The first electric bass in history

  The first electric bass in history, created by the american Paul Tutmarc in 1937, was the Audiovox Model 736 Electronic Bass Fiddle, which, for the first time with a solid body and frets, was designed to be executed horizontally, and with the fundamental objective of freeing the double bass players from the time of the heavy work involved in transporting their instruments. 

Paul Tutmarc (1896 - 1972)

This model also consisted of short scale, four strings and magnetic pads, and was released at the price of $65 and about 100 copies were built. However, the model did not have much acceptance among musicians of the time and therefore did not have much impact and sales, perhaps because it was an invention "too ahead" of its time or a too radical idea.