NBD: Journeyman Designed by Michael Tobias Prototype for SWR

[ahbass2500]

I posted this in the Tobias club, but posting an NBD for it here too.

New to me 5 string Journeyman bass Prototype #7. This bass is one of 12 ever made (6 four string and 6 five string from what I could find). Part of a collaboration between Steve Rabe (SWR) and Michael Tobias that never entered production phase.

Very little info on these, but there is some in the Tobias Thread.
Another Example
Info and Interview with Steve Rabe/Michael Tobias

 

[ahbass2500]

Bass feels great. Sound is decent, but it needs a new set of strings (have MTD Polished ones on the way). For anyone not wanting to read the links, this bass was an SWR and Michael Tobias Collaboration that never entered production. The idea was that they would be built at SWR with final QC done by Michael Tobias. Michael Tobias moved from California to New York and they dropped the project. The prototypes were all assembled by Michael Tobias. A few additional photos for items I was curious about before receiving the bass.

Bartolini Soapbar/J pickup setup. Was curious what the coils looked like. Both are humbuckers.

There is a piece of Wenge in the neck pocket (Michael Tobias mentions these in the documentation from the link in my first post).

Preamp is Bartolini Volume/Blend/Bass/Treble/Mid/Mid Frequency Switch.

 

[ahbass2500]

These basses were treated with Timbre Tech if anyone remembers that. Timbre Tech was a Michael Tobias, Steve Rabe, and "other investors" project that would age the acoustics of an instrument using vibration treatments. Patent with details available at: US5537908A - Acoustic response of components of musical instruments - Google Patents

Note I am not saying I am a believer in Timbre Tech, just passing along info in case anyone else runs into one of these basses. Timbre Tech appears to no longer be a thing so apparently the market did not believe enough either. I mean maybe it impacted things (I have certainly never done a before/after test on a bass), but plenty of great new basses out there that did not go through it.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Was watching that one myself, glad you snagged it. Super unique

 

[deepestend]

Very cool!

 

[bholder]

 

[ahbass2500]

Neck shape under the truss rod access looks familiar.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

Was watching that one myself, glad you snagged it. Super unique

Ditto! I was a bit relieved when it no longer appeared in my watched list It was very tempting!

Lovely bass, @ahadl2500! Enjoy it in good health

 

[ahbass2500]

I have a tendency to watch basses on Reverb and am also happy when someone else buys them. I did not do that for this Journeyman or my Lakland Hollowbody. I sent an offer on both as soon as I came across them. It helped that both times I had just sold some gear, so there was plenty of funds in the gear budget. I also bought both of them in the year that I told myself no new basses*.

After putting new strings (MTD Super Polished) on and cleaning the pots, this has become one of my favorite basses. Comfortable body shape. Neck profile is chunky, which I like (neck feel me of my G&L L2500). Well built. Balance is great seated and on a strap. Good amount of sonic range that is usable and easy to dial in. It is a shame they only made 12 of these.

In the Tobias thread I initially mentioned not liking the neck pickup soloed (usually a favorite setting). After the string swap and fixing the scratchy pots, pickups sound great mixed and when used solo. The pickups now sound well matched to each other and I am digging the Soapbar/J setup. I think my issue before was neck pickup not having enough high end content (strings) and a volume drop on neck soloed (fixed when I cleaned the blend pot).

If there is a negative on this bass, it is the headstock. Shape looks a little out of place and the tuners are extremely close to each other. I will get used to it, but occasionally hit a neighboring tuner while tuning (if my fingers are at all hanging off the tuner I am trying to turn, I bump the one next to it).

*On the plus side, I think the purchases in 2025 will make it so that 2026 is actually a no new basses year. I do not want anything beyond what I have at this point. That may change eventually, but I am happy for now.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

I have a tendency to watch basses on Reverb and am also happy when someone else buys them. I did not do that for this Journeyman or my Lakland Hollowbody. I sent an offer on both as soon as I came across them. It helped that both times I had just sold some gear, so there was plenty of funds in the gear budget. I also bought both of them in the year that I told myself no new basses*.

After putting new strings (MTD Super Polished) on and cleaning the pots, this has become one of my favorite basses. Comfortable body shape. Neck profile is chunky, which I like (neck feel me of my G&L L2500). Well built. Balance is great seated and on a strap. Good amount of sonic range that is usable and easy to dial in. It is a shame they only made 12 of these.

