PHILADELPHIA, Penn. (June 15, 2004) – Bassesloaded, a small business that modifies and prototypes musical instruments, has turned to the NASA-funded Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) for help with its most recent project.

“I have always had a profound interest in exceeding the limits of present-day musical instruments,” said Al Powell, Bassesloaded’s owner and founder. Powell, 46, has worked as a sound engineer, an entertainment venue production manager, and as owner and operator of successful Philadelphia-based Columbus Rehearsal Studios, formerly known as 1020 RPM. On a mission to prototype his own musical instruments, Powell founded Bassesloaded in 2001. Since then, he has developed three instrument modifications.

Last year, Powell faced a technical roadblock that threatened to slow the development of his most recent project, which he describes as “a multi-stringed, multi-tunable instrument in which each string is its own universe.” Dubbed “Bipolar,” it stands apart from other stringed instruments in that it is simplified, indestructible and extremely versatile.

Powell found that the force of tuning his creation would bend the steel rod neck of the instrument. Powell had tested different tuning mechanisms, but each threatened the instrument’s simplicity, requiring the addition of other parts. Uncertain of how to proceed, Powell read a magazine story about SATOP. Not sure whether Bassesloaded would qualify for assistance, he contacted SATOP and spoke with Madi Kalibala, Project Engineer at SATOP New York.

“I was my only employee and I didn’t really think that Bassesloaded would be considered for help from SATOP, but Madi immediately assigned me to an Alliance Partner,” said Powell. Kalibala initiated contact between Powell and Aerospace Structural Research Corporation (ASR Corp.) in Milford, Conn.

ASR Corp. Analytical Engineer Cezar Moisiade was assigned the Request for Technical Assistance (RTA). “Al needed a material in rod form that would be cost effective and durable, all while maintaining Bipolar’s structural integrity,” said Moisiade. “It also had to be the same thickness and length as the stainless steel Al had been using. Otherwise, all integral parts would have to be redesigned.”

Drawing from experience, Moisiade studied materials that he thought might fit all of the qualifications and produced a design matrix that provided the thickness, weight, deflection and cost of the finest materials Powell could use to optimize the instrument’s design.

Moisiade determined that the perfect material for Bipolar would be carbon fiber. ASR was then able to inform Powell of where he could obtain the carbon fiber rods.
“Al was able to save several years in development and a lot of money,” said Kalibala. “As it turns out, Bipolar will gain a great deal of structural integrity from switching to carbon fiber.”

Powell feels that SATOP is a fantastic resource for entrepreneurs. “It pleases me to know that my tax dollars make this research available to small businesses owners like myself,” he said.