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Official Tobias Club

#1,322
xtremebassist1 said:
I'm currently on the hunt for a original pre-Nashville 6 string fretted Tobias. I've played Tobias in the late 80's and the last time was in 1995 but never an owner. I was curious if you owners feel the long top horn makes them a little unbalanced and neck heavy? I remember seeing some used ones where they moved the strap locks in an apparent attempt to adjust? Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Long top horn = less neck heavy than short top horn.

You may notice the later Tobias basses have the strap button closest to the bridge factory installed higher than the center-of-neck location standard on most basses including the early Tobias. I haven't seen many complaints about the balance on the older basses. My Tobias was bought used with the strap button already moved.

Edit..someone had commented on balance while I was typing. If balance was good with the stock strap button locations, perhaps some 80's Tobias buyers preferred to hold the bass at a sharper, more "upright" angle.
 
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#1,323
NecroticImbecil said:
Long top horn = less neck heavy than short top horn.

You may notice the later Tobias basses have the strap button closest to the bridge factory installed higher than the center-of-neck location standard on most basses including the early Tobias. I haven't seen many complaints about the balance on the older basses. My Tobias was bought used with the strap button already moved.

Edit..someone had commented on balance while I was typing. If balance was good with the stock strap button locations, perhaps some 80's Tobias buyers preferred to hold the bass at a sharper, more "upright" angle.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I wasn't sure the moved strap button was for female bassist or a "player" fix like removing the pickup covers from Rickenbackers and Fender basses.

Let me be transparent. In the late 80's I used to jam with a guitarist that worked at a Guitar shop that had 5 Tobias basses. Of course I would forget to bring my P Bass and I would play the Tobias along with others. Out of the 5, I really like two of this model:

Tobias ５strings 1970 electric Japan rare beautiful vintage popular EMS F / S* | eBay

Shorter horn and the BC Rich type cut away. In 1995 I was looking to buy this 6 string Purple heart 6 string. I love the look of Purple Heart but it is Iron Wood, extremely heavy. I've found it is a murky sounding wood and no matter what amp I put the bass thru, wasn't happy with the sound. And it was a neck dive. During the 90's I noticed the strap button location change on Tobias basses. I chalked it up to former female owners because I remembered Tobias basses being balanced well.

Again thank you for enlightening me and removing my ignorance. I was pretty sure I wasn't crazy and noticed owners moving the strap button. Hopefully I can join the club soon.
 
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#1,324
There's a lot of wrong information on that listing. That bass was not made in Japan. I suspect it's 80's, not 70's - not sure Mike was making basses in the '70's.
But I love the phrase "Although there is a feeling of use, there are no scratches that can lead to fatal wounds."
 
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#1,325
kesslari said:
There's a lot of wrong information on that listing. That bass was not made in Japan. I suspect it's 80's, not 70's - not sure Mike was making basses in the '70's.
But I love the phrase "Although there is a feeling of use, there are no scratches that can lead to fatal wounds."
Click to expand...
Spot on. Tobias didn't start making Basses until 1974... and were there EVER of any Made in Japan Tobias basses?
MTD History
 
#1,326
Guys, the seller is in Japan. You can see his English isn't the best - he probably just means "1970s".

Mike did make a few "Omega" basses early on. They are pretty scarce, I've only seen one other pictured on-line. That one was a Signature (I saved a picture of it). It has the same knob lay-out as the one on the ebay auction, with the tone controls arranged in an arc instead of the familiar straight-line layout of the later models.

My 1999 Classic 5-string had the off-set lower strap button. I didn't like it there so I moved it to the traditional center-of-neck position. I didn't have neck-dive issues with it in either locations. Perhaps the problem was that it was a 6-string? Those will automatically have a heavier neck.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Pedulla Club #45
 
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#1,327
Hehehehehe. Yeah definitely not the best ebay listing for sure :) Definitely not getting any bids from me :laugh:

Yeah I was just curious about strap button switch. I've only played Tobias basses without a strap on my lap. At first I thought maybe it was a female bassist thing but after noticing people changed it so often on the older ones, I started assuming neck dive even though when I played it on my lap it never did such. I'm guessing, like stated earlier, that in the 90s Tobias bass owners like playing it more upright? I've seen it switched on 4, 5 and 6 string models. Again weird to me because I don't think I've seen any other bass were changing this was a fairly common practice. Figured there is a reason, not saying it is a good one though.
 
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#1,328
@xtremebassist1 now I understand your "strap button" question.
My basses all had the "original" (offset) position and were completely comfortable. Since I don't play my bass with it held horizontally, the offset strap button made perfect sense to me - a good idea.
Not sure why it got moved, but TMK it wasn't moved when the basses were being made by Mike.
Mikes current (MTD) basses still feature the offset strap button.
 
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#1,329
kesslari said:
@xtremebassist1 now I understand your "strap button" question.
My basses all had the "original" (offset) position and were completely comfortable. Since I don't play my bass with it held horizontally, the offset strap button made perfect sense to me - a good idea.
Not sure why it got moved, but TMK it wasn't moved when the basses were being made by Mike.
Mikes current (MTD) basses still feature the offset strap button.
Click to expand...
+1. My Tobias Classic 4 has an offset strap button, but I think that design decision was made in regards to how the basses hang more comfortably when using a strap. My Tobias has no neck dive and balances right about the 24th fret. Comfortable to play when sitting or standing.
 