In the Tobias thread I initially mentioned not liking the neck pickup soloed (usually a favorite setting). After the string swap and fixing the scratchy pots, pickups sound great mixed and when used solo. The pickups now sound well matched to each other and I am digging the Soapbar/J setup. I think my issue before was neck pickup not having enough high end content (strings) and a volume drop on neck soloed (fixed when I cleaned the blend pot).

If there is a negative on this bass, it is the headstock. Shape looks a little out of place and the tuners are extremely close to each other. I will get used to it, but occasionally hit a neighboring tuner while tuning (if my fingers are at all hanging off the tuner I am trying to turn, I bump the one next to it).

*On the plus side, I think the purchases in 2025 will make it so that 2026 is actually a no new basses year. I do not want anything beyond what I have at this point. That may change eventually, but I am happy for now.

I think the "G" string tuner might actually be a bit crooked--at least it looked that way in the pictures the seller posted.

In my opinion, Mike did continue making these...well kind of. I think the Journeyman was the impetus for creating the Grendel/Beast models he had built in the Czech Republic.

 

[ahbass2500]

I think the "G" string tuner might actually be a bit crooked--at least it looked that way in the pictures the seller posted.

In my opinion, Mike did continue making these...well kind of. I think the Journeyman was the impetus for creating the Grendel/Beast models he had built in the Czech Republic.

It is a touch crooked, not bad enough to bother with filling the hole/relocating. Not perfect though.

I agree it reminds me of the Grendel/Beast, which is what I was looking for when I found it. I had been watching this incorrectly advertised 5 string Beast at MusicGoRound, waiting for them to open it up to shipping (Used MTD KINGSTON SARATOGA 5-STRING BASS Bass Guitar Blue 5-String 40123-S000133131). Needs a truss rod cover, but looks clean otherwise.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

It is a touch crooked, not bad enough to bother with filling the hole/relocating. Not perfect though.

I agree it reminds me of the Grendel/Beast, which is what I was looking for when I found it. I had been watching this incorrectly advertised 5 string Beast at MusicGoRound, waiting for them to open it up to shipping (Used MTD KINGSTON SARATOGA 5-STRING BASS Bass Guitar Blue 5-String 40123-S000133131). Needs a truss rod cover, but looks clean otherwise.

I’ve been watching that one, too ::sigh:: I might have even pulled the trigger by now if shipping were an option.

 

[ahbass2500]

I posted this in the Tobias club in December. Just realized I never posted the update here. Stock preamp replaced....

An update on my Journeyman bass...

Bad news... Stock preamp was failing. It had a background hiss that would oscillate and was not shielding/grounding/scratchy pot related. I have heard about this being an issue on some Bartolini preamps and apparently this one had it. As a result, I swapped out the stock preamp. I hated doing it on a prototype bass, but I needed to correct the background hiss.

Good news... After the preamp swap, my noise issues are gone. The four band Flexcore preamp I installed is absolutely excellent (Volume Blend Tone Bass/Treble Lo-Mid/Hi-Mid Lo-Mid Frequency Switch). I did not like making the change, but I am extremely happy with the end result.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I posted this in the Tobias club in December. Just realized I never posted the update here. Stock preamp replaced....

An update on my Journeyman bass...

Bad news... Stock preamp was failing. It had a background hiss that would oscillate and was not shielding/grounding/scratchy pot related. I have heard about this being an issue on some Bartolini preamps and apparently this one had it. As a result, I swapped out the stock preamp. I hated doing it on a prototype bass, but I needed to correct the background hiss.

Good news... After the preamp swap, my noise issues are gone. The four band Flexcore preamp I installed is absolutely excellent (Volume Blend Tone Bass/Treble Lo-Mid/Hi-Mid Lo-Mid Frequency Switch). I did not like making the change, but I am extremely happy with the end result.

BLUETIFUL!!!

 

[Zooberwerx]

These basses were treated with Timbre Tech if anyone remembers that. Timbre Tech was a Michael Tobias, Steve Rabe, and "other investors" project that would age the acoustics of an instrument using vibration treatments. Patent with details available at: US5537908A - Acoustic response of components of musical instruments - Google Patents

Note I am not saying I am a believer in Timbre Tech, just passing along info in case anyone else runs into one of these basses. Timbre Tech appears to no longer be a thing so apparently the market did not believe enough either. I mean maybe it impacted things (I have certainly never done a before/after test on a bass), but plenty of great new basses out there that did not go through it.

Sorry for the late response...I recall running across the process a few decades back (Rick Turner review, perhaps?). The science is plausible and there's actually a process replete with sensors, duration, amplitude, duration, etc....it's beyond my scope of expertise. The major take-away was effective treatment moved or re-assigned the all-too-common dead spot to a different location.

Riis