Conference napalm::guitar

    
    Well, I played one too, for about a half hour and found it interesting
    but not really comfortable.
    
    For those who don't have any idea what we are talking about, the
    Guild Ashbory bass is a miniature bodyless bass which is 30" long
    end to end and has an 18" fretless scale.  The strings are silicone,
    and do indeed produce low enough notes...obviously, a steel string
    couldn't work with such a short length.  Price is like $600 list
    with a gig bag, so it's probaly like a $400 price at a decent dealer.
    
    The strings are a problem, because they are very rubbery and slide
    out from under your fingers when you try to do bends.  They also
    do not sound like metal strings at all, there is no ring like on
    a roundwound and there is very little "growl" or "buzz" like you
    would expect on a fretless bass *guitar*.  It does however sound
    a lot like a good upright with gut strings on it!
    
    There is an on-board preamp with 2-band EQ, very nice. Good range
    of tones available and pretty quiet to boot.  Without the preamp,
    the pickup has a very weak output and a thin tone.
    
    Impossible to play sitting down.
    
    Standing up, it balances OK, I mean it's *real* light, but there
    is no good finger rest.  On a bass guitar I tend to use the pickup
    or the end of the fingerboard as a thumb rest.  No can do here (the
    pickup by the way is built into the bridge).
                                       
    The short scale length didn't cause me any problems, though.  And
    you can play fast.....if the strings stay under your fingers.
                                            
    Ashbory + Polytone Mini-Brute = ultimate GB rig????
    
    I'm definitely going to try it out again, see if I like it any better
    the second time.
    
    Mr. C's in Marlboro, MA has one in, where did you try yours, Jeff???
    

    I tried one at E.U.Whatchamacallits last night.
    Said they would take my Mesa-Boogie single 15" + $100 for it.
    So they're selling it for $375-$400.
    
    When I grabbed it off the rack,I touched the strings,and my fingers
    DID NOT slide at all. So I went in the work shop,and powered my
    hands with talc. It did the trick.
    When I tried to do bends,the strings sort of rolled under my fingers.
    Plus,being alien to a fretless neck,I sounded like shit,and got
    discouraged cause there were people watching me.
    
    As you said Brian,it has a real nice upright sound.
    I mad the mistake of trying to funk slap it...uh-uh...no go.
    Because of that they didn't make the sale/trade.
    
    It would be neat to have a holster for it,and whip it out when a
    tune called for it...but that would be like having a $400 footswitch.
    
    I'd like to have it on stage along side a ,Chapman Stick,a
    Steinberger,for looks,and just play my Fender. 
    
    Right on my salary..ha ha ha ha hha
    
    What about the strings Brian?....do you replace 'em,or just keep
    winding them up til they get real thin? 

    ...sounds like my kinda bass!!!
    
    Edd (of_Gibson_and_black_tape_wound_strings_fame)
    
    

    
    Re: .3
    
    Gibson bass + tape wound strings = no frequencies above 250 HZ
    
    

    No frequencies above 250Hz = BASS!!!
    
    Edd

    
    Re: .2
    
    As far as strings on the Guild Ashbory, that's a good question.
    There's no telling if this thing will become popular.  If it doesn't, 
    you'll never be able to find spare strings.  Then again, how often
    will you need to change them? Who knows?
    
    I'd check out how much extra strings are, if they're under $10,
    I'd buy about a dozen sets!!!
                             
    

    I tried it out at Daddy's in Nashua this weekend.  They were
    looking for $375.  I had a hard time tuning it.  You have to
    be careful how you tie the gummy-bear strings on, from what
    I saw.  One string was tied too tight, and couldn't be tuned
    higher beyond a certain point without the string stretching 
    on the head.   
    
    I agree it can't be played sitting down.  I also couldn't get 
    what I considered a good fretless sound from it, but it was punchy 
    and a lot fuller sounding than I expected.   That's just me, 
    maybe someone else will love it.
                                                           
    Peter O

    ...Brian, I tried to mail you back yesterday,something wrong with
    our network link...
    
    I took one home Fri. to try out over the weekend...
    I couldn't deal with it.
    It sounded pretty good,although a fretless neck is so alien to me...
    The strings are about half the price of a good set of roundwounds',and
    unless they get damaged, i.e. lacerated,burnt,or what ever. they
    never have to be changed.
    It even sounded pretty good with a pick,real punchy the closer you
    play it to the pick up.
    I'm not going to buy it,the difference between it,and a long scale
    roundwound bass is too extreme...After playing the Ashbory for most
    of the day on Sat.,I went to my Fender,and aside from it feeling
    like I strapped on an iron support beam,I was all thumbs when I
    fingered the strings. Playing the Ashbory,I felt like I had to be
    so delicate,and I'm used to beating the daylights out of strings.
    (I change mine every 2-3 weeks).
    
    All,in all, the sound produced by the Ashbory isn't what I am looking
    for.
    Somebody is going to do something incredible with that bass,and
    revolutionize new technique

    
    	*I* was going to enter a note on that bass, having seen one
    in a music store in AnnArbor Mi. By the time I got around to
    straightening out the change to VCQUAL:: I forgot!
    
    	I was appalled at the *price* of something that probably contained
    less *material* than a $50 boom box. Yeah, a unique combination
    of materials, but not that unique! Toys should be priced as such...
    
    	Got laugh at what the reviewing noters think of it too! *Not*
    for 500 bucks!
    
    	I'd rather have the Suzuki electronic guitar synth, at half
    the price. It too, has particular shortcomings - just enough to
    let the more serious musician say "eh - not impressed".
    
    	But I just gotta be the 1st on stage with one! I'm sure that's
    Guilds *only* ticket to selling one.
    
    	...probably costs 'em $50 to make it.
    
    	Joe Jas
    

    Well I didn't want to start a new topic so I thought I'd just recycle
    this.
    
    Any comments about the Ashbury bass are still welcome - in fact, if
    there's any update info on them,  like how much they sold for when they
    were discontinued, I'd like to know. Does anybody own one of these
    jobbies?
    
    Anyway, on to new business. Is there any here among us [who feel that life
    is but a joke] who own or has owned a Guild pilot bass? when I was
    playing bass exclusively, I used to want one of these bad boys. I just
    couldn't get over the money they were asking for them. Tall dollars for a
    bolt on unfinished neck. Like everything else Guild makes, the action was 
    second to none. Great punchy sounding bass I thought. The only negative
    besides the buckage was the weird looking headstock. They've never been
    able to get their solid body electrics to look worth a damn. IMO, the Pilot
    looks(ed?) fine except for that damn stupid headstock.  
    
    "sakman"