W/ Ohsc: 1725: Tobias Kb4 Bass Guitar, Micheal.
10: 1999 Tobias Steinberger Gibson Bass Dealer Packet: 19: Tobias Classic 5 low serial no. Despite Gibson's ownership of Tobias, all of the basses made up to 2044 were built by my regular crew. Tobias Toby Deluxe 5 Electric Bass Guitar: 279: Tobias Toby Bass 4 String Black Finish Maple Neck Precision Style Pickups: 289: Tobias Bass Guitar Catalog Gibson era c.1999 The Classic, Growler Etc.
The important part here is "The final LA Tobias/Gibson serial number is 2044. "īy contractual agreement, Michael's consulting agreement with Gibson had a one year non competition term. They had some trouble at first, but have since done a fairly good job making Tobias basses. I left the company in December of 1992, and was a consultant for Gibson as they set up operations in Nashville. Those would be the first production from Tobias/Nashville.
We also built about 60 basses that were not numbered or finished by us. Despite Gibson's ownership of Tobias, all of the basses made up to 2044 were built by my regular crew. The final LA Tobias/Gibson serial number is 2044. After much deliberation, no one from the original Tobias Guitars crew went to Nashville. Late in 1992, it was decided that in best corporate interests Tobias Guitars would move to Nashville. This was and is a great bass, but the dollar-to-yen ratio killed the project. We had 110 Model T basses made for us by a very fine builder in New England, and then we got the Terada factory in Nagoya, Japan to make the Standard bass for us. Instead of trying to jack up production, we tried to get outside vendors to build for us. While I have transitioned to a Musicman Stingray, for live shows, I still write on my tobias. I found it very easy to play, the asymmetric neck is great and allows a lot of movement. We were not able to make anywhere near enough basses to fill the orders. I have a pre-Gibson Tobias Growler, it was my main bass for about four years.
We added several people during 1990, and ended up with a great ten-man shop.īusiness was still very good. Basses built during the 1990-1992 era were built initially by the same crew that had helped establish Tobias Basses as one of the most sought after basses on the planet. At that point, Gibson was instrumental in moving us to a bigger shop in Burbank and setting us up with a great spray booth and dust collection system. The first Tobias Gibson serial number was 1094. " After several attempts to move the business to larger, better equipped facilities, I sold Tobias Guitars to Gibson on 1/1/90. It's not a pre Gibson series as the first Gibson serial number is 1094.