What happened to the TOBIAS name??

RealBK · #1 01-23-2011, 12:51 PM

I know Gibson tool over Tobias in the early 90's and really did bring out some fantastic basses! Killer B, Growler, Basic etc but someone was telling me the other day Gibson have now put an end to bringing out anymore Tobias basses???? I have heard stories that the last batch of Tobias basses released over the past few years have been of VERY poor quality and WAAAAYYY overpriced. The question is what will happen now?? I love the Tobias body and neck shape and its a shame to see it laid to rest ;-(

**bass4worship** · #2 01-23-2011, 12:54 PM

Start buying all the used one...

JMDT · #3 01-23-2011, 01:09 PM

Everything Gibson touches turns to crap eventually. I remember when I was A kid, Tobias basses were really a big deal. The recent ones I've played...trash. With the rise of quality boutique builders, there is just no way Gibson could keep up.

RealBK · #4 01-23-2011, 01:40 PM

Mike should take the name back back and start building them again! I'm sure there is so much legal stuff involved that this would never happen ;-)

NecroticImbecil · #5 01-23-2011, 01:44 PM

There is debate, to put it politely, about the quality of the Gibson made Tobias basses. In my own experience, I have owned one early Gibson that was excellent and played several later models that had no physical flaws. They lacked the "soul" for lack of a better word that my '85 Basic and the one other from that time period I have played have, but were not poorly constructed.

I have read one other comment on this forum about Gibson discontinuing the name. I do not necessarily believe everything any random stranger posts on teh interents. Does not mean in this case it is not true, but "I saw where some guy was saying he heard it from some other guy" wouldn't hold up in front of Judge Judy. We'll see.

It would be unfortunate if they went out of production, but the very wealthy can still get Mr Tobias' current company to make the occasional neck-through MTD, which may well be more like an old Tobias than the new ones. The old ones do come up for sale from time to time, but I have not seen many even on Ebay lately. Unless one does one's homework, however, it is possible to get taken on quite a ride when buying a used Tobias, especially unseen over the internet.

Google did lead me to this, however:

http://www.millsaps.edu/library/library_cain_gibson.php

Hoover · #6 01-23-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NecroticImbecil

the very wealthy can still get Mr Tobias' current company to make the occasional neck-through MTD

Really? I'd swear I read somewhere recently that Mike would not make a neck-thru MTD. Was probably here on TB...and is probably just as dubious as all those other aforementioned "some guy said that some guy said" internet rumors!

[edit: Okay, I'm completely wrong about this! As others have indicated (below), MTD does offer neck-thru basses

...great, another instrument for me to GAS over!]

BigOldHarry · #7 01-23-2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMDT

Everything Gibson touches turns to crap eventually. I remember when I was A kid, Tobias basses were really a big deal. The recent ones I've played...trash. With the rise of quality boutique builders, there is just no way Gibson could keep up.

Particularly as basses go. Very annoying, since Tobias was a VERY respected name, and they decided - made the clear and conscious decision - to ruin it.

bass12 · #8 01-23-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

Really? I'd swear I read somewhere recently that Mike would not make a neck-thru MTD. Was probably here on TB...and is probably just as dubious as all those other aforementioned "some guy said that some guy said" internet rumors!

Well, it could be that someone recently asked Mike to build a neck-through and he refused, but I doubt it. I think it's more a question of money. Mike prefers to build bolt-ons for various reasons, it would seem, but as of a few weeks ago he was still delivering neck-throughs.

lowfreq33 · #9 01-23-2011, 05:08 PM

Gibson is not currently making any Tobias basses as far as I know. I have an early one that's fantastic, but it's one if the few Gibson made that I've thought was up to par.

Need2KnowBasses · #10 01-23-2011, 05:28 PM

My only experience with Tobias basses is playing three that were made two or three years ago. Two growlers and a Killer B bubinga. All three were excellent basses.

dje31 · #11 01-23-2011, 06:01 PM

I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but I'm pretty sure neck-thru is or was on his options list...IIIRC, it was a $500 upcharge.

