❌SOLD❌ Ampeg ASB-1 Devil Bass Scroll Head Red and Black, 1967

The Ampeg ASB-1 Devil Bass and its fretless sibling the AUSB-1 was built by Ampeg designer Mike Roman from late 1966 to 1967. It featured the typical Ampeg ‘Scroll Head’ design, heavily influenced by traditional upright acoustic basses. However, that’s about as far as similarities with acoustic basses went.

Built largely from Maple, the Ampeg ASB-1 Devil Bass shows influences from the Danelectro Long Horn models.  The bodies were a mix of Maple for the general construction and on some,  Birch Ply for the backs.  The neck is a largish chunk of Maple, large enough to allow the upright-style Scroll head, and has an Indian Rosewood fingerboard.   At the head end,  a nut protrudes and it is likely a truss rod adjuster.   That’s followed by a metal string guide that pairs with the zero fret.    At the tail end,  the tailpiece is bolted through the body and the serial number is on the underside.

The Ampeg ASB-1 Devil Bass bridge rests on what Ampeg described in catalogs as the ‘Mystery Pickup’, developed for the AEB-1 bass –  which is not a Piezo unit.   It does have a thin steel diaphragm, mounted on two larger magnetic coils that are themselves cast into a large epoxy block.   The primary goal of these pickups was to allow use of traditional Gut strings!   The founder of Ampeg, Everett Hull, apparently regarded metal strings on basses as a passing fad. 

Approximately 100 of these basses were built over the one year of production.

This Ampeg ASB-1 Devil Bass is in good playing condition and has one interesting addition.   Inside the bass-side cutout, a small medallion is glued to the back.   It’s in the general form of a Sheriff’s badge, and around the outside reads ‘BISON 1 1969’;  in the center there is a horseshoe – open end down – with the words ‘GOOD LUCK’ in the open area.

The original rectangular hard shell case is included, and is in quite good condition.