#1,330
Right! Seems like moving the strap button is a good solution looking for a problem not on the Tobias. The most logical reason would be to try to compensate for neck dive which I've never experienced with my minimal playing time with Tobias. Of course I've never tried one with a strap.

For the rest of the readers, here is an example of what I'm talking about:

Tobias Signature 5 String CUSTOM (mid-90's) Woods and Mother of Pearl

You will see the strap button has been moved from the original Tobias build and there is zero pictures of that area because there is a hole or filled in hole in its place. Just unreal to me to even think about taking a drill to a Tobias to move the strap button.
 
#1,331
FWIW, The Tobias 6 Stringers are just a bit neck heavy, in contrast to the 5 Stringers which are nearly perfect. The extra mass in the neck with the same body configuration changes the balance. Not so much that it's a big deal; but you will notice it. The heavier body configurations will balance better; but, you essentially end up with a compromise.

The newer MTD design has slightly better balance characteristics.

That eBay listed bass has been banging around on eBay for quite a while. I think it is awesome. I believe @Brad Johnson has an early bass with that design.
 
#1,332
Yeah I think that design is awesome too! That design was the first Tobias I played, a 5 and 4 string. Great balance and lighter because of the cut out with that awesome Tobias sound. Guessing there is no 6 string models because I think it was before AJ's Ken Smith 6 string.

Me and Tobias have been star crossed lovers. When I played these, I didn't have the money. When I had the money in the 90s, it was a 30 month waiting list. Over years I came across some but always Frankenstein especially moving the strap button. ***! Again I just couldn't imagine taking a drill to one when I could just get an adjustable strap.

Thanks again everybody. I'm looking for a pure one and if I come across one with the strap button moved, it will lose value points. Good to know it isn't needed and not a real show stopper. Every player I saw playing one with the strap button moved said the same thing, somebody moved it before the bought it and they left it. Or they moved it back. For awhile I thought there was somebody buying all the Tobias basses, why I couldn't find one and they had to move the strap button before they would sell them :laugh:
 
#1,334
bucephylus said:
FWIW, The Tobias 6 Stringers are just a bit neck heavy, in contrast to the 5 Stringers which are nearly perfect. The extra mass in the neck with the same body configuration changes the balance. Not so much that it's a big deal; but you will notice it. The heavier body configurations will balance better; but, you essentially end up with a compromise.

The newer MTD design has slightly better balance characteristics.

That eBay listed bass has been banging around on eBay for quite a while. I think it is awesome. I believe @Brad Johnson has an early bass with that design.
Click to expand...

Actually two. A 1978 four and a 1984 five. Original owner on both.
 
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#1,335
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#1,336
Brad Johnson said:
Actually two. A 1978 four and a 1984 five. Original owner on both.
Click to expand...

Wow! Drool. You wouldn't want to part with the 5'er would you? Amazing, that was the my two favorite basses in the guitar shop, the 4 and 5 Omegas followed by the one Signature-like. Their weight, balance and tone were perfect. Got any pics? Bringing back sweet memories.

Now I know those were Omegas, what were the standard body designs called back in 1985? I remember they had two Jazz pickups instead of the soap bars like in the Omegas.
 
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#1,338
xtremebassist1 said:
Wow! Drool. You wouldn't want to part with the 5'er would you? Amazing, that was the my two favorite basses in the guitar shop, the 4 and 5 Omegas followed by the one Signature-like. Their weight, balance and tone were perfect. Got any pics? Bringing back sweet memories.

Now I know those were Omegas, what were the standard body designs called back in 1985? I remember they had two Jazz pickups instead of the soap bars like in the Omegas.
Click to expand...

In 1984 IIRC there was three models and this was between a Classic and Signature. Called it a hybrid at the time and ever since. One of the first with the curved top Bartolinis... mine have no logos. Wired it VV BMT with pickup selector and active/passive switches.

In the pic is a Wilkinson bridge that I installed when I got the bass. Switched back to the Fender style bent plate bridge that came with it. This was before Mike had received his Tobias branded bridges. He offered me one when he got them, I decided to stick with the bent plate because the bass sounded phenomenal and I had no desire to mess with that.

He had stopped making the Omega cut by the time I had ordered. Not currently interested in selling.

The last pic is when I had four basses. The other two are a 1968 Fender Jazz and a Zon Legacy Standard fretless 5. The Zon is gone.
 

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#1,340
Yes! Thank you very much! Memories from a better time when I didn't have money. The one main thing I remember about the Omegas besides the balance and all that you get from a loving made Tobias was the neck pickup. I swear that is the best neck pickup ever!!! I love to groove but I also will ram some notes down some throats and with the Omega, you could do it from the neck pickup alone! I don't know if it was the placement, they look tiny in comparison but WOW! At the time I was playing blues, loving the tone of the low B and when I would get busy, I notice I would be playing just with neck pickup not knowing. It's not tilted or any that mumbo jumbo. It is just unreal! Been so long and I know you can speak to this if it is true with yours. Again it might of been a fluke but that was the other major standoff of the Omega models. Priceless my friend. Yeah don't ever sell them, just I had to ask.
 
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