MTD vs Tobias (original)

[iwearpumas]

You mean fretboard, I'm assuming? Weren't you going with a rosewood board? Or were you going maple and now want a birdseye maple board? Anyway, I definitely wouldn't think of maple as an upgrade over rosewood (if that's what you meant).

Edit: I just saw that you're talking about the neck. Mike would know better than I would but, from what I've heard, birdseye is typically not as rigid as plain maple. Having said that, my Rob Allen has a birdseye neck and is very stable so I don't know.

Mike said Birdseye neck is warmer than regular maple.

 

[bass12]

Mike said Birdseye neck is warmer than regular maple.

Did he comment on its stability? To me "warmer" could translate into "softer" but, again, I'm not a wood expert.

 

[iwearpumas]

Not that I recall.

 

[iwearpumas]

The bass that belonged to Terrance Palmer #1619 is on eBay. Nice bass, but I can't buy it because its not in original form, and his name is etched (sloppy) on the bass.

 

[iwearpumas]

I really dig the old Tobias necks though.

 

[iwearpumas]

I wish I could have both.

 

[bucephylus]

I think you will be quite happy either way. Don't sweat it.

 

[evilgus]

Thought it was worth mentioning that both of the Tobias necks that I've had, with Birdseye maple, also had two nice chunky strips of purpleheart up the middle, so they were very stiff and had a punchy and clear tone. Not sure id want a solid Birdseye maple neck, but that's just personal choice.

Cheers,

EG

 

[iwearpumas]

What about the electronics?

 

[Gare Boo]

It's dependant on your taste, as the Original Tobias(Pre Gibson) was neck through, 24 fret, original Bart pickups and pre, original Assymetrical neck design which has a much more distinct feel that what MTD puts out now.

Mtd's are bolt on, not 24 fret, use the newer MtD spec pickups and pre, less of an Asym profile so it feels much more Fenderesque these days.

If you want the more Fenderesque, look to MTD if you prefer neck through with the more Assymetrical neck and many more tone options, look to an Original Tobias

Does "the more Assymetrical neck" on the old Tobias make the playability better than the MTDs?

 

[bucephylus]

Does "the more Assymetrical neck" on the old Tobias make the playability better than the MTDs?

Mike will pretty much carve whatever you ask him to do on an MTD. The same was true with the Tobias instruments he made. Both have substantial variability in this respect.

 

[MMiller28]

It's dependant on your taste, as the Original Tobias(Pre Gibson) was neck through, 24 fret, original Bart pickups and pre, original Assymetrical neck design which has a much more distinct feel that what MTD puts out now.

Mtd's are bolt on, not 24 fret, use the newer MtD spec pickups and pre, less of an Asym profile so it feels much more Fenderesque these days.

If you want the more Fenderesque, look to MTD if you prefer neck through with the more Assymetrical neck and many more tone options, look to an Original Tobias

Absolutely nothing about an MTD is Fenderesque. All three of mine are 24 frets with assymetrical necks. The Super model has tonal options that the original Tobias basses can't even dream of.

 

[MMiller28]

I didn't really notice anything special about the MTD basses.

I laughed out loud at this. I don't think you can get a higher quality, better sounding bass for the money anywhere on the planet. If you took a $5,000 MTD and wanted Fodera to make a bass with the same specs, it would be $8,000-10,000 with no increase in quality.

 

[MMiller28]

Does "the more Assymetrical neck" on the old Tobias make the playability better than the MTDs?

I'm wondering where this idea of the older necks being more assymetrical came from, other than that someone has possibly imagined it and then posted it as "fact".

Edit: I am officially riled up by a nearly seven-year-old thread.

 

[lalo_garcia-maynez]

I laughed out loud at this. I don't think you can get a higher quality, better sounding bass for the money anywhere on the planet. If you took a $5,000 MTD and wanted Fodera to make a bass with the same specs, it would be $8,000-10,000 with no increase in quality.

MTD basses are fantastic but They are not for everyone ! I have had 7 of them and sold them all , for some reason I can not bond with them! I prefer the neckthrough Tobias basses . I grew up playing a neckthrough Spector and I'm used to that sound and feel. I actually like Gibson Tobias basses too... they are quite good ! That's not to say MTD's are bad instruments, it's just a very personal preference .