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08-13-2009, 10:47 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southwest Virginia | | | Here Today, Gone Later Today | innovations that failed
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Looking through some old BP's I was struck by some innovations in bass tech that didn't take. The lightwave pup was most obvious, but I thought that was a weird and wonky idea from day one. The 2Tek bridge seemed like a great step forward, but I haven't seen/heard about it in a while. PBC's 'floating neck' design was a crash and burn, too...
What else has shot-but-not-scored recently?
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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink in the morning, 'cause that's as good as they're going to feel all day."
[ Frank Sinatra ]
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08-13-2009, 10:48 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Yuma, Az | | | Maybe not recent, but I remember waiting for the Peavey Cyberbass for years. Never seemed to materialize.
__________________ Christian Praise & Worship Bassist Club Member #371, Ibanez BTB Club #16, Headless Club #11 Quote:
Originally Posted by john turner  4 strings were enough for jaco. | |
08-13-2009, 10:50 AM
|  | OVNIFX
EXAR pedals rep for North & Central America | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PDX, OR | | Well, a long time ago there was that rotating-plectrum gizmo which absolutely sank Oberheim.
FWIW 2Tek recently claims they are trying to make a comeback. 
The Torzal Twist was a non-starter, unfortunately. |
08-13-2009, 11:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Finland (Northern Europe) | | Hi.
Don't know whether any basses were constructed with the strange "fretboard" that was like small wedges machined into a plastic (metal? ) piece. Looked like a saw-tooth from the side.
A relatively bad idea from the get go, but that didn't prevent the inventor from patenting it .
Anyone got a link to that?
Regards
Sam |
08-13-2009, 11:50 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southwest Virginia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Bird Hi.
Don't know whether any basses were constructed with the strange "fretboard" that was like small wedges machined into a plastic (metal? ) piece. Looked like a saw-tooth from the side.
A relatively bad idea from the get go, but that didn't prevent the inventor from patenting it .
Anyone got a link to that?
Regards
Sam |
I remember that. It was the BOND guitar design. The Edge from U2 was a big endorsor. I wondered if a bass version would ever come out.
TM Stevens was a big Peavey CyberBass endorser. I haven't seen one in years, but they did put it out there. Guess it died a quick death.
What was the 'Torzal Twist'?
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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink in the morning, 'cause that's as good as they're going to feel all day."
[ Frank Sinatra ]
Last edited by TimWilson : 08-13-2009 at 12:24 PM.
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08-13-2009, 12:07 PM
|  | TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
Endorsing Artist: Lyt Pedalboards Beta tester: Source Audio Moderator | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Connecticut | | | The Gizmo (aka Gizmotron) never took off.
Line 6's Variax was a cool ideal, but I doubt they're making any new variants of it. |
08-13-2009, 12:14 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona 85029 | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TimWilson I remember that. I was the BOND guitar design. The Edge from U2 was a big endorsor. I wondered if a bass version would ever come out.
TM Stevens was a big Peavey CyberBass endorser. I haven't seen one in years, but they did put it out there. Guess it died a quick death.
What was the 'Torzal Twist'? | http://www.littleguitarworks.com/torzal/
The torzal twist bass was genius. I'm really surprised, especially with the number of fanned-fretted instruments I see, that the idea didn't take off. I never tried one, so I can't comment on the ease of playability, but it seemed pheasable.
I bet it comes back in 10 years.
The fretted/fretless fretboard switch (not the replacable fretboard) comes to mind as a short-lived idea.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by McThumpenstein I don't think the wife would buy the "I need to take off this knob and put a whole new bass under it" story. | |
08-13-2009, 12:20 PM
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Last edited by allotabass : 08-13-2009 at 04:57 PM.
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08-13-2009, 12:23 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Denver | | | How about the Accugroove 4 ohm/8 ohm switchable impedance cabinets? |
08-13-2009, 12:25 PM
| | TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
Endorsing Artist: Lyt Pedalboards Beta tester: Source Audio Moderator | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by allotabass EBows.....I know they're still around but IMHO are a failure. | They've been in business for 33 years and they're still pretty popular with guitarists- not sure how that would qualify as a failure. I know that if mine breaks I'll certainly get another  |
08-13-2009, 12:26 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass http://www.littleguitarworks.com/torzal/
The torzal twist bass was genius. I'm really surprised, especially with the number of fanned-fretted instruments I see, that the idea didn't take off. I never tried one, so I can't comment on the ease of playability, but it seemed pheasable.
I bet it comes back in 10 years.
The fretted/fretless fretboard switch (not the replacable fretboard) comes to mind as a short-lived idea. | i loved the torzal twist idea, just smart thinking and innovative design for more comfort for suffering carpal/tendonitis/arthritic bassists. what more could you want? also really loved the fretted/fretless idea but it was so danged expensive there was really no room for it to take off. kind of a marketing flaw if you ask me, cause i only really ever heard about by word of TB.
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08-13-2009, 12:27 PM
| | TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
Endorsing Artist: Lyt Pedalboards Beta tester: Source Audio Moderator | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by WJGreer How about the Accugroove 4 ohm/8 ohm switchable impedance cabinets? | Yeah- they might as well have included a "Launch Unicorn!" button next to the Accuswitch- it would have worked just as well. |
08-13-2009, 12:28 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southwest Virginia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass | Wow, that IS a wild idea! I never saw that one! I can't imagine getting playable action on that, but it must be possible. I'd love to see one!
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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink in the morning, 'cause that's as good as they're going to feel all day."
[ Frank Sinatra ]
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08-13-2009, 12:28 PM
|  | I hate. | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: The state of denial. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by WJGreer How about the Accugroove 4 ohm/8 ohm switchable impedance cabinets? | To my knowledge, horses*** never goes out of style.
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08-13-2009, 12:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southwest Virginia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by allotabass Headless basses never really caught on. | True, they never became mainstream, but I'd say enough people bought Steinbergers to say that the concept proved out. And I wouldn't trade my Kubicki for any other bass out there.
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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink in the morning, 'cause that's as good as they're going to feel all day."
[ Frank Sinatra ]
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08-13-2009, 12:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brookfield, CT | | This is mine, Westone Rail. Kind of cool, in a Grabber sort of way. Made from '84 to '86, was never popular.  
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Originally Posted by Lesfunk I have trouble staying in shape because I'm a lazy, fat, piece of crap; not because I'm a musician. | |
08-13-2009, 12:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Finland (Northern Europe) | | Hi. Quote:
Originally Posted by TimWilson I remember that. It was the BOND guitar design. The Edge from U2 was a big endorsor. I wondered if a bass version would ever come out. | Thanks TimWilson, that was it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Electraglide
I was in upper secondary school back then and as I had just started building instruments, I did some calculations about using overlapping brass or steel pieces to acchieve the same kind of a fretboard. Unfortunately that was just one of my many ideas that never saw the light of day.
I did make a headless bass back then though : 
Can You say 80's
Regards
Sam |
08-13-2009, 12:53 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona 85029 | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TimWilson Wow, that IS a wild idea! I never saw that one! I can't imagine getting playable action on that, but it must be possible. I'd love to see one! | Ed Friedland even posted a video review about it. BP doesn't usually touch piss poor instruments. I have considered building one with the fretless I'm designing.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by McThumpenstein I don't think the wife would buy the "I need to take off this knob and put a whole new bass under it" story. | |
08-13-2009, 01:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA | | now the westone rail was a good idea, but what about the SSS programmable pickup distance selector? 
yes this is on ebay for the 2nd time, first was 1500, now 1300. I wonder if he is going to "fail" in selling it??? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
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