I have a small shop in the town of Woodstock, New York, in which my part-time helpers and I currently produce about 10 instruments per month. There is more detail in the History section below. The instrument must satisfy the creative and emotional needs of the owner and it must play in tune.ДЄfter 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. Music has evolved over the years but there are still a few basic and fundamental constants rules that must be dealt with. And, by using different woods for body and neck, I am able to offer a wide variety of speaking voices and tonal capabilities. By experimenting with different types and combinations of wood, I seek to get the best possible tone from an instrument. Throughout my career I have tried to apply this principal to everything I build. If an instrument sounds weak acoustically, adding pick-ups will just amplify its shortcomings. The most important thing I learned is that, no matter what the instrument is, it is first and foremost acoustic. I worked on a great variety of instruments including Martin, Gibson, Fender, Kohno, Ramierez, banjos and mandolins, harp guitars and even a few sitars. Most of my early work was on acoustic instruments. I started in Washington, D.C., working in The Guitar Shop and doing repairs for a time to learn about other luthiersвЂ™ instruments and construction methods. вЂњI am Michael Tobias, and I have been building instruments since 1974. Matching heal - ВЈ50 to match body top or ВЈ25 to match fingerboard.Hand rubbed stain - ВЈ110 hand rubbed sunbursts, stains and fades: Chianti, amber, tobacco.Laquer finish - ВЈ550 sunbursts, c thru's: red, coral blue, amber, tobacco, cherry, fades.Ebony f/b - ВЈ110 Honduran Rosewood, Zirocote, macassar ebony, Rose of the Mountain.Bird's eye maple f/b - ВЈ275 catalyzed urethane finished.Maple f/b - ВЈ160 catalyzed urethane finished.Epoxy f/b - ВЈ160 satin epoxy coating on lined or unlined fretless.

Premium top - ВЈ300 - ВЈ800 burl, flame, quilted вЂ¦ maple, myrtle, woods subject to availability and price.MTD uses the licensed the Buzz Feiten Tuning System on all our basses, this revolutionary tuning system enhances tuning dramatically, allowing the player greater freedom of expression.

The standard finish for body and neck is a satin catalyzed urethane.

Pickups - Custom MTD Bartolini soapbars.

Body - Medium weight ash, Tulipwood, Alder, Makore.

Saratoga 5 - ВЈ3499 19mm string spacing at bridge, width at nut 1 7/8', width at last fret 3 1/16'.

Saratoga 4 - ВЈ3199 19mm string spacing at bridge, width at nut 1 1/2'', width at last fret 2 1/2'.

MTD AG6 - ВЈ5199 19mm string spacing at bridge, Andrew Gouche model.

MTD AG5 - ВЈ4799 19mm string spacing at bridge, Andrew Gouche model.

MTD 735 - ВЈ3499 19mm string spacing at bridge, width at nut 2 1/2', width at last fret 4 1/4'.

MTD 635 - ВЈ3399 19mm string spacing at bridge, width at nut 2 1/8', width at last fret 3 1/2'.

MTD 535 - ВЈ3299 19mm string spacing at bridge, width at nut 1 7/8', width at last fret 3 1/16'.

MTD 435 - ВЈ3199 19mm string spacing at bridge, width at nut 1 11/16', width at last fret 2 1/2'.

Tobias guitars bass