Otis Singleton
The electric bass guitar was invented by Paul Tutmarc, a musician and inventor from Seattle, Washington. In the 1930s, Tutmarc created the first electric bass guitar in its modern form, a fretted four-string instrument designed to be played horizontally. Tutmarc's invention, known as the Model 736 Bass Fiddle, was played vertically like a double bass but had a shorter neck and was more portable. Despite being a pioneer in the development of the electric bass, Tutmarc's contributions are often overlooked, as his invention did not gain widespread attention initially. It was Leo Fender who later launched the Precision Bass, also known as the P-Bass, in 1951, which became the first mass-produced and commercially successful electric bass guitar.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inventor of the first electric bass | Paul Tutmarc |
| Year of invention | Between 1933 and 1936 |
| Known as | Model 736 Bass Fiddle |
| Design | Played vertically like a double bass but had a short-scale neck |
| Design | Smaller in size |
| Design | First one was hand-carved out of solid, soft white pine |
| Design | Size and shape of a cello |
| Design | Friction tape' pickups |
| Design | Fretted four-string instrument |
| Design | Played horizontally |
| Design | Look and feel of the bass guitar we know today |
| Number created in the 1930s | 100 |
| Commercial success | No |
| Mass-produced electric bass guitar | Leo Fender and George Fullerton |
| Year of mass production | 1951 |
| Name of mass-produced model | Precision Bass or P-Bass |
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What You'll Learn
Paul Tutmarc's prototype
Paul Tutmarc, born in Minneapolis in 1896, was a musician, tutor, and inventor. He was also a band leader and singer, performing on Tacoma station KMO, where he earned the nickname the Silver-toned Tenor. He was also a respected performer on local Seattle radio, as a soloist and as a member of several bands, mostly country and Hawaiian.
Tutmarc's Audiovox Manufacturing Co. was one of the first firms to produce an electric lap steel guitar, and Tutmarc himself often demonstrated and promoted his instruments. In 1935, he invented a solid-body electric upright "bull-fiddle", which mostly served as a publicity tool. He also manufactured lap steel guitars with his own "blade" pickup, and accompanying amplifiers.
Tutmarc's claim to fame, however, was the development and marketing of the fretted and solid-body Audiovox Model 736 Bass Fiddle, from 1936. This instrument was designed to be played in a horizontal position and is considered to be the earliest electric bass guitar in history. It preceded the famous Fender Precision Bass by 15 years. Tutmarc also manufactured an accompanying bass amplifier, the Audiovox Model 936.
Tutmarc's son, Paul "Bud" Tutmarc Jr., followed in his father's footsteps as a musician and instrument manufacturer. Bud Tutmarc's Serenader Bass was derived from his father's invention.
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$29.95
Leo Fender's mass production
Leo Fender is often credited with mass-producing the first electric bass guitar in the early 1950s. However, it is important to note that the first electric bass guitar was invented by Paul Tutmarc in the 1930s.
In October 1951, Leo Fender and George Fullerton developed the first mass-produced electric bass guitar, the Precision Bass or P-Bass. The Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company began its production. The P-Bass featured a simple "slab" body design with no edge contours and a single-coil pickup, resembling the Telecaster. The bass guitar was smaller and more portable than its predecessors, and its solid-body construction allowed it to play at higher volumes without feedback.
By 1957, the Precision Bass underwent a redesign, incorporating design elements from the Fender Stratocaster. The body edges were bevelled for comfort, and the pickup was changed to a separate halves split-coil design. This updated version was renamed the Jazz Bass or J-Bass, introduced in 1960. It featured a body design known as an offset waist, first seen on the Jazzmaster guitar, enhancing comfort while playing seated.
Fender also introduced a bass amplifier, the Fender Bassman, to accompany the Precision Bass. The amplifier had a 25-watt output with one 15-inch speaker, later updated to 45 watts with four 10-inch speakers.
In 1974, Leo Fender, along with Tom Walker and Forrest White, co-founded Music Man Instruments. They introduced the StingRay, considered the first widely produced bass with active electronics built into the instrument. It featured a two-band active equalizer, a high-output humbucking pickup, and a high-gloss finished neck.
