Bud Tutmarc bass at RetroFret

[Dave W]

Bud-Electro Serenader Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar , c. 1940s/1960s

Bud was the son of Paul Tutmarc. He was well-known in lap steel circles as a player, and he also made lap steels and a few basses under his Bud-Electro Serenader brand in the late 40s to early 50s. Despite what the listing's description says, I sincerely doubt this is a Jazzmaster copy '58 or later body. The cutaways are different from a Jazzmaster, and AFAIK Bud didn't make anything that late.

[ilan]

Bud was the son of Paul Tutmarc. He was well-known in lap steel circles as a player, and he also made lap steels and a few basses under his Bud-Electro Serenader brand in the late 40s to early 50s. Despite what the listing's description says, I sincerely doubt this is a Jazzmaster copy '58 or later body. The cutaways are different from a Jazzmaster, and AFAIK Bud didn't make anything that late.

So Leo Fender didn't just take the fretted bass guitar idea from Paul Tutmarc and kept quiet all his life when hailed as the inventor of the instrument, he also copied the offset body from Paul's son Bud?

[Dave W]

So Leo Fender didn't just take the fretted bass guitar idea from Paul Tutmarc and kept quiet all his life when hailed as the inventor of the instrument, he also copied the offset body from Paul's son Bud?

Could be. Or could just be coincidence. Bud was very low key about his instruments, Leo may not have known.

[ilan]

And came up in 1958 with an almost identical shape? I doubt it. Especially after having never told anyone that he knew about Paul Tutmarc's Audiovox #736 bass.

[Dave W]

And came up in 1958 with an almost identical shape? I doubt it. Especially after having never told anyone that he knew about Paul Tutmarc's Audiovox #736 bass.

Again, you could be right. But wasn't Freddy Tavares primarily responsible for the design of the Strat and the offset bodies, as well as adding the contours to the Precision?

[Pilgrim]

Leo didn’t invent the idea, he made the first commercially successful electric bass.

[Dave W]

Leo didn’t invent the idea, he made the first commercially successful electric bass.

Leo almost surely knew about Paul Tutmarc's AudiVox bass. But that's beside the point.

[Ken]

Retrofret is local to me if you ever need anything.

[Dave W]

Retrofret is local to me if you ever need anything.

Thanks. When I win Powerball, I'll be sure to let you know.