If you haven't heard, Mike Tobias is releasing the new Kingston Z Series basses on June 1. The Perfect Bass will have the first and LARGEST inventory of these basses available!!

We have 20 Z's coming in, 10 - 5 strings, 10 - 4 strings and 5 of each in Rosewood and Maple fingerboards. That covers all of the options!

Here's a couple of pics we shot while the prototypes we're "on loan" to take photos for our current ad in Bass Player Mag...featuring our very own Robert Ward! :)

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081kingston_z4_7.jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081kingston_z5_7.jpg

Here's a link to MTD's site with more info on the Z:
http://www.mtdbass.com/pages/zephyr.html

The pricing on them are as follows:

4 String - List: $1,249.00 ; TPB Player Price: $999.00
5 String - List: $1,299.00 ; TPB Player Price: $1,039.00

We're also throwing in FREE EXPRESS 3 DAY SHIPPING FOR ALL TB'ers who call to order and mention this thread! TOLL FREE: 866.751.3220

We are taking pre-orders now, so feel free to get in touch if you want to reserve one of the FIRST Z's to come out of production!

Peace!

Are the lefties still due in at the end of the year?

Are the lefties still due in at the end of the year?

I'm not sure when the lefties are due, but I'll find out...

Peace!

Are the lefties still due in at the end of the year?

Ok, I've heard back from Mike Tobias and the earliest that we're looking at having lefties in would be September-ish...

Hope that helps!

Peace!

Any idea who's doing the pups & pre?

Pretty sure it's Bartolini

Any other color options besides redish-orangish?

Any info or release date on that 6 string version?

love that sexy pumpkin burst:D

Any idea who's doing the pups & pre?

Pups are Korean, but sound pretty sweet! They're active pickups with a wood covering.

However, I have been talking to Mike T about getting in the direct replacement Bart pups. Aparently the pup cavity will accept a stock Bartolini pickup with no routing, but we do not yet know the model # on that pickup.

Peace!

Any other color options besides redish-orangish?

Not currently... We expect to see some additional colors later in the year. Again, I'd say September-ish that we'll see more colors and possibly a 6 string version.

Peace!

Pups are Korean, but sound pretty sweet! They're active pickups with a wood covering.

However, I have been talking to Mike T about getting in the direct replacement Bart pups. Aparently the pup cavity will accept a stock Bartolini pickup with no routing, but we do not yet know the model # on that pickup.

Peace!

Looks like a BC to me, but it could be an MK1. If it's a BC, it will take Nordstrand's pickups as well. Most Korean stuff uses MK1's because they're the same pickup for 4 and 5 strings (See Cort, Lakland 44-01/44-02, Elrick's Cort, Ibanez BTB). But the screws make me think BC...that would be mucho better.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/bartolini-bc-pickups.htm

There is a cherry burst Z5 on his site. Hope that makes it out soon.

There is a cherry burst Z5 on his site. Hope that makes it out soon.

September-ish is when we expect to start seeing other colors, fretless and 6 string models.

Peace!

Just wanted to let all of you know that the new Z's have arrived today!

At first play, I've been TOTALLY impressed with these basses!! They are even better than the prototypes and the quality on these basses are incredible for the price!

We'll ship the first 2 tomorrow for the 2 we had pre-orders on, but the rest are here and ready to ship!

I'll make another post when the basses are listed and able to be ordered online at our web site.

Peace!

All I can say is WOW!!!

Not only do these basses look incredible, but they sound even better!

I had the chance to demo a 5-string maple neck today and I was blown away. This bass had the sound, look and feel of a high in boutique bass but cost less than half the price.


You better get them fast, the MTD Z series is soon to be the epitome of this price range.

Check back here for our review of the "Z" soon

Is this forum the right place for advertising by a retailer? I appreciate the info, but it seems a little funny to me.....

I'll answer my own question: yes!!


sorry, thought this was in the regular bass forum (I got it thru an email)
Carry on the good work guys

I'll answer my own question: yes!!


sorry, thought this was in the regular bass forum (I got it thru an email)
Carry on the good work guys

;)

How would you say these compare to the earlier Saratoga models? Just curious...

How would you say these compare to the earlier Saratoga models? Just curious...

I hate to say it, but I think that the new Z is a much better bass... In fact, the Saratoga will be discontinued and the Z will be the only MTD produced in this price range from now on.

The Saratoga is a great bass, but the Z is closer to the experience that you get with Mike's USA product. I also believe that the overall build quality is better on the Z as well.

Peace!

ah, thank you both! that was pretty much the exchange I was looking for. Back in january I bought one of the last brand new 5 string Saratogas available. I was told there was a new model coming out, but just couldnt wait!

I think for my needs the Saratoga is the better bass for what Dimin stated. I wanted something super hi-fi, and I've enjoyed the top level hardware and electronics (real barts instead of something "designed" by bart). And to make myself feel even better, I prefer the flame maple tops to the burl of the the new Z. I just feel burl is a little to busy for my tastes.

The wood covered pickups are nice, but wouldnt be a deal breaker for me in any way.

