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The Tutmarc bass…
- Thread starter Michedelic
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- paul tutmarc
that he created a unit that actually worked well in an era of improbability has always been a source of fascination for me having first heard of him via his steel guitar innovations. weak speakers wouldn't allow for much success on bass til the nadir of his life but Tutmarc was a teeming cauldron of musical ideas, sadly a rare example of being a little ahead of the curve whereas Leo et al lucked out with JBL.
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@Bflat owns two of them and was kind enough to bring them to a GTG here in the Seattle area along with some of Paul Tutmarc's family members a few years ago. It was a great experience. I'm not sure if this post will be visible to the public but here are some social media pictures and video of the event:
This makes me happy.
I ways enjoy reading actual history, as opposed to folklore.
It's always more interesting, even if it's not always romantic.
I ways enjoy reading actual history, as opposed to folklore.
It's always more interesting, even if it's not always romantic.
I think it was a combination of everything, low wattage amps, low wattage capacity speakers and cabinet design back then than just the speakers back then but I think it was cab design more than anything. I have a 1930's radio that blasts the bass and puts out 25 watts with two 6L6 power tubes, but it weighs a ton, not something you would want to bring to a gig.
I'm a big fan of the tone of Audiovox 736 in a walking example that used to be available in a "Timeline" page on the EMP site.
Since I first heard that about 20 years ago I use it as the baseline for the tone I try to achieve for my bass lines. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be available anymore but I have it locked into my brain after listening to it so many times.
Since I first heard that about 20 years ago I use it as the baseline for the tone I try to achieve for my bass lines. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be available anymore but I have it locked into my brain after listening to it so many times.
absolutely, it was all new and changing fast from manufacturer or day of the week, I'm into jukebox history and see similarities, things evolved at exponential speed in all fields. of course pump the Tutmarc thru that radio speaker and it would die a quick death.I think it was a combination of everything, low wattage amps, low wattage capacity speakers and cabinet design back then than just the speakers back then but I think it was cab design more than anything. I have a 1930's radio that blasts the bass and puts out 25 watts with two 6L6 power tubes, but it weighs a ton, not something you would want to bring to a gig.
I was one of the lucky folks that got to be at the Bflat meeting when he collected his Tutmarcs. There was an amp setup and we were able to check them out first hand. The strings were very thin and twangy, and the E was like a .070 or thereabouts. He had both a 736 and a later Serenater. The Serenator was my favorite sounding of the two; the pickup was mounted further forward and the mahogany body coupled gave it a very deep tone.
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That was my little Phil Jones Bass D-400 and Bergantino HD210. Talk about a clash of generations between the bass and the amp
Yes, the deep full bodied tone of the EMP sample was exactly what I wanted.
Today I get a very similar tone with a DIY J bass using a Warmoth extra light ash body with only an under $20 Strat style dual blade humbucking pickup in the SCPB position wired straight to the jack, a 30" scale SX neck with 20 frets and D'Addario nylon tapewound strings. Labella nylon tapes and GHS Precision Flats also work but have slightly different tonalites.
Maybe, but the bass out of that thing is unbelievable, it's even got a separate bass boost circuit. It does sound like a jukebox.
Oh, I love everything about the 736. I wish someone would do a run of these. I'd be first in line!
That's cool.
I was thinking a 34" tribute, using the same woods and styling would be fun.
I was thinking a 34" tribute, using the same woods and styling would be fun.
Eastwood is probably the one to pester on, in order for a Tutmarc Audiovox (or Serenader) replica to happen.
In the meanwhiles, are you aware of this one-off re-creation thread by @TonH?
Audiovox 736 replica
Yea, great thread. I think I posted in that one, too. Eastwood... yea. They always seem to change the headstock shapes, and I love the Audiovox head shape! But I'd still be interested if they did a 736 tribute.