Leo Fender played a significant role in the mass production and popularization of the electric bass guitar, making it accessible to musicians and contributing to its impact on pop culture and music across various genres.
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Tutmarc's inspiration
Paul Tutmarc's inspiration for creating the first electric bass came from his father, who was a band leader and traveling musician. He often felt sympathy for the string bass player as their instrument was large and cumbersome, leaving little room in their car. Tutmarc, a musician himself, understood the need for a louder instrument with a lower pitch that could compete with the electric guitar.
Tutmarc began experimenting with prototypes for electric instruments, drawing inspiration from the guitar's transformation. He aimed to create an electric alternative to the ground bass, which was larger and heavier. His creation, known as the Model 736 Bass Fiddle or the Audiovox Electric Bass guitar, was played vertically like a double bass but had a shorter neck and was more compact, making it easier for musicians to transport.
Tutmarc's invention in the 1930s paved the way for the development of the first mass-produced electric bass guitar by Leo Fender in the 1950s. Fender's design, known as the Precision Bass or P-Bass, revolutionized the music industry, offering improved portability and reduced susceptibility to audio feedback compared to the upright bass.
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The first electric bass sale
The first electric bass guitar was invented by Paul Tutmarc of Seattle, Washington, in the 1930s. The instrument was played vertically like a double bass but was smaller in size, making it more portable for musicians. Tutmarc's design was a fretted, four-string instrument played horizontally, similar to the bass guitar we know today.
Tutmarc's company sold many electric basses to travelling music groups. His son recalls that his father, being a band leader and travelling musician, always sympathised with the bass player as their instrument was so large that it filled up their car, leaving no room for other band members. This inspired Tutmarc to create an electric bass. The first one he hand-carved out of solid, soft white pine, the size and shape of a cello.
Tutmarc's invention, however, did not receive much attention at the time. Only 100 were made during the 1930s, and it was Leo Fender's mass-produced electric bass guitar that became the popular and commercialised version of the electric bass. Fender's design featured a simple "slab" body design and a single-coil pickup. The first Fender Precision Bass, or P-Bass, was released in October 1951 and became the first widely adopted electric bass.
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Leo Fender's design
In 1957, Fender announced a redesign of the Precision Bass, which included a larger headstock, a new pickguard design, a bridge with four individually adjustable steel saddles, and a new split single-coil pickup. This redesign proved to be the final version of the instrument, which has changed little since then.
In 1960, Fender released the Jazz Bass, a sleeker and more modern-looking bass with a slimmer neck and an offset waist body. It featured two single-coil pickups, providing a more "Gibson-scale" instrument. The Jazz Bass was an instant hit and remains popular to this day, with early models highly sought after by collectors.
After selling Fender in 1965, Leo Fender continued to design basses for Music Man in the 1970s, including the StingRay Bass, which integrated innovative active electronics with a powerful humbucking pickup. This design offered tones that were embraced by a range of rock and funk players.
In 1979, Fender founded G&L ("George & Leo") Musical Products with former colleagues George Fullerton and Dale Hyatt. G&L basses used similar shapes and concepts to classic Fender designs but often incorporated upgraded hardware and electronics. The L-2000, released in 1980, is a great example of Leo Fender's continued evolution as a designer, featuring a dual humbucker pickup set and a more stable bridge.
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Frequently asked questions
The first electric bass guitar was invented by Paul Tutmarc in 1935 or 1936. It was called the Audiovox 736 Bass Fiddle.
No, but Leo Fender did launch the first mass-produced electric bass guitar in 1951. It was called the Precision Bass or P-Bass.
The Audiovox 736 Bass Fiddle was a solid-body electric bass guitar with four strings, a 30+1⁄2-inch (775-millimetre) scale length, and a single pickup. It was designed to be played horizontally like a guitar.
Paul Tutmarc was inspired to invent the electric bass because he felt that bass players in big bands couldn't be heard easily over the loud horn sections. He was also inspired by the electronics in a telephone that turned voice into signals.