Didnt mean to hijack the thread so much, the new basses look fantastic! Just wanted to justify my purchase! thanks gentlemen! :)

ah, thank you both! that was pretty much the exchange I was looking for. Back in january I bought one of the last brand new 5 string Saratogas available. I was told there was a new model coming out, but just couldnt wait!

I think for my needs the Saratoga is the better bass for what Dimin stated. I wanted something super hi-fi, and I've enjoyed the top level hardware and electronics (real barts instead of something "designed" by bart). And to make myself feel even better, I prefer the flame maple tops to the burl of the the new Z. I just feel burl is a little to busy for my tastes.

The wood covered pickups are nice, but wouldnt be a deal breaker for me in any way.

Didnt mean to hijack the thread so much, the new basses look fantastic! Just wanted to justify my purchase! thanks gentlemen! :)

You are quite justified! By the way, the real justification of any bass is what it sounds and feels like to YOU!

chekc out the pic of the Z:
www.myspace.com/michaeldimin

Any chance of us getting a sound clip of this bass in action? :)


-J

Any chance of us getting a sound clip of this bass in action? :)

+1 Now there's a good question!!!

+1 Now there's a good question!!!

Sound clip may be a stretch...for time reasons only. But we may be able to post a short video. We're actually looking at doing a podcast that will cover new and special pieces like this!

Here's a question.... If The Perfect Bass published a Podcast, would you subscribe to it? If we get a good deal of positive response on that, it may speed up our implementation of that! :)

PEACE!

Here's a question.... If The Perfect Bass published a Podcast, would you subscribe to it? If we get a good deal of positive response on that, it may speed up our implementation of that! :)

I would most definitely be interested. Though I have to admit that I'm off to google to find out what the h*ll Podcast means, right after I finish this reply :p

I would most definitely be interested. Though I have to admit that I'm off to google to find out what the h*ll Podcast means, right after I finish this reply :p


Haha!! Well fear not OnlyMe...until recently I myself was none the more familiar with Podcasts... But, I have been assimilated by the iPod Revolution and find that the free content you can get on iTunes via podcasts is pretty amazing!

Anyway, the new iPod (Apple's MP3 player) supports video. In iTunes (the way you get your music into the iPod), you can also subscribe to Podcasts that automatically download to your computer whenever a new one is uploaded (provided you are subscribed to the Podcast). These "Podcasts" can be audio, video or both.

Whenever you connect your iPod to your computer...VOILA! The latest Podcasts that you are subscribed to magically appear on your iPod.

Very slick stuff! In fact, if there's one reason to cave into the pop-culture that the iPod has become...it's to be able to tap into the Podcasts that are out there. There's some pretty amazing content out there and it's all FREE!

Anyway, that's what we are looking at producing say weekly or bi-weekly... We'd probaly have a WMV version that you could download off the web site also...for the iPod-less players out there... ;)

Thanks for the feedback!

Peace!

Oh mighty Ipod swami Bethea, I your humble stone (or is that Stones) aged semi computer illiterate servant have this obviously stupid question to ask you.

I know that you are a computer wiz, and so I don't feel so bad. Can I have access to a pod cast on my computer if I don't own an Ipod?
If so count me indubetably unanamously INNNNNNNNNNNN.

If you haven't heard, Mike Tobias is releasing the new Kingston Z Series basses on June 1. The Perfect Bass will have the first and LARGEST inventory of these basses available!!

We're also throwing in FREE EXPRESS 3 DAY SHIPPING FOR ALL TB'ers who call to order and mention this thread! TOLL FREE: 866.751.3220

I got gas, sorry fellas...

TPB is there any place I can see a review? Or perhaps you can give us one?
I need more information before I buy a bass without seeing it.

Do these sound anything like the Marilyn basses? Because if they do, you'll have my order before sundown.

How's the build quality, the neck, the finish (looks like oil from the pics).

I need intel... :hyper:

Thanks

SuperT

I've seen them from the very first prototype to the latter ones and now the production models (in fact I liked the neck on the production 5 better than on the proto 5). The build quality is really first rate. Mike T is setting each one up in the shop in Kingston. They have a much more old school vibe than the rest of the Kingston Line. Warmer and fuller sounding while still retaining the MTD growl.

I wouldn't say that the tone is quite as complex as a Marilyn but it for 1/4 the price it is an amazing bass.

Mike

Oh mighty Ipod swami Bethea, I your humble stone (or is that Stones) aged semi computer illiterate servant have this obviously stupid question to ask you.

I know that you are a computer wiz, and so I don't feel so bad. Can I have access to a pod cast on my computer if I don't own an Ipod?
If so count me indubetably unanamously INNNNNNNNNNNN.

HAHAHA!!! I've been called a lot of things...but never "swami", much less MIGHTY swami!!! HAHAHA!!! :)

If we do indeed move forward with the Podcast project (which I think we will fairly soon) we would also post WMV versions on the site for download. Not quite as slick as iTunes where you can "subscribe" and it automatically download when a new episode is posted, but the net effect is the same... Video content delivered straight to your computer, just not automated...but still pretty cool I think! :bassist:

By the way Joel, your bass is looking pretty sweet! I hope you got that pic I emailed!

