love of Ampeg and other Scroll Basses

[jumbodbassman]

I have been thinking about starting this thread for a while and today 2 of us have clogged up ampeg family and portaflex threads with some pictures on this so i figured now is a good time.

up first is my 2 original 65 AEB ( partially naked - restringing photo and AUB - both in the low 200 serial numbers. on the left is a wishbass i had built from sketch i made ( 5 string E-C )


next up is a japanese produced Ampeg scroll - late 80's early 90's. Only 2 i know of is this one and Bruce Johnson has one.







next up - bruce johnson SSB and AEB flanked by a Series 10 on the left and a custom built body sporting a warmoth neck awaiting a scroll neck if Steve Cyr ever delivers it










inside of bruce's bridge pup



some univox scrolls -


with SSB


EB1 meets scroll.



other basses Ampeg has sold -


big stud

little stud

[Bass 45]

That is quite a collection there. Those Bruce Johnson instruments must sound awesome. I can't get over how complex the bridge system is. Does it sound like an upright when using the bridge pickup? The Burns is cool too. Is that a Bison Bass? What year is it? I have a couple of the Ampeg labeled Burns guitars from '63/'64 but no bass. I have seen an Ampeg/Burns green and black burst bass I would love to find.

[smcd]

My Ampeg scroll basses:


1966 AEB-1 made for the '66 NAMM show (serial # 22)









Later model AEB-1






Devil bass

[Duckwater]

They look great, but how do they sound?

[smcd]

Originally Posted by Duckwater

They look great, but how do they sound?

The Ampeg models? Not that great.

[Bass 45]

Originally Posted by smcd

The Ampeg models? Not that great.

I like the sound of my Ampeg AEB-1. It sounds very smooth (with the tone knob rolled off) and it has an upright like quality to it. I get lots of compliments from musicians when I play it out.

My ASB-1 Devil bass does sound a bit nasal though. I am hoping to figure out some way to make it sound more like the AEB-1 - then I can take it to gigs and scare my band mates with it.

Your AEB-1 is very cool. I am assuming the inlays were left out of future models for cost cutting..? Did they put a serial number on it?

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by Bass 45

That is quite a collection there. Those Bruce Johnson instruments must sound awesome. I can't get over how complex the bridge system is. Does it sound like an upright when using the bridge pickup? The Burns is cool too. Is that a Bison Bass? What year is it? I have a couple of the Ampeg labeled Burns guitars from '63/'64 but no bass. I have seen an Ampeg/Burns green and black burst bass I would love to find.

The Bison is a reissue not original, mid 2000's and actually for sale as i never use it..

[jumbodbassman]

IMO the second sweeries AMB/AMUB with the humbucker were more mainstream sounding. the early ones got a really great upright sound but you had to turn down the tone or it would honk at you. The 90 reissue sounds great , now with flqats but prioir owner had rounds and it sounded very modern. The 2 bruce johnsons sound great. the AEB has both the HB and the "mystery pup" in a blend mode. And the SSB has a duncan qtr pounder encased in rsin and it sounds huge....

[Bass 45]

Here is my Ampeg AUB-2 (an early Bruce Johnson). More to come.

[bluesblaster]

I own a 68' AMB-1, I also have an AMUB-1 that Bruce is putting back together for me. Its been out at his shop for going on three years now, I should probably give him a call and see if he,s done anything with it yet. I was able to stop by his shop and spend some time with him a couple years ago.

Im curious to hear what type of strings you all are using on your scroll basses, Mine came with GHS pressurewounds which are kind of comprimise between flats and rounds, I am wanting to try some Labella's (extra long) or possibly some GHS precision flats, just not sure if they will be long enough, I know chromes come in a extra long set but I'm not that crazy about those.

[bluesblaster]

Originally Posted by Bass 45

Here is my Ampeg AUB-2 (an early Bruce Johnson). More to come.

I played one of these at Bruce's shop, It was his personal bass and was my favorite of all the ones he let me play, I tried to buy it off him but he wasnt lettin it go.

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by bluesblaster

I own a 68' AMB-1, I also have an AMUB-1 that Bruce is putting back together for me. Its been out at his shop for going on three years now, I should probably give him a call and see if he,s done anything with it yet. I was able to stop by his shop and spend some time with him a couple years ago.

Im curious to hear what type of strings you all are using on your scroll basses, Mine came with GHS pressurewounds which are kind of comprimise between flats and rounds, I am wanting to try some Labella's (extra long) or possibly some GHS precision flats, just not sure if they will be long enough, I know chromes come in a extra long set but I'm not that crazy about those.

labella still makes them. just put a set on my japanese ampeg pictured above. very slow but they get them . You get order them from imperial guitars in newburgh, NY good prices too as they are ij same town.

[Zentner]

My fully mojo'd '66 AEB-1. I'm happy to say it's 100% original, missing case + thumbscrews for the bridge cover, and a great player! Someone has played and loved this bass for many years, and now I get to continue that!

[Giorgetto]

Originally Posted by smcd

The Ampeg models? Not that great.

I didn't care for the tone of the original Ampeg AEB's with the "mystery" pickup but, the fretted AMB-1 & fretless AMUB-1 were IMHO two of the best sounding basses I've ever owned and played, both live and in the studio. These basses came out around 1968 and had a pickup designed by Dan Armstrong which had 4 individual pickups/magnets under a single sealed black cover. I bought mine new in 1968 and I wish I still had the fretted one. By the way, Bruce Johnson makes really wonderful modern advanced versions of these basses. You can see his work at Johnson's Extremely Strange Musical Instrument Company Home Page

Giorgetto

[RobJ]

I'm not much of a GAS kind of guy but my short list of desired basses includes either an Ampeg scroll or one of Bruce's re-creations. The only others on the list really are a Fenderbird and a Rickenbacker 4002. I played an original Ampeg scroll at a shop in Tucson years ago and loved it, I'm still kicking myself for not buying it.

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by Giorgetto

I didn't care for the tone of the Ampeg AEB's with the "mystery" pickup but the fretted AMB-1 & fretless AMUB-1 were IMHO two of the best sounding basses I've ever owned and played, both live and in the studio. These basses came out around 1968 and had a single pickup which had 4 individual pickups/magnets under a sealed black cover. I bought mine new in 1968 and I wish I still had the fretted one. By the way, Bruce Johnson makes really wonderful modern advanced versions of these basses. You can see his work at Johnson's Extremely Strange Musical Instrument Company Home Page

Giorgetto

#70 from Bruce is a wonderful instrument. see above.

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by RobJ

I'm not much of a GAS kind of guy but my short list of desired basses includes either an Ampeg scroll or one of Bruce's re-creations. The only others on the list really are a Fenderbird and a Rickenbacker 4002. I played an original Ampeg scroll at a shop in Tucson years ago and loved it, I'm still kicking myself for not buying it.

I know a guy selling bruce's bass number #68. let me know if you are interested..I will put you in touch with him. And a guy making cooling fenderbirds with great copiesof 63 and 66 tbird pups.

[bluesblaster]

Geez... we have to be the smallest club on this forum, anyone else out there?

[jumbodbassman]

yes i am surprised no one else has surfaced.

[bluesblaster]

HEY, HOWS THAT JAPANESE REPRODUCTION SOUND?