Audiovox 736 on eBay

[Dave W]

First Electric Bass Guitar in the World -Paul Tutmarc Audiovox 736 Electric Bass

Seller is Paul Tutmarc's grandson Greg.

Already at $11,100 with 8 1/2 days left. I suspect this will go much higher.

[amptech]

It's nice just seeing it.

[Basvarken]

Wow! Weird to see it on Ebay. That belongs in a museum.

[Pilgrim]

This is really pretty cool - three are known to exist, each just a tad different.

I wonder if Mr. Valenzuela knows that according to the Ebay auction, he's an "Imminent Bass Guitarist...?"

One of these days, if he keeps at it, he may be a REAL bass guitarist!

[ilan]

$20K reserve

[Highlander]

$20K reached now...

[Denis]

It sounds good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF6usTMwicM&feature=youtu.be

[Dave W]

I think this might make four known.

The one on display at EMP is painted white. Then there's the walnut one in the video which apparently belongs to EMP senior curator Peter Blecha. The third one is the walnut example that Moonshine measured and played (see the other Audiovox thread). IIRC that one came from Gruhn in Nashville.

In the auction, Greg says "(One of the model 736 basses is in the Paul Allen EMP museum in Seattle and the other one is held by a private collector of vintage guitars.)" and "This electric bass guitar has been owned for over 60 years by one owner and was purchased directly from my grandfather, Paul Tutmarc." So it must be different from the one in the video and the one Moonshine played, and it's obviously not the painted one on display at EMP.

BTW, that "recent" Vintage Guitar story was from 1999.

[Denis]

I think this might make four known.

The one on display at EMP is painted white. Then there's the walnut one in the video which apparently belongs to EMP senior curator Peter Blecha. The third one is the walnut example that Moonshine measured and played (see the other Audiovox thread). IIRC that one came from Gruhn in Nashville.

In the auction, Greg says "(One of the model 736 basses is in the Paul Allen EMP museum in Seattle and the other one is held by a private collector of vintage guitars.)" and "This electric bass guitar has been owned for over 60 years by one owner and was purchased directly from my grandfather, Paul Tutmarc." So it must be different from the one in the video and the one Moonshine played, and it's obviously not the painted one on display at EMP.

BTW, that "recent" Vintage Guitar story was from 1999.

The one on eBay has a different pickguard than the one in the video above. I like the pg on the eBay one much more than the shiny one in the video.

[Dave W]

The one on eBay has a different pickguard than the one in the video above. I like the pg on the eBay one much more than the shiny one in the video.

Good point. Definitely four known, then.

The Audiovox lap steels come up fairly regularly. There are four up on Reverb right now. Three or four years ago, you could get one for under $1000 but the cheapest one listed now is $1200.

[Basvarken]

Winning bid:US $23,850.09

Less than I had expected.

[Dave W]

Nice article about the bass, the couple who were selling it, and the buyer, who I understand is a TB member. Updated at the end to note the amount of the winning bid.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/on-ebay-the-worlds-first-electric-bass-guitar-forgotten-and-made-in-seattle/

[godofthunder]

   Piece of history there! I would love to get a pattern it would make a fun project.

[Pilgrim]

So many much newer instruments have a mysterious past or lost history. It's neat to see one with as much known history as this...especially given its trailbreaking nature.

[Rob]

That was a nice article.