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The electric bass guitar is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar but with a longer neck and scale length. The first electric bass guitar was created by Leo Fender in 1950s America. This initial model, called the Precision Bass, was a fairly simple design featuring a flat 'slab' body and a single-coil pickup. The bass guitar was designed to be a lighter version of the double bass that could be amplified. The weight and reduced bulk of the bass guitar appealed to musicians, and it soon replaced the double bass in popular music.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Fender |
| Inventor | Leo Fender |
| Year | 1951 |
| Model | Precision Bass |
| Description | A fairly simple design featuring a flat 'slab' body and a single coil pick up |
| Number of strings | 4 |
| Tuning | EADGBE, an octave below standard guitar tuning |
| Neck | Longer than a guitar's |
| Pickup | Single coil |
| Popularity | Became extremely popular among musicians |
| Impact | Changed the way that bands played forever |
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What You'll Learn
- Leo Fender created the first electric bass guitar in 1951
- The first electric bass guitar was called the Precision Bass
- The Regal Musical Instrument Company created the first bass guitar in 1937
- The first electric bass was designed to replicate the low pitch produced by the double bass
- The electric bass guitar has four strings, but five- and six-string models also exist
Leo Fender created the first electric bass guitar in 1951
The first electric bass guitar was created by Leo Fender in 1951. This initial model was called the Precision Bass and was a solid-body electric bass guitar. It featured a flat 'slab' body and a single-coil pickup. Leo Fender recognised the potential for an electric guitar that was easy to hold, tune, and play and that would not create feedback at dance hall volumes.
Before the creation of the Precision Bass, Leo Fender and his wife, Esther, started a radio repair shop called Fender Radio Service in 1938. Soon, musicians and bandleaders began coming to him for public address systems, amplification, and electric "Hawaiian" or "lap steel" guitars. Leo Fender went on to create the first electric guitar with three pickups and a "tremolo" arm, which was widely used by guitarists.
The Precision Bass was not the first attempt at creating an electric bass guitar. In the 1930s, Paul Tutmarc, a Hawaiian guitar player and teacher, started a company called Audiovox, which manufactured electric instruments, including an electric bass guitar. His Model 736 Bass Fiddle was first offered for sale in 1936 and featured a simplified guitar-shaped walnut body, a single pickup, and a 16-fret neck. However, the early electric bass guitars, including Tutmarc's, did not gain traction in the market or music industry.
The electric bass guitar became more established in the 1950s and 1960s, with musicians experimenting with different playing styles and sounds. The popularity of the electric bass guitar, especially the P Bass, grew steadily, and it became a stage and studio staple. The weight and reduced bulk of the electric bass guitar made it a more appealing option than the traditional upright bass. Additionally, the ability to amplify and tweak the tone of the electric bass guitar allowed bass guitarists to drive songs with a new kind of energy.
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The first electric bass guitar was called the Precision Bass
The first electric bass guitar was created by Leo Fender in 1950s America. This initial model was called the Precision Bass and featured a flat 'slab' body and a single-coil pickup. The Precision Bass was the first modern bass and was designed to be a lighter version of the double bass that could be amplified. It was much more portable than the double bass and was also much louder, allowing it to be heard better. This instrument changed the way that bands played forever.
The Precision Bass was also designed to replicate the low pitch that had historically been created by the hefty double bass, which was difficult for bands to transport while on tour. The electric bass guitar provided a broader tone than the traditional upright bass and enabled bassists to create a sound that could compete with and complement the electric guitar, which had been growing in popularity throughout the 1950s.
The Precision Bass had frets, which made it easier to play the right notes, and vibrations in the strings were turned into an electrical signal through the pickup. This bass guitar became very popular with musicians like Jet Harris (The Shadows), James Jamerson (Motown), and Rocco Prestia. It resulted in a very particular groove.
The success of the Precision Bass inspired other inventors to create their own versions of the bass guitar. As rock music exploded in popularity in the 1960s, this led to further innovations in these instruments over the years. The electric bass guitar became a staple of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly music in the 1950s and 1960s, and by the end of the 1950s, it had become a stage and studio staple.
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The Regal Musical Instrument Company created the first bass guitar in 1937
The Bassoguitar was manufactured in Chicago, likely as a more compact and affordable alternative to the traditional stand-up bass. Priced at $55, it was a rare and unique specimen of American musical history. However, it failed to gain widespread adoption due to the preference for the acoustic sound of the upright bass in popular music at the time.
