Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners - It's Showtime!

[Anthbass]

Wow. The lines on that bass are superb. I'm glad to see that it has remained in such pristine condition. That is truly an instrument to be treasured. Do enjoy.

 

[vision]

looks like the first post just scared everybody off.

no one else has a tobias that sweet looking

No one has ANYTHING that sweet looking!

 

[ThatGermanDude]

No one has ANYTHING that sweet looking!

i don't know.

i've seen some really nice basses on this site but this one is definately way up on the list

 

[The Penguin]

Amazing basses, no doubt. Jeff Berlin used to use them back in the 80's! Was black hardware an option back in the day?

Jeff used one to record his first solo album. I don't think he ever owned one but Mike loaned him one for that recording.

 

[Fealach]

i'm assuming yours doesn't say that on the back of the headstock, then...i probably don't know more than you having only owned one mtd and no tobias basses at all...i assumed it was a standard simply because it had a three knob configuration and the only tobias basses i've seen offering that control layout were one-offs and standards...thinking that if it were a fully custom one-off tobias i would've thought that you would've known that bass down to the screws...just an assumption on my part...i'm not trying to hammer your bass, as i've been wanting a 4 string tobias for years...mike was fond of the tobias standard basses, and i played a black 5 string that was great...one way or the other, you've got a fine bass

No offense taken, I did my homework but can allow for the possibility of being wrong. I came upon the bass used, so have no idea of its history. The hardware and pickups are identical to an '85 Basic that a friend custom ordered, and it does not have the markings or features of any Standard I have seen or read about. Even the case is identical to my friend's original case,

My best conjecture is that is was a custom - back in the day when the company was still small, you didn't really see many stock models on store shelves. My friend ordered his through a dealer, but that dealer had no stock models on hand - an employee's personal bass was a custom ordered Basic, he kept it in the back when he was working and would bring it out for serious potential customers. I haven't encountered any other passive Tobias basses besides mine. There was a fair bit of flexibility in ordering back in the day. My friend's (the first left handed Tobias, according to Mike) was ordered with a pickup switch and an active-passive switch. I once saw on Ebay an Explorer shaped Tobias bass with 1 EMG pickup. While I was checking to see if I could afford it, someone else snagged it with BIN.

Regardless, I think it's obvious that Debased is in possession of the most beautiful bass ever made. That last picture, showing the laminates, is especially stunning. One thing I like about the real Tobias basses is the elegance - whether a simple Basic or a fancier model, I've never seen one that was "too much," as some of today's crotch spalted malted milk burl laminate topped wonders that induce motion sickness upon viewing.

 

[Vic]

First, the bass starting off this thread is truly beautiful, but I don't know if it's the most beautiful bass I've ever seen... that's a REALLY hard marker to support...

Also, on the "not sure which one this is" question, remember, Mike has always done custom work (also as shown below), so it's probably a custom order of somebody's and not a specific standard model config.

Anyhow, Tom's out on vacation, but he's got THREE of these things (tho only one of the really fancy models):

Thread:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211208

Teaser pic:

 

[Nicka]

I don't care who you are... If you own a Pre-Gibson Tobias I am forever envious as a Pre-Gibson Killer B 5-String has always been my dream bass.

 

[Debased]

Amazing basses, no doubt. Jeff Berlin used to use them back in the 80's! Was black hardware an option back in the day?

The '88 Tobias catalog lists black hardware as a $40 option, but I don't think there's any mention of it before that.

Thanks again everyone for all the kind words.

I know there are plenty of old Tobias bass owners around here. C'mon...whip em out, guys.

Also, there are some great pre-Gibson Toby pics at the Low End:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click on "sold basses" and scroll down to Tobias.

 

[Debased]

First, the bass starting off this thread is truly beautiful, but I don't know if it's the most beautiful bass I've ever seen... that's a REALLY hard marker to support...

I agree. I've seen a lot of Mike's early work, and my bass is only one example of the gorgeous instruments he's built. Some of the old "Signatures" with the seven-piece wenge necks are downright scary.

Anyhow, Tom's out on vacation, but he's got THREE of these things (tho only one of the really fancy models):

Thanks, I was hoping to see those again. Does Tom still have all three? I thought I saw one of em up for sale a while back.

 

[Vic]

Thanks, I was hoping to see those again. Does Tom still have all three? I thought I saw one of em up for sale a while back.

Good question... yeah, he had one up for sale a while back, but I never heard if he sold it. I'm going to PM him this thread, so I'm sure he'll chime in when he's back from vacation, or maybe even sooner.

