Rama Custom Basses Pays Tribute to the First Electric Bass with the Tut Bass
Rama Custom Basses has unveiled a new model called the Tut Bass that pays tribute to the first documented electric bass. While Leo Fender’s Precision Bass changed the world in 1951, Paul Tutmarc invented the Audiovox 736 in the ’30s.
“Most musicians, especially bass players, do not know Paul Tutmarc was the first person in the whole history to build an electric bass as we know it today,” luthier Ramiro Gonzalez explains. “It was very interesting for me to deep dive on this. The Audiovox Bass was created in Seattle in 1936. I fell in love with this history and decided to pay tribute to the very first bass ever.”
The Rama Tut Bass retains the unique body shape and oversized pickguard of the original, while bringing it up to date with modern playability. “After a redesign process keeping the spirit of the bass, I found it super cool and easy to play with, comfortable, nice-looking, and great-sounding,” the builder states.
Its body and neck are mahogany, while the fingerboard is Guayacán, a South American ebony. Its 20 frets are marked with methacrylate inlays. The Tut Bass has a short 30.5-inch scale for playability. Rama fits it with a pair of custom humbuckers from Lake Pickups, specifically for the Tut Bass, as well as a custom string retainer and bridge from Halon Parts in Greece. Other features include Badass Mini tuners, CTS pots, a Switchcraft output jack, and Thomastik Infeld strings.
Rama Bass is a one-man shop based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Rama Tut Bass is available for order at $6,400, which includes a hardshell case and worldwide shipping. Currently, Rama’s construction time is 13 to 14 months.
Rama Custom Basses Tut Bass Photos:
Rama Custom Basses Tut Bass Specs:
| Body: | Mahogany |
| Neck: | Mahogany |
| Fretboard: | Guayacán ( South American Ebony) |
| Frets: | Medium Jumbo |
| Nut Width: | 37.1 mm |
| Scale: | 30.5″ |
| Tuners: | Badass Mini ogt |
| String Retainer: | Designed by Rama and built by Halon Parts in Greece |
| Bridge: | Super Special Bridge, designed by Rama and built by Halon Parts in Greece |
| Pickguard: | Solid Methacrylate |
| Neck inlays: | Methacrylate dots |
| Pickups: | Two Exclusive Humbuckers designed for this bass and built by Lake Pickups |
| Strings: | Thomastik Infeld |
| Pots: | CTS |
| Output Jack: | Switchcraft |
| Orientation: | Right-handed |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
