• Gibson Tobias Bass Serial Numbers
• Gibson Tobias Serial Numbers
• Pre Gibson Tobias Serial Numbers

ABOUT US

Greetings, we are Michael Tobias Design, luthiers of some of the finest handcrafted American instruments— welcome to our virtual studio!

Tobias Signature 5 string Zebra top and back Wenge tone plate 7 pc Wenge neck Bartolini pickups and pre Serial number 3176 Switches are series/single/parallel for each pickup Some point someone Made this a 6 string and then converted it back effecting nothing other then the headstock hole filled tastefully. The first serial number was 0178, instead of the usual 0001, as a reference to the month the first bass was completed, January 1978. In 1990 Gibson Guitar Corporation purchased Tobias and moved production to Nashville. 30 famous chinese piano pieces pdf download. The first Tobias bass under Gibson ownership bore the serial number 1094.

We specialize in the creation of custom basses and guitars, with a great emphasis on sound, playability, and of course the look of each instrument. Every instrument is built-to-order, built to last, and built to match each player’s needs— but don’t just take our word for it, visit one of our dealers and try one for yourself!

We build approximately ten instruments per month, as experienced craftsmen in the design and construction of both electric and acoustic basses and guitars. Our current team consists of Michael Tobias, Daniel Tobias (Michael’s son), and long-time friend and associate Charlie Kniceley.

The first serial number was 0178, instead of the usual 0001, as a reference to the month the first bass was completed, January 1978. In 1990, Gibson Guitar Corporation purchased Tobias and moved production to Nashville. The first Tobias bass under Gibson ownership bore the serial number 1094. Tobias Bass Guitar Catalog Gibson era c.1999 The Classic, Growler Etc. $10: 1999 Tobias Steinberger Gibson Bass Dealer Packet: $19: Tobias Classic 5 low serial no. W/ Ohsc: $1725: Tobias Kb4 Bass Guitar, Micheal Tobias: $999: 90's Tobias Growler Bass - made in Usa: $1495: Tobias Basic 5 five string made in Usa bass with Preamp, Bartollini p. The first Tobias bass under Gibson ownership bore the serial number 1094. Trying to figure out what model my Tobias five string is with a serial number. Call Gibson (or fill out this form with the serial #). The first Gibson Tobias serial number was 1094.

Our knowledge and experience extends to consulting and development projects done for other companies, as well as our own. Such projects include the Lakland hollow body bass, the Modulus Genesis bass, a number of acoustic guitars, Alvarez (with Joe Veillette) baritone acoustic and ABG, and a project for American Showster (alongside Chris Hoffschneider).

THE TEAM

MICHAEL TOBIAS (FOUNDER)

I amMichael Tobias, and I have been building instruments since 1974. I started in Washington, D.C., working in The Guitar Shop and doing repairs for a time, to learn about other luthiers' instruments and construction methods. Most of my early work was on acoustic instruments. I worked on a great variety of instruments including Martin, Gibson, Fender, Kohno, Ramierez, banjos and mandolins, harp guitars, and even a few sitars.

After leaving Tobias Guitars at the end of 1992 and fulfilling my contractual obligations for consulting and non-competition with Tobias, I started building MTD (Michael Tobias Design) instruments at the beginning of 1994.

The most important thing I learned is that, no matter what the instrument is, it is first and foremost acoustic. If an instrument sounds weak acoustically, adding pick-ups will just amplify its shortcomings. Throughout my career, I have tried to apply this principal to everything I build. By experimenting with different types and combinations of wood, I seek to get the best possible tone from an instrument. By using different woods for body and neck, I am able to offer a wide variety of speaking voices and tonal capabilities.

Music has evolved over the years but there are still a few basic and fundamental constants— rules that must be dealt with. The instrument must satisfy the creative and emotional needs of the owner and it must play in tune.

CHARLIE KNICELEY (ASSOCIATE)

Gibson Tobias Bass Serial Numbers

Charlie, a Hudson Valley native (of thirty years), is a long-time friend and employee. He is a fine luthier, exceptionally talented musician, and is a cherished member of MTD. Charlie has worked with a number of top-notch artists such as Al Martino, Jerry Bale, Ron Carter, Eileen Fulton, Joe Beck, Ed Summerlin, Danny Lewis, Randy Ciarlante, Jack Dejohnette, Mike DeMicco, Warren Bernhardt, Pete Levin, Connie Francis, Danny Brubeck, Honi Coles, Billy Reed, Jimmy Eppard, Brenda Buffalino, Machan Taylor, Mimi Hines, Hal Linden, Enzio Stuarte, Lucille Ricardo, Lew Soloff, Lou Marini, Rashid Ali, and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. After retiring from the music scene in 1995, he has returned and has re-established himself in the musical fabric of the North East.

Daniel TobiaS

Shortly after graduating SMFA (School of Museum of Fine Arts) in Boston and receiving a B.F.A from Tufts University 2007, Daniel Tobias began his apprenticeship with Michael Tobias Design in 2009. Having been raised jointly by his parents and virtually every bass player that has ever held an MTD, Daniel applies his extensive knowledge and appreciation for the arts to the family tradition of crafting some of the finest handmade instruments in the world.

