VIDEO: Signal's Duff McKagan Fender snowboard bass

Duff: 'Do I ride it or play it? Oh, I can do both!'
Duff: 'Do I ride it or play it? Oh, I can do both!'

Thanks to the good folks at Signal Snowboards and Fender, Duff McKagan is one step closer to owning a bass he can take from the slopes to the stage. Or he could simply rock out from 11,000 feet if he likes.

It all started when the producers of Every Third Thursday, a web show created by Signal Snowboards, got the bright idea to make a hybrid snowboard bass. They chose Duff McKagan, known for such bands as Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver and now Loaded, as the man to honor and hooked up with Fender to create the ultimate dual-purpose baby.

As you can see in the video above, they pulled it off. Using one of McKagan's signature Fender basses and a Signal snowboard, the result is a one-of-a-kind, playable instrument that doubles as a vehicle for serious mountain action.

While McKagan didn't perform any actual snowy stunts himself, he was nonetheless astonished by the level of innovation both teams brought to the party. And how did the snowboard bass hold up when Dave Lee and Pat Garvin put it to the test at Oregon's Mount Hood? Check out the clip...

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.