1960’s Ampeg AUB Bass Guitar
Although better known for their monster SVT amps from the late 1960’s, Ampeg made a family of electric basses that were quite unusual and advanced for the time from 1966 through 1969. There were four basic models, each of which was available in fretted and fretless versions.
The model designations are:
- AEB-1
- AUB-1
- ASB-1
- AUSB-1
- AMB-1
- AMUB-1
- SSB
- SSUB
The letters seem to follow the following pattern – “AEB” means Ampeg Electric Bass. The “U” means Unfretted, the “M” probably means Magnetic pickup, and the SSB is the Short Scale Bass. In the late 2000’s, Canada’s Eastwood Guitars began to reissue two of these models, naming them EEB-1 (Eastwood Electric Bass) and EUB-1 (Eastwood Unfretted Bass). However, the re-issue simplified the headstock somewhat.
Here is a nice example of the original AUB-1. This one has had been modified with a modern bridge.
Hello,
I have an Ampeg AEB-1 and I’m looking for a case that fit witch is very difficult to find. On this exemple, there is a nice tear drop case, can you tell me what is the brand of this case ?
Regards,
Ed from France
The scroll-top Ampeg bass depicted in your article is pretty but it’s not a great example of these basses as it has been significantly modded. First, as your text notes, the bridge has been completely altered. In the original the strings extended beyond the end of the body, thus requiring over-long strings. This was a distinctive aspect of these basses.
Also, they used what was called the “mystery pickup”. This was a diaphragm which read the vibration of the bridge. So there was no visible pickup under the strings. The guitar shown in your pictures looks like it had Fender Precision bass pickups installed, a common way these Ampegs have modded over the years.
Incidentally, these basses were made from 1962 to 1972, not 1966-69 as stated in the text. They were the first production fretless bass guitars.
An interesting note: The founder of Ampeg, Everett Hull, was a jazz bassist and was in no way a fan of rock ‘n roll. This lead to several peculiarities with respect to the early Ampeg products. In the case of their bass guitars, Hull felt that they should be targeted at the upright jazz bassist. So they weren’t referred to as “guitars” at all. Rather in Ampeg ads and sale literature they were called “horizontal basses” — to distinguish them from “vertical” or upright basses — so the upright player wouldn’t feel associated with the new, rock ‘n roll music. Note also the use of a scroll top for tuning. This too was designed to created the flavor of an upright bass. (In fact, these bass guitars are sometimes called “scrolltops”.) And finally, the use of the invisible pickup system was also designed to make the instruments seem less “guitary”.
An interesting fact about the Ampeg company: Hull’s first product was a microphone-on-a-stick device that one inserted into the body of an unright bass to serve as a pickup. The bottom of the stick extended out through the peg-hole at the bottom of the bass. The device was called an “amplified peg”, from which was derived the name “Ampeg”.
Compared with its much better-known Fender rival, the Ampeg scrolltop bass was not used by many well-known rock bassists. Three of the better-known were Rick Danko of the Band, Chris Novoselic of Nirvana and Joe Long (Joe LaBracio) of the Four Seasons (who played an extremely rare lefty version). It was, incidentally, appropriate that Long, as one of the “Jersey Boys” played an Ampeg instrument because the Ampeg company was at that time headquartered in Linden, New Jersey.
The luthier who has done much to keep the scrolltops alive by repairing original instruments and building replicas is Bruce Johnson. Check out his website: http://www.xstrange.com
Finally, being a huge fan of old Ampeg instruments (I also own an Ampeg Baby Bass circa 1967) a few years ago I bought the Eastwood bass which was inspired by the Ampeg scrolltops: the EUB-1. What a great bass, and at a great price! It was the first fretless bass I owned and I had some trepidation about playing it, but it quickly became one of my favorites in my collection. I love the characteristics of the fretless sound (nothing beats a glissando on a fretless!) and the pickup on the EUB-1 does justice to the instrument. And with the cut-through F-holes in the body, it is a good-looking simulation of the original Ampegs. Nice job, Eastwood!
Mister Dieingly Sad
Since ages I’ve been an admirer of Rick Danko’s bass playing, especially on his fretless Ampeg AMUB-1 scroll bass. My greatest wish was to own such an instrument. Unfortunately they are rare, expensive and nearly impossible to get hold of here in Europe. When in 2008 I noticed that Eastwood had a replica I knew I MUST have it and ordered it at once. Since then it has become my favorite bass, it sounds absolutely wonderful. Of course the fretless version badly needs flatwound strings to sound similar to an upright bass. I use D’Addario Chromes which sound great.
Of course the scroll – which it doesn’t have – would have been nice. On the other hand that might have made it a neck diver, so it’s OK with the modern headstock.
Though not really necessary I modded my bass a bit to personalize it to my tastes:: 1) Gotoh bridge, 2) Duesenberg Bassbucker pickup and 3) Kluson Small Bass tuners. Especially 3) was important (the tuning machines go to the back) as now it fits perfectly into my shaped case.
Thanks to the mahogany body it has such a lovely warm tone, perfectly fitting styles like blues, 60’s rock, jazz, bigband etc. Not to forget the songs of The Band…
Thank you, Mike Robinson, for bringing out this wonderful bass! 🙂
I have an old tweed Airline amp that has a guitar, bass and accordian input on it. It also has a crome v on the front. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about these amps and would have an idea on it’s value. It had a very warm sound with 2 12″ Jensen speakers.
Mister Dieingly Sad sadly forgot to mention BOZ BURRELL from Bad Company, who also played the fretless ScrollTop AUB-1. I will suggest “Boz” is just as famous a user of the Scroll bass as Danko, Novoselic and Long. If I had to pick a favourite of the four, it would be Danko.
Also, some errata in Mister Dieingly Sad’s otherwise excellent post:
Ampeg built the Baby Bass from ’62 to ’72 – the Baby Bass is an Electric Upright Bass, whereas the Ampeg “ScrollTop” bass guitars were made from 66-69 as per Eastwood’s mention, and according to Scroll Bass expert Mr Bruce Johnson.
Clare Ifye
HI , JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN A SCROLLTOP WITH WOOD GOING DOWN THE CENTER OF THE TUNERS JUST LIKE THE BABY HEAD , AND ALSO SOLID MAPLE ALL AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE F HOLES , ALL THE ONES I HAVE SEEN DONT HAVE THAT WOOD GOING DOWN THE CENTER OF THE TUNERS AND I HAVE NOT SEEN THE SOLID MAPLE AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE F HOLES BODY , ALL THE ONES I HAVE SEEN ARE COMPLETELY HOLLOW AROUND THE F HOLES , MINE IS JUST MISSING THE BRIDGE THAT PICKS UP THE VIBRATION TO THE ORIGINAL MYSTERY PICKUP , ANY INFO WILL BE GOOD THANK YOU , MY FB NAME FOR PICS IS (ALFRED PAPO) FEEL FREE TO SEND A REQUEST FOR PICS .
Hello Mike,
I’m a Huge Fan of this Bass, been trying to track one down for years.
Any interest in selling her, Please let me know!
I need a bridge for my ampeg baby bass where can I find one?