José Ortega Beede I know. I am a salsa bass player, and just bought a mint condition all original ampeg baby bass on ebay. I have been drooling until I finally found one. Late 60s. I am waiting for the delivery as I write this. Can't wait!
+Stephanie Torres he was probably talking about an all original one. This sounds great to me with the P pickup. And with a PJ configuration it'd probably be perfect
+Stephanie Torres yeah. IMO the stock pickup is the only reason John Entwistle had such an opinion on this bass and it really is the only problem with it but Im sure someone who can afford a bass like this can also afford the have the pickups replaced
This thing is my dream bass. I auditioned for a swing band (played standards of the 30s and 40s) my freshman year of high school, the only spot they had open was the upright bass. Having played guitar for a few years at that point, and being able to read bass clef from playing trombone, I jumped in headfirst and took to it immediately. With my love of the upright and for The Band and Rick Danko, I will own one of these some day. Congrats on owning such a stunning instrument!
Ive tried out one of those basses back in the 70s. They sounded wonderful. This one sounds pretty good once you roll back the tone control without the distortion.
Then you don’t get the original sound. Use round wounds and up the mids. I used a fret less Jazz bass for 8 years. The neck was fine with round wounds. I’d recommend rotosound pressure wounds with that bass. Jaco used round wounds.
Michael Been of the Call played one with a style all his own. The dark tones suited their music well. Interestingly, Garth Hudson was playing keys. One of my fondest concert memories.
I just found out about this bass today. I am not a bass player but I love the call and I decided to find out what he played that gave him such a unique sound. An article referenced this model. I guess this instrument must be a big part of his sound.
It's the original bridge. This is an AMUB. The original ones were AB basses or if fretless it was an AUB. Magnetic pickup basses were AMBs. The wraparound bridges with the two screws were on the "mystery pickup" basses. Mine originally had the rectangular magnetic pickup and was replaced with a Precision bass pickup.⁹
I remember bidding on this bass on Ebay. I also wanted it for a lot of the same reasons. having seen it on the video . But mostly I'm a huge fan of Tom T-bone Wolk.
Oh i forgot to mention that a guitar is being sold out there with that same shape , really cool , just wish they kept the scroll head design on the guitar .
dieselyeti He did not use this on any Hall and Oates studio recordings. It was only used in the Say It Isn't So video. He mainly used this bass for sessions in the mid 1970's.
first demo/review I've seen where the deminstrators style didnt get in the way. though also good to see it put through how it works with other settings for other groove form feels from across the spectrum. I can absolutley understand why one of these was associated with The Band, OHHHHH YEHHHH! Am biding my time for any ampeg fretted thing like this particulat monster. But.... I dunno, this is NICE as is.
The only way I can hear this as an upright is if I think of an acoustic upright on (electronic) steroids., which is not to say anything negative, just a mere description of what I think it sounds like.
Rick Danko played one like it, but was it an Ampeg model? I thought both his basses from The Last Waltz were Gibson models. (Always wanted to know who manufactured his solid-body upright.)
Main concert footage was his Gibson Ripper, but the scroll headstock fretless he used in studio footage was an Ampeg AMUB with a Precision bass pickup. The upright bass in the other studio shot tune was an Ampeg baby bass.
The salsa bass was the Baby Bass, not this one. The first time I saw this Ampeg bass in videos? The fretted version, the guy from Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.
Decades ago Dennis Electronics Union City NJ had one hanging on the wall behind the counter it was not for sale. Does anyone know what happened to it or who has it?
No not used for Salsa, (that's the Ampeg baby bass. There is one Salsa bassist that does use the stock AMUB, Bobby Valentin). By the way, the stock sound was used by many 60's bassist most noticeably, Joe Long of the Four Seasons. That bass is awesome. Unfortunately, (and this is just my opinion), removing the OEM P/U on this horizontal bass did nothing but devalue the instrument. The current sound it has is no way near as good as the original OEM sound. Want a true Fender sound? Get a Fender.
