Saturday, April 9, 2011

Ampeg's Vintage Scroll Bass

In 1966, Ampeg launched their unique collection of long-scale "Horizontal Basses" (commonly called the "scroll" and also "f-hole" basses). They were produced in both fretted and fretless versions (known for being the very first production fretless electric bass guitar).


Most of these were crafted using a headstock very similar to those seen on a vertical bass or cello, for this reason these types of instruments are generally referred to as "Scroll Basses."


The one with the most eye-catching design goes by the nickname of "Devil Bass" featuring unique slender horns, however the circuitry was the same. Initially employing a "mystery" pickup underneath the bridge, they ended up being re-designed somewhere around 1968 to go with a traditional magnetic pickup.


In addition, a short-scale fretted and fretless bass using magnetic pickups was also manufactured, known simply as the SSB (short scale bass).


For more information check out Vintage Bass.

No comments:

Post a Comment