The Ampeg AUSB-1 Fretless Devil Bass and its fretted sibling ASB-1 were built by Ampeg designer Mike Roman from late 1966 to 1967. These distinctive instruments featured the typical Ampeg Scroll Head design, heavily influenced by traditional upright acoustic basses. However, thats about as far as similarities with acoustic basses went.
This all-original, very good condition Ampeg AUSB-1 Fretless Devil Bass has had two owners. The original was a pianist who decided to learn jazz bass, and custom ordered this bass for the task. Part of the specification was this rare yellow body colour. The red/black shading on the neck is stock. In terms of wear, there are a few small chips in the yellow paint, some light brushing on the scratchplates and that’s about it.
The original hard shell case is included.
Built largely from Maple, the Ampeg AUSB-1 Fretless Devil Bass shows influences from the Danelectro Long Horn models. The bodies were a mix of Maple for the general construction and on some, Birch Ply for the backs.
The neck is a largish chunk of Maple, large enough to allow the upright-style Scroll head, and has a figured, not jet black, African Ebony fingerboard. At the head end, a nut protrudes and it is likely a truss rod adjuster. Thats followed by a metal string guide that pairs with the zero fret. At the tail end, the tailpiece is bolted through the body and the serial number is on the underside. Two strap pins protect the bottom of the bass body.
The top is largely covered by a black two-segment scratchplate. The smaller one covers the fingerboard end and allows mounting of a thumb or finger rest on either side of the neck. The larger plate holds the controls and pickup mounts. The pickup cover with mutes is included in the case.
The Ampeg AUSB-1 Devil Bass bridge rests on what Ampeg described in catalogs as the Mystery Pickup, developed for the AEB-1 bass which is not a Piezo unit. It does have a thin steel diaphragm, mounted on two larger magnetic coils that are themselves cast into a large epoxy block. The primary goal of these pickups was to allow use of traditional Gut strings! The founder of Ampeg, Everett Hull, apparently regarded metal strings on basses as a passing fad.
Approximately 100 of these basses were built over the one year of production, around 75 fretted and 25 fretless.
| There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
| There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
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