Super nice , i happen to have an even more rare Ampeg Scroll Bass , wish i could post pics of it here , but i don't know how , but if you wish to see pics , you can look me up on FB under papo torres or you can go to my Bass page ( bajos / bass )
Not really. The original pickups on those were very dark sounding. No highs or high mids. That's why Rick Danko as well as T-Bone changed the pickup to a Fender Precision.
Neck dive happens when the headstock of your bass has a tendency to drop when you're wearing it on your shoulder or sitting. This usally happens in the case of a neck heavy instrument. And the only way to keep your bass guitar from “diving” is to use your fretting hand to hold the neck up.
Joe Ciliberto Eastwood has more of it's own sound. Can't say it sounds like a Precision or Jazz really. Just didn't nail the tone of the originals. Probably why most players swapped out the original humbucking pickup.
Jonathan Thanks for taking the time to answer. The Ampeg seemed to me, as I listened to your video, to be much more broadly resonant and deeper that a P or Jazz, more on the EBO and EB3 side don't you think? The Fenders seem more tight that the Ampeg you played.
Joe Ciliberto This one has an old Precision pickup in it that T-Bone had installed in the 70's. I think the reason it doesn't sound like a standard precision bass is that the body is hollow and very lightweight.
bflo1000 Could be any number of reasons, but most likely it is the material the body is made from and the fact that it is not a solid body. it is semi hollow. Also that Precision pickup is probably very old. Could be early 60's... I've never taken it out to look.
Not really sure what you're implying. This would not be an example of name dropping. What am I supposed to do? Make subtle hints as to what well-known musician really owned the bass at one time? Name dropping is when someone mentions a celebrity's name as if they know them very well, in order to make themselves appear of more importance.
That bass is a jewel for Salsa players, it's like the holy grail bass for them.
José Ortega Beede I know. I am a salsa bass player, and just bought a mint condition all original ampeg baby bass on ebay. I have been drooling until I finally found one. Late 60s. I am waiting for the delivery as I write this. Can't wait!
Check out Lakland decade. I love mine. Great salsa and dub
Wrong Ampeg. The Baby bass is the jewel not this scroll bass. But the scroll is so damn cool!
I play salsa and Metal and I own a Ibanez Roadstar II rb650 bass I wish I had a 5 string baby bass.
Cool back story. John Entwistle, who coincidentally also owned one of these bases described it as "The bass they hand you when you get to hell".
Is that a good thing a bad thing? Lol.
mkfanforever58 According to him, bad. Really bad.
+Stephanie Torres he was probably talking about an all original one. This sounds great to me with the P pickup. And with a PJ configuration it'd probably be perfect
Leiria65 No doubt he had to add the P pickpup in order to get a decent tone. It sounds good to me in this configuration as well.
+Stephanie Torres yeah. IMO the stock pickup is the only reason John Entwistle had such an opinion on this bass and it really is the only problem with it but Im sure someone who can afford a bass like this can also afford the have the pickups replaced
This thing is my dream bass. I auditioned for a swing band (played standards of the 30s and 40s) my freshman year of high school, the only spot they had open was the upright bass. Having played guitar for a few years at that point, and being able to read bass clef from playing trombone, I jumped in headfirst and took to it immediately. With my love of the upright and for The Band and Rick Danko, I will own one of these some day. Congrats on owning such a stunning instrument!
A very cool and interesting instrument, no matter what notes you hit, you will always look cool with one of these!
The best bass guitar sound that I have ever heard.
Thanks for this. That bass is so desirable. Appreciate the disposition and story of the bass. Great chops as well man.
That is so flippin' cool!!
And the fact that it was owned by T-Bone is a huge bonus.
Hmmm... most upright sounding electric bass I've heard! Awesome.
These basses have always fascinated me , great instrument ! And great backstory 😊
Thankyou!
The most beautiful bass I've ever seen I'm imagining Paul playing band on the run
Ive tried out one of those basses back in the 70s. They sounded wonderful. This one sounds pretty good once you roll back the tone control without the distortion.
sounds exactly like a double bass with amplification
That’s a badass bass, great freakin story as well. That’s gotta be a lifetime treasure for you
Thanks!
@@jonathangroomsbassist Are those round wound strings ? Lovely sound
Love them, though I do prefer the AUB with the mystery pickup. One of the most beautiful basses ever.
