Callowhill MDM 5 2016 - OG Curly Redwood/flamed swamp ash

To whom are interested,

This is a Callowhill MDM 5 #155 bass guitar made by the late Tim Cloonan, in September 2016. I am the original owner (it has my last name on it), I never gigged it, and has virtually no scratches on it. The VB-99 does have a few scratches at the input. Paint applied by Roland in that area was disappointingly thin and happened in the few dozen times I played it... Like maybe three sets of strings including the ones that came on it.
The Roland synth pu was an original installation by Callowhill. It is wired to factory settings.
Callowhill never did build certificates as far as I know. I was a builder at Nordstrand. Tim Cloonan the builder and owner and founder at Callowhill was my friend. It took 4 years to get this bass and then he died two weeks after sending it to me.

Top is old growth AAAAA+ Curly Redwood sourced by me from a foreclosed barn in La Honda, CA. No less than 160 years old from the original planks. originally a thank you gift to Tim for writing a letter of recommendation when I was interviewing for a job. It was two whole boards so I am pretty sure I saw a few other Callowhill builds with the redwood... The body wood was sourced by Tim - Flamed swamp ash with black laminate line. Rear cover is wenge.

Neck is flat sawn Sugar Maple and qtr sawn Wenge with AAA+ Birds eye Maple with Wenge block inlay with 22 frets. Matching headstock and Luminlay glow in the dark side dot material. Nut is Bone

Pickups are Nordstrand Big Singles in qtr sawn wenge wood pickup covers, a rare and costly upgrade. Roland GK-3B synth pickup. Preamp is Nordstrand 3 band Volume (push/pull for passive bypass, Volume, Passive tone, Mid 500 down/ 1k up, treble/bass stacked, synth volume) 3-way toggle (bass, blend, synth) two black buttons and red are for controlling the synth module presets.

Hardware is Hipshot custom two tone set with 18mm spacing. Reunion Blues Deluxe hybrid case.

Roland VB-99 comes with the synth, cable, install CD-ROM and manual. Hundreds of sounds presets to 999 save spots. Emulation from upright to rickenbacker to stingray to fretless to pan flute (look up the Richard Bona videos on his fodera) to organ to lead guitar to full on synthesizer sounds that play in real time without latency. Honestly there are like 12 really good sounds that make up for about 400 meh ones. But that is before using the software and tuning your sounds. Then the D-wave for modulation via infrared signal area above it just kick your foot or hand over it for effect. ( check out the Bubby Lewis Video) Then - it has midi support. Then it can plug into the Roland FC-300 for even more control.

Basically I ordered this when I had a bit of momentum and cash to support Callowhill. It took a while to get and in that time my musical needs changed. Professionally I got into automation and it has been a fond memory of an old friend. Never got used. I was afraid to take it out for a long time. It needs to be played. It is too cool a bass to keep in collection. The bass itself does sound really good and playability is fantastic. I have tapered strings on it now that to me are perfect but regular wound strings allow for even more adjustability.