In January of 2005, I was invited to the first rehearsal of a new band. I showed up with an electronic keyboard and realized pretty fast that I was going to have to find something else to play. Since the band didn't have a bass player I got the idea to make a washtub bass. I found some plans on the web for making a bass with a unique wooden fingerboard so you could actually play a "walking" bass line. I got the tub at Fox's store in Burnsville and my friend Dave helped me do the welding. After we finished it John Richards, the band leader, carved some nice feet for the tub so I wouldn't have to lean over so much. At that point it looked so much like a turtle that John finished the job with a wire and paper head. Best instrument I ever played!