Dan Armstrong - Man & Guitars

While most of us probably do not have the expense account of John Kay, it has not stopped many from altering or modifying their clear guitars and basses. While I can sympathize with musicians desiring a better playing, more comfortable instrument, the value of any guitar or bass drops significantly once an alteration has been done to it. A good rule of thumb to remember is that a worthwhile modification is one which can be restored to original simply by removing it and putting the original parts back on. Unfortunately, this was, and still is seldom the case when it comes to the Dan Armstrong · Ampeg acrylic instruments - some of which can be seen here.

Beginning with one of my own guitars so as not to appear to be sitting up too high in my ivory tower. As seen upper left, one of my Dan Armstrong guitars had been modified prior to me purchasing it. Ironically, it had been modified a bit like John Kay's former model, in that it sports a Gibson 'Harmonica' style Tuno-Matic bridge. These bridges were commonly seen on their SG guitars in the 1970^'s to accommodate longer travel distances of the saddles as more players were using lighter gauge strings. What is truly sad, is the screws used to secure the tailpiece to the acrylic body are straight headed screws - a strong indicator of a very early 1969 body.

At upper right, and unlike John Kay's modification, the original tailpiece is used. It's been cut in half with just enough mass left for the strings to hook into. In front of it, where the rosewood bridge used to reside, the acrylic has been routed down enough to cradle the new bridge. Notice the cut edge of the tailpiece, which shows it is comprised of brass that's chrome plated. Better seen in the enlarged view, notice how the grounding wire does not just go to the tailpiece in the usual fashion, but rather travels from the pickup channel - upward and across the bottom of the bridge, then upward and across the bottom of the tailpiece. In this way, a good ground is achieved across all points.

Deep in the acrylic body, underneath this routing you will notice rounded yellow looking holes that had been drilled into the acrylic. These are the post anchors which were tapped in after the drilling and support the two adjustable posts seen sticking out of the acrylic that screw in or out of these anchors which in turn raises or lowers the string action.

However, if you look at the individual string saddle pieces, you will notice that they start up close, nearest the pickup on the high E string and move backward in a fairly orderly, even fashion. By the time you get to the saddle piece on the low E string the saddle placement is about in the middle of the bridge. Stated another way, if you were to draw a line from the high E string to the low E string, you would see that it is nearly a direct lineup on the saddlepieces - just moved back more on the lower strings.

What this all means is that the modification was not necessary as a rosewood saddlepiece with a fret on it placed up close to the pickup on the high E string, and back about halfway on the low E string would have accomplished virtually the same results.

Granted, a Tuno-Matic type bridge will always out perform a rosewood bridge, and even the reissues address the intonation problems by using brass saddlepieces. In the not too distant future it appears that the acrylic instruments could very well employ a tunable bridge not too different from what is shown here. But to me, the real question is whether or not the modification was warranted or even worth it. Dan always said "More than anything else I built these guitars to be stage guitars which is one reason I went with the clear body." Given this mind-set, for stage use I just have to wonder if they weren't good enough as they were.

At upper left, a bit more clever version of a Tuno-Matic type bridge - the owner cut the rosewood bridge into six small pieces - one piece per string - and slid them forward or back to get proper intonation. The beauty of this mod is by having or getting an extra bridge, one can easily put things back.

At upper right, another interesting mod. If you look back and underneath the factory scratchplate you will notice a laminated white/black scratchplate has been installed and I'm guessing the seller wanted to advertize that he still had the factory plate being it was lying on top of everything else. Notice the brightness of the volume and tone knobs shining through as well as the switch trying to poke through. But the real Megillah is the rest of the scratchplate that can be seen. Attached to the body with tapered head square drive screws, it utilizes enough real estate to cover over and hide, not only the majority of the pickup cavity, but bridge/tailpiece and more. Two brass screws support a humbucking pickup with a chrome plated cover while space was routed for a tunable style bridge, complete with routed slots for intonation adjustments. Back of the bridge, more of the same as holes are routed for a string-thru looking unit. Quite the hot mess.

An altered guitar that I christened the Lupe model, based on the fact that the name is etched into the acrylic next to the pickup in the pickup channel. The 3-way selector switch appears to have quite a number of threads eminating from the top of the scratchplate which makes me wonder if it's a replacement.

At upper right, and somewhat like the mod on my guitar seen at the top of the page, a tunable bridge has replaced the rosewood saddle type bridge. The tailpiece is what's left of the original after it has been cut and ground down to size (notice the chrome plating is missing all around it - revealing the brass underneath). The original back two screws are still in use and in the original back two holes in the body. A rather crusty looking Rock Treble pickup is in use.

More bridge modifications. At upper left, an original Dan Armstrong guitar sports a Gibson ABR-1 bridge. Interestingly the bridge seems to sitting on the top of the acrylic body with the only routing that was done was for the height adjustment posts. Notice how the original tailpiece is left intact which would make it somewhat easier to put this back to stock with only two post holes that would be left showing. Being the bridge is on top of the body seems to suggest a much higher string action, probably used for slide guitar. Notice a Kent Armstrong pickup is used. Also a washer on the output jack as well as the addition of aluminum speed type knobs.

