Today's Object of the Week is a pioneering guitar that had a revolutionary impact on rock music.

The Fender Precision electric bass guitar, invented in the Californian workshops of Clarence Leo Fender in the early 1950s, was the first commercially successful electric bass guitar.

One of the first examples of the instrument ever to be imported into Britain is to go under the hammer in North Yorkshire after lying - unplayed - under a bed for almost half a century.

The Northern Echo: The Fender Precision electric bass guitar, which is going under the hammer in Scarborough, lay unplayed under a bed for nearly 50 yearsThe Fender Precision electric bass guitar, which is going under the hammer in Scarborough, lay unplayed under a bed for nearly 50 years (Image: DAVID DUGGLEBY)

Graham Paddison of Scarborough-based auctioneers David Duggleby said: “For many years Fender Precisions were almost impossible to acquire on this side of the Atlantic.

"Jet Harris of the Shadows got his hands on one in 1959 and - amazingly – another early Precision went to Trevor Parker, a Hull bakery van driver and the bassist with a part time group called The Rascals.

“Desperate to get one for the 1962 launch of The Rascals, Trevor rather optimistically dropped in to Pat Cornell’s Music Shop in Hull and asked if they could import one from America for him. It took a while but they got one – this one.”

Mr Paddison added: “Whilst the Rascals never hit the big time they did achieve considerable success, coming second to Mary Hopkins in the 1968 series of Opportunity Knocks, supporting a young Elton John in concert on occasion and achieving popularity in the pubs, clubs and dancehalls of the region.

The Northern Echo: The Rascals, from Hull, has some success - but never quite hit the big timeThe Rascals, from Hull, has some success - but never quite hit the big time (Image: DAVID DUGGLEBY)

"However, in 1969 Trevor married and soon after that decided to hang up his guitar.”

Safe in its simulated reptile skin case, the Fender Precision has remained in storage for the past 54 years – under a bed for most of them – but six years after Mr Parker’s death his widow has decided that the time has come for it to move on to other hands.

Read about previous Objects of the Week here:

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The Fender Precision Bass – which remains in completely original condition - is to go under the hammer in Duggleby’s Musical Instruments Sale in Scarborough on Friday, October 13.

It is to be sold together with a collection of Rascals memorabilia that includes photographs, tape recordings, and scrapbook items. The lot is expected to make £4,000 to £6,000.

  • The auction catalogue is available on the firm’s website - www.davidduggleby.com