Harmen's Jazz bass project.

My Jazz bass is already well used, I love this instrument, it's the first electric bass that I've owned and played, the experts tell me it plays as well as a genuine Fender!

Mmmm, Seafoam green my favourite colour, brilliant contrast with the faux tortoise shell pick guard. It's odd though that the camera seems unable to capture the true colour, these images read as light blue to my eye. Those of you with an eye for detail will notice my custom thumb support above the E string, on the pick guard. I've developed a playing position dictated by my Taylor AB1 which has an extension horn, thumb rest on the finger board. The thumb rest is made from a piece of  high density, heart teak screwed on with the same type of  screws as those that fasten the pick guard.

The strap is a modified fashion accessory, black and red nylon webbing with my customized extensions of sailors cord. The Tiki on my strap is a plastic one that I have kept since 1971 when my family traveled to Europe. We flew some of the way on an Air New Zealand DC8. This Tiki was in the pack of give aways the airline presented to us children on the flight.

Strings are Martin Darco Electric Bass Guitar Strings, D9700L Light Gauge, Nickel wound.

I can have some fun with the head stock can't I? This one is customized with an old 30's Marconi radio cadet's badge depicting 3 soaring gulls in blue and white enamel on brass.

Harmen's Taylor AB1 fret less bass.

This is the result of my recent upgrade of my Taylor AB1. Frets removed and fret slots filled with wall nut veneer.

Strings are D'Addario Deep / Warm Black, Nylon, ETB92 XL, Tapewound,  Medium Gauge, Long Scale. I love them, they last much longer than phosphor bronze and they are perfectly quiet, no squeak at all, contributing to the beautiful "mmwwaa factor" that I like so much in a fret less bass. My fingers love them too, very easy on my tips and they leave no black residue and, most importantly of all, they're easy on the fingerboard. The sound is beautiful, slightly more mellow than phosphor bronze.

Luthier Steve Klien's Art Deco styling is just right to my eye.

My strap is a modified guitar strap which I lengthened by sewing on some lengths of sailors cord. I hid the stitching with a sterling silver and Paua ( NZ Abalone) shell thistle broach, gifted to me by my great friend Neill Duncan.

I customised my head stock with the addition of a tiny enamel on brass badge depicting a palm tree, very Polynesian.