Last updated: March 10, 2024

My second doublebass has gone away with its owner, who reports "I just want to let you know how much I am enjoying the new bass. I've been playing it every day since I got back and it just seems to get more and more resonant each time I play it. It is truly an incredible work of art and engineering." The kidney cancer's progression has apparently been successfully halted by the current drug treatment, SUNItinib. The effects of the prescribed schedule of taking the capsules have been becoming clearer. A 2-week break starting near the end of January triggered some very serious side effects, putting me in the ER and then a hospital bed for days and making life very difficult. Getting back onto another 28-day drug regimen calmed that, but then starting another break triggered similar problems, again putting me in the hospital for draining many liters of fluid from my belly. The tests also revealed blood clots, in a lung and a leg, so I have had to learn to inject a blood-thinning drug each day. I talked the chief oncologist into shortening the break by a week, and now several days into that cycle the side effects have calmed somewhat. But almost not eating in winter for a month or so and the several periods of severe illness have left me substantially weakened, with a lot of muscle loss. I fatigue very easily - a day trip to Burnaby with my son for a competition in Japanese language and culture left me completely depleted, after what most would consider very modest exercise, and sleeping for much of the remainder of the day. Digestive difficulties (more drug side effects) continue to be a challenge, as I learn to adapt and minimize such ailments. It seems I'm a long way from anything like even a modest recovery, in terms of working. Hoping to find the energy to repair two basses with broken necks, still, though they came to me in mid-winter. I remain incredibly grateful for the kind generosity of so many musicians, in donating to a GoFundMe which was started by Jesse Lu of the VSO. Sufficient funds were raised that, miraculously, Haru and I will not face any financial struggles for many months, with me working carefully towards being again able to earn a living. The CRA's strange attack on me has been stopped with payment of a debt they somehow attached to me over the years 2020 through 2022, and I've done taxes for 2023 and only owed $6.07 somehow, now also paid - strange even that though, considering I eared barely more than $15,000 in 2023. The CRA has odd calculators, letting them tax someone who lives well below the 'poverty line.' Thank you, everyone who has been so helpful to me during this health challenge. I hope to be able to repay you all in time, continuing to work on your instruments and help you in making music. A rather lovely old German violin I had been looking forward to restoring for years finally got done earlier this year, and I'll let it go for $1,500, down from the $2,500 I'd been asking. A 'red violin' by the short-lived 1890's firm of Roth & Lederer, now reduced to $1,000. A retired player is selling a LaMay doublebass bow, in German style, bought new in the early 1980's, in excellent condition, asking $2,500.

My shop is also my home, in Vancouver, BC, Canada call or text message: 604 253 2503 email: gerard@luthier.ca