Dan Armstrong - Man & Guitars

At left, Matt Umanov's own distillation of both the guitar & bass specs. Matt would use this short-cut sheet with its set of measurements as his quick reference guide in making the protoypes.

As seen above, a shopping list.... specifically, a list of hardware items that he needed to pick up. Judging by the lines drawn through most items, it apprears that he had everything he needed with the exception of a router bit. Seen on both sides of the paper, notice the bleed-through from one side to another from the magic marker that he used. All photos on this page are courtesy of Mr. Matt Umanov.

Matt had begun to produce the prototype instruments in his own shop in March of 1968, stating "I was subletting an artist's loft on West 22^nd St." As the prototypes began to take shape, Matt's sublet ran out, and being he was in the midst of producing the prototypes for Dan he thought he should let Dan know as it would take some time to find a new place and also to move. "I had mentioned to Dan that I was about to lose my workspace, and he generously and immediately offered me space, which he surely had plenty of, in his new location." As a result Dan & Matt made an equitable business arrangement. Matt would take the remaining 'unused' space for his shop and in turn, would do, or help do the more difficult repairs that came into Dan's shop.

Matt goes on to say "the unused space was in the basement right alongside Dan's own repair department, the staff of which consisted of Eddie and Carl. The trading of the occasional repair in lieu of rent was something that Dan offered right off the bat. I was only there for 6 months or so until I once again found a place of my own." Fortunately for us, and for history, this allowed Matt to quickly return to the prototypes, and for Carl Thompson^® to snap the following photographs which were taken in and around April of 1968.

Playing a prototype bass guitar is Dan Armstrong while 20 year old Matt Umanov peers over Dan's shoulder. The basement of Dan's shop at 500 Laguardia Place in Greenwich Village served as Matt's workshop while helping to design these instruments.

Notice the more rounded off and smaller shape of the scratchplate as well as a light colored prototype pickup. Also the lack of a truss rod cover on the headstock.

According to Matt Umanov, the router seen on his workbench to work on the Armstrong prototypes is the same one he still uses today. Dan's employee and New York's legendary jazz guitarist Eddie Diehl can be seen working in the background along with several other guitars.

The famous six string prototype guitar that has become widely known as the 'Third Story Guitar'. Some confusion surrounds its fate however. Rumor has it that Matt and Dan dropped a prototype six string guitar out off the 2^nd, then the 3^rd story window above Manny's Music to see how much abuse acrylic would take. However, when asked about it Matt Umanov stated "I don't remember it happening, at least not with me around anyway." Later Matt stated "the only thing I remember about it is that once it was done I gave the prototype to Danny, and he and Bill Lawrence started revising pickup designs."

Is it possible that Dan dropped one out of Manny's window without Matt? Or that Dan dropped one of the production models instead? Is it possible that it wasn't 'thrown' out, but accidentally 'dropped' out? Without Dan around to ask we most likely will never know for certain, but it seems very likely that the story will continue to live on.

In fact, it would take until March of 1969 before these instruments would leave the prototype stages. As for the fate of the prototypes that did get to Ampeg, Matt goes on to say "Danny told me later on that both the prototype guitar & bass that went to Ampeg ended up as guinea pigs that got cut into, modified, then disappeared".

Matt continued, saying "I'm told that someone I know is under the impression that an acrylic body he has is the original prototype. I have spoken with him, and we've been trying to get together so I can look at it, identify it, and say 'yea' or 'nay' as I will know for there are things to look for." So far this meeting has not taken place and we can only hope that one day it eventually will. If &/or when it does, and if it turns out those model are, in fact, the prototypes, I'll make sure to post the information here.

Meanwhile, as seen above, and as Bill Richardson states "resting on a very used tweed 58 or 59 Fender Bassman amplifier" the prototype guitar - the way it was before it got to Ampeg. Notice the light colored prototype pickup, as well as the lack of a cavity or channel to slide interchangeable pickups through. Also notice the odd shaped scratch plate, different knobs, and what appears to be a single strap pin. As can be seen in the background, and according to Aaron Beharelle, creator and webmaster at www.ctbasses.com (which provides a wonderful service and history on Carl Thompson) "This is an early Carl Thompson guitar. In fact, it is the #1 guitar... the very first guitar Carl made and the second instrument that he made."