A Meeting of the Aaron Huffman Admiration Society

On April 10th 2016 a musical memorial was held for Aaron Huffman, Seattle bass-guitarist, graphic designer and artist.

Aaron was a customer of mine and was to take delivery of a Harvester bass guitar this year, planned through many emails between player and luthier, both of us designers and bass players. I can't pretend to truly know my far-flung customers based solely on our nerdy exchanges about 'gear' but there was clearly some common ground between us and I enjoyed working out the finer points of an instrument with someone who really 'got' what I'm all about and could articulate the overlap between the form, function and history of the instruments that we know and love.

Photograph by Mindy Huffman

Aaron died in March of respiratory failure following a long illness - before his Harvester bass was completed.

The instrument was finished as planned and delivered to Aaron's wife Mindy in time for the memorial where it could be played by friends and bandmates along with Aaron's other instruments.

Nick Harmer ( with Aaron's Harvester bass ) and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie play a song by Aaron's band Harvey Danger at the memorial. * Photo courtesy of Robertsen Ashman

While working to finish the bass in time for the event I thought a lot about Aaron and after reading his friend's tributes in the days following his death, I snooped around to find out more about Aaron's music and his design work.

Check this out - a painting of Aaron's simply titled 'Sidekicks' ...

See some of Aaron's very cool design work here.

Known as the bass player and cofounder of the band Harvey Danger, Aaron was more recently the respected and apparently invaluable Art Director at Seattle weekly magazine The Stranger. You can read more about his work in this tribute.

One of the pleasures of my work is getting to know my customers. Through ( or in spite of ) all that gear-talk I get to meet some amazing individuals.

Thanks Aaron and Mindy,

AP

Nick Harmer ( with Aaron's Harvester bass ) of Death Cab For Cutie plays a song by Aaron's band Harvey Danger at the memorial. * Photo courtesy of Robertsen Ashman

Evil Eyes - a collaboration with Jeff Raglus

Jeff Raglus is an influential, inspirational Australian artist, his work spans pop, jazz, the commerical and the 'seriously out there'. I've been a fan since buying his amazing illustrated 'kid's books' ( I don't have kids. That's how good they are. ) back in the 90s and seeing his work for Mambo and in regular exhibitions around the traps. For a few years now we've been playing music together and it didn't take long for my tiny mind to hatch a plan for a three dimensional, playable collab ...

The guitar 'Evil Eyes' is a one off ( aren't they all ? ) 25" scale Harvester, made with recycled Queensland maple neck, recycled Vic ash body, Indian rosewoood fretboard, a 'Spaghetti Switch' and a handmade Harvester prototypic trapeze tailpiece.

The pickups are by Manlius in NY, they are strong P90 style pickups mounted in seethru Harvester resin covers.

Good, loud, clean fun !

Jeff's exhibition BE BOP POP is on now at 45downstairs gallery in Ye Olde Melbourne Towne and runs until easter, the guitar can be viewed and perhaps strummed in the gallery or contact me for more details.

It is of course for sale, comes with a moulded hard case, a string-up & setup to your desired specs and can be posted anywhere in the world.

Check out Jeff's show soon - featuring two years worth of his extraordinary output :

http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/wp2016/event/be-bop-pop/2016-03-17/

Cheers !

AP

Linkage.

Some Harvester interviews :

An interview with my friend Stefano at the eternally stylish fetishguitars.

Stefano understands where i'm coming from and has a deep devotion to the same designs that inspired me along my way.

A podcast interview conducted by Jason Verlinde at the amazing Fretboard Journal.

Jason asked all the right questions !

thanks, AP

baritone HARVESTER on-stage with ADALITA

Secret weapon in the key of B :

Lewis from Adalita's band has been ( gently ! ) borrowing Harvester #51 for a big bartione sound on stage at recent shows.

... as shown below in these amazing pix from Christopher Trawn @ whatsound

* this unique instrument is for sale through foundsound in carlton, melbourne.

AP

Bass

More live photos of Harvester guitars in action.

This time it's your faithful guitarmaker ( back on bass where he belongs ) with The Hired Guns backing Ron Peno for some long, loud shows reprising the songs on DIED PRETTY.

For the uninitiated - here's Died Pretty in 1987 :

This bass is the first in this new Harvester shape - the 'Goldthwait'

At 32" from bone nut to ebony bridge it splits the difference between the full-fathom Fender 34" scale and my beloved vintage 30" short-scale basses. More details, sale info and photos of the bass soon - having just strung it up, I couldn't resist taking it along to a few hectic gigs of this line up. With an 8k bar pickup ( wound with Gibson-green enamel wire by Jerry Sentel ) and a semi-gloss finished padauk neck, this lightweight, compact bass was a pleasure to play.

The incredible songs likewise.

Cheers, AP

photos by Jim Kyriakidis