Peace!

I've seen them from the very first prototype to the latter ones and now the production models (in fact I liked the neck on the production 5 better than on the proto 5). The build quality is really first rate. Mike T is setting each one up in the shop in Kingston. They have a much more old school vibe than the rest of the Kingston Line. Warmer and fuller sounding while still retaining the MTD growl.

I wouldn't say that the tone is quite as complex as a Marilyn but it for 1/4 the price it is an amazing bass.

Mike

+1 on Mike's eval! I have to second the neck as well. The prototype was a bit chunky, but the production model has come out VERY nice! It feels a LOT more like Mike T's US necks than I ever expected...

Build quality is EXCELLENT also! No complaints!

As far as the Marilyn comparison, I'm not familiar with that particular bass, but I'll see if I can put together a more detailed eval later today.

Peace!

I'll see if I can put together a more detailed eval later today.

Standing by... :cool:

SuperT

...to continue

The Marilyn is chambered and gives a really warm, compressed tone. The notes kind of roll off the fretboard. The Z's mahogany body adds a similar warmth, but the attack is a bit more precise than on a Marilyn. It is a very minor thing but I would say that the Marilyn has a more complex tone. The difference between a really fine bottle of wine and an extreremly rare one of a kind bottle.

Mike

Marilyn Chambers? oh my

+1 on Mike's eval!

I'll see if I can put together a more detailed eval later today.

Peace!

Bump...

I just played a 4 banger prototype. great sound and a REALLY powerful EQ. I mean it completely changed the sound of the damn thing. The mid range select has got to be my favorite part - it sounds just like a solo bridge Pup, but more warmth from the Neck.

I really like the sound of the reverse P pickups, but i hate the sound of mikes strings when brand new (great after a week) so didnt get the chance to really hear em.

i cant wait to try one! i was looking to get a 4 string jazz with a maple board(lakland JO or maybe a valenti) but the z4 maple might have changed my mind....we'll see.

hey mike, does parkway have any z's in yet? if so ill probabaly play one this weekend...maybe provide a review...

That's were I am, I was ready to purchase a DJ5 and then I saw this thread.

So I'm trying to decide what to do...

SuperT

yeah...getting slightly GASSY. soundclips would be amazing...

I got my preordered one the other day. It plays very very well.

I didnt get the chance to plug it in, because well....electronic issues, likely damaged from shipping.

The neck is VERY FAST and addicting. This bass is like crack, I'm hooked

Grady,
They have 2 a 4 and a 5. I played the 4 on Tuesday - it's really nice

Mike

nice, ill be there sometime this weekend to take it for a spin. thanks mike

nice, ill be there sometime this weekend to take it for a spin. thanks mike

We have nine 4 string and 8 5 string Z's in stock! Let us know if we can help!

Peace!

dont worry james, i'll let you know....i just want to play one first and the place mike and i are talking about is about 15 minutes from my house....a bit closer than you...thanks though.

dont worry james, i'll let you know....i just want to play one first and the place mike and i are talking about is about 15 minutes from my house....a bit closer than you...thanks though.

I hear ya... I had to throw that out there though... ;)

understandable...i mean, this is your thread. cant wait to play one of these things...what are the early feelings on the maple z's vs. the rosewood ones? i know when i play mtd heir basses prefer maple boards...im in no way a maple only guy though, any thoughts, feelings, or reflections? haha

TPB, do you have any close up shots of the new bridge? It would also be cool to see the side profile to see the thickness of the tops. I really wish you guys were closer to me so I could just come in and check it out. That ultra figured one with the maple board is just killing me.

so i played both a 4 and a 5 string today. unfortunately they both had rosewood boards so i didnt get to try the maple out yet. as sutton said, the neck plays amazingly...the amplified tone is pretty ncie as well, quick sounding, killer slap tone. the bridge pickup didnt get quite as nasty as a jazz bass bridge tone, but it still did that fingerstyle funk thing quite nicely. my favorite tone was when i scooped hte mids a bit adn cranked the bass and treble up almost all the way with both pickups on for a really quick and fat slap tone. i was also surprised at how p-bassish the neckj pickup could get.

the top looked amazing, and the mahogany body was really light, amybe 7-8 lbs.

my favorite things about it were deffinitely the aesthetic appeal and the slap tone. my least favorite thign was the sound of the mtd strings....very thin sounding i thought(im a d'addrio nickle wound guy). overall i liked it a lot, and there si a good chance i wll be considering ti as my chocie for a main 4 string somewher ein the next couple months. (fyi i was testing it through a mesa boogie 2x10 combo)

anyone care to post a comparative review of the maple board z's?

James, do you guys do financial planning? I have college coming up in September. Could i Pay you monthy or something?

Feel free to PM me if you don't want to talk here.


-Mark

Any chance of a 6-string Z? I'm planning on jumping to a 6, but the USA MTD's (and Roscoes) are out of my price range.

the 6 string z is supposedly in the planning stages....not sure if there has been a prototype yet or when(if) a 6 would hit the market. sometime this fall has been mentioned...btu who knows. i would message one of the mtd dealers or product specialists(miek dimin) they might know a bit more.

