FS: Armen Guitars Custom Fretless 4

**TheEmptyCell** · #1 01-12-2012, 05:09 PM

I got this bass locally, from a guy who bought it from a friend as a sort of favor (friend needed money more than this sweet bass). That friend bought it on eBay, presumably from the original owner and man that ordered it.

This is totally custom, doesn't appear on the Armen Guitars site: Bass - Custom Made Guitars and Basses | Armen Blbulian

It's a nice, stripey mahogany body, contoured and super light. Features a maple neck with ebony 24 position fingerboard. Neck is flat and wider than a J but smaller than a P. Pickups are a single coil J and dual coil J in an MM shell.

The electronics are a bit strange, 5-way switch, volume, and then two tone controls. Inside the control cavity theres a couple of inductors and such, so one tone control seems to be a mid-cut and the other might function as a regular tone.

Here's a pic of the electronics cavity:

Looks like the neck may have had a different tuner layout at one point.

Action gets killer low, lows of mwah, and tons of tones from the interesting, if not confusing, tone controls. Note that I tried to darken the fret markers (starting with the 24th) with a wood-scratch-fixing-marker. Didn't work as intended, but I think some rubbing alcohol would take that right off.

I'm valuing this at $900 plus shipping costs. I would gladly perform a straight up or multiple-for-one trade of this plus any of my other basses towards a US or Japan Fender PJ with a P width neck, a 5-string P (Fender or Lakland), a Dingwall ABZ, or a Ric. I have no cash to add to trades.

Sywannab · #2 01-12-2012, 05:53 PM

the logo on the first picture, I thought it was a handicap sign lol looks like a wheelchair but bass looks great!

**TheEmptyCell** · #3 01-13-2012, 09:04 AM

Thanks! It's an amazing playing bass, but I don't get along with fretless with such bright lines. If they were darker, I'd probably keep it.

**TheEmptyCell** · #4 01-14-2012, 09:32 PM

Interested in limited trades!

gagas · #5 01-15-2012, 11:45 PM

Hi.I'm interested in your bass.Where are you located?

**marksrick** · #6 01-16-2012, 04:03 AM

i got an in your face custom craig gruber[infinite metal werkz] 4 string custom neck thru w/ohsc to swap for this bass and a usa fender!

**TheEmptyCell** · #7 01-16-2012, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gagas

Hi.I'm interested in your bass.Where are you located?

I'm in Hancock, MI.

**TheEmptyCell** · #8 01-16-2012, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marksrick

i got an in your face custom craig gruber[infinite metal werkz] 4 string custom neck thru w/ohsc to swap for this bass and a usa fender!

Thanks, but not interested.

**TheEmptyCell** · #9 01-28-2012, 10:33 PM

To the top!

**TheEmptyCell** · #10 02-01-2012, 05:13 PM

I'd like to trade for an Orange Bass Terror 500.

**TheEmptyCell** · #11 02-04-2012, 10:25 AM

Other trades I'm interested in: Dingwall Combustion, Fender MIA/CIJ P/PJ, Fender 5-string Precision, Danelectro DC, maybe some other stuff, too. I'd still prefer cash. So here's a bump!

**TheEmptyCell** · #12 02-07-2012, 10:54 AM

Someone offer me something good! Price is OBO!

**TheEmptyCell** · #13 02-11-2012, 11:44 AM

**TheEmptyCell** · #14 02-14-2012, 11:40 AM

Someone must need a super nice fretless! Custom for less than $1000!

MoonDoggy · #15 02-15-2012, 05:59 PM

WHY IS THIS STILL HERE?!??

I've had the pleasure of owning one of Armen's 6 string fretless basses, the Pete VI (7th one on the site). They don't get much more boutique than this. Armen uses great tonewoods, innovative designs and techniques, quality construction, and fantastic sound. THAT is boutique to me. For some reason, it seems all his basses have some sort of factory 'flaw'. Mine had an inlaid arrow in it as well. It was pointing to one of the string thru body ferrules/holes on the back side.

Armen's 'full length fingerboard' idea has caught on by makers like Marleaux, Ritter, and others. Only, Armen managed to hide a custom Bartolini pickup under his fingerboard!

This is a steal of a price, and I apologize for not jumping on this myself. I know I'm going to regret it.

doctor dogballs · #16 02-15-2012, 07:00 PM

That thing is absolutely gorgeous. I am taking this bass into consideration. Somehow I think having a custom inlay of a complete stranger's name is really funny. Can you give a measurement at the nut and string spacing at the bridge pretty please?

**TheEmptyCell** · #17 02-15-2012, 07:36 PM

Thanks MoonDoggy for the input, it is a really great bass. Construction quality is beyond top-notch. It looks like the neck had a different tuner layout at one point, or maybe more strings.

doctor dog balls, the nut width is between 1 9/16" and 1 7/8"... just a bit wider than a Jazz bass, but not quite a P. Bridge spacing is 3/4". I thought the same thing about the guys name inlaid.