Ampeg Clear Plastic Guitars: How Much Are They Worth?

Ampeg's Dan Armstrong models were the first commercial solidbody electrics to have clear plastic bodies. They were manufactured decades ago and were more expensive than many tonewood-based guitars. However, they weren't particularly successful in terms of sales. Today, it's difficult to find any sonic benefits to using these clear guitars over wood-bodied guitars.

Ampeg Dan Armstrong Lucite Clear Guitar

The Ampeg Dan Armstrong Lucite Clear Guitar is a high-end acrylic guitar that was first manufactured decades ago. It was more expensive than many tonewood-based guitars but wasn't particularly successful in terms of sales.

The Ampeg company dates back to the 1940s, when it was set up in New York City by Everett Hull to make amplifiers and upright-bass pickups. The name 'Ampeg' comes from the "amplified peg" of Hull's amplification system, which put a mic inside the pointed "peg" or spike of an upright bass.

Ampeg first tried to get into the electric guitar market in 1963, importing four Burns guitar models from Britain. The Dan Armstrong models, with their clear plastic bodies, were the first commercial solidbody electrics to have this feature.

Today, it's difficult to find any sonic benefits to using these clear guitars over wood-bodied guitars. There are minimal positive impacts on tone, dynamics, or any other aspect of the electric guitar that is achieved by having a plastic body rather than a wood one. However, the resonance of acrylic guitars is unique, and each note vibrates for a relatively long time before decaying completely. The hardness of the plastic body material can also produce a sound that is quite thin and "tinny", especially in the upper midrange and treble frequencies.

Ampeg's Dan Armstrong models

Ampeg first tried to get into the electric guitar market in 1963, importing four Burns guitar models from Britain. These were the Jazz Split Sound, Nu-Sonic, Split Sonic, and TR-2. The only difference between these and the UK originals was the addition of an Ampeg logo on the pickguard.

The Dan Armstrong models were more expensive than many tonewood-based guitars but weren’t particularly successful in terms of sales. The resonance of acrylic guitars is unique, and each note vibrates for a relatively long time before decaying completely. However, due to the hardness of the plastic body material, it can produce a sound that is quite thin and “tinny”, which is especially noticeable in the upper midrange and treble frequencies.

Today, it’s difficult to find any sonic benefits to using these clear guitars. There are minimal positive impacts on tone, dynamics, or any other aspect of the electric guitar that is achieved by having a plastic body rather than a wood one. Acrylic body guitars are also very hard and can dig into your body when playing them.

High-end Ampeg models

Ampeg's high-end models, such as the Dan Armstrong range, were the first commercial solid-body electrics to have clear plastic bodies. These guitars were more expensive than many tonewood-based guitars but weren't particularly successful in terms of sales. The resonance of acrylic guitars is unique, and each note vibrates for a relatively long time before decaying completely. The hardness of the plastic body material can produce a sound that is quite thin and "tinny", especially in the upper midrange and treble frequencies.

The high-end Ampeg models were first manufactured decades ago and may have offered some tonal qualities that wood-bodied guitars lacked. However, these days it's difficult to find any sonic benefits to using these clear guitars. There are minimal positive impacts on tone, dynamics, or any other aspect of the electric guitar that is achieved by having a plastic body rather than a wood one. Acrylic body guitars are very hard and can dig into your body when playing them.

Ampeg Dan Armstrong Lucite Clear guitars can be found on eBay, with one listing advertising a brand-new, unused, unopened, and undamaged item in its original packaging.

Ampeg's first electric guitars

Ampeg first tried to get into the electric guitar market in 1963, importing four Burns guitar models from Britain: the Jazz Split Sound, Nu-Sonic, Split Sonic, and TR-2. These were the same as the UK originals, except for the Ampeg logo on the pickguard.

Ampeg's high-end acrylic guitars were more expensive than many tonewood-based guitars but weren’t particularly successful in terms of sales. The resonance of acrylic guitars is unique, and each note vibrates for a relatively long time before decaying completely. However, due to the hardness of the plastic body material, it can produce a sound that is quite thin and “tinny”, which is especially noticeable in the upper midrange and treble frequencies.

Today, it’s difficult to find any sonic benefits to using these clear guitars. There are minimal positive impacts on tone, dynamics, or any other aspect of the electric guitar that is achieved by having a plastic body rather than a wood one. Acrylic body guitars are very hard and can dig into your body when playing them.

Ampeg Dan Armstrong Lucite Clear guitars can be found for sale on eBay, described as being in mint condition and having never been played.

Acrylic guitars' sonic qualities

Ampeg's Dan Armstrong models were the first commercial solidbody electrics to have clear plastic bodies. The high-end Ampeg models that were first manufactured decades ago may have offered some tonal qualities that wood-bodied guitars lacked, but these days it’s difficult to find any sonic benefits to using these clear guitars. In reality, there are minimal positive impacts on tone, dynamics, or any other aspect of the electric guitar that is achieved by having a plastic body rather than a wood one – other than perhaps producing niche, experimental tones.

Acrylic guitars have distinctive sonic qualities. The resonance of acrylic guitars is unique, and each note vibrates for a relatively long time before decaying completely. Acrylic is heavier than wood and it resonates differently. It produces neither a light nor a heavy tone, which also lends itself to stage shows, able to play a variety of covers without pigeon-holing the player. Due to the hardness of the plastic body material, it can produce a sound that is quite thin and “tinny”, which is especially noticeable in the upper midrange and treble frequencies.

Acrylic guitars are also very heavy, and the additional weight of these instruments, combined with their thinner tone and lack of note separation means that they are not worth buying for certain guitarists. However, others may enjoy their unusual sound and feel.

Lucite is a specific type of acrylic that has been used for clear guitar bodies in the past. It is a resin-like material that looks similar to glass in appearance and is therefore well suited to see-through guitars. It is a common misconception that lucite and acrylic are two different materials, when in fact lucite is simply a variation of acrylic. It is renowned for its strength, stiffness, and visual clarity. While the sonic and dynamic benefits of acrylic guitars are debatable, one thing that they do possess is an interesting aesthetical design. Having a clear body makes these guitars look unusual and interesting, which can make you stand out when performing as part of a band or as a solo guitarist.

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