Dan Armstrong - Man & Guitars

At left and right, Joe Walsh was another early user of the Dan Armstrong · Ampeg guitar.

Seen here he's playing in the 1971 movie Zachariah along with the other members of The James Gang.

At left and right, Walsh still playing his Dan Armstrong in his solo career and eventually with the Eagles. Lately however, he has also saddled up and joined bassist Dale Peters and percussionist Jim Fox in the James Gang.

Charlie Watts was The Only Rolling Stone member on the cover of their 'Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out' album. In an interview, with Paul Cashmere on August 25, 2021 Watts mentions that "his drums were strapped to a donkey, while he grabbed 'Mick's' hat and several guitars". As seen here, one of those guitars was a Dan Armstrong · Ampeg model that almost certainly belonged to Keith Richards.

At left, Leslie West was another avid user of the Dan Armstrong · Ampeg guitar. Like most players he used it for slide but seen here the slide is nowhere to be seen, suggesting he either removed it from his finger (in the Dean Deleo fashion) or just wasn't using slide in the particular number he was playing.

At right, you may have seen this photo of the Electra copy instrument. The wording is a bit confusing as it reads "Photo of an Electra plexiglass guitar of the type West used for slide guitar during the 70^'s. This guitar was often mistaken for the nearly identical Dan Armstrong model".

I'm really not certain if the individual who posted this was stating that the Electra 2246 model is a close copy of the original (it is) - or if it's meant to imply that West used an Electra on stage - which was mistaken, by many, as an original Dan Armstrong model. If what was meant was the latter, they would be mistaken - as by looking back to the photo at left the white 'Dan Armstrong · Ampeg' lettering is easily seen emblazed into the scratchplate. Notice too, the use of an ST pickup with its double row of square pole pieces.

At left and right, after the breakup of Mountain West would form a new group in 1972 with Jack Bruce from Cream on bass and Corky Laing, the former drummer and band mate from Mountain. The new group became known as West Bruce & Laing.

Seen at left and right, West is playing slide on his Dan Armstrong instrument. At right, I thought for a second he was playing an original black prototype but it appears to be the stage lighting as his shirt can be seen behind his guitar.

Seen at left and right in unknown photos, West playing slide on his Dan Armstrong guitar. In an interview during his tenure with Mountain West was asked why he liked the Dan Armstrong guitar for slide work. He anwsered rather succinctly; stating "The Dan Armstrong has 24 frets giving me two full octaves which is great for slide guitar. The double cutaways allow for easy access to the very last fret and the plexiglass body has immense sustain."

In a later interview West stated roughly the same but added "I can't help but wonder if it [the instrument] was built with slide guitar in mind". One can't help but wonder if he knew just how close he was to Dan's thoughts and goals when he designed these instruments.

As seen above left and right, Paul Westerberg of The Replacements also slung on a Dan Armstrong. His guitar is only slightly modified. Surprisingly, the back half of the guitars' scratchplate is intact and still on the instrument - whereas most players have this section of the scratchplate busted up in and around the output jack and repaired or missing altogether.

At left, and seen better in the enlarged view, the front portion of the scratchplate is missing - exposing the tongue of the neck which has dark highlighting that can be seen at the center of the tongue, following the strip of maple that covers the truss rod. Once at the end of the truss rod the highlighting flares out on one side and is accompanied by a second, smaller flare. It is unknown what the meaning (if any)...is. At right, and at a different venue, his white white shirt, sports a different letter than the one seen at left. The meaning behind it is unknown. To me, anyway.

Seen at left, Westerberg and the Replacements on September 6, 1987. Paul appears to have some sort of sticker label on his Dan Armstrong guitar. In the foreground, bassist Bob Stinson appears to be playing a Thunderbird bass judging by the headstock.

At left, though not playing a Dan Armstrong · Ampeg guitar this photo is still notable from a historic standpoint as Johnny Winter was playing what appears to be a 1968 LP goldtop.

More importantly was the venue - as he was playing it in Greenwich Village, and just outside of Dan Armstrong's store at 500 LaGuardia Place in 1970.

At left, Ronnie Wood playing a Dan Armstrong guitar with Rod Stewart in Faces, while at right, Wood performs on stage with Faces in August 1972. Ron has always been an avid user of the Dan Armstrong guitar. Ironically, he acquired the guitar from his friend Keith Richards. Notice at right he is not using a slide and the use of a single coil pickup, most likely the RT.

