Ancoats Basses

[Mediocre Polymath]

I just saw that Ancoats Guitars are gearing up to start making basses. Rather nifty looking things. 

 

 

I've been seeing this company's guitar designs popping up on social media here and there, and they look interesting (though I've never played one). They're a small custom builder in Manchester, I think, with a very agressive pricing strategy (basses starting from £1k, which barely gets you new strings these days). 

[HeadlessBassist]

1 minute ago, Mediocre Polymath said:

, with a very agressive pricing strategy (basses starting from £1k, which barely gets you new strings these days). 

 

Especially if you buy those Pino Palladino strings - y'know, the ones sprinkled with Welsh Fairy Dust and Unicorn Tears. 

[Owen]

It is a new name for me. But those knobs look lush!

[80Hz]

This is good news, I've been a fan of their designs since I saw the first "New Islington" guitar a few years ago. Retro flavoured but quite distinctive I think.

 

I see they're making the bass range at 32" inch scale - a smart move perhaps seeing the popularity of short scale instruments these days?

 

Definitely something I'd check out if the opportunity arose.

 

Also, their blog says they're offering an intro discount - no idea if this is still in effect though: https://www.ancoatsguitars.co.uk/blog/introducing-the-new-ancoats-bass-range

[Maude]

These look cool, very retro futuristic if you know what I mean. 

The 25% off is working, I put one in my basket and continued to see. 

Great range of colours as well although I can't see the actual colours, but I do have a confetti pink one with cream scratchplate in my basket 😁. 

[AndyTravis]

I was meant to go and mess about with the prototype but ended up with iris being in hospital the weekend I was due up there.

 

They look ace. Will hopefully see them at the guitar show in Brum next month.

[Killerfridge]

The headstocks look like they've taken "inspiration" from Alpher, no? At least that's my first impression 

 

Edited Sunday at 23:28 by Killerfridge

[AndyTravis]

31 minutes ago, Killerfridge said:

The headstocks look like they've taken "inspiration" from Alpher, no? At least that's my first impression 

 

It’s the same shape as their guitar headstocks which they’ve been doing for years as far as I can see

[Bassassin]

I like these - it's good to see a builder with the guts to use their own designs. The three models appear to be the same apart from the body shape - the offset NQ appeals to me, the other two do look a bit neck-divey...

 

 

I'd quite like to see that in confetti pink with a pearl scratchplate - in fact I'd quite like to see pics of a real one in any finish - I'm pretty sure the pics on the site are all digital renders.

[NancyJohnson]

I like the general look of the two shown here, but I'm very much of the mindset that if the body design is asymmetrical then this needs to follow through to the headstock design (a la Gibson EB3) and conversely if the body design is offset, then then a Fenderesque is fine.

 

 

[Hellzero]

Not Alpher, but more reminiscing of the Peavey Rudy Sarzo headstock to me, especially like here...

 

 

[BassApprentice]

Or Markbass.

 

Truth is, it is very hard to design a headstock that isn't a Fender style or one that most think is awful.

 

 

 

[Killerfridge]

10 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

It’s the same shape as their guitar headstocks which they’ve been doing for years as far as I can see

Fair enough. I know little enough about either company, but my initial thought when I saw the two-tone Headstock with the big "A" was Alpher - for all I know Alpher is based on their design!

[Mediocre Polymath]

1 hour ago, BassApprentice said:

Or Markbass.

 

Truth is, it is very hard to design a headstock that isn't a Fender style or one that most think is awful.

 

 

 

Indeed. I used to have a late 1980s Yamaha that had a similar recessed panel thing.

[Maude]

1 hour ago, Mediocre Polymath said:

Indeed. I used to have a late 1980s Yamaha that had a similar recessed panel thing.

I was going to say some of the Yammy RBX range had a similar thing going on, albeit a separate plastic plate to give that effect. 

[Grahambythesea]

Looks like another guitar that might be used by the Jetsons 

 

 

[mxm]

Fano too…

 

 

[cetera]

Needs a '2x2' headstock on that 1st double cutaway model. Fender '4 on top' style just looks plain wrong...

[AndyTravis]

Their 2/3 aside option isn’t a looker.

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

Their 2/3 aside option isn’t a looker.

 

Nothing wrong with that.  Looks like a Warwick without the machine heads being installed on the wonk.

[Maude]

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

Their 2/3 aside option isn’t a looker.

Reminds me of a Rickenbacker when they aren't doing the cresting wave thing. 

[Bassassin]

To be fair the Ancoats 4-inline headstock would look a lot less of a wonky lump if you just cut the contrasting bit off.

[Maude]

1 hour ago, Bassassin said:

To be fair the Ancoats 4-inline headstock would look a lot less of a wonky lump if you just cut the contrasting bit off.

 

I think, given the shape of the control plate, scratchplate, etc, if the bottom edge of the headstock was cut straight to match the tuner side it would suit the guitar far mode, like a symmetrical pointy shape with a rounded end.