Doner Design Fight Back Series User manual

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Doner Designs
Warming Hearts with Cool Guitars
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“FightBack”Series
AirForceBass
UserGuide
ForSerialNumber0003
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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Contents
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1. EstimatedValue
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2. DescriptionandSpecifications
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3. Instructions
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4. Photographs
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5. AboutDonerDesigns
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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EstimatedValue
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WehaveestimatedthatthefairvalueoftheDonerDesigns
FightBackSeriesAirForceBass(serialnumber0003)is
approximately$1,700.
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Thisisaoneofakinditemandvalueisdifficulttoassessbecauseofalackof
comparableproductsandsaleschannels,however…
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Inafundraiserauction,werecommendaminimumstartingbidof$750which
approximatesourmaterialscost.LaborinvestedbySteveandRichardDoner(at
notangiblecost)isapproximately100hours.
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Inafundraiserauction,wewouldhopetoseebiddingactivitywellaboveour
estimatedvalue.Atargetsalesvalueapproaching$3,000wouldnotbe
unreasonable.
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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DescriptionandSpecifications
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EncourageaFightingSpiritwiththeDonerDesignsAirForceBass
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Description
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TheDonerDesigns“FightBack”militarythemeguitarsandbassesweredevelopedtoencouragekids
whoarefightinglife‐threateningillnessesaswellasthefriendsandfamilywhosupportthem.These
guitarsarefullyfunctionalandconstructedwithpremiumhardwareandelectronicssuretopleaseany
musician,butarealsoworksofartsuitablefordisplayfortheinspirationofanyone.Forneworaspiring
players,aheadphoneamplifierandself‐studylessonbookareincluded.
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TheAirForcethemebassguitarisbasedonLeoFender’sfamousPrecisionBass.Thebodyandneckare
fromavalue‐pricedSXbassguitar.DonerDesignsthencompletelyrebuilttheguitarbyreplacingthe
pickup,hardwareandelectronicswithpremiumaftermarketcomponents.Twoadditionalpickupsand
anonboardpreampwereadded.ThetwoaddedpickupsaresimilartothoseusedonaGibsonEB‐3
bass.Bodyrouteswereaddedtohousetheadditionalpickups,preampandbattery.
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Theunusual3pickupconfigurationenablestheAirForceBasstoemulatethesoundofseveralclassic
bassdesignsincludingthePrecisionbass(middlepickuponly)Jazzbass(middleandbridgepickups)EB‐0
(neckpickuponly),EB‐3(neckandbridge)andStingray(bridgeonly).Withall3pickupson,thebasshas
itsownuniquetone.Theonboardpreampandpassivebassandtreblecontrolsaresomewhatakinto
thosefoundonG&Lbasses.Tonalflexibilityandcontrolisenhancedbythreeseparatevolumecontrols
andon/offswitches‐oneforeachpickup.
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AircraftgraphicsincludetheAirForceRoundelsymbol,USAFstencilletteringandthesharkteethmost
commonlyseenonthefamedP‐51MustangWWIIaircraft.Inaddition,aredcoveredmilitaryswitch
alongwith10dialsandswitchesgivethecontrolpanelacockpit‐likefeel.Thesilverandchromepaint
schemeandastrapmadeofseatbeltmaterialalsocontributetotheoveralllook.Asemi‐glossclear
lacquerhelpsprotecttheletteringandcontributestotheruggedindustrialequipmentlook.
