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Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners - It's Showtime!
- Thread starter Debased
- Start date
Each one of those appendages had its own resonance and they sometimes had to be dealt with. Mike got tired of spending the extra time tuning some of them. Not all of them to be sure but, having the omega increased the chances of bright note/dead spot problems so he stopped doing it.
Hey GreenBass,
I think you will appreciate this:
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These are the neck pieces that were left over after your neck was cut out. It is also the place where your truss rod cover comes from (2nd photo).
I think you will appreciate this:
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These are the neck pieces that were left over after your neck was cut out. It is also the place where your truss rod cover comes from (2nd photo).
Yes, I even have the cutout from the chambered fretless bass that I own. I was right there and these were instuments that were made for me. I have the neckblock and the bottom bout cut out for this bass too...
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I once took a scape piece of Bubinga and had some claves made out of them. The percussionist that has them till this day treats them as his prized possession for recording. I devised a test to demonstrate how different neck woods varieties sound differently. I still have all those pieces somewhere in my garage. I am thinking about a garage sale someday. That could to be interesting.
I even have a spare truss rod cover for your bass. I made two for that bass. Someday those pieces could make that bass a unique collector's item. Imagine 40 yrs forward and the value of that bass vs what it cost when new. IMO People who have early examples of Mike's work have future Stadivarius quality instuments. The same will be true for the American MTD's.
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I once took a scape piece of Bubinga and had some claves made out of them. The percussionist that has them till this day treats them as his prized possession for recording. I devised a test to demonstrate how different neck woods varieties sound differently. I still have all those pieces somewhere in my garage. I am thinking about a garage sale someday. That could to be interesting.
I even have a spare truss rod cover for your bass. I made two for that bass. Someday those pieces could make that bass a unique collector's item. Imagine 40 yrs forward and the value of that bass vs what it cost when new. IMO People who have early examples of Mike's work have future Stadivarius quality instuments. The same will be true for the American MTD's.
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From top clockwise:
Killer B w/Shedua top Walnut back (no production models with top)
Tobias Doorstop (comes from behind the headstock. Actually the come in pairs from front and back, scrap)
Wenge lickin stick (If you got hit with it serious damage could result)
Truss Rod cover from s/n700
From top clockwise:
Killer B w/Shedua top Walnut back (no production models with top)
Tobias Doorstop (comes from behind the headstock. Actually the come in pairs from front and back, scrap)
Wenge lickin stick (If you got hit with it serious damage could result)
Truss Rod cover from s/n700
Same as with any other 5 string vendor doing it... slappers wanting more inter-string space to go "thru" the string for modern techniques.
Great to know, thanks a lot! There's some great info in this thread, not to mention pictures. I feel lucky to have chanced upon my Tobias during a random stop hundreds of miles from home. I'd wanted a Tobias ever since I was a poor impoverished student and I saw my big brother's custom ordered Zebrawood Basic 4 around 85-86 or so. Unfortunately it's left handed. I'll have to see if I can get a picture of it.
All during my time at Tobias Guitars I was a shutterbug. Anything happened of interest I was trying to get a shot. I recently found some photo's that I had thought lost in a move.
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If I am not boring you guys I will share a few with you. Let me know. This picture is of the first of the Modern 5 Strings we made at TG. We were still at 1623 Cahuenga and Mike asked me what I thought of a Guitar Player Magazine Giveaway of a Signature 5 string bass (A bold move in 1983). I am holding the bass and Mike took the picture with my camera.
(edit: I think the Polaroid camera that took this shot was Mike Tobias' not sure...)
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If I am not boring you guys I will share a few with you. Let me know. This picture is of the first of the Modern 5 Strings we made at TG. We were still at 1623 Cahuenga and Mike asked me what I thought of a Guitar Player Magazine Giveaway of a Signature 5 string bass (A bold move in 1983). I am holding the bass and Mike took the picture with my camera.
(edit: I think the Polaroid camera that took this shot was Mike Tobias' not sure...)
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,518
- 19,954
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Yes, indeed! Please feel free to share any more information that you'd like! Any recollection of the 'Contender' series?
Tom.