Rano Bass · #12 01-23-2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

Really? I'd swear I read somewhere recently that Mike would not make a neck-thru MTD. Was probably here on TB...

Not true, there are a few neck-thru MTD basses around.

Andrew Gouche has one.

BigOldHarry · #13 01-23-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

Gibson is not currently making any Tobias basses as far as I know. I have an early one that's fantastic, but it's one if the few Gibson made that I've thought was up to par.

I think Gibson sold the name to a Chinese company several years ago... For a while, they were only availble by mail-order and were *dirt cheap* - $599 (or there abouts) for a 5 string neck through. I've played a few in stores - they were pretty much firewood, at least the ones I played.

**DougD** · #14 01-23-2011, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rano Bass

Not true, there are a few neck-thru MTD basses around.

Andrew Gouche has one.

+1
There have even been 1 or 2 floating around here in the classifieds lately.

Keith Guitars · #15 01-23-2011, 07:45 PM

A few quick points:

1: Mike is making (or has made) several neck-through MTDs, although bolt-ons are still the large majority of the production. The shape and headstock are the same as the bolt-ons - visually, they are definitely MTDs, not Tobias basses.

2: The name was not "sold to China". The inexpensive Tobias-branded basses were produced in Korea and/or China for Gibson, first as a mid-market ($800-$1200) instrument, and later sold direct by MusicYo.com, which is wholly owned by Gibson.

AFAIK Gibson still owns the trademark, and are not currently producing anything. They made a few basses a couple of years ago, but I don't think there was much response in the market.

I played a couple of those Korean neck-thru "Tobiases" (which may well have been built by Cort for Gibson).
They were not too terrible, and might be a great deal if found on eBay for cheap. The pickups and preamp were junk, but could easily be replaced by something decent.
Probably a viable alternative to a cheaper RockBass Warwick or something. Just don't expect to get a "real" Tobias.

IMHO, despite being made by Gibson USA, the Growler
was a really underrated bass, and can often be found
pretty affordably on the used market.

Cheers,
Martin

LiquidMidnight · #16 01-23-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

I think Gibson sold the name to a Chinese company several years ago... For a while, they were only availble by mail-order and were *dirt cheap* - $599 (or there abouts) for a 5 string neck through. I've played a few in stores - they were pretty much firewood, at least the ones I played.

Are you thinking of the ones that you could buy off of MusicYo.com?

Edit: Keith cleared things up.

bucephylus · #17 01-23-2011, 08:31 PM

There is this one currently in the For Sale section:
MTD 534 Neckthru
So, they are out there.

Come on; really; the right thing to do is for Gibson to give the intellectual property back to Mike and take a Tax write-off. Sad that our large companies so rarely do the right thing any more.

alexofc69 · #18 01-23-2011, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealBK

Mike should take the name back back and start building them again! I'm sure there is so much legal stuff involved that this would never happen ;-)

Why? His MTD stuff is so much better. Yes, original Tobias stuff was incredible at the time. But, he has evolved his original vision and made it better!

alexofc69 · #19 01-23-2011, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucephylus

There is this one currently in the For Sale section:
MTD 534 Neckthru
So, they are out there.

Come on; really; the right thing to do is for Gibson to give the intellectual property back to Mike and take a Tax write-off. Sad that our large companiehan Gibson!!!s so rarely do the right thing any more.

Give the intellectual property back?? He knows more than Gibson!!!!

alexofc69 · #20 01-23-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucephylus

There is this one currently in the For Sale section:
MTD 534 Neckthru
So, they are out there.

Come on; really; the right thing to do is for Gibson to give the intellectual property back to Mike and take a Tax write-off. Sad that our large companies so rarely do the right thing any more.

This is an MTD not a Tobias.