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Old 05-15-2016, 12:37 PM
John F Kennedy John F Kennedy is offline
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Join Date: 04-18-2016
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 1
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Wink Greetings from Charleston, SC

Hey Y'all,
Here's my introduction to this wonderful world of bass geekerie. My name is actually John F. Kennedy, yes, my mother did that to me. My middle name is Flanders, so there, 2 joke opportunities within 1 name.
I am a professional bassist here in the Holy City with 29 years of experience. I've always been a bass player, not a guitar player that moved over, in fact, I only know how to play those things from watching guitar players left hands because I didn't know the song. I have been fortunate enough to have wide ranging musical experiences. I studied classical when I was in high school and during my first attempt at college. After that didn't work out, I spent a couple of years on the road playing in what would now be called a jam band. After that, I returned to the College of Charleston where I studied jazz with some great players and instructors. Since then, I've been seen playing everything from jazz to musical theater to Grateful Dead covers with a string band.
I have also had a variety of day jobs in carpentry and manufacturing, which have given me an interesting skill set. Some years ago, I worked for a lighting manufacturer where I had the opportunity to apprentice with a master copper smith. I moved up to being the machinist for that company. After that, I worked with a German trained furniture maker. All that time I had a great desire to build instruments but never seemed to be able to let go and do it. As I was going through a divorce several years ago, my boss at the cabinet shop offered his scrap wood pile to me and the shop to use when I wasn't on his clock. I ended up building an electric bass. It had a 5 piece sapele/maple neck with a macassar ebony fingerboard and a 4 piece poplar boby. It was scraps. That ended up as my main player for about a year. My Smith Burner Custom 6 finally got a break after 20 years. I have since built a sapele/maple/walnut body that has the original neck.
Last December I finally felt that I had enough ducks in a row to "retire" from the day job an turn the 400sqft garage at my girlfriend's house into a shop. I let some feelers out that I was wanting to build and repair instruments and bought even more books (Traeger was my bathroom reader for years, it now has its own special place in the shop). As I write this, I'm looking at 3 double basses in my shop that aren't mine. I'm trying to proceed slowly and do my work correctly. I wish that there was a shop closer that I could work under someone, but thanks to this and other forums and the generosity of some of the luthiers with their time, I feel like I can gain the experience and confidence to at least claim to be counted among brethren.
Well, I think that quite enough about me. Thanks to Ken for number one, making incredible basses that have inspired me for decades and secondly, putting this forum together so we can all share our common interest, the BASS!
Cheers, and y'all come to the beach. I'll put on some sweet tea.
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Old 05-18-2016, 03:05 PM
John Cubbage John Cubbage is offline
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Join Date: 04-22-2016
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 25
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Default Greetings

Hello, Mr. Kennedy.

I too am new to Ken's Bass Forum. I intend to get around to my own introduction some day soon.

I see you are a copper smith. You probably know the famous Revolutionary and silversmith, Paul Revere (not of the Raiders), was also a copper smith. He and his crew put the original copper coating on the hull of the U.S.S. Constitution.

Thank you for your introduction.

- Dr. C.
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