Having designed the Super 5 and Headless basses, Daniel remains a force of MTD basses and guitars. With the goal of carrying the timeless designs of MTD into the future, Daniel continues to work side by side with his father and MTD crew in Kingston, NY.

HISTORY

A future set in wood

Renowned for his passion, skill, and craftsmanship, MTD founder Michael Tobias began making guitars in the 1970s. Opening Tobias Guitars in April of 1977, Michael Tobias sold instruments through his first business, known as The Guitar Shop. The first Tobias Guitar (serial number 0178), followed soon after in January 1978.

Following the sale of The Guitar Shop in 1980, Michael Tobias relocated to San Francisco, where he partnered with manufacturing business, Sierra Guitars. A short-lived endeavor, Sierra Guitars produced about fifty instruments before Michael’s departure. Continuing on his creative journey, Michael Tobias relocated to Costa Mesa California, in May of 1981.

After several months of operating a repair shop in Costa Mesa, Michael Tobias relocated the business to Hollywood California. Tobias Guitars continued the repair and construction of custom instruments, (basses and guitars) with the help of long-time friend (and MTD family member) Bob Lee and Kevin Almieda.

Gibson Tobias Serial Numbers

A year after the relocation to Hollywood (1623 Cahuenga Blvd.) Tobias Guitars was able to retire from the repair business and focus solely on the creation of custom instruments. Kevin Almieda (Music Man) left Tobias Guitars and was succeeded by the additional members Bob McDonald and Makoto Onishi.

Pre Gibson Tobias Serial Numbers

'The business grew by leaps and bounds. In June of 1988, we had so many back orders that we could not accept any new orders until the January NAMM show in 1990.”- M.Tobias.

Tobias Guitars continued on, riding a wave of cult-like popularity. After several attempts to acquire larger and more equiped facilities to satisfy the demand for Tobias Guitars, it was time for a change— on January 1st of 1990, Michael Tobias sold Tobias Guitars to Gibson.

The Gibson Buyout

'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. Basses built during the 1990-1992 era were built by the same crew that had helped establish Tobias Basses, as one of the most sought after basses on the planet. We added several people during 1990 and ended up with a great 10-man shop.”- Michael Tobias

In early 1990, Gibson provided the resources and facilities necessary to satisfy the demand and continued production of Tobias Guitars. While the business prospered, the growing need for Tobias instruments remained a challenge. Tobias Guitars sought the help of outside Vendors, creating models such as the “Model T” and “The Standard' basses. By late 1992, in the interest of the corporation, Tobias Guitars relocated to Nashville— a move that after much deliberation, the original Tobias crew did not follow.

Despite Gibson's ownership of Tobias Guitars, all basses created up until the last Los Angeles Tobias/Gibson bass (serial number 2044) were hand built by the original Tobias team. While Michael Tobias left Tobias Guitars until the end of December, 1992, Michael Tobias served as a consultant for Gibson during the early stages of Tobias Nashville operations, the first production of instruments from Tobias Guitars in Nashville consisted of around 60 basses that were neither numbered nor completed by any member of the Los Angeles Tobias Guitars team.

the new instruments

After the sale of Tobias Guitars to Gibson, Michael Tobias honored his one year non-competition agreement, ending in December of 1993. During that time, he relocated to upstate New York, designed prototype instruments, and built the custom shop from which he operates today.

The first instruments to come from the New York shop (Eclipse) totaled fifty in number and were largely 35” scale bolt-ons with 3 neck thrus. Michael settled on the name Michael Tobias Design.

Gibson serial numbers 1952 to 1961, solidbody model

A number stamped with ink on the back of the headstock.
Gibson's solid bodys were released in 1952. Gibson did not use serial numbers at that time but started in 1953.
The first digit of the series number is the last digit of the year. If the stamped number consists of 5 digits, there is a space between the first and second digit (a separation between the last digit of the year and the actual serial number).
If it concerns a 6-digit serial number, there is no space, because the highest 4-digit number (9999) has been exceeded and the space therefore fills up. This was the case in the years 1955, 1956, 1959 and 1960.
In 1955, Gibson forgot to reset the series of serial numbers to 0001.
So they had only set the year from 4 to 5. For this reason the series of 4 digit serial numbers was exceeded after 9999.
Hence 5 digits and no space between the year (5) and the serial number. (after 5 9999 came 510 000)
Apparently the production was high in 1956 because 6 9999 is exceeded. Also in 1959 and 1960 there was a high production, 9 9999 is exceeded to 932 000 or higher.
Thus, from the production in 1959, a 1, 2 or 3 may be the second digit.
Gibson stopped the stamped serial numbers at the end of 1960, although a few instruments were made in 1961 with a 1 as a prefix. Some lap steels and Les Paul's from 1961 have such a serial number.
Another exception to the above rules is in the fall of 1958, where some Les Paul Juniors and Specials had a four-digit serial number.

Gibson serial numbers, from February 1961 until 1970
Gibson started in 1961 with a new series numbering system.
They wanted to apply a more structured series of sequences, but in practice the opposite happened. Numbers were reused during this period, and in many cases the numbers were not strictly applied for successive years.
For all models, the serial number is stamped on the back of the headstock. A number of serial numbers were duplicated from 1963
to 1969.
From this period the 5-digit and 6-digit numbers are easy to confuse and give an incorrect year.