The Bassoguitar was followed by other early electrified bass instruments in the 1930s, such as the Vega Electric Double Bass, the Rickenbacker Electro Bass Viol, and the Regal Electrified Double Bass. Despite these innovations, the electric bass guitar did not become widely popular until the 1950s, with the emergence of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly music.
During the 1950s, companies like Fender, Kay Musical Instruments, and Gibson began producing electric bass guitars, with Fender's P Bass becoming a staple in studios and on stage. The electric bass guitar's lighter weight, smaller size, and ability to be amplified made it a preferred choice over the double bass.
The development of the electric bass guitar revolutionized music, leading to an increase in bass solos and allowing bass guitarists to drive songs with a new level of energy. Its versatility and ability to complement the electric guitar powered a wider electric revolution across all music genres.
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The first electric bass was designed to replicate the low pitch produced by the double bass
The first electric bass guitar was created in the 1930s by Seattle musician, singer, and inventor Paul Tutmarc. He used his 'Audiovox' electric Hawaiian guitar design as a template for an electric bass guitar. By 1936, he had built what would be the first solid-body bass guitar, a four-string fretted instrument intended to be played horizontally. However, the instrument was not a major commercial success, perhaps due to the basic pickup design or the inability of the amplifier to replicate the depth of the double bass sound.
In the 1950s, Leo Fender and George Fullerton developed the first mass-produced electric bass guitar, the Precision Bass, or P-Bass. This initial model featured a simple "slab" body design and a single coil pickup. The electric bass guitar was designed to replicate the low pitch produced by the double bass, which was difficult to transport. The bass guitar provided a broader tone than the traditional upright bass and enabled bassists to create a sound that could compete with and complement the electric guitar, which was growing in popularity at the time.
The bass guitar could be easily transported and, when amplified, was less prone to audio feedback than acoustic basses. The addition of frets enabled bassists to play in tune more easily and allowed guitarists to transition to the instrument more readily. The weight and reduced bulk of the bass guitar also appealed to bass players, who no longer had to transport the large and bulky double bass.
The development of the bass guitar had a significant impact on the music industry. It changed the way bands performed on stage, with electric bass players often positioned at the front of the stage, able to move around and interact with the audience while playing their bass solos. The rise of the electric bass also led to an increase in bass solos in new records and altered the energy dynamics of bands.
By the end of the 1950s, with the growing popularity of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, the electric bass, particularly the P Bass, became a staple in studios and on stage.
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The electric bass guitar has four strings, but five- and six-string models also exist
The electric bass guitar was created by Leo Fender in 1950s America. The initial model, called the Precision Bass, featured a flat 'slab' body and a single-coil pickup. It was designed to be a lighter version of the double bass that could be amplified. The bass guitar is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family and is usually tuned the same as the double bass, corresponding to pitches one octave lower than the four lowest-pitched strings of a guitar (typically E, A, D, and G).
Most electric bass guitars have four strings, but five- and six-string models also exist. The four-string design was popularised by Danelectro, who released the 3412 Short Horn in 1956. Danelectro's earlier UB-2 model had six strings, but the company realised that a four-string model would have more success in the burgeoning market. The UB-2 was marketed as "a brand new instrument that combines the best qualities of the Spanish guitar and the big string bass".
The five- and six-string bass guitars are used in Latin, jazz, funk, and metal music. The six-string bass guitar was also the initial design for Danelectro's UB-2, which was tuned an octave below standard guitar tuning. The six-string design was chosen because it was hardly any more trouble than a four-string and offered the player more for the same money.
The number of strings on a bass guitar affects the playing style. For example, Motorhead's Lemmy played his famous bass like an electric guitar, leaving the band's drummer and guitarist to worry about the rhythm.
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Frequently asked questions
The first electric bass guitar was created by Leo Fender in 1951. The initial model, called the Precision Bass, featured a flat 'slab' body and a single-coil pickup.
The Precision Bass was designed to be a lighter, louder, and more portable version of the double bass. It had frets, which made it easier to play the right notes, and its vibrations were turned into an electrical signal through the pickup.
The Precision Bass changed the way bands played music. Its popularity led to the creation of other bass guitars, and with the rise of rock music in the 1950s and 1960s, it sparked further innovations in electric bass guitars.
Several companies began manufacturing electric bass guitars during the 1950s, including Gibson, Kay Musical Instrument Company, Danelectro, and Rickenbacker.
