Epiphone “Toby” Standard IV Bass Guitar Review – An Epi With a Temper

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Epiphone is one of those brands which started small and built up momentum to a point where they are no longer considered to be a cheap Gibson knockoff. These days, they are producing some of the best guitars and bass guitars you can find on the market. While Epiphone's goal may not be to break into the top tier segment of the market, they sure dominate the mid range and entry level categories.

When it comes to awesome beginner bass guitars, Epiphone Toby Standard IV definitely deserves a mention. This bass brings so much class and performance in what is essentially an entry-level price range, making it one of the hottest deals on the market when compared to other good basses that you can get for less than $200.

Body & Neck

The lightweight, compact body we see here was inspired by the work of Michael Tobias. This is evident from the contours and sleek lines which are designed for comfort, but good looks as well. Tonewood of choice that Epiphone went with is a pretty rare radiata, which is a breath of fresh air compared to the more standard basswood or Agathis we are used to seeing.

The neck is an asymmetrical design made of hard maple. The profile is thinner than your regular neck, thus giving you more speed on the fretboard, but it still retains enough rigidity. Overall, this guitar is built for maximum comfort.

Hardware

In terms of hardware, you are looking at all black pieces everywhere. Combined with the black finish of the guitar, this theme gives it a very stylish appearance. The bridge is your standard flush unit with four fully adjustable saddles. On the other end of the business, we see a symmetrical headstock with two die-cast machine tuners on each side. The quality of the hardware in general is pretty good considering the price of this model, and will hold the tune rather well.

Electronics

One quick glance at the pickups tells you that you're not dealing with your standard cheap units. Toby Standard IV sports a set of TBR Dual Rail and TBT Dual Rail humbuckers that deliver a pretty versatile tone. These are controlled by four knobs, including the Master Volume, pickup blend and center detent, Bass Cut and Treble Cut. That's a whole lot of fidelity for an entry-level bass guitar.

Sound

The tone you can expect to hear from this bad boy is pretty well balanced. There's a lot of crispy definition in the high end, and more than enough range in the low end. With that said, Toby packs that standard single coil color, which is pretty awesome for precision work. However, since we're talking about single coils here, it's going to have some of that hissing, although it's marginal at best.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, Epiphone Toby Standard IV is among the most refined entry level bass guitars you can find at the moment. It brings a great balance of style, functionality, and great tone to those who want to experience something a bit more stylish in the affordable range.

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