Guitar Addictions presents this 1998 Gibson-Era Tobias Growler 4 Bass guitar to invoke guttural gestures from your subterranean Bass Guitar Addictions!

This bass is right about 28 years old and it has been played. As such, she carries signs of use and wear, although none of them effect playability in anyway. Beginning with the top of the body, the pickup cover shows signs of string contact particularly from the 3rd and 2nd stings.
There are some very superficial scratches on the top but not many. they should definitely buff out if you’re of a mind to do so. There are some swirls around the base of the control knobs but they don’t really show in the photos Nothing to note around the neck pocket or the inside of the horns. The edge of the body is dent/ding free with just a slight scuffing between the bottom strap button and output jack. The back has a fair amount of superficial buckle rash that at certain angles gives a hazy sheen in the center of the back there is a small ding close to the cavity cover, but the Color and wood are indisturbed. The satin finish on the back of the neck is well worn, making it very comfortable to play. the frets are in great shape, smooth fret ends and only a couple very shallow divots on the first couple of frets. Nothing that strings will hang up on, just signs of jamming. The finger board is in very good shape.
There is also a decades old crack on the head stock that runs vertical with the grain, but not all the way through front to back. It is one the bass side of the headstock. This is not a crack the runs left to right that often ends in the headstock breaking off. The previous owner played this bass as is for over 20 years and said it has been very stable as it was there when he bought it back after the turn of the century. Please look at the photos closely as they can explain it better than I can. If the integrity of the wood in the headstock concerns you any at all, as a woodworker since 1987, I’d recommend having some Tite-Bond wood glue thinned out with water and injected into it with a 23 gauge or smaller hypodermic needle and syringe. I have reinforced many components of high end furniture this way when I’ve seen a similar flaw. Having seen this in many pieces of wood over the years, I am confident that it is a non-issue.

Please ask any questions that you might have prior to purchasing. This growling base will be professionally packed inside the Ibanez hard shell case and shipped fully insured requiring a signature upon delivery.

The Functional details of this model are as follows

Chances are, that if you’re here viewing this listing, you’re a bona fide Bass Nerd that knows and understands how magnificently engineered this bass actually is in reality. If you are not in the know of what elevates the functionality of this Growler above the countless other models of bass guitars available, here is a more detailed breakdown of “what it do.”

It isn’t called a “Growler” due to being your typical four string bass. It is not. This boutique bass earned its name from a fierce, low-mid snarl that cuts like a chainsaw through any dense mix. Built during the highly regarded late-90s production era in Nashville, Tennessee, it bypasses standard, cookie-cutter factory specs in favor of true master-built innovation. From its patented asymmetrical neck profile—which is hand-carved thinner on the treble side to mirror the natural anatomy of your hand—to the premium, multi-laminate Maple and Purpleheart construction, every single contour is designed for effortless speed and devastating performance.But the real magic lies under the hood.

The Electronics

The Pickup & Blend

The Growler uses a single, giant quad-coil Bartolini pickup that handles frequencies with incredible precision. The Blend (Pan) control lets you sweep seamlessly between the front half of the pickup (for that fat, rounded neck-tone) and the back half (for punchy, bridge-position bite).

Dual Channels (The "Bass Geek" Secret)

Here is where the magic happens: the bass has two separate, independent channels. Instead of just one global "Bass" and "Treble" knob, the Growler has stacked knobs that give you dedicated Bass and Treble cut/boost for the frontcoils and the back coils respectively. This means you can dial in massive low-end on the neck coils while simultaneously dialing in a crisp, bright treble on the bridge coils.

The Contour Switches

Flanking the EQ knobs are two 3-way mini-toggle switches (one for each coil half). These allow for incredibly quick tone-shaping:

• Up Position (Low/Mid Boost): Thickens the sound, adding great weight and presence.
• Middle Position (Flat): Bypasses the contour module for a completely neutral, transparent tone.
• Down Position (Scooped/Slap): Drops the mids and boosts the highs and lows, which is ideal for achieving that articulate "ultimate slap tone".

Power & Output

The system is powered by an 18-volt battery configuration Powered by two 9 volt batteries. This setup provides more headroom, ensuring the lowest, rumbling bass notes are reproduced with absolute clarity without distorting or clipping.

The Build Specs

Model: Tobias Growler 4-String

Body Wood: Solid Swamp Ash (ergononically contoured)

Neck Wood: 3-piece laminate (Hard Maple with a Purpleheart center strip)

Neck Profile: Proprietary Tobias Asymmetrical design (thinner on the treble side for ergonomic playability)

Neck Joint: Bolt-on (deeply recessed heel-less design for upper-fret access)

Fingerboard: Wenge

Frets: 24 cleanly seated frets (double-octave range)

Scale Length: 34 inches (standard long scale)

Nut Width: 1.614 inches / 41 millimeters

Nut Material: Genuine Bone

Pickup: Single Bartolini Quad-Coil humbucker

Preamp: Custom Bartolini 18-Volt dual-channel system

Controls: Master Volume, Pan/Blend knob, two dual-concentric (stacked) Bass/Treble EQ pots, and two 3-way mini-toggle Slap/Contour switches

Hardware: Black die-cast Gotoh compact tuners and a high-mass top-loading bridge

Finish: Premium Factory Upgraded Transparent Red Gloss (Polyester)

While the vast majority of mid-90s USA Growlers were shipped in standard Satin Natural, this specific instrument features the highly coveted, Premium Factory Transparent Red finish.

The translucent lacquer is perfectly applied, letting the deep, dramatic grain lines of the premium swamp ash body pop beautifully underneath the crimson tint. Because most Growlers on the used market are natural wood tones, this striking finish makes it a rare find for players and a legitimate standout piece for Tobias collectors. It looks incredible under stage lights and carries a major premium over the standard models.

As with any new to you guitar, a full setup for your playing preferences is recommended once you receive the guitar. Please ask any questions prior to purchase. Don’t be afraid to make an offer - that’s why the offer option is enabled! All of my items are offered for sale locally in Northern/Central Colorado, where I am able to sell at lower prices than I can here on Reverb. Don’t wait until someone buys it locally to think that you should have pulled the trigger - Once it is gone, it is gone! Guitar Addictions is a Reverb Preferred Seller. That means that you can purchase from Guitar Addictions not only with confidence, but you can pay with Reverb Bucks, Credit Card, PayPal or Affirm. Affirm is the easy financing program that allows you to pay a little each month but get your guitar now! Quick and easy application. Interest rate varies. Just add this guitar to your cart and choose Affirm as your method of payment. That will take you to the checkout process and the application. Please review feedback left for Guitar Addictions from previous customers and allow Guitar Addictions to satisfy your Guitar Addictions today