Audiovox Model 736 Electric Bass Guitar, c. 1935

This 1936 Model 736 Bass Fiddle is the world’s first fretted electric bass that could be held and played like a standard guitar.  

Manufactured in Seattle by Paul Tutmarc (1896-1972) and his company Audiovox, the Model 736, with its small size, catered to touring musicians. Bass players with upright basses often had to travel alone because of the size of their instruments, so having a smaller instrument allowed them to travel with the band. In addition, the Audiovox’s fretted neck allowed for easier play, and added amplification helped it to be heard over the loud volume of the era's popular Big Bands. The Model 736 never caught on to a national audience and was ultimately forgotten after Audiovox closed in 1950, but the concept of a solid-body, fretted, electric bass small enough to hold and play horizontally like a guitar became the standard as Rock ‘n’ Roll gained prominence in the mid-1950s.