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Here Today, Gone Later Today | innovations that failed

TimWilson

TimWilson

Aug 28, 2007
1,192
24
Southwest Virginia
www.myspace.com
#1
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?
 
#2
Maybe not recent, but I remember waiting for the Peavey Cyberbass for years. Never seemed to materialize.
 
#4
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
 
#5
T-Bird said:
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
Click to expand...


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'?
 
#7
TimWilson said:
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'?
Click to expand...

Invalid Link Removed

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.
 
#10
allotabass said:
EBows.....I know they're still around but IMHO are a failure.
Click to expand...

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 :D
 
#11
FunkMetalBass said:
Invalid Link Removed

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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
#12
WJGreer said:
How about the Accugroove 4 ohm/8 ohm switchable impedance cabinets?
Click to expand...

Yeah- they might as well have included a "Launch Unicorn!" button next to the Accuswitch- it would have worked just as well.
 
#17
This is mine, Westone Rail. Kind of cool, in a Grabber sort of way. Made from '84 to '86, was never popular.
DSC01092.jpg

DSC01089.jpg
 
#18
Hi.

TimWilson said:
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.
Click to expand...

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 :) :

-87headless.jpg


Can You say 80's :D


Regards
Sam
 
#19
TimWilson said:
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!
Click to expand...

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.
 

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