SOLDBrand: Ampeg
Instrument Categories: Bass, Guitars, SOLD
Dan Armstrong was well known in the 1960s as a studio musician and repairman in the New York area. In 1968, Ampeg hired him to improve some of their guitars and these clear bodied instruments were the result.
Here we have an Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexiglass Fretless Bass, built in 1969 likely at the Ampeg facility in Linden, New Jersey. It’s a full 34 inch scale with 1 9/16 nut width, and weights in at 10.34 pounds – this weight is one of the drawbacks of the body material. The neck is maple with a flat-sawn Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, which at the time was very commonly used on quality instruments. There is some wear to the covering of the pickup, and the body has some light scratching, as expected for an instrument of this age. It appears to be in original condition, with an extra washer added to support the output jack – this is always a vulnerable area.
An instant hit among rock players due to their ultra-cool looks and long sustain, these guitars and basses used clear acrylic polymer, sold as Plexiglass, with innovative interchangeable pickups designed by Bill Lawrence. On some models, the pickups were in a sliding mount so the player could position them for a desired tone.
Dan Armstrong died in 2004 in Los Angeles, and his son Kent Armstrong still produces high-quality pickups often found on higher end Jazz guitars.
The Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexiglass Fretless Bass comes with an original hard-shell case / included.
- Model: Dan Armstrong Plexi Fretless Bass
- Year: 1969
- Finish Clear
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: D2822A
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Brand New
- Date Posted: 15/01/2018
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Required CITES documentation
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 10.34lbs 4.42kg
- Scale Length: 34in 864mm
- Nut Width: 1.562in 40mm
