Why do I kinda like this nugget??

[ColBuckwalter]

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Ashbory bass - Wikipedia

Saw Danny Sapko playing one on youtube several months ago and I just thought about it. From what I can remember it has rubber bands for strings and you're supposed to put talcum powder on it. It's just so weird, I can't help but love it.

I play one on the regular, and recording. I think its a cool bass. I've played Kala most uke basses. I prefer the Ashbory. The Kala is cool for what it is, though. Definitely would prefer to travel with kt than the Ashory.

 

[klattman]

I still have an old ashbory. The original strings broke constantly. The pahoehoe strings helped but didn't sound as good. There was noise from the bass and the 18" scale is a beast to play in tune, but when you are walking, and with enough power in an amp, it really sounded great and closer to an upright than almost anything I've ever played.

I love quirky designs and this was a good idea. The sound was there, the durability not so much.

 

[Brandon Shea]

One of these just popped up for sale near me. What's the deal with the strings, and how hard is it to find replacements? Depending on how similar the strings feel to what Kala puts on U-Basses, I might pass... those strings always just felt a little too weird, and intonation when sliding was a major issue.

Still, seems like a cool instrument. I might have to try it just to say I've played one!

 

[jd56hawk]

They should've made the headstock bigger and the body smaller.
Other than that, unsightly, unappealing, unbecoming, and several other adjectives decorum prevents me from mentioning, but not quite as bad as the Traveler.
Seriously, I simply couldn't see myself playing any of these.

 

[BassicJazzy]

They should've made the headstock bigger and the body smaller.
Other than that, unsightly, unappealing, unbecoming, and several other adjectives decorum prevents me from mentioning, but not quite as bad as the Traveler.
Seriously, I simply couldn't see myself playing any of these.
View attachment 7520923

Which way do you hold that last one, in bottom right corner?

Some of the rest look like they melted in the rain.

 

[jd56hawk]

They should've made the headstock bigger and the body smaller.
Other than that, unsightly, unappealing, unbecoming, and several other adjectives decorum prevents me from mentioning, but not quite as bad as the Traveler.
Seriously, I simply couldn't see myself playing any of these.
View attachment 7520923

Exactly.
I can't even imagine playing the Asbury without a strap, despite its size.
As for the headstock and body similarity, it kind of reminds me of the Studebaker Champion.
The thing is, I like the car but not the bass.

 

[Fresh Eddie]

I also had an original Guild one back in the '90s that was white. I must be allergic to whatever the strings were made out of because every time I played it my sinuses would bother me for hours. It was a really fun bass to play so I would just deal with it.

I'm glad I sold it when I did because when the DeArmond ones came out the prices dropped quite a bit.