 

[Blake Bass]

I used to Own #1666 it was a Signature with a Zebrawood top. I miss that bass. That's the one I really regret selling.

 

[rabass6]

I don't care who you are... If you own a Pre-Gibson Tobias I am forever envious as a Pre-Gibson Killer B 5-String has always been my dream bass.

I don't think such a bass exsists...isn't the Killer B series only made under Gibson ownership of the Tobias brand?
I'm not sure about that though...

 

[Lordcliff]

Invalid Link Removed
1988 #717
How do you post pictures?

I also have a 90/91 "Model-T", that I know, little about. I think Mike said they were made in New York though...

 

[Debased]

Invalid Link Removed
1988 #717
How do you post pictures?

I also have a 90/91 "Model-T", that I know, little about. I think Mike said they were made in New York though...

That's a very nice early "Basic."

Post your pics like this:

, but in your case, remove all the link text following the ".jpg."

 

[Lordcliff]

Ah, cool man, thanks for the posting the pic, and the "how to".

 

[The Penguin]

I don't think such a bass exsists...isn't the Killer B series only made under Gibson ownership of the Tobias brand?
I'm not sure about that though...

The first I'm aware of is in 1992, I have seen a few at the Burbank shop but considering Gibson owned and built that shop those were also Gibsons. I own a 1993 Killer B and I love it but it's not of the same quality as the Burbank or Hollywood basses, close enough though.

 

[Fealach]

Invalid Link Removed
1988 #717
How do you post pictures?

I also have a 90/91 "Model-T", that I know, little about. I think Mike said they were made in New York though...

IIRC the MTD site has an article which says something like "a fine luthier in New England." I had read somewhere it was Pedulla, but cannot dredge up any references.

As far as I know the Killer B was something that might have been designed or discussed under Gibson but before Mike left, but not put into production until post-Mike. I had an early one, 92 or 93 I cannot remember, and both Mike and Gibson confirmed it was a Gibson product. Plain looking, but sounded and played excellent.

 

[tombowlus]

Thanks for covering for me, Vic! Yes, I am slacking on a family vacation here in Florida (getting ready to start the drive back to Ohio tomorrow morning - wish me luck!).

Vic showed you one shot, here are some more shots (and the first one, again) of the two Basic 5's and Classic 5 (and yes, I sold the bubinga bodied Basic 5):

The body on that Classic 5 is a stunning piece of koa, and the top is purpleheart (though it has aged to a patina that looks like bloodwood):

Here is a close up of the 12 fret inlay on the Classic 5:

The red Basic 5 was my first Tobias, and it is a (unofficial) 'Jimmy Haslip Signature Model', with birdseye maple body wings and a pao ferro board (all three have a pao ferro board). The serial number is #766:

I'll have to check the serial number on the Classic 5, but I think it is low 800's (maybe 815?). It was originally made for one of Mike's assemblers, "Obe", and Mike immediately recognized it when I sent him photos. It has some really exceptional flaming in the maple on the neck.

I definitely need to get some better pics of these basses...

And here is my oldest Tobias, a Contender 4 in need of some TLC. It is going to go back to Mike to be totally rehab'd (once he has a bit more time):

Also, FWIW, the Basic 5 that I sold was a Burbank era Tobias, and it was also exceptional. I just preferred the tone of the maple bodied Jimmy Halsip Basic, and every now and then I do cut something loose.

Tom.

 

[tombowlus]

IIRC the MTD site has an article which says something like "a fine luthier in New England." I had read somewhere it was Pedulla, but cannot dredge up any references.

I considered buying a Model T, and asked Mike about it, and he did confirm that it was made in England, though I am not sure by whom.

As far as I know the Killer B was something that might have been designed or discussed under Gibson but before Mike left, but not put into production until post-Mike. I had an early one, 92 or 93 I cannot remember, and both Mike and Gibson confirmed it was a Gibson product. Plain looking, but sounded and played excellent.

Some of the early Killer B's were made by Mike and crew in the Burbank shop. It was his design, to the best of my knowledge. I recently picked one up and I just flat out love it! You can see it in this recent gig shot:

 

[The Penguin]

IIRC the MTD site has an article which says something like "a fine luthier in New England." I had read somewhere it was Pedulla, but cannot dredge up any references.

If you compare the wood choices and the neck laminations in the Model T it looks very much like the Buzz/MVP's from Pedulla.