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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DescriptionandSpecifications(continued)
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Features&Specifications
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•Customdesign,construction,finishandsetupbyDonerDesignsinsuburbanChicago
•Lacquerfinishedmapleneckwithmaplefingerboardandtwowaytrussrod
•ContouredPrecision‐stylealderbody
•DimarzioWillpowerMiddlePbasspickups
•GotohNecksidewinderpickup
•GotohBridgesidewinderpickup
•BartoliniTC‐3boosterpreamp
•BabiczFullContactHardwarepremiumbassbridge
•HipshotUltralighttuningmachines
•HipshotXtender(drop‐Dtuner)
•Hipshotstringretainer
•CustompickguardandbackplatesmanufacturedbyAxetremeCreations
•Separatevolumecontrolsforeachofthe3pickups
•On/offtoggleswitchesforeachpickup
•Passive/activeboostswitch
•Masterpassivetrebleandbasscontrols
•Momentarycontactpush‐buttonswitch(formachine‐guneffects)
•Militarystylecoveredtoggleswitch
•Bournspotsandorangedropcapacitors
•Hipshotstringretainer
•GraphTechnut
•Roto77longlastingbrightflatwoundstrings
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Accessories
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•Gatorgigbagwithcoordinatingcolors
•MatchingGatoraccessorybag
•MonoWarsawSeatbeltStrap
•Danelectroheadphoneampwithshortcablesforbeltclipuse
•Panasonicearbuds
•Korgplug‐intuner
•Cruztoolsmulti‐tool
•LiveWireinstrumentcable
•HalLeonardBassMethodbook
•Musician'sGearstand
•PlanetWavesstringwinder
•Assortedrubberbasspicks

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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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DescriptionandSpecifications(continued)
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Support
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DonerDesignsisafather/sonpart‐timecharitableenterprise.Eachguitarisputtogetherandsetup
withourownfourhandsusinghighqualitycomponents.Wedonotanticipateanyuserissuesandhave
limitedresourcesintermsoftimeandmoney.However,wewantouruserstobehappyandableto
makethemostoftheirpurchases.Iftheoriginalownerexperiencesanyissues,wewilldoourbestto
makeitright.Inaddition,ifyouaredelightedwithyourpurchase,wewouldlovetohearaboutthat
too.Pleasefeelfreetocontactme(SteveDoner)attheemailaddressindicatedonourwebsite:
www.donerdesigns.org.
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DonationInformation
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DonerDesignsguitarsandbassesarepaidforbyDonerDesignsandgiventothecharitableorganization.
Afewpartsaredonatedbysuppliersandsomesuppliersofferdiscounts,butmostofthepartscostand
allofthelaborisdonatedbyDonerDesigns.Onehundredpercentoftheamountpaidatauctiongoes
tosupportthecharity.
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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UserInstructions
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ControlsDiagram
ThepicturebelowshowstheAirForceBasscontrolsataglance.Thenextpagesgointodetailed
explanationsofeach.RefertoourwebsiteorFacebookpageforavideowithsoundclipsdemonstrating
thetoneofeachpickup.
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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UserInstructions
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DescriptionofControls
TheAirForceBassincludesthreepickups,eachwithitsownvolumecontrolandon/offswitch.
•MilitaryToggleSwitch:Theguitarwillnotoperateunlessthisswitchisinthe“on”position.To
turnon,liftcoverandfliptheswitch.Toturnoff,closethecover–closingthecoverwillreturn
theswitchlevertotheoffposition.
•VolumeControls:Thethreelargerknobscontrolthevolumeofeachindividualpickup.The
knobnearesttheneckcontrolsthepickupnearesttheneck,etc.
•ChromeMiniToggleSwitches:Thethreechromeminitoggleswitchesturneachindividual
pickuponandoff.Theswitchnearesttheneckcontrolsthepickupnearesttheneck,etc.
•BlackMiniToggleSwitch:Theblackchromeminitoggleactivatesanonboardboosterpreamp
whichincreasestheoutputofthebass.Thisisintendedmoreasaneffect,thusweconsiderthe
“normal”settingtobe“off”.
•SmallGrayKnobs:Thesmallergrayishknobsaremastertrebleandbasscontrols.These
controlsare“passive”whichmeanstheyoperateevenwhenthepreampisoff.Thecontrolsare
cut‐onlymeaningthatthenormal/flatsettingisfullyclockwise.Bassortrebleboostcanbe
accomplishedthroughpickupselection–favortheneckpickupforbassboostorfavorthe
bridgepickupfortrebleboost.