Here is #1751. I received this from my bass teacher/dealer at the time, Dave Nichols in Houston, TX. The day was Monday, April 13th, 1992. Dave had a Classic 6, #850 and I fell in love. The basic 6 was a bit larger, and his classic was much more compact and felt much better in my hands. Looking back, I should have traded him for it! But I have always enjoyed the Basic 6 and doubt I'll ever part with it.
Over the years, I've had one or two setups and have replaced the bridge about 2 times from Wilkenson, back when they were in business. The string anchors would pull forward on the E and B strings and refuse to hold the strings in. Their then-newer bridges had a post which would hold the string in place.
If I were to ever do anything to this bass, it would be to have wood plates to replace the black plates - similar to the classic and signature models, and of course, replace the input jack which is a bit twitchy at times.
The tone is... in a league of its own. There are times when I try out other basses or other six strings and this is... 'it'. Yes, heavy, but with a 4" Italia strap aiding the effort on my back, I can play for quite a while.
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Over the years, I've had one or two setups and have replaced the bridge about 2 times from Wilkenson, back when they were in business. The string anchors would pull forward on the E and B strings and refuse to hold the strings in. Their then-newer bridges had a post which would hold the string in place.
If I were to ever do anything to this bass, it would be to have wood plates to replace the black plates - similar to the classic and signature models, and of course, replace the input jack which is a bit twitchy at times.
The tone is... in a league of its own. There are times when I try out other basses or other six strings and this is... 'it'. Yes, heavy, but with a 4" Italia strap aiding the effort on my back, I can play for quite a while.
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Very nice!
This auction ended recently. I bid on it, but really couldn't afford it, and was outbid. The winning bid was ridiculously low, $100 less than Korean Toby 6 strings have been selling for on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Tobias-Cus...oryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Some text, for when the link goes dead:
You are bidding on a "Tobias" Bass Guitar Serial 0221. Only 2 made according to the builders records. Note: there is a spot on the bottom of the body, other than that the bass is in great condition. The bass was made in Flordia in 1980. For additional information please feel free to contact Mike Tobias for building records!
Color: Natural
Body Wood: Walnut 1-layer wings
Neck: Maple, with Purple Heart
Scale Length: 34"
Machine Heads: Grover chrome
Fingerboard: Pau Ferro
No. of Frets: 24
Controls: Master volume w/push/pull Slap Tone, Pan-Pot, Bass, Midrange,
This auction ended recently. I bid on it, but really couldn't afford it, and was outbid. The winning bid was ridiculously low, $100 less than Korean Toby 6 strings have been selling for on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Tobias-Cus...oryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Some text, for when the link goes dead:
You are bidding on a "Tobias" Bass Guitar Serial 0221. Only 2 made according to the builders records. Note: there is a spot on the bottom of the body, other than that the bass is in great condition. The bass was made in Flordia in 1980. For additional information please feel free to contact Mike Tobias for building records!
Color: Natural
Body Wood: Walnut 1-layer wings
Neck: Maple, with Purple Heart
Scale Length: 34"
Machine Heads: Grover chrome
Fingerboard: Pau Ferro
No. of Frets: 24
Controls: Master volume w/push/pull Slap Tone, Pan-Pot, Bass, Midrange,
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I thought the body size for the Basic, Classic, or Signature, were pretty much the same size, in regards to the ones with the same number of strings of course, I am wrong on this? because I have seen pics where It LOOKED like some bodies were larger than others, like in the Roscoe Basses.
I thought the body size for the Basic, Classic, or Signature, were pretty much the same size, in regards to the ones with the same number of strings of course, I am wrong on this? because I have seen pics where It LOOKED like some bodies were larger than others, like in the Roscoe Basses.
They are all the same, but I believe some of the earlier ones were smaller in body size. Side by side, the 850 and the 1751 were quite different in size. The 850 seemed more compact, similar to a regular jazz bass in comparison to a dinky jazz bass - which is slight. Both were 6 string basses.
IIRC 34". Both of mine are 34". My 1984 five has one of the most amazing B's I've ever come across... most likely because it didn't know 35" was required to do what it was doing
Just curious... is mine the oldest one on here? It came with the JHD Audio parametric preamp and Stars Guitars hardware.
Just curious... is mine the oldest one on here? It came with the JHD Audio parametric preamp and Stars Guitars hardware.
