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Tobias Killer B IV and V
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I think it is much more "some people will never be happy with an import that is $2500_". And by "Import", we are talking Indonesia and China. I don't think many people have an issue with Japan, and Germany, UK, Czech Republic, Poland, etc at those prices.
I have several asian import basses and guitars and love them. I just think $2500 is too high of a price. And I doubt they will be getting cheaper going forward. My max is about the $1500 range for these.
I don’t see the logic for this. If people in Indonesia make a bass that is rationally worth $2,500, they have no right to ask for $2,500? Of course, you get to spend your money as you wish; I just see no reason to deny someone money when they have done the work.
I have yet to play an Indonesian or Chinese made bass that I felt was worth that price. I can't say the same about my Czech Spector. Ot my Japanese Sadowsky.
Hell, I paid $2500 for my Fbass.
Try the Tobias Classic, I do think this exact same bass would be $3,500-$4,000 if made in the Czech Republic and even more if made in America.I have yet to play an Indonesian or Chinese made bass that I felt was worth that price. I can't say the same about my Czech Spector. Ot my Japanese Sadowsky.
Hell, I paid $2500 for my Fbass.
I agree 100%.I have yet to play an Indonesian or Chinese made bass that I felt was worth that price. I can't say the same about my Czech Spector. Ot my Japanese Sadowsky.
Hell, I paid $2500 for my Fbass.
I could care less where the bass is made.
What I care about is why they are making them there? To make themselves more money.
I hate that this always gets turned into a country of origin issue.
If to save money, don't make it cost as much as these two basses that are hand made.
These were almost the same price, without some options they would have been almost the same price as the classic.
There are several local US builders that build bass for similar prices.
The fact that these poorly run companies can get away with prices that are the same is disgusting…. Especially when you have companies making basses like the joe dart bass going for $400 at the time doing the same practices of cost cutting.
-ScottM
I would say my MIK Dimensions 5 if definitely on par with my Czech LX4.
My Indo RB Taranis is solid as a rock. It's not on par with my MIGs but that has more to do with materials than build.
My Indo RB Taranis is solid as a rock. It's not on par with my MIGs but that has more to do with materials than build.
I think this is a clever move by Gibson, but I have my doubts as to whether it will last that long. (Maybe a year?) Sure, the nostalgia factor will help for a while, but they really aren't cheap COMPARED to other Indonesian brands like Sire. (There's a number of reasons why comparing to U.S-made instruments just doesn't make much sense, IMO.)
Case in point: I just scored a brand-new, M5 Series 2 fretless on the weekend, for US$820, and Man, this bass screams QUALITY!!! The fit and finish is nearly perfect, it looks stunning, and the tonal variations are amazing! In fact, it sounds nearly as good as my (Jimmy Haslip model) pre-Gibson Tobias Basic 6 fretless, which is worth 4 times as much! Does it look anything like a Tobias? Actually, Yes, the body shape is similar. Does it have a Babicz bridge and Gotoh tuners? No. Do the pickups and electronics sound similar? Yes, fairly, but probably more flexible. If a new Tobias Killer B5 is US$1600, does that imply that Gibson is charging you nearly US$800, just for the Tobias "Nostalgia Factor"? Yes, I think it does. (Or at least US$500, if you factor in some better hardware and Bartolini name on the pups.)
Conclusion 1: I'm not saying that the Nostalgia Factor isn't worth that much, as it comes down to personal preference. But yes, I think this is a pretty good profit-making exercise for Gibson and I bet some new Marketing Boffin there has a lot riding on the success of this campaign!
Conclusion 2: If the quality of these basses is anything like the Sires, then I'm pretty sure they will be GREAT!
Cheers,
EG
Case in point: I just scored a brand-new, M5 Series 2 fretless on the weekend, for US$820, and Man, this bass screams QUALITY!!! The fit and finish is nearly perfect, it looks stunning, and the tonal variations are amazing! In fact, it sounds nearly as good as my (Jimmy Haslip model) pre-Gibson Tobias Basic 6 fretless, which is worth 4 times as much! Does it look anything like a Tobias? Actually, Yes, the body shape is similar. Does it have a Babicz bridge and Gotoh tuners? No. Do the pickups and electronics sound similar? Yes, fairly, but probably more flexible. If a new Tobias Killer B5 is US$1600, does that imply that Gibson is charging you nearly US$800, just for the Tobias "Nostalgia Factor"? Yes, I think it does. (Or at least US$500, if you factor in some better hardware and Bartolini name on the pups.)
Conclusion 1: I'm not saying that the Nostalgia Factor isn't worth that much, as it comes down to personal preference. But yes, I think this is a pretty good profit-making exercise for Gibson and I bet some new Marketing Boffin there has a lot riding on the success of this campaign!
Conclusion 2: If the quality of these basses is anything like the Sires, then I'm pretty sure they will be GREAT!
Cheers,
EG
This thread is making me think a person running into an old flame, or even a good friend, and not being able to accept how they have changed in thirty years.
Hahaha, yes, all us Die-Hard Mike T lovers come out swinging, whenever there's any new mention of Tobias or Gibson...
Cheers,
EG
Pretty much true for every boutique bass on the market today I guess. Everyone's tried it Sadowsky Metro's, Lakland Skyline’s et. al.
Exactly, and $4,000 may well be a low ball estimate. Spectors, MTDs, and Ken Smith all over $7,000 these days when talking USA made basses.
