Tobias pre-Gibson
Derek McRae
have a Basic-5 bought new in late 1994. How can I identify this as a
pre-Gibson?
--
Derek McRae
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Peter McFerrin
Gibson bought Tobias in '91 or '92, according to an article on Michael
Tobias' web site (http://www.mtdbass.com). So, sorry, your bass is very
much Gibson-era. I'd still buy it if I had money...
Brad Johnson
>From: Peter McFerrin pa...@cornell.edu
>Date: 2/21/00 10:34 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <38B15AF4...@cornell.edu>
The quality didn't really start to suffer until the end. The last pre-Gibson
serial number was 1094. The last Tobias/ Gibson bass before the split and move
to Nashville was 2044. Up until that point they were still built by Tobias, so
I guess pre-Gibson would be 2044 and below.
I think the Toby's were numbered differently.
I have #'s 196 and 308 (original owner on both, omega cut bodies ;^) I bought
the first one (walnut with walnut/ purple heart stringers and purple heart
fretboard 4 string) before Michael had the reputation because it was and still
is one of the best made and best designed basses I've seen. This was around
1979/1980. By the time I ordered the second one (Maple with Padauk top 5) in
1984 he was swamped with orders.
Brad Johnson
mary e. gironda
> >> have a Basic-5 bought new in late 1994. How can I identify this as a
> >> pre-Gibson?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Derek McRae
> >>
> >> To reply to this e-mail, delete the "nospam-" from the reply-to
address.
> >
> >Gibson bought Tobias in '91 or '92, according to an article on Michael
> >Tobias' web site (http://www.mtdbass.com). So, sorry, your bass is very
> >much Gibson-era. I'd still buy it if I had money...
>
> The quality didn't really start to suffer until the end. The last
pre-Gibson
> serial number was 1094. The last Tobias/ Gibson bass before the split and
move
> to Nashville was 2044. Up until that point they were still built by
Tobias, so
> I guess pre-Gibson would be 2044 and below.
> I think the Toby's were numbered differently.
2043 and 2044 were sold at Rudy's in Manahattan. Both were Killer B 5's. I
bought 2043 after I spoke to Michael and confirmed they were the last 2
built by the Tobias team . I would never part with this bass, it's very
alive. I tried a Growler 5 when they first came out and liked it a great
deal, but the drop in quality was obvious immediately.
--
Gerry Gironda
Electronic Knight Errant
Dragons slain (2 cave minimum)
megi...@att.net
Michael Nelson
->2043 and 2044 were sold at Rudy's in Manahattan. Both were Killer B 5's. I
->bought 2043 after I spoke to Michael and confirmed they were the last 2
->built by the Tobias team . I would never part with this bass, it's very
->alive. I tried a Growler 5 when they first came out and liked it a great
->deal, but the drop in quality was obvious immediately.
Well, not immediately. I had #2085. There were about 60 basses that were
mostly built in LA and then shipped to Nashville to be finished. Mine was
one of those, and it was a very fine Classic V. It still is, I'm sure, but
I don't own it anymore.
But the new ones I saw a year to two years ago were stinkers. I even did
email with the head of Tobias at Gibson after posting to a newsgroup about
the nasty specimens I'd seen at a local shop. He had a bunch of lame excuses
and said he'd get those basses back and make them right, but he never did.
Michael
--
Michael Nelson San Francisco, CA nel...@seahunt.imat.com
Brad Johnson
>From: nel...@dsl-seahunt.corp.sgi.com (Michael Nelson)
>Date: 2/21/00 7:31 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <slrn8b3m70...@dsl-seahunt.corp.sgi.com>
I agree Michael, I didn't see the quality get to what I considered really bad
until the last couple of years. It pissed me off because Tobias used to mean
something and along comes Gibson to do a CBS (Fender) on Tobias. Over ten years
of building a reputation down the drain. The newer ones "look" like Tobiases
but compared to my 84 they're mainly just good looking copies. I'm sure a few
were made that worked well during that period (put a million monkeys in a room
with a typewriter....) but the majority of what I've played, especially
recently were amazingly bad, particularly the fretwork, which was actually
dangerous. I've seen gouges in the wood, from the factory. Not trying to dis
anyone's bass, if you love it, it's great.
Because of this, there is now a delineation between pre and post Gibson
Tobiases that directly affects their value. It didn't have to be that way.
Gibson was charging a ton of money for their upper end Tobiases, what were they
spending it on? I was just waiting for the sliding pickup ;^*
Brad Johnson
Randy Payne
The other thing that is annoying is the massive confusion (at least I
have) about Tobiases now. There's pre-Gibson (real) Tobias, Gibson (made
in USA) Tobias, Gibson made in Korea?? Tobiases, and Tobias is still
making basses which he calles MTB or MTD I believe.
If you want to buy one, you have to worry about which Tobias you are
getting.
Randy
Randy
Derek McRae
bass is 3159. OK it's a Gibson and everybody in the house got wet when my bubble
busted but this a fine instrument with zero flaws. Plays and sounds great. Can
anybody elaborate on the history around this serial number?
Also, while I got all the Tobias fans attention, I have a more technical question.
After adjusting the dual truss rods, I noticed that the relief (bow) in the neck was
greater at the edges (B & G strings) than in the center. A and D strings have more of
a buzz on about frets 6-15 than the other strings. All strings are the same height
above the 24th fret. Is this normal or what is the best way for measuring relief on
this bass and setting it up properly?
--
Derek McRae
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Randy Payne
>
> Thanks for everybody's input. You all seem very knowledgable on Tobias history. My
> bass is 3159. OK it's a Gibson and everybody in the house got wet when my bubble
> busted but this a fine instrument with zero flaws. Plays and sounds great. Can
> anybody elaborate on the history around this serial number?
>
> Also, while I got all the Tobias fans attention, I have a more technical question.
> After adjusting the dual truss rods, I noticed that the relief (bow) in the neck was
> greater at the edges (B & G strings) than in the center. A and D strings have more of
> a buzz on about frets 6-15 than the other strings. All strings are the same height
> above the 24th fret. Is this normal or what is the best way for measuring relief on
> this bass and setting it up properly?
Greater relief at both edges then the center???? This sounds impossible!
If the neck has a twist in it, you will get greater relief at one side,
but both sides?
It seems to me the only way this can happen, is if the neck contour is
somehow impossibly screwed up.
Are you sure you are measuring it correctly?
Somebody please enlighten me!
Randy
Brad Johnson
>From: Randy Payne rpa...@mailbag.com
>Date: 2/22/00 7:57 AM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <38B287...@mailbag.com>
Randy, Mike sold the Tobias brand name to Gibson. They can do pretty much what
they want with it as far as I know. You did mention the exception to this, MTD.
After Mike left, he eventually started building again under what eventually
became MTD or Michael Tobias Design.
He's like the Lotus of the bass industry, if you're familiar with Lotus
engineering. They provide design and engineering for various automakers,
sometimes overt, sometimes not, in addition to building their own automobiles.
Mike does the same thing. He collaborated on a Modulus bass and also the new
Lakland hollowbody. What Gibson has done and what Mike is doing are worlds
apart.
Brad
Zalman Stern
than the older Tobias basses (or I'd imagine the one's Gibson sells under
the Tobias name). I know two good players who think the MTD 535 is just
about the best thing going. I've played a couple of them and agree that
they are pretty incredible.
-Z-