U.S. Made Tobias Basses

I have high hopes for them, but am kind of expected to be dissapointed
I guess I really shouldn't pass judgement unless I get a chance to play them, and this does seem like a good move by Gibson. As for pricing, I have absolutely no idea where they'll be

 

I owned a killer B bolt on five made in 92.That bass was great, I regret selling it


AJ

 

I have called Gibson twice on when they are going to be out and they have told me they have no idea. The last time I called was probably 6 months ago. I foolishly sold my Classic 5 a year ago and wish I still had it.

Has anyone officially heard if they were going to re-introduce them?



http://community.webshots.com/user/pistoleroace

 

The quality went so downhill after Tobias went to Gibson. I worked in a music store and saw tons of them that were messed up. Everything from frets sticking out to one run that was made with terrible wood(the necks would warp). I hope the quality went up.

 

I've also been told by a customer service rep.that the american made Tobiases were to be made again in the U.S.A.If this is the case I will proably purchase another Basic 5 if it is offered however,I was told that the new american basses may come with Seymour Duncans pups and electronics instead of the tried/true Bartolini pups and 3-band eq.With that being said,the Tobias will still have the trademark assymetrical neck but we all will see if this happens

 

I think the Tobias ship has sailed. If the new basses come in anywhere near the pricing of the old basses... let's just say the competition has stiffened considerably since Gibson took the Tobias brand into the toilet.

Tobias basses were about sound and playability first, not exotic woods. Until you get the first part down the second doesn't mean squat. Gibson didn't seem to understand or care about that before and I'd be surprised if they get it now.

Then again maybe they'll make something that does more than look like a Tobias from 10 feet this time

 

ive played a 5er..pre gibson..that an my non playing mtd 535 have the best neck i have ever felt...just awsome..i can't wait to get mine workin

steve

 

Yeah, yeah, everyone keep dis-ing those Gibson Tobias's.

I bought a 6 string Gibson Classic about a year ago because I wanted a decent 6 without paying Ethan Allen prices for it. Got it for $1500 on the Bay. I had previously owned the most amazing pre-Gibby Sig 5 in Lacewood that was absolutely psychodelic to look at; problem was I never could get with the sound or feel. that bass drove me crazy, so I sold it through Bass NW. Anyway, I had real low expectations for the Gibson version, but believe it or not that has become my favorite bass. It's just flat out perfect. Lesson learned is with ANY handmade instrument, you gotta take them one at a time. We all know Mike is a great guy (he is) and big companies are bad guys (not always), but in this case the pre-anything is better is not 100% true. Mike did a faithfult job with the transfer; and even if you hate Gibson, they kicked out some great versions of the originals. BTW, some poor cats working at Gibson in those days did good work and ought to have gotten a little more credit. Wonder who they were?

So, keep dis-ing those crummy Gibson Tobias's. The players appreciate it.

 

Agreed although my Basic 5 had outstanding playabiliti

 

I don't care if Gibson starts making them or not...why wouldn't you go straight to the source and get an MTD anyway? Mike continues to refine his craft and does the American MTDs all by himself - the real deal, ya know?

 

Two reasons immediately comes to my mind:

1. As beiger stated above, some people simply like the original Tobias body. I can completely respect the quality and craftsmanship of MTD's, but Tobias' were the first bass I truly fell in love with, and I'd love the chance to purchase a new, high-quality version (whether the new production line will be on par with the previous basses remains to be seen.)

2. Others prefer the neck-though design of the basic/classic/signature lines, which MTD doesn't currently produce.

 

Nope.

And for that price point it'd be crazy to expect otherwise. They're decent basses for what they are.

 

FWIW, I have a Gibson-made Tobias Renegade 4-stringer which is a wonderful bass,although the string spacing is a little strange and the frets could have been finished better, imho. It is comfortable to play because of it's weight and body style, and sounds super, and unlike any other bass I've ever played.

I have to agree that, unlike with most of the high-end basses (Alembic, Pedulla, etc.) where you pretty much get (and pay for) high quality everytime, there are a lot of basses made, from companies small and large, which you just have to sort through to find a "great" one - for you. If you don't have lots of cash, taking the time and effort to find a mid- or low-priced bass which works for you from almost any manufacturer is worthwhile. Problem is, of course, finding them.