Ampeg AMUB-1 Fretless Model Electric Bass Guitar (1967-8), made in Linden NJ, red/black sunburst finish, laminared maple body, maple neck with ebony fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.

This is a very interesting example of an already rare instrument, the fretless Ampeg AMUB-1 (Ampeg Magnetic Unfretted Bass #1), the second version of the first production fretless bass guitar. The specifications of this particular bass are somewhat unusual with what appear to be transitional features between earlier and later versions of this unique design. While even the standard production versions of these instruments are rarely seen at all these days, this one is unlike any other in our experience.

The Ampeg basses of the late 1960's were the product of company founder Everett Hull's distaste for the Fender-style bass guitar...he considered the upright bass to be the only legitimate low end instrument! The Ampeg "Horizontal Bass" was initially designed to utilize the same vibration-activated "Mystery Pickup" (located under the bridge) as the upright Baby Bass allowing the use of gut strings as well as steel for more traditional bass sounds. It was initially offered in fretted and fretless models designated the AEB-1 and AUB-1. In the higher-volume playing environments of the late 1960's, this proved increasingly impractical and the instrument was re-designed in late 1967 with more a conventional magnetic pickup, located in the center of the body. This example appears to be one of the first samples built to use the magnetic pickup, and still has some features of the older style model.

The body is built with maple laminates over a birch ply back; the standard production AMUB-1 of 1968 uses a solid carved-out maple body. The bridge unit is also a transitional piece...it has both the older side-by-side and newer-style three-point adjustment screw holes drilled; it is likely an original style bridge adapted for the new tailpiece design. The serial number on this bass does not fit any known series...it consists of a sideways "0" followed by the number "10" in larger than usual punched-in numerals...likely a prototype or sample indicator! The tailpiece coverplate (incidentally a piece rarely found intact on these!) is also interesting...the Ampeg logo is painted in white enamel instead of being simply impressed as with most known examples, and is quite conspicuous even from a distance. The magnetic pickup also appears transitional-the cover is a different consistency from the stock version, being sheathed in a shinier harder plastic-like covering. This bass has a sound somewhere in between the two known versions...not as rounded or deep as the later humbucking magnetic pickup with some of the acoustic-y twang associated the "mystery" unit. We have never seen another Ampeg bass with these features and this one may well be unique! This is a very good player, with a distinctly "upright" sound and should be of interest to any collector of Ampegs or just generally rare American basses
 
Overall length is 47 in. (119.4 cm.), 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 1/2 in. (876 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). Appears all original; considerable finish wear and flaking to body edges, particularly at the base of the instrument. Several body laminations are open in that area; it appears the bass was exposed to moisture at some point causing this localized damage. This does not affect playability or The rest of the bass is in structurally excellent condition with general playing wear and a fairly deep scraped area on the upper bout. A very fine playing and sounding example of this very rare variant of this classic bass. Very Good + Condition.