JayDawg