James, do you guys do financial planning? I have college coming up in September. Could i Pay you monthy or something?

Feel free to PM me if you don't want to talk here.


-Mark

Email me off the forum or give me a call and we'll see if we can work out some kind of layaway for you... :)

Any chance of a 6-string Z? I'm planning on jumping to a 6, but the USA MTD's (and Roscoes) are out of my price range.

Coming in September hopefully...

We're also a Spector dealer and we have some Legend 6's coming in if you're looking for a great budget 6.

Spector's bodies are too small for me. I'm a large man (6'5", 350lbs) and the bodies just are too small for my comfort.

Hi all - I rarely post (I know... I know...) but this thread is about the only thing going about the new MTD Z bass on the 'net right now (and I fine thread it is I might add!).

I've been playing an MTD Kingston passive fretless 5-string (I think they call this one the Artist series now?) as my main fretless bass for about 4 years now. I've done lots of recording / performing with it, and just played it at the Electric Factory in Philly during a show last Saturday - it still sounds great and I finally went back to MTD this week to look for a fretted version.

One thing led to another... and now I've got a new MTD Z5 bass on the way! It should arrive next week.

If you're interrested, I'll post a bit of a review on it here - especially if it's in enough playing shape for my gig the following weekend.

Regards,
-Sephage

If you're interrested, I'll post a bit of a review on it here

Please do so, most definitely interested!! Thanx in advance

By tuesday, wednesday nex week, I'm planning a roadtrip to the only Belgian dealer. They probably won't have one in stock, but I hope to get more info on when they'll be available in EU and to get an idea of the price over here... fingers crossed

Please do so, most definitely interested!! Thanx in advance

OK - here goes!

Appearance / Workmanship:
I received the bass last night. It looks amazing. It is also quite light for a 5-string. Workmanship is top-notch, especially for a bass that sells for under $1000 USD. Hardware is all very good, electronics cavity is clean. The finish is not very hard, so you can almost smell the wood when you're up close to the bass! I am still in the process of setting up the bass (neck bow, intonation, string height, etc.). Action out of the box was pretty low, and neck was a bit straight due to humidity (not surprising since the neck is a one-piece). The intonation was excellent except for the B-string (easily fixed).

Playability:
The bass plays *amazingly well*. I felt very comfortable on it immediately. What impressed me the most is that the neck seems to have no dead spots, or maybe only in the 22-24th fret range of the B-string (and who plays there anyway? :-).
Notes play and ring out very clearly all over the neck in a way that I would not expect from a bass in this price range. I think it weighs under 9lbs - which is pretty light for a 5-string bass so it's really comfortable on a strap. B-string is good but not amazing (though adjusting for intonation and proper string height improves the performance of the B).

Sound:
Overall the sound is very good. I think due to the lighter weight it does not have a deep sound - though this can be adjusted pretty easily by rolling off the highs and mids and boosting the bass of the on-board active EQ. The electronics are a little "hot" - *VERY* noisy (hissing) when you boost the highs - I know this is common even on expensive basses, but I felt that the volume of the hiss was disappointing for a bass in this price range.
The sound is versatile, but don't cut all of the 3-band EQ at the same time - that will make the bass sound pretty 'dead' with VERY low volume if you do.
So - the basic sound is very good, but the EQ on the bass is not fantastic (especially compared with my Carvin active 5-string which has very low noise electronics).

So - I think I will keep it :-). The bass will probably rule the under $1000 price range for some time to come - it's a bargain at the price. I think a big improvement would be installation of real Bartolini soapbar pickups and electronics but otherwise it's a winner.

In october a new shipment of Z's should arrive, including the long awaited Z6 and new colors for the Z4 and Z5. Are any of these coming to TPB?

In october a new shipment of Z's should arrive, including the long awaited Z6 and new colors for the Z4 and Z5. Are any of these coming to TPB?

Actually yes! We have 4 of each color/string/fingerboard combo coming in, including the fretless versions!

If you're looking for a Z, we'll have them!

I'll make a post our here when they arrive as it will take a while to get all of the new pieces on our site.

Peace!

Actually yes! We have 4 of each color/string/fingerboard combo coming in, including the fretless versions!

If you're looking for a Z, we'll have them!

I'll make a post our here when they arrive as it will take a while to get all of the new pieces on our site.

Peace!

May I ask what these colors and combo's are? What color will the sixes be offered in?

There's only a few options on the Z:

Fingerboard - Maple, Rosewood, Ebonol Fretless

Colors - Burl Maple, Trans Cherry, Tobacco Sunburst

Strings - 4, 5 or 6 string

That's it! We'll have at least 4 of each model in stock sometime in November, and a few lefties here and there as well. We are taking advance orders, so if you want to make sure you get one soon, give us a call!

Peace!

Colors - Burl Maple, Trans Cherry, Tobacco Sunburst
Peace!