Mine still has that pickup , sounds really deep .
Then you don’t get the original sound. Use round wounds and up the mids. I used a fret less Jazz bass for 8 years. The neck was fine with round wounds. I’d recommend rotosound pressure wounds with that bass. Jaco used round wounds.
Michael Been of the Call played one with a style all his own. The dark tones suited their music well. Interestingly, Garth Hudson was playing keys. One of my fondest concert memories.
I just found out about this bass today. I am not a bass player but I love the call and I decided to find out what he played that gave him such a unique sound. An article referenced this model. I guess this instrument must be a big part of his sound.
Your intonation is spot on man amazing bass too
That has a new bridge, too. The original bridge actually was hung behind the bass on the two screws you can see at the end. Very cool bass.
It's the original bridge. This is an AMUB. The original ones were AB basses or if fretless it was an AUB.
Magnetic pickup basses were AMBs.
The wraparound bridges with the two screws were on the "mystery pickup" basses.
Mine originally had the rectangular magnetic pickup and was replaced with a Precision bass pickup.⁹
Love your playing dude, you deserve more subs and views! keep it up!
Honestly sounds just like my double bass w/ Fishman bp-100, that bass sounds amazing thanks for the video now I want one :)
Beautiful bass. Round tone.
I remember bidding on this bass on Ebay. I also wanted it for a lot of the same reasons. having seen it on the video . But mostly I'm a huge fan of Tom T-bone Wolk.
Oh i forgot to mention that a guitar is being sold out there with that same shape , really cool , just wish they kept the scroll head design on the guitar .
Rambling or not...I found the story behind this Bass fascinating. Going to look up the "Say It Isn't So" video right now!
T-bone played a fretless on a pop album? Crazy.
dieselyeti He did not use this on any Hall and Oates studio recordings. It was only used in the Say It Isn't So video.
He mainly used this bass for sessions in the mid 1970's.
first demo/review I've seen where the deminstrators style didnt get in the way. though also good to see it put through how it works with other settings for other groove form feels from across the spectrum.
I can absolutley understand why one of these was associated with The Band, OHHHHH YEHHHH!
Am biding my time for any ampeg fretted thing like this particulat monster. But.... I dunno, this is NICE as is.
Friggin' awesome!
Seriously, your videos are great, I don't get why there's so few views!
Have always loved those things totally cool as hell!
Holy shit This thing looks gorgeous
Great bass man! Nice acquisition.
The only way I can hear this as an upright is if I think of an acoustic upright on (electronic) steroids., which is not to say anything negative, just a mere description of what I think it sounds like.
That is gorgeous mate!! I would love one but will have to make do with an Eastwood copy.
I don’t why but just looking at this thing makes me want to play the bass line to Fever by Elvis Presley
Nice Mingus chops!!
I think Eastwood guitars reissues something like this
confirmed
sounds amazing, thanks for the video
the bass from space , sounds real good.
Great sound 😊😊😊
Wow! What a bass!
Frakking sick bass it sounds kinda like Les Claypool
it looks awesome!!
The late Boz Burrel of Bad Co used one.
Lovely bass, great tone!
Danko was the man!
You should call your page EADG in Cincinnati.
Clever
Thanks mate,that was awesome
Rick Danko played one like it, but was it an Ampeg model? I thought both his basses from The Last Waltz were Gibson models. (Always wanted to know who manufactured his solid-body upright.)
Main concert footage was his Gibson Ripper, but the scroll headstock fretless he used in studio footage was an Ampeg AMUB with a Precision bass pickup.
The upright bass in the other studio shot tune was an Ampeg baby bass.
I should have known that before. Thanks for the INFO, @@jonathangroomsbassist.
The salsa bass was the Baby Bass, not this one.
The first time I saw this Ampeg bass in videos? The fretted version, the guy from Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.
Wow! You lucky man
Decades ago Dennis Electronics Union City NJ had one hanging on the wall behind the counter it was not for sale. Does anyone know what happened to it or who has it?
Geddy Lee has this and the Devil bass
I think he means the up right sound, salsa comes in different style as well!
