1987 Guild Ashbory Product Slick

For players who are tired of playing countless clones of the same old instrument, Guild offers the epitome of originality: the Ashbory Bass ... the most innovative bass guitar ever created.

From its 18" fretless scale, to the silicone rubber strings, to the patented Ashworth transducer, the Ashbory is a completely unique instrument. The flexible strings make playing easier and produce a low-end response that rivals an upright. The preamp powered transducer circuitry gives an exceptionally low signal-to-noise ratio. And the Ashbory's small size and two-pound weight make it truly portable, you can even wear it comfortably over another instrument. You can make reaches impossible with a full-sized bass and still play faster and cleaner than you ever have before.

From the growl of an upright to the punch of a rock bass; you'll get it all with the Ashbory. But don't take our word for it -- try one for yourself. Compare the sound with any bass on the market. Discover how much big sound can be put in one compact package. The Ashbory. Only from Guild.

Guild
Where Innovation meets Tradition

Ashbory Specifications:

Solid one-piece poplar body/neck, bound with silkscreen fingerboard pattern. unique headstock, chrome Schaller tuners. Master volume, bass, and treble tone controls with active and passive circuitry. Ashworth transducer with preamp. Thirty inches long, two pounds total weight, eighteen inch scale.

The Ashbory is very different from anything you've ever played. So we thought we'd give you an idea of what to expect the first time you try one.

The Ashbory is very capable of some remarkable sounds, and can give you an entirely new perspective on the way you play.

For a natural vibrato,
rock your finger parallel to the string like upright bass players do -- the soft strings respond especially well.

For a warm, fat, round sound,
roll the treble all the way off, then dial in just enough for definition. Keep the bass control all the way up (tone down your amp's bass control if it gets muddy) and pluck lightly close to the neck.

For a punchy sound that's like a standard bass guitar,
turn up the treble a bit and play a little more firmly, closer to the bridge. The strings have less flex close to the bridge and you can dig in for more bite.

For a bright, percussive sound,
dial in lots of treble, and cut the bass back to about half. Try playing with a pick near the bridge. You can achieve pull-offs and hammerons easily, with either hand.

For a true acoustic bass sound,
turn the preamp off and adjust your amp for maximum bass and treble, with most of the midrange out.