Rolling Stone have reported that Primus singer and bassist Les Claypool is auctioning off a custom designed bass in an effort to raise funds for his young nephew Mathew, who suffers from leukemia. With medical costs piling up in a hurry, Claypool decided to put his four-string Les Claypool Pachyderm up for grabs on eBay.
From today bids have begun (currently at 17,500 with 6 days left) on a prototype bass guitar that Claypool has been playing for roughly a year. Built with Claypool’s specific playing needs in mind, the custom bass has a maple back and walnut top with LED lights running down the side of the neck.
“It’s the most comfortable playing four-string bass that I’ve ever played in my entire life,” Claypool told Rolling Stone.
As for the condition of young Mathew, he is responding well to a recent bone marrow transplant but as a result has contracted graft-versus-host disease, a reportedly common and dangerous possible side-effect of transplants.
“They can’t really treat it until he’s 100 percent cancer-free,” Claypool explained.
“I remember he had to get a couple of shots when he first got diagnosed with this, and the shots were $80,000 apiece. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s been nonstop.”
In addition to auctioning his bass, Primus have also been playing benefit gigs to order to cover Mathew’s mounting medical bills. The band will soon embark on their 3D-enhanced stage show with a four-way surround-sound system, which kicks off October 12.
This is the same date that Mathew hopefully returns home.
“Once Matthew is 100 days in [from the bone marrow transplant], they feel like he’s over the hump and he can potentially go home,” Claypool revealed, “which would be an amazing thing, because he hasn’t been home in a long time. He’s a champ – it’s unbelievable how tough this little kid is. It’s almost like all he’s known his whole life has been pain.”
