Father of the Electric Bass Guitar

[Headroom]

I'd always thought it was Leo, and in one sense it is. But I found this article informative:

http://www.historylink.org/essays/ou...m?file_id=7479

[Wildcats2004]

I think Leo Fender is best known not for inventing the electric bass guitar but mass producing it in a way that was affordable to everyone...but thats just what I've gotten from the story...

[MAJOR METAL]

I think for alot of people Leo Fender will allways be the Father of the Electric Bass Guitar.

[Lazylion]

I like this part:

"The first electric bass-viol is only four feet tall, instead of six. It could be made a lot smaller, but Tutmarc didn’t want to be too revolutionary right off the bat. Bass violinists are a conservative race, and have to be accustomed gradually to the idea, he says.”

Tell that to Gene Simmons and the guy from GWAR!

From now on, I'm claiming that I play the Electronic Bass Fiddle!

[BassChuck]

Interesting in all this to note that one of Leo Fender's first gigs was a road salesman and repairman for Rickenbacker. Although at that time all that Rickenbacker made was that 'frying pan' Hawaiian guitar.

Still..... I think of Leo as 'The Man'.

[tplyons]

Leo was father of the first commercially successful bass guitar. The 937 Tutmarc made was a failure on the market.

Too ahead of it's time I believe.

[Dan1099]

Leo Fender is the father of the bass guitar in the same way that Henry Ford is the father of the automobile. They didn't invent the thing, but they made it practical, affordable, and desireable, and brought it out in numbers sufficient to "bring it to the masses."

[flatwoundfender]

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Leo Fender is the father of the bass guitar in the same way that Henry Ford is the father of the automobile. They didn't invent the thing, but they made it practical, affordable, and desireable, and brought it out in numbers sufficient to "bring it to the masses."

And most people don't drive model T's but a whole lot of bassists still use fenders.

[Dan1099]

Originally Posted by flatwoundfender

And most people don't drive model T's but a whole lot of bassists still use fenders.

Not many people use '51 style fenders, phenolic bridge and all, anymore, either.

[flatwoundfender]

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Not many people use '51 style fenders, phenolic bridge and all, anymore, either.

No, but after the split pickup in the late 50's there have been little to no changes to the pbass design, (graphite rods, and s1 are about it) How many people do you see still driving cars ford made 10 years after the model t, not to many model a's around.

[whitedk57]

Originally Posted by flatwoundfender

No, but after the split pickup in the late 50's there have been little to no changes to the pbass design, (graphite rods, and s1 are about it) How many people do you see still driving cars ford made 10 years after the model t, not to many model a's around.

Your analogy of the bass to a car is kinda like apples and oranges. The car has so many things that can be improved on while the bass is pretty simple in comparison. I would think that a bass is like the bicycle in that the overall design has not changed much over the years. Even today, bicycles usually just change in the componentry. The overall design remains constant.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by flatwoundfender

And most people don't drive model T's but a whole lot of bassists still use fenders.

A lot of people drive Fords.....

In fact I would think more people have driven a Ford car than played a Fender bass!!

[Headroom]

I'd agree that both Ford and Fender created products optimized for their manufacturability on a mass scale, and thus available to the consumer at an affordable price.

And I'll concede that "father of" was an imprecise choice of words.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Yeah - it's all about "critical mass", rather than being first with something.