The Translucent Cherry and Tobacco Sunburst being the new colors. The Kingston Heir comes in those same colors, so you can check'm out already on the MTD site (http://www.mtdbass.com/pages/heir_pp.html)

hmmm... The Cherry doesn't float my boat, the sunburst is nice, but I think I still like the Burl Maple better :) specially with the maple fingerboard.

There's only a few options on the Z:

Fingerboard - Maple, Rosewood, Ebonol Fretless

Colors - Burl Maple, Trans Cherry, Tobacco Sunburst

Strings - 4, 5 or 6 string

That's it! We'll have at least 4 of each model in stock sometime in November, and a few lefties here and there as well. We are taking advance orders, so if you want to make sure you get one soon, give us a call!

Peace!

Hey James,

Would you happen to know if the maple fretboard option, will these always get the darker wood colored pick up covers? I like how that looks, and would probably go with the maple board.

~ Thanks

Hey James,

Would you happen to know if the maple fretboard option, will these always get the darker wood colored pick up covers? I like how that looks, and would probably go with the maple board.

~ Thanks

The pickups on the Burl Maple top are always the same color... We haven't received the new color options yet (they are scheduled to arrive sometime late November), and no one has seen them yet, so I don't know what the pickups look like on those yet.

When we get the new colors, they'll be up on our site in a hurry, so stay tuned!

Otherwise, on the basses you see on our site, if you order one, you are ordering the bass pictured. So you know exactly what your bass would look like. We call this BYSIBYG or the Bass You See Is the Bass You Get!

Peace!

The pickups on the Burl Maple top are always the same color... We haven't received the new color options yet (they are scheduled to arrive sometime late November), and no one has seen them yet, so I don't know what the pickups look like on those yet.

When we get the new colors, they'll be up on our site in a hurry, so stay tuned!

Otherwise, on the basses you see on our site, if you order one, you are ordering the bass pictured. So you know exactly what your bass would look like. We call this BYSIBYG or the Bass You See Is the Bass You Get!

Peace!


James, thanks for the response. That's an awesome service: BYSIBYG. I'll wait for the new ones to arrive before I decide on color. Cheers, Adam

Just bought an MTD Z4 and this bass is awesome. It has a feel unlike any bass I've played before. The variation you can get with the electronics is nothing short of amazing. Mine has the maple fretboard which gives it a bit more articulation than the rosewood. The fit and finish on my instrument is wonderful, and the setup was superb. I can't believe this quality of instrument can be had under a thousand. Also, have to plug "THE PERFECT BASS". From start to finish their service was terrific. Definitely have them as the source of choice from now on. Thanks!

Just bought an MTD Z4 and this bass is awesome. It has a feel unlike any bass I've played before. The variation you can get with the electronics is nothing short of amazing. Mine has the maple fretboard which gives it a bit more articulation than the rosewood. The fit and finish on my instrument is wonderful, and the setup was superb. I can't believe this quality of instrument can be had under a thousand. Also, have to plug "THE PERFECT BASS". From start to finish their service was terrific. Definitely have them as the source of choice from now on. Thanks!

The Z4/maple is definately my favorite between the Z4-5 and Z6. It really has something special!

Congrats!

The Z4/maple is definately my favorite between the Z4-5 and Z6. It really has something special!

Congrats!

Hi 1Kinal,

What do you thing the Z4 has over the 5 or 6? I can imagine that it's probably extreemly comfortable with the 34" scale.

Thanks ~ SoundsOfOcean

I'm generally a 5 string player. But like I said the Z4/maple really has something special and many people who tried them all said like me.

If you don't know, I was asked by the canadian distributor of MTD to demo the basses recently at MIAC (canadian NAMM). What a surprise I got when I was told that Mike T. himself was going to be by my side during the whole show...

Anyway, back to topic:

First I think the maple fb balance really well the acoustic sound of the mahogany. That is true for all models. All the maple fb Z's I've tried were definately more "alive" sounding than the rosewood. Mahogany+rosewood was a bit too dark sounding for my taste. On the other hand, I only had the Z6 rosewood at the show, and this one was very sweet (even if I'm not a 6 player)!

As for the Z4/maple, this one stands out for my because by soloing the neck pickup you get a real p-bass sound. Mike said he compared the Z4/maple to an old p-bass he has at his shop and supposely they were sounding extremely close. Mike also agreed with me (or probably the opposite...) that it was not the case with the Z5.

Don't get me wrong, the Z5 is a very good bass but if I'd get a free Z, that'd be a Z4...and it's weird for a guy like me who always gig with a 5.

Finally, the Z6 (rosewood) was sweet. The low register was extremely fat, more than the 5 and the high register notes were singing! Unfortunately, a 6 is just too big for me and that's really not my style but this one was cool. The neck was very easy to play but keep in mind the 19mm spacing makes it for a WIDE neck.

As for the scale, I'm used to 35" so both were very comfortable for me. Yes the 4 was easier because of 34" scale but the 5 and 6 are so well designed that anybody would get used to it in a very short time. The neck is one of the best feature of the MTD's for me but even if I was first afraid of the 19mm, tonight I played my 2nd gig with mine (Heir 5 /maple) and it just felt perfectly right. The neck profile and radius also makes slap SO easy you won't beleive it.