As seen left and right, Wood with Faces. Notice the use of a slide on the image at right.

As seen at left and right, later, with the Rolling Stones, Wood still using a Dan Armstrong though with an ST pickup at left

As seen on left, Wood playing slide. His instrument appears to be totally stock. At right, and seen better in the enlarged view, a single coil pickup is in use.

As left, Wood up high on the fingerboard, while at right, and mostly covered up by Keith Richards, Wood can be seen playing his Dan Armstrong, but without a slide.

Ron Wood performs at an outdoor venue playing his Dan Armstrong · Ampeg. Given the additional 8^th screw seen on the scratchplate, along with what appears to be all chrome bridge and tailpiece would seem to indicate a somewhat recent date.

Above left and right, and like Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, bassist Bill Wyman was also gifted a Dan Armstrong · Ampeg instrument. Naturally for him, it was a bass instrument. Seen here playing his clear bass at Madison Square Garden in 1972 - he had, by then, played the Armstrong bass for a few years already.

Seen at left, Wyman is playing it again; this time at the Akroon Rubber Bowl on July 11^th 1972. Notice how his coily guitar cord goes to his SVT amplifier which is behind a curtain of sorts. At right, and with Mick Jagger in the foreground Wyman with his Armstrong bass at Hyde Park on July 5^th 1969.

At left, Wyman and the Stones in concert, notice how his strap is anchored at the lower cutaway horn. At right and backstage with friends and his plexi bass in LA sometime in 1972.

At left, Wyman on stage with The Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden on Nov 27, 1969. At right, and backstage in an unknown venue Wyman and Richards tune their instruments. Notice in both photos that again, his guitar strap is anchored on the lower cutaway horn.

At an unknown venue, Bill Wyman and the Rolling Stones in concert. Notice how he wraps, or curls his right hand around the strings.

Also notice that he holds his bass in an unusual fashion. A more up-down or vertical position than most other players which may help explain why he relocated the strap peg to the lower cutaway horn - to accommodate for this more vertical playing style. In fact, this may also explain why his right hand wraps or curls upward around the strings.

Notice too, how the Dan Armstrong · Ampeg white lettering stands out on the scratchplate. It's especially noticeable in the enlarged view.

In an interview Wyman was asked "Back in the day, you used Dan Armstrong basses" - to which he replied "Yeah, they were all right. I liked most of the basses I played. As long as the bass wasn't too big, I was OK. The Fender Mustangs were good, but they were just a bit too big for me. You know, that's why I held the bass the way I did, because I had to get my hands around the neck."

At left and on stage with Charlie Watts, Wyman continued to play his Dan Armstrong bass for some time. Although he liked the instrument one thing he didn't like was its heavier weight. It was only a matter of time before he would seek a new instrument.

At left and right, Wyman eventually moved to a new, and different bass. Ironically, it would be another Dan Armstrong instrument, this time a Dan Armstrong 'London' bass.

At left and right, like before, Wyman relocated the instruments strap peg to the lower cutaway horn.

At left and right, Bill Wyman plays the Dan Armstrong 'London' bass with the Rolling Stones at Rich Stadium (now New Era Field) in Orchard Park, New York on July 4^th 1978 on their 'SOME GIRLS Tour' of that year.

At left and right, Wyman is playing a later model Dan Armstrong London bass as it has the later body shape design. However, the word London can be seen underneath the Dan Armstrong name on the headstock which means it wasn't one of the latest ones made.

At left and right, one can again see that Wyman still prefers the strap peg to be mounted on the lower cutaway horn just like on the Dan Armstrong acrylic models. Being a totally different body shape, and even made from different material seems to support my theory that it's because of the way in which he holds and plays the instrument, in a more vertical fashion.

At left and right, given all the photos of Wyman on stage it's apparent that he prefers short scale bass instruments.

At left and right, when you look at these two photos and compare them to those above, Wyman apparently made use of the sliding pickup design of the Dan Armstrong London bass as the pickup is often seen in many different locations.

At left, and seen best in the enlarged view, Wyman appears to have slid the pickup on his Dan Armstrong London bass nearly all the way forward. At right, like all his bass instruments, the guitar strap is secured to the body on the lower horn of the instrument.

At left, Wyman on stage with Mick Jagger and his Dan Armstrong · Ampeg clear bass. On the right, Wyman again onstage, this time with his Dan Armstrong London bass.