Tobias Hand Made Prototype Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1977)
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Tobias Hand Made Prototype Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1977), made in Orlando, Florida, natural oil varnish finish, black gig bag case.
This is a real one-of-a-kind bass guitar, a unique creation super redolent of the 1970s aesthetic. This fretless electric bass was hand made by Michael Tobias at the very start of his career, before his more familiar original designs were fully developed. It is a remarkable find, if in some ways less sophisticated or finely finished than the builder's subsequent instruments already at this early point carefully designed and a very fine playing bass. We were presented with this as THE very first bass Tobias crafted; while we cannot absolutely verify that it is certainly a very early pre-production hand-made piece, one of the first few at least.
Michael Tobias established his instrument building operation in Orlando, Florida in April 1977, moving to California in 1980. The majority of Tobias instruments were basses with neck-through construction like this one, a crucial design element from the beginning. The obvious antecedent was Alembic, to which this bass owes some design elements but really this is a pretty original creation, especially for the time. It also manifests a subtle Rickenbacker flavor in the headstock shape and 33 1/2" scale.
The first documented Tobias serial number was 0178 in reference to the month that bass was completed, January 1978. This bass has no number (that we can find, anyway) and would pre-date that initial commercial instrument. The instrument is not signed or dated but has an early version of the Tobias "T" logo in pearl on the peghead. The body is more symmetrical than the evolved Tobias shape, with the "Omega" cut at the back end seen on some early cataloged instruments. The neck is through-body laminated maple with what appear to be rosewood strips; the profile is round-sided with a fairly flat center section. The 2-sided headstock has a prominent volute. The fingerboard is ebony, the nut is brass and the tuners gold-plated Grovers with fluted buttons. The slightly asymmetrical solid body wings are figured maple sculpted with a Fender-like arm cut on the bass side.
The electronics are two active Bartolini Jazz bass pickups with an internal preamp wired to a conventional 4-knob layout; in typical '70s form the knobs are solid brass. There is a mini-switch that is not wired up. The bridge is heavy brass as well, identical to one marketed by Stars guitars although unbranded. The control cavity is neatly wired but the pre-amp and battery are loose, secured only by foam pieces. "Fretless" written in pencil on the back of the control cavity plate.
The finish is a basic oil varnish, which has darkened a bit with time but otherwise aged well. Although not as polished as even the earliest commercial Tobias basses this is a very fine playing instrument, After years of solid success Tobias was purchased by Gibson in 1990 and production moved to Nashville. Michael Tobias left in 1992 to found Michael Tobias Design and still builds custom hand-made basses; this earliest pre-historic example is a really cool piece of Tobias and really electric bass history in general.
Overall length is 46 1/2 in. (118.1 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 33 1/2 in. (851 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.)., 10.36 lbs.
Considering its age this bass is well preserved; it has been sitting largely unused for decades. The finish has some light wear and a subtly aged look but no really heavy wear, the unplated hardware has typical spotting and corrosion but everything works as intended. There is an open screw hole for a second strap button in the heel. The original electronics are functional as designed except the mini-toggle switch is purposely not connected. This is a lovely instrument to play, with a powerful singing sound and plenty pf punch. It never had an original case and is supplied with a modern gig bag. Excellent - Condition.
This is a real one-of-a-kind bass guitar, a unique creation super redolent of the 1970s aesthetic. This fretless electric bass was hand made by Michael Tobias at the very start of his career, before his more familiar original designs were fully developed. It is a remarkable find, if in some ways less sophisticated or finely finished than the builder's subsequent instruments already at this early point carefully designed and a very fine playing bass. We were presented with this as THE very first bass Tobias crafted; while we cannot absolutely verify that it is certainly a very early pre-production hand-made piece, one of the first few at least.
Michael Tobias established his instrument building operation in Orlando, Florida in April 1977, moving to California in 1980. The majority of Tobias instruments were basses with neck-through construction like this one, a crucial design element from the beginning. The obvious antecedent was Alembic, to which this bass owes some design elements but really this is a pretty original creation, especially for the time. It also manifests a subtle Rickenbacker flavor in the headstock shape and 33 1/2" scale.
The first documented Tobias serial number was 0178 in reference to the month that bass was completed, January 1978. This bass has no number (that we can find, anyway) and would pre-date that initial commercial instrument. The instrument is not signed or dated but has an early version of the Tobias "T" logo in pearl on the peghead. The body is more symmetrical than the evolved Tobias shape, with the "Omega" cut at the back end seen on some early cataloged instruments. The neck is through-body laminated maple with what appear to be rosewood strips; the profile is round-sided with a fairly flat center section. The 2-sided headstock has a prominent volute. The fingerboard is ebony, the nut is brass and the tuners gold-plated Grovers with fluted buttons. The slightly asymmetrical solid body wings are figured maple sculpted with a Fender-like arm cut on the bass side.
The electronics are two active Bartolini Jazz bass pickups with an internal preamp wired to a conventional 4-knob layout; in typical '70s form the knobs are solid brass. There is a mini-switch that is not wired up. The bridge is heavy brass as well, identical to one marketed by Stars guitars although unbranded. The control cavity is neatly wired but the pre-amp and battery are loose, secured only by foam pieces. "Fretless" written in pencil on the back of the control cavity plate.
The finish is a basic oil varnish, which has darkened a bit with time but otherwise aged well. Although not as polished as even the earliest commercial Tobias basses this is a very fine playing instrument, After years of solid success Tobias was purchased by Gibson in 1990 and production moved to Nashville. Michael Tobias left in 1992 to found Michael Tobias Design and still builds custom hand-made basses; this earliest pre-historic example is a really cool piece of Tobias and really electric bass history in general.
Overall length is 46 1/2 in. (118.1 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 33 1/2 in. (851 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.)., 10.36 lbs.
Considering its age this bass is well preserved; it has been sitting largely unused for decades. The finish has some light wear and a subtly aged look but no really heavy wear, the unplated hardware has typical spotting and corrosion but everything works as intended. There is an open screw hole for a second strap button in the heel. The original electronics are functional as designed except the mini-toggle switch is purposely not connected. This is a lovely instrument to play, with a powerful singing sound and plenty pf punch. It never had an original case and is supplied with a modern gig bag. Excellent - Condition.