Let me know if you have any other question.

Thanks for the explanation! It's cool that it comes close to a Pbass! I'm a prior MTD 535 owner, and know first hand the ergonomics. They all can be set up to play like butter! I also owned an Heir Maple at one time as a back up bass or gigging bass.

Norm Stockton was the one who got me into MTDs.. I was taking lessons from him in San Diego @ Bass Alone. Great guy and player, If I might throw him a shamless plug :)....

Cheers!


I'm generally a 5 string player. But like I said the Z4/maple really has something special and many people who tried them all said like me.

If you don't know, I was asked by the canadian distributor of MTD to demo the basses recently at MIAC (canadian NAMM). What a surprise I got when I was told that Mike T. himself was going to be by my side during the whole show...

Anyway, back to topic:

First I think the maple fb balance really well the acoustic sound of the mahogany. That is true for all models. All the maple fb Z's I've tried were definately more "alive" sounding than the rosewood. Mahogany+rosewood was a bit too dark sounding for my taste. On the other hand, I only had the Z6 rosewood at the show, and this one was very sweet (even if I'm not a 6 player)!

As for the Z4/maple, this one stands out for my because by soloing the neck pickup you get a real p-bass sound. Mike said he compared the Z4/maple to an old p-bass he has at his shop and supposely they were sounding extremely close. Mike also agreed with me (or probably the opposite...) that it was not the case with the Z5.

Don't get me wrong, the Z5 is a very good bass but if I'd get a free Z, that'd be a Z4...and it's weird for a guy like me who always gig with a 5.

Finally, the Z6 (rosewood) was sweet. The low register was extremely fat, more than the 5 and the high register notes were singing! Unfortunately, a 6 is just too big for me and that's really not my style but this one was cool. The neck was very easy to play but keep in mind the 19mm spacing makes it for a WIDE neck.

As for the scale, I'm used to 35" so both were very comfortable for me. Yes the 4 was easier because of 34" scale but the 5 and 6 are so well designed that anybody would get used to it in a very short time. The neck is one of the best feature of the MTD's for me but even if I was first afraid of the 19mm, tonight I played my 2nd gig with mine (Heir 5 /maple) and it just felt perfectly right. The neck profile and radius also makes slap SO easy you won't beleive it.

Let me know if you have any other question.

:hyper: Any day now right?

I'm looking forward to seeing the other Z5 colors :)

Yes, we have heard from MTD that the new Z's are "on the water"...meaning that they have shipped from overseas. So we wait approximately 2-3 weeks for them to arrive in the US and clear customs.

After that process is complete, they are quality checked and set up before shipping to us.

I believe the order that we have coming will be the largest MTD inventory in the US and they tell me that our shipment will be shipped first!

We'll make a post as soon as we start recieving product and getting pictures taken!

FYI, we have all available models of the Z coming in...4/5/6 string, rosewood/maple, fretted/fretless all colors! We even have a few lefties coming as well!

Peace!

Awesome! Thanks a lot for the detail James! Looking forward to it!

Can't wait!:hyper:

Ok, here's a brief update on my Zephyr 5 quest...

I couldn't wait for the next batch of Z's with the more traditional colors.

I bought one from Brandt at TPB, and his customer service was stellar! James knows how to pick em!

Anyway, the Bass is great! When I first checked out a Zephyr in person it was thru a little amp and I didn't have the chance to feel it (pushing some air, you know what I mean)? My original impression was the output on the bass was lowish... Ok, so it might not be a full on 18v master blaster, but when I finally plugged in mine to a GK Backline 210 combo, turned off the pad switch on the amp, and set all the pre-amp knobs on the bass (B,M,T), to center click, pick ups in center, and turned up 1/2 way. The tone was clear, and full ranged. Really, with it set right I can see no reason to have the Bass tone cranked (I take it back.. I might have said this somewhere else on TalkBass).

I plan on recording some samples for you all to hear to see if it's right for you. This bass, as advertised comes real close to a 535 in tone. Playability wise, it's no different to me. I have some recordings of my 535, and my plan is to do a full on A/B. Play the same parts on a different track.

My goal with this bass was to get back my MTD tone, and I'm very happy to say, I'm close enough and satisfied.

This is a very nice bass!

Greetings,

Maybe you already know, but I found a link showing pictures of the new Z6. Here it is:

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/media/thumbnails.php?album=199

I'm looking forward to this bass, but I will go for the maple neck. I already own a Kingston Heir (it is passive of course) but it sure does the job.

Kind regards,
Woodman

Greetings,

Maybe you already know, but I found a link showing pictures of the new Z6. Here it is:

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/media/thumbnails.php?album=199

I'm looking forward to this bass, but I will go for the maple neck. I already own a Kingston Heir (it is passive of course) but it sure does the job.

Kind regards,
Woodman


Yes indeed, the 6 is pretty tempting!

A good bunch of folks including myself are looking forward to a glimpse of the new Zephyr finishes..

They'll be here soon! :)

any news of the new finishes ?

are you all going to NAMM ?

We'll have every option...in every finish... :)

We expect them in the next 2 weeks!

