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Tutmarc audiovox model 736: where are they?

#42
If you go to the EMP in Seattle, you can actually hear the bass. They have an audio player you can take around the museum, and they have audio tracks of every instrument in the guitar gallery. The clip of the Tutmarc bass (presumably played through the matching amp) sounds really good.
 
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#43
Thanks for the great pictures Moonshine. I am absolutely fascinated & intrigued by this bass. Have any of you built a replica yet? Also I found a discussion at http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=7861.0

Questioning the scale length. Moonshiner's notes say "approx 30" scale", but the Tutmarc catalogue seen here http://tutmarc.tripod.com/paultutmarc.html says the "length" is 42". Given the close proximity of the bridge to the end of the body, wouldn't this imply a longer scle length?
 
#44
design said:
Thanks for the great pictures Moonshine. I am absolutely fascinated & intrigued by this bass. Have any of you built a replica yet? Also I found a discussion at http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=7861.0

Questioning the scale length. Moonshiner's notes say "approx 30" scale", but the Tutmarc catalogue seen here http://tutmarc.tripod.com/paultutmarc.html says the "length" is 42". Given the close proximity of the bridge to the end of the body, wouldn't this imply a longer scle length?
Click to expand...

It's been awhile, but I know if that's what I wrote down, that's what it was. I do remember that it was small in size.

Glad to provide the pictures.

Moonshine :bassist:
 
#45
OK i have obsessing a bit about this bass. I emailed the EMP musuem and they kindly sent me these dimensions for the white enamel painted Audiovox 736 they have!

30 5/16” length – nut to bridge
37 ¾” length – overall
10” width – overall
1 ¾” depth – overall

So Moonshine's estimates were pretty close! Comparing pics of the white model with the dark walnut model which Moonshine posted, they seem nearly identical to me except for the position of the pickup. Hope someone on this list could make a CAD drawing and work out some other dimensions i.e. bridge position, pickup position, width at nut, etc.
Also perhaps inspection of an Audiovox lap steel might hint at the material the nut is made from, or other clues. The lap steels seem less rare. I'm thinking of making a full scale cardborad template. I have naver made a real guitar but would love to make one of these!

P.S. it seems that EMP have removed the audio samples from public access on the internet.
 
#46
design said:
OK i have obsessing a bit about this bass. I emailed the EMP musuem and they kindly sent me these dimensions for the white enamel painted Audiovox 736 they have!

30 5/16” length – nut to bridge
37 ¾” length – overall
10” width – overall
1 ¾” depth – overall

So Moonshine's estimates were pretty close! Comparing pics of the white model with the dark walnut model which Moonshine posted, they seem nearly identical to me except for the position of the pickup. Hope someone on this list could make a CAD drawing and work out some other dimensions i.e. bridge position, pickup position, width at nut, etc.
Also perhaps inspection of an Audiovox lap steel might hint at the material the nut is made from, or other clues. The lap steels seem less rare. I'm thinking of making a full scale cardborad template. I have naver made a real guitar but would love to make one of these!

P.S. it seems that EMP have removed the audio samples from public access on the internet.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up.

It looks like they may have either moved or removed the guitar/bass timeline. My link to it no longer works.
 
#47
Now in my naive way i am thinking i could approximate the sound of the audiovox 736 by modifying a Gibson EB0. Similar scale length (30 5/16" to 30.5"), kinda similar body (walnut neck-thru-body vs. mahogany neck glued to mahogany body), kinda similar bridge (single saddle). The 736 has an ebony finger board vs. EB0 rosewood fingerboard. So modifications could be: drill holes for thru-body strings, replace and re-position pickup with a blade-style pickup. What do you folk think of this concept? Is it ridiculously flawed? Too many differences still? ....and could i buy a blade-style pickup that would approximate the 736?
 
#50
I got to check out EMP's 736 yesterday. Definitely an interesting display. It was pretty dark, though, so the cell phone pic turned out pretty rough.

IMG_0425_zps5449b9c2.jpg
 
#51
Dear forum members,

I'm still trying to get more info about the measurements and specs. for the audiovox 736. I've emailed the EMP museum again but so far no reply. Maybe some of you may be able to use educated guesswork to fill in these blanks:
width of nut, Neck depth at nut, Neck width at octave, Neck depth at octave, Nut material, Fret size, String spacing at nut, String spacing at bridge, Dimensions of bridge, Dimensions of the pick up. Does the control knob function as a volume knob?

Is there a willing person out there who could scan the photos and make a CAD drawing from which we could determine these unknown measurements? Given that we do know the overall length and scale length?
 
#53
Ok have now found a better copy of the photo with Paul Tutmarc's first wife Lorraine playing the bass in 1936. You can view it at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center website ifphc.org or at the Last Bass Outpost forum.

So this could mean the world's first electric bass player was Lorraine Tutmarc! I must tell Carol Kaye!
 
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#55
I actually emailed the guy that owns that tutmarc and another one a few months ago trying to buy his extra one..... while he was nice to me he has no interest in selling either one..... he may let someone in Seattle measure his otherone since he lives there... I would love to have a reissue if someone would make it..
 
#56
wow i forgot i started this thread last year. so cool tho, music history is so fascinating and this is the coolest piece of it.

and Bflat, i saw you bought justins 51 P, that is damn cool. and the fact that youre attempting to buy a tutmarc is even cooler! please let us know if you end up acquiring one.

and id love a reissue, but id get it long scale!
 
#57
Bflat said:
I actually emailed the guy that owns that tutmarc and another one a few months ago trying to buy his extra one..... while he was nice to me he has no interest in selling either one..... he may let someone in Seattle measure his otherone since he lives there... I would love to have a reissue if someone would make it..
Click to expand...

I contacted him too.....no luck either.
 
#58
Justin sure is a nice guy, That 51 is unique, I'll be uploading some pics shortly..... there are a few tutmarcs out there remember more were made in 47 by his son, but so far no one will let one go, if I could get one I would have some made, I thought of going to seattle and meeting with the guy with the other one just to get everything to make one, if he would let me....
 
#59
Thanks Bflat and Spencer. That is exciting to me that you actually know an owner! Is their a forum member or friend who could make some measurements?

Also I sent a message to Carol Kaye via her facebook page. Here is her reply: "I know about that bass, it's in the Experience Music Museum in Seattle....they hired me in 2000 to record it for the sound-display there...it was really un-playable."
And
"It was just very old by the time they got it at EMP....didn't look/feel like a good bass design, very crude."
 
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#60
design said:
Also I sent a message to Carol Kaye via her facebook page. Here is her reply: "I know about that bass, it's in the Experience Music Museum in Seattle....they hired me in 2000 to record it for the sound-display there...it was really un-playable."
And
"It was just very old by the time they got it at EMP....didn't look/feel like a good bass design, very crude."
Click to expand...

Don't forget that the Fender Telecaster guitar and Precision Bass were considered to be very "crude" instruments when they first came out.
 
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