dan armstrong bass

Read the history of how he developed these here: http://www.danarmstrong.org/

It's really interesting. The controls are really innovative too. The new QOTSA video features every member of the band playing Dan Armstrong guitars/basses. I doubt that's what was used on the recording, but they certainly LOOK cool in the video. I'd love to hear some sound clips.

 

I see them come up on Ebay from time to time, I'm sure SOMEONE here has one. Hint hint I'm curious as heck also.

 

Geezer Butler played one for a while in the early 70's. I don't think I've seen one since. If anyone remembers the famous "California Jam", he had it then.

 

How much is one of these basses going for now days?
There is a shop down the street from me that has one...

 

I want one, they're just so cool!

alas, L&M here only has the guitar version.

 

About 800$ used is the running price now, by what I see. Some more, some less. Ampeg just came out with the reissue that clocks in at over 1000$, so the old ones are likely to go up in price a bit.

 

There are two minty originals in shops here in Chi-town, both are priced $1200 each with case.

GM

 

A buddy of mine had one of these back in the day. All I remember is it weighed A TON. Cool looking though.

 

His son Kent makes killer pickups!

 

they'd look better without that shi**y looking pickguard, it'd be better in black

 

IIRC the originals were short scale 301/2"
the reissues that came out in the 90's were 34"

 

I had one for several years back in the 70s.
They are heavy.
Nice tone, with the original PUP, which have a habit of cracking.

 

This bass is also freakin' heavy!

 

The music store I hung out at when a teen had one...it sounded pretty good as I recall, but what drove me nuts (even back then) about it was how close the strings were to the body...no digging in on that thing. Heavy, but no worse than an Alembic.

 

I should add that while Geezer Butler played one, it was not exactly his first choice. It seems one was conveniently available during a tour just after Canadian customs agents smashed up his Fender Precision. See interviews on his home page for the details. The remainder of that tour is probably the instrument's biggest claim to fame.

Still, they are a somewhat unique product of the lava-lamp decades and probably worth a bit to collectors. I remember asking myself ***? when I was trying to see what Geezer was playing on the televised version of California Jam. You can imagine that low res video back in the day just didn't show it up too well except in a few close shots. These were never really common even in the early 70's. Other Ampeg basses used by George Biondi of Steppenwolf and Rick Danko of The Band were more common but also rare.

 

There were two black ones made. I bet they're uber collector's items now.

Here's a link to the Queens of the Stone Age video in which Dan Armstrongs are being exclusively played:

http://www.qotsa.com/player/default.aspx?mid=310&bhcp=1