❌SOLD❌ Ampeg Dan Armstrong ADA6 Reissue MIJ 2006

Here is a seldom-seen rarity – an Ampeg Dan Armstrong ADA6 Reissue, built in Japan at the start of the 2006 reissue cycle. The reissue cycles ran from 1998 to 2001, and again from 2006 to 2011. Bass versions were also available. Lucite, also sold as Perspex and Plexiglas, was chosen for its clarity and availability.

This Ampeg Dan Armstrong ADA6 dates to April of 2006 and is the fourth built that month. The serial number and ‘Made in Japan’ markings are on opposite sides of the neck, visible through the clear body. It is in very good, clean and original condition with only light wear.

The original hard shell case is included.

Originally built from 1969 to 1971, the Ampeg Dan Armstrong model paired a Lucite body, and a 24-fret Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard providing unrestricted access to the highest registers, woodgrain Formica pickguard and headplate. The electronics are straightforward though there was another also less visible feature. The single pickup could be released, popped out, and another pickup slid into its place, in moments. Though this guitar has a single pickup, there is a three-way toggle switch, which has unique functions described below. The pickups on these instruments were designed and built by Dan Armstrong’s son, Kent Armstrong, who still makes pickups.

The original run of guitars used a Danelectro style metal plate bridge with a Rosewood piece as a saddle. On the original 1969 models, Brazilian Rosewood was used, but all of the reissues use Indian Rosewood. The bridge plate is the same, but the saddle is a larger block of Rosewood with brass saddle inserts.

The manual for the Ampeg Dan Armstrong ADA6 can be found on the Ampeg site, linked here.

Though it was quickly adopted for stage use by a number of high-profile players including members of The Rolling Stones, John Kay of Steppenwolf, these Lucite models did not stay in production for long, and that’s partly related to the nature of the body material. Though a plastic, the bodies were not poured or molded – they were carved and polished, and with the base price of the material this made them expensive and time-consuming to make. And, they were on the heavy side.

An in-depth discussion of reissue details can be found at the Dan Armstrong website.

Here is an excerpt from the Ampeg Dan Armstrong ADA6 manual regarding the controls:

“The unique Ampeg Dan Armstrong Tone Control circuit offers incredible tonal flexibility from a single
pickup unit. A 3-position switch is used to allow various “presets”.

In the CENTER position, the TONE control is bypassed with the signal sent from the VOLUME control directly to the instrument output jack.

In the FORWARD position, the TONE control acts in a conventional way, smoothly reducing high frequencies to a warm,
dark timbre.

In the REAR position, different frequencies are affected by the TONE control, which allows a sound
reminiscent of a half-cocked wah pedal. Good for over- driven solos!

When the TONE control is fully on (clockwise) little effect will be heard. As the TONE control is rotated counterclockwise, the effect of the FRONT and REAR switch positions becomes more apparent. A bit of experimentation will provide you with some interesting and useful sounds.”