At upper right, The original tailpiece is cut, and another Gibson ABR-1 style bridge installed. This particular bridge features nylon saddlepieces. The acrylic body has been routed to cradle the bridge for low string action.

The Dan Armstrong instruments were modified with other tunable type bridges as well. At upper left, a string-thru body design is used, much like what is seen on a Fender Telecaster guitar. Notice the black plastic underneath the unit, most likely placed there to hide the scars of the alteration. Also notice the chrome style scratchplate, with an additional screw added in front of the pickup as well as an additional switch added to the guitars circuitry.

At upper right, a humbucking pickup, complete with ring is somehow attached in the regular pickup cavity with an unusual tunable style bridge and tailpiece added. Notice what looks like a single black & white wire leaving the pickup ring and entering the guitar underneath the scratchplate. Also a black scratchplate has been added.

As seen upper left, another a string-thru body design with a silver or grey scratchplate. Also a matching piece was placed under the bridge as well. Again this is most likely to cover the work underneath. A different switch and knobs top off the mod. At upper right, the mod seen from the bottom side.

As seen above left, a major mod consisting of a tunable style bridge along with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece and a Seymour Duncan humbucker placed and wired into a wooden holder that allows the pickup to slide in and out like a Dan Armstrong pickup. Also seen is black and silver replacement knobs as well as a washer placed over the output jack. Notice the factory routing of the acrylic body where the ball end of the strings would normally be. It now lies between the tailpiece and the bridge.

As seen upper right, another Seymour Duncan humbucker placed into a wooden holder - though this holder does not feature the female banana jacks like the former one. Instead a hole was drilled through the acrylic between the two male banana plugs - and the wire is run from the pickup through the hole and into the control cavity where it then solders to the guitar's circuitry. Although a small hole was drilled this type of mod is much more forgiving as it can be hidden and virtually put back to stock simply by sliding in a Dan Armstrong pickup. Black speed knobs complete this minor mod.

A more cleaner looking type mod can be seen above left where a humbucking pickup with metal cover and height adjustment screws is fitted into a wooden block that closely matches the Formica wood grain surrounds. At upper right, a better view of the pickup height adjustment screws can be seen. It is unknown for certain if this wooden block utilizes female banana plugs or not, but if it does it could well be the best possible pickup mod ever. Notice the addition of a different switch and knobs as well.

Another clean version can be seen upper left and right. In a touch of irony a piece of clear acrylic was shaped to the physical size of a Dan Armstrong pickup. It then had the majority of its mass routed out to the size of a conventional humbucking pickup, leaving only enough mass for two banana jacks to be mounted to it. A humbuckers' lead wires get soldered (or otherwise attached) to the banana jacks and the pickup sets into its cavity. I've not seen the bottom of the unit so I'm not quite sure how the pickup anchors itself to the unit unless velcro or something like it is used - and the entire thing gets slid into the guitar like any other Armstrong pickup. I just wish they would market this jewel.

Above left, another nice clean type of mod. A humbucking pickup encased in a clear resin, complete with female banana jacks which can be easily seen through the clear resin. In this way, one just slides the custom made pickup out and a Dan Armstrong pickup in and the instrument remains unaltered which is much more preferable.

Above right, and standing in sharp contrast to these alternatives is a bridge mod much like the one on my 69 Dan Armstrong guitar shown at the top of this page.

Above left, a and right, a modified 1970 Dan Armstrong · Ampeg guitar. At left, and immediately recoganizable is a brass mirrored type scratchplate. Notice the worn spot where fingers were likely positioned when playing. Also a replacement humbucking pickup, with pickup ring, that's mounted on the acrylic body. Matching Tele type knobs have replaced the originals while an unusual looking switch has replaced the original as well.

Also notice how the fingerboard has been modified at the 24^th fret with the addition of a small piece of brass that closely matches the scratchplate spanning the entire width of the fingerboard and replacing the 'double-dots' normally seen at this fret. At right, a string through design allows for a tunable bridge up top - the string ferrules can be seen.

Above left, a DiMarzio humbucker sits where the factory Dan Armstrong · Ampeg pickup normally resides. Notice the tunable bridge. Also, notice the straight slotted screws that anchor the tailpiece to the body as these are the factory originals seated into their respective inserts. What is odd is the serial number of the instrument - A1079D. Oddly, Ampeg changed from straight slotted screws to the more familiar Phillips headed screws somewhere in the 400 range or so. Yet here they are on a much later model. Likely an Ampeg employee just used what was at hand that day. It goes to show how things can go on a production floor. No rules, just suggestions.

At right, notice the reflective scratchplate, and in particular, how the Dan Armstrong · Ampeg name is etched into it in pretty-much the very same manner as on the factory originals. No doubt the scratchplate makes for good shielding and underneath it, the wiring for the pickup can be seen as it routes its way through the holes for the banana plugs.

Above left, other mods include the addition of a different style of position markers on the fingerboard and what looks like a solid brass or brass plated truss rod cover and brass string nut. At right, what is likely gold plated tuners which would somewhat match the rest of the hardware on the instrument.