OK I want one
mark hughes me too!
Me too
I never have heard a electric fretless bass that sounds exactly like a upright!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I envy you that's an awesome bass
Soooo cool✌🏼
wauhh it sounds really great???
No not used for Salsa, (that's the Ampeg baby bass. There is one Salsa bassist that does use the stock AMUB, Bobby Valentin). By the way, the stock sound was used by many 60's bassist most noticeably, Joe Long of the Four Seasons. That bass is awesome. Unfortunately, (and this is just my opinion), removing the OEM P/U on this horizontal bass did nothing but devalue the instrument. The current sound it has is no way near as good as the original OEM sound. Want a true Fender sound? Get a Fender.
Nice !!!!!!!!!!
Sweet!!
Boz Burrell; usual bass!
Super nice , i happen to have an even more rare Ampeg Scroll Bass , wish i could post pics of it here , but i don't know how , but if you wish to see pics , you can look me up on FB under papo torres or you can go to my Bass page ( bajos / bass )
I remember them, not my thing. I did have an Ampeg Big Stud though.
A big stud for a big studd eh?
Nice bass... Sounds great... I bet it would sound way better with the original pickup...
Not really. The original pickups on those were very dark sounding. No highs or high mids. That's why Rick Danko as well as T-Bone changed the pickup to a Fender Precision.
Belle top lid contrbass
superbe instrument..
is there something modern like that!?
Eastwood makes a copy of these basses.
@@jonathangroomsbassist holy shit! spot on! thanks :D
BASS player here, THAT BASS, looks like an upright, hence the original pickup might try to emulate that sound???
Almost certainly, but the rock and roll guys that loved the look, needed a more versatile tone.
What strings are you using?
D'Addario Flatwound Chromes .50-.100
Extra long scale
Nothing like a fretless bass.....sooo bouncy aahhggg
4:52
At 4:54 was that some Charles Mingus?
Yes, an attempt at the intro to Better Get It In Your Soul...
+Jonathan Grooms that's exactly what it is. A true jazz artist
Neck~Dive ?
Neck dive happens when the headstock of your bass has a tendency to drop when you're wearing it on your shoulder or sitting. This usally happens in the case of a neck heavy instrument. And the only way to keep your bass guitar from “diving” is to use your fretting hand to hold the neck up.
Eastwood makes one just like it for under $800 US.
Joe Ciliberto Eastwood Looks similiar but not really a close replica. They sound nothing alike...
Sorry - I meant to say "looks" just like it. How does the Eastwood sound? I think they make decent instruments.
Joe Ciliberto Eastwood has more of it's own sound. Can't say it sounds like a Precision or Jazz really. Just didn't nail the tone of the originals. Probably why most players swapped out the original humbucking pickup.
Jonathan Thanks for taking the time to answer. The Ampeg seemed to me, as I listened to your video, to be much more broadly resonant and deeper that a P or Jazz, more on the EBO and EB3 side don't you think? The Fenders seem more tight that the Ampeg you played.
Joe Ciliberto This one has an old Precision pickup in it that T-Bone had installed in the 70's. I think the reason it doesn't sound like a standard precision bass is that the body is hollow and very lightweight.
It's much muddier than a P Bass. In fact, much more like an EBO. Why is that?
bflo1000 Could be any number of reasons, but most likely it is the material the body is made from and the fact that it is not a solid body. it is semi hollow. Also that Precision pickup is probably very old. Could be early 60's... I've never taken it out to look.
Yeah, they say vintage pickups lose their brightness over time, and hollow bodies DO make a difference. Sounds great!
@@jonathangroomsbassist Do you still have the original pup, or could you get one? I'm wondering if the mod hurts the resale value.
Ampeg should just stick to making amps
Toca rápido y deja de hablar tanto
You're not name dropping or anything. Say it isn't so...
Nice intonation skills, though. Good ear.
Not really sure what you're implying. This would not be an example of name dropping. What am I supposed to do? Make subtle hints as to what well-known musician really owned the bass at one time?
Name dropping is when someone mentions a celebrity's name as if they know them very well, in order to make themselves appear of more importance.