What's the price going to be on the Z6? (street)

The KZ 6 Lists at $1,499 and sells for $1,199! :)

We'll have every option...in every finish... :)

We expect them in the next 2 weeks!

Oooooooo -

Maple fb? Fretless? String spacing looks like about 18mm?

Oooooooo -

Maple fb? Fretless? String spacing looks like about 18mm?

The 4 & 5 Strings are both standard Jazz spacing (I think 19mm), I think the 6 is a tad smaller, but I could be wrong.

Any of these Zephyr basses are totally awesome! Once I adjusted it to my liking, it plays like butta! To me, these are the best necks in the business, and the Zephyr has so much to offer right out of the box.

I'm generally a 5 string player. But like I said the Z4/maple really has something special and many people who tried them all said like me.

If you don't know, I was asked by the canadian distributor of MTD to demo the basses recently at MIAC (canadian NAMM). What a surprise I got when I was told that Mike T. himself was going to be by my side during the whole show...

Anyway, back to topic:

First I think the maple fb balance really well the acoustic sound of the mahogany. That is true for all models. All the maple fb Z's I've tried were definately more "alive" sounding than the rosewood. Mahogany+rosewood was a bit too dark sounding for my taste. On the other hand, I only had the Z6 rosewood at the show, and this one was very sweet (even if I'm not a 6 player)!

As for the Z4/maple, this one stands out for my because by soloing the neck pickup you get a real p-bass sound. Mike said he compared the Z4/maple to an old p-bass he has at his shop and supposely they were sounding extremely close. Mike also agreed with me (or probably the opposite...) that it was not the case with the Z5.

Don't get me wrong, the Z5 is a very good bass but if I'd get a free Z, that'd be a Z4...and it's weird for a guy like me who always gig with a 5.

Finally, the Z6 (rosewood) was sweet. The low register was extremely fat, more than the 5 and the high register notes were singing! Unfortunately, a 6 is just too big for me and that's really not my style but this one was cool. The neck was very easy to play but keep in mind the 19mm spacing makes it for a WIDE neck.

As for the scale, I'm used to 35" so both were very comfortable for me. Yes the 4 was easier because of 34" scale but the 5 and 6 are so well designed that anybody would get used to it in a very short time. The neck is one of the best feature of the MTD's for me but even if I was first afraid of the 19mm, tonight I played my 2nd gig with mine (Heir 5 /maple) and it just felt perfectly right. The neck profile and radius also makes slap SO easy you won't beleive it.

Let me know if you have any other question.


OK! - 6 string w/19mm, 34" scale and avail maple fb - tobacco sunburst or burled (not crazy about the orange tint though)...if this comes in fretless I'll certainly have to squirrel some funds away and sell some stuff to make this work.

OK! - 6 string w/19mm, 34" scale and avail maple fb - tobacco sunburst or burled (not crazy about the orange tint though)...if this comes in fretless I'll certainly have to squirrel some funds away and sell some stuff to make this work.


The Z4 is 34" scale. Both the Z5 and Z6 are 35" scale. Available fretted with rosewood or maple. The fretless models (4-5-6) gets an ebonol fingerboard.

My original message was wrong regarding the string spacing. The Z4 and Z5 are 19mm while the Z6 is 18mm. Sorry for the confusion.

The Z4 is 34" scale. Both the Z5 and Z6 are 35" scale. Available fretted with rosewood or maple. The fretless models (4-5-6) gets an ebonol fingerboard.

My original message was wrong regarding the string spacing. The Z4 and Z5 are 19mm while the Z6 is 18mm. Sorry for the confusion.

These are the same standard string spacings for the American MTD 435, 535, and 635 basses. I bet the Zephyr 6 is exceptional like the others!

such comfortable necks....i have yet to play a maple fb z, but i want to rather badly.

such comfortable necks....i have yet to play a maple fb z, but i want to rather badly.

It'll go nice with your GK amp as well. I'm using a GK now. Cheers

The Z4 is 34" scale. Both the Z5 and Z6 are 35" scale. Available fretted with rosewood or maple. The fretless models (4-5-6) gets an ebonol fingerboard.

My original message was wrong regarding the string spacing. The Z4 and Z5 are 19mm while the Z6 is 18mm. Sorry for the confusion.

Ah wazzafray duhdat!

Gots to be a 34, gots to have a maple fb, and gots to have 19mm - looks like it's back to saving for the custom-made Roscoe!

Ah wazzafray duhdat!

Gots to be a 34, gots to have a maple fb, and gots to have 19mm - looks like it's back to saving for the custom-made Roscoe!

For these specs I think you'll have to go custom unfortunately.

No 6's on your website yet, what gives?:( Have you recieved your shipment?

We've received some and we have the remainder of our order coming in the next week. In total we have 114 pieces coming in, and we've received about 60 so far...

We lost our graphic person a couple of weeks ago, so we are behind on site updates. We hope to have some photos of each model available very soon. We also QC everything as soon as it arrives, and we just completed that process for what is here.

Regarding QC, out of the 60 instruments we've received, we found 1 instruments with a minor cosmetic blemish! That's pretty phenomenal and we applaud MTD for producing a VERY consistent instrument!