•RecommendedSettings:Awidevarietyoftonaloptionsareavailablefromthisbass.We
recommendexperimentationbeginningwithallcontrolsfullyclockwise,withpreampoffand
withpickupsoff.Then,tryeachofthethreepickupsoneatatime.Nexttryeachofthefour
possiblecombinationsofpickups.Then,selectonepickupcombinationandexperimentwith
eachofthetonecontrols.
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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UserInstructions(continued)
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BatteryReplacement
•BatteryLife:Theboosterpreampinthebassrequiresasingleninevoltbatterytooperate.
Plugginganinstrumentcableintothebassactivatesthepreamp,thereforeleavingthecable
pluggedinwhennotplayingwilldrainthebatterywithinamatterofdayseveniftheblack
toggleswitchisinthepreampbypassposition.Batterylifewillrangefromafewmonthstoover
ayearifthebassisunpluggedwhennotinuse.
•BatteryCover:TheroundPlexiglascover(whichlookslikeagascap)coversthebattery
compartment.Itcanberemovedwithanallenwrenchoftheappropriatesize(includedwith
accessories).
•Batteryremoval:Thebatteryfitssnuglyintothebassbodytoeliminateanyvibration.To
remove,gentlyprythebatterylooseusingathinmetalobjectlikeabutterknifeorsmall
screwdriver.
•Passiveoperation:TheAirForceBassisdesignedtosounditsbestwiththeboosterpreampoff.
Iftheuserneveractivatestheboosterpreamp,thebatteryisnotneeded.Withoutthebattery
inplace,theblackminitoggleswitchwillactasamasteron/offswitch.
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Care
•Cleaning:Wedonotrecommenduseofanywax,polishorcleaningproducts.Thebassshould
bewipedaftereachusewithasoftcottoncloth(likeanoldt‐shirt).
•TemperatureControl:Wheneverpossible,keepthebassfromextremetemperatureconditions
andavoidrapidtemperaturechanges.Whentransportingthebass,leaveitinthecaseafterfor
atleast30minutesafterarrivaltoallowforagradualwarmuporcooldown.
•HumidityControl:Humiditycontrolishelpful,butnotasimportantwithasolidbodyinstrument
asitiswithanacousticguitar.Inmoderateclimates,thebasscanbesafelydisplayedoutsideits
case.
•Strings:Roto77brightflatwoundstringsareincludedwiththebass.Theywilllastindefinitely.
Experimentingwithdifferentstringsisagreatwaytochangethetoneofthebass,butmay
requireadjustmentofthebridgeand/ortrussrod.Seethelinksbelowforinformationabout
howtodoyourownsetups.
•FinishRepairs:Somefolkspayextraforaguitarwitha“roadworn”distressedfinish.Ifyou
prefertokeepyourslookingnew,minordents,dingsandpaintchipscanbefilledinwithan
automotivetypetouchuppaint.
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10
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Doner Designs www.donerdesigns.org
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UserInstructions(continued)
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TheHeadphoneAmplifier
ADanelectrominiamplifierhasbeenincludedwiththeintentionofuseasaheadphoneamplifier.The
amplifierisnotrecommendedforanyotherpurposeeventhoughithasasmallbuiltinspeaker.Itcan
beusedwithanyheadphonesincludingtheearbudsincluded.Ashortinstrumentcablehasbeen
includedtofacilitateuseoftheminiampwithitsbeltclip.
IfthisisYourFirstGuitar
Ifyouarenewtoplayingbass,anumberoflinksareincludedonthenextpagewhichyoumayfind
helpful.Ifyoudon’thaveanamplifier,that’ssteponetogettingthemostoutofyournewbass.The
headphoneampwillallowyoutoplayrightawaybutisnothowthebassisintendedtobeused.Ifyou
don’thaveanamp,visitaGuitarCenterorSamAshwithyourbass,plugitinandbeamazed.Wehave
alsoincludedlinksforonlineamppurchase,lessonbooks,onlinelessons,etc.
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LetusHearfromYou
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Wewanttohearfromyouwithanyfeedbackorquestionsyoumighthave.Ifthisisyourfirstguitar,
we’llbehappytocoachyouonpickingoutanampifyouwantusto.Visitourwebsiteat
www.donerdesigns.orgforcontactinformation.
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