SOUND: I NEVER HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH TOBIAS OR BARTOLINI, BUT TOGETHER AS A PACKAGE THEY DELIVER A VERY GOOD TONE. PREVIOUSLY I HAD PLAYED A FENDER JAZZ ACTIVE EMG’S FOR ABOUT 7 OR 8 YEARS. THE TOBIAS HAS A MUCH MORE NATURAL TONE. THE DYNAMICS SEEM VERY CLOSE TO THE EMG’S BUT MAYBE NOT WITH QUITE AS MUCH PUNCH. THE BARTOLINI’S ARE ABLE TO REPRODUCE LOWERED TUNINGS VERY CLEARLY WITH ABSOLUTELY NO MUDDINESS (THOUGH NORMALLY I PLAY A STANDARD TUNING). RECORDS VERY WELL DIRECT TO BOARD. A VERY WIDE VARIETY OF VINTAGE AND ACTIVE SOUNDS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH THE CONTROLS RELATIVELY SIMPLE CONTROLS. I PARTICULARLY LIKE THE REAR MM-TYPE PICKUP WHICH GROWLS LOUDER AND LOUDER THE HARDER I HIT THE STRINGS.

ACTION/FINISH: THE BIGGEST SINGLE PROBLEM WITH THIS BASS WAS WITH THE BRIDGE. THE FRETBOARD WIDTH TRANSLATS TO BE VERY CLOSE TO A FENDER JAZZ’S BUT THE STRING WIDTH OF THE BRIDGE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY WIDER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO THAT THE TOP AND BOTTOM STRINGS WERE MUCH TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE NECK. I HAD TO CHANGE THE BRIDGE FOR A NARROWER BRIDGE AFTER WHICH THAT PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THE ASYMENTRICAL COUNTER OF THE NECK IS INTERESTING BUT NOT REALLY TO MY PERSONAL TASTE. I DON’T REALLY GET ANY GREAT ADVANTAGE FROM IT. THE TRUSS RODS ADJUST VERY WELL. PERIODIC ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE TO THE TRUSS RODS TO ADJUST THE NECK MAYBE EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SO. THE OVERALL WEIGHT OF THE BASS ( ABOUT 7.5 POUNDS ) HAS ITS ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGES IN THAT ITS NICE HAVING A BASS THAT’S SO LIGHT BUT THAT SAME LACK OF MASS NEGATIVELY AFFECTS STRING RESPONSIVENESS AND OVERALL TONE. THE FINISH WAS GOOD. I HAD A TRANSPARENT AMBER FINISH ON THE BODY AND AN OILED NECK. THE TOBIAS LOGO LOOGS VERY CHEAP UP LIKE A RUB-ON TATTOO FROM A GUMBALL MACHINE. EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS FINISHED VERY NICE, INLCUDING A FULLY SHIELDED CONTROL CAVITY.

RELIABLILITY/DURABILITY: SO FAR EVERYTHING ON THE BASS HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RELIABLE AND DURABLE.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT: I HAVEN’T ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ANYONE SO I CAN’T REALLY SAY BUT, TOBIAS (OWNED BY GIBSON) DOESN’T MAKE ITS AMERICAN MADE INSTRUMENTS ANYMORE , SO IF I DID NEED FUTURE SUPPORT IT’D PROBABLY BE DIFFICULT.

OVERALL RATING: A VERY GOOD OVERALL PACKAGE IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A LITE BASS WITH VERY NICE QUALITY PICKUPS, LOTS OF VERSITILE SOUNDS, AND A VERY PLAYABLE THIN NECK. IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT STUDIO INSTRUMENT.

Construction	85%
(VERY WELL MADE)
Appearance	90%
(HAS A VERY NICE OVERALL APPEARANCE. COOL HEADSTOCK)
Playability	85%
(BETTER WITH DIFFERENT BRIDGE)
Sound	90%
(VERY GOOD PICKUPS / ELECTRONICS)
Value	95%
(VERY GOOD CONSIDERING THE PRICE)
Overall	85%
(THE LACK OF MASS IN THE BASS IS ITS BIGGEST DRAWBACK)