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You may have heard the news a while back that Gibson was relaunching the legendary Tobias brand of basses. Founded in the late 1970s by Michael Tobias, Tobias basses were truly cutting-edge for their time.
Tobias pioneered many of the modern bass guitar trappings we now take for granted, such as active pickups, ergonomic body contour, and—perhaps their most famous innovation—an asymmetrical neck profile that takes playing comfort to the next level.
Quick Overview
One look at a Tobias and you can tell it’s a bass player’s bass. When Gibson acquired the brand in the ‘90s, one thing they wanted to ensure was that they continued to bring the boutique quality and craftsmanship Tobias was known for, while maintaining an affordable enough price point that they would be consistently accessible for most players. With that in mind, they released the Growler bass, something of a pared-down version of a classic Tobias design.
Fast-forward to today—Gibson has re-launched the Tobias line, including the Growler, with a few notable upgrades. I got the chance to get my hands on a new Tobias Growler V— let’s take a deep dive into the specs and see if Tobias has still got it.
SPECS:
- Body: Natural, Satin-finish Paulownia
- Neck: Asymmetrical, Hard Maple with Purpleheart
- Fingerboard Material: Wenge
- Number of Frets: 24
- Scale Length: 34"
- Nut Material: Bone
- Bridge/Tailpiece: Babicz FCH5BK
- Tuners: Gotoh Compact Die-cast
- Bridge Pickup: Bartolini DL52CBJD3 Quad-coil Humbucker
- Controls: 1 x volume, Stacked Treble/Bass for coil 1, Stacked Treble/Bass for coil 2
- Switching: 2 x Mid Contour Mini Switches
Build Quality, Ergonomics & Playability
The first thing that struck me about the Growler was its incredibly light weight. Made from a little-known tonewood called Paulownia, the satin-finished, light-natural colored body was a shock to lift from the case—it’s much, much lighter than it looks. And, as I was able to tell just by striking a few notes unplugged, it's a really resonant wood, which got me hyped to plug it in and see how it sounds.
This lightweight tonewood upgrade (the original Growler used ash) is great news for any gigging bass player. With the industry-standard P-bass running nearly 10 lbs, bass players are accustomed to pulling more than their own weight in a live environment. Not so with the Growler—this thing’s only 7 lbs, so even the longest sets won’t pop your shoulder out of socket.
Plus, it’s super comfortable to hold, standing or sitting, thanks to its ergonomic design. The body is smallish with smooth contouring that adapts to your body as you hold it, and the neck in particular is a special treat to hold thanks to Tobias’ signature asymmetrical design. One of Michael Tobias’s greatest contributions to bass design, the asymmetrical neck is thicker toward the bass side, and thinner towards the treble side. This makes for an optimized shape that fits your hand perfectly so you won’t get fatigued, and allows easier upper-register access as well.
Electronics and Tone
While you might think a single pickup is not nearly enough versatility, well, think again. The Growler’s Bartolini Quad-Coil pickup at the bridge position is designed to effectively function as two humbuckers stacked one on top of the other, so you actually get all the versatility you would get from two pickups (and then some).
Each of the two “virtual” pickups has its own preamp channel with built-in 2-band EQ, and a contour switch for tone shaping and boosting. So, what looks like a stripped-down one-pickup design is actually a versatile tone-shaping powerhouse—Squier P-Bass, this is not (no shade though!).
With everything cranked, I was able to dig in and get some awesome growly tones (as one would expect from the name). But you can also roll back the controls and dial in a very diverse range of tones. From trebly and twangy, to clean and neutral, or scooped for better articulation in more aggressive tones—the world is your oyster with this level of control.
Verdict
No matter whether your bag is pop and R&B, to funk and metal, the Growler is an affordable bass that’s designed with real bass players in mind. Its ergonomic design makes for an incredibly comfortable playing experience, and all the tonal bells and whistles provide a range of versatility that bring a professional level of quality to a beginner's price point (well, nearly).
Would you please make it a practice to add either of these two very short phrases to your articles about new guitars and basses (and other stringed instruments) “Lefty model available.” Or “Lefty model not available.”
Thank you!