The new colors are pretty sweet! I particularly like the tobacco sunburst! The fretless models are also VERY nice! More to come soon!

Peace!

Here's mine!
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/atechinc/100_0793.jpg

Anything new from Traben? I see that no new pics have been posted on the site, anyway you can post a pick of a sunburst Z6 here?

Is the Z6 available in lefty trim with the sunburst finish?


-J

We have the Z6 lefty in stock in Amber! Sunburst is not currently available.

picked up the Z4 yesterday and so far, it is amazing. Once i stopped drooling over the design and wood and played, it sounded so similar to the 435 I had played at the shop, it was scary. I absolutely love this bass, and I cannot stop playing/looking at it.

Thank you Michael Tobias! 1000 bucks well spent. :hyper:

Did you get it from us? If not, why not? :)

james, are the pickups an=ble to be modded and while stil having the wooden covers?

If I were you, I'd wait to think about modding this bass. I thought based on low output that I might want to do this, change the pre to start, and after playing it for a while, I'm happy leaving it as is.

I bought a Z5, maple board from TPB in Dec. It's the amber one you see on the main TPB home page :) A nice looker huh? We'll it sounds and feels even better. Just go for it dude!

james, are the pickups an=ble to be modded and while stil having the wooden covers?

james, are the pickups an=ble to be modded and while stil having the wooden covers?

I'm not sure what you mean?? I haven't taken any of the pickups out of one of the Z basses, but I'm sure they're potted... So I doubt you could remove them and successfully re-wind them...

You could certainly purchase custom pickups of the same dimension with wood covers...

But, the stock pups on the Z are pretty sweet! :)

My Z4 sounds really good, but I am tempted to put in Bartolini Pups. Any suggestions James? and do you carry those pups?

I'll check with Mike. Last we spoke about the Z, he said that the cavity for the pickups fit a stock Bartolini pickup, but I can't remember the model.

I'll find out and let you know which ones will fit...

Peace!

Hi James,
is it possible to send one (a Z-5 rosewood) in Paris,France?
do you know aproximatively the shipping amount?
thanks,;)

sorry i was unclear earlier james. my thought was maybe throwing nordstrand fat stacks in there....i agree though, the stock pickups and pre really are nice in the z's. along with lakland skylines, they are my favorite "budget" basses on the market.

The stock replacement pickups for the Z basses from Bartolini should be as follows:

Z4 - BC Series Soapbars (http://www.bartolini.net/information/bass/4st_bass_pu_s.htm)
Z5 - P2 Series Soapbars (http://www.bartolini.net/information/bass/5st_bass_pu_s.htm)
Z6 - P4 Series Soapbars (http://www.bartolini.net/information/bass/6st_bass_pu_s.htm)

The word is that the dimension spec on the stock pickups should be the same as these models from Bartolini. However, I have to qualify that with the fact that we have not installed these pickups on any Z basses at this time, nor made any attempt to.

We will be getting in some sets of these pups to make sure that they are direct replacements...

Gotcha gkbass13 - Not sure what the specs on the Nordy is, but the route should fit the Barts listed above. If the Nordy is the same, it should work fine. I'll see if I can look into that (we carry Nordy pups...) and get back to you on it...

Peace!

I was looking at a Carvin fretless 6string to get with my tax refund but these Z6's may have lured me in. A few questions though....

Hows the growl?
Hows the mwah?
Hows the sustain?

I was looking for a neckthrough (hence the Carvin) but after researching the topic on TB, I think it isnt a priority, a great sounding bass is a great sounding bass right?

One thing I really dug on the Carvins is the peizo option, I do a lot of jazz and a peizo bridge gives a more airy almost upright tone. How hard would it be to add in a peizo system or is it needed to get a wooly airy sound?

Could you tell me when/if a lefty Z6 will be available with Tobacco Sunburst or Translucent Cherry finish?


Thanks!

-J

We have 2 lefty Z6's in stock, but both are Burl Maple/Amber with Maple fingerboard. We don't have any other combos on lefty Z6's coming in any time soon... Sorry Quick, wish I could help you on that...

You're welcome to one of the 2 we have in stock! :)

Check them out on this page of our site...they are the last 2 basses on the page, so you'll have to scoll to the bottom:

http://www.theperfectbass.com/mtdz6.cfm

Peace!

We have 2 lefty Z6's in stock, but both are Burl Maple/Amber with Maple fingerboard. We don't have any other combos on lefty Z6's coming in any time soon... Sorry Quick, wish I could help you on that...

You're welcome to one of the 2 we have in stock! :)

Check them out on this page of our site...they are the last 2 basses on the page, so you'll have to scoll to the bottom:

http://www.theperfectbass.com/mtdz6.cfm

Peace!

Thanks for the info, I'll keep an eye on the website for updates.

I've got my heart set on finding a Z with one of the alternate finishes but when you get them in stock shoot me a PM, I'm DEFINITELY interested!!!


-J

thanks James for your e-mail!
i'm waiting fairly about the infos;
i know how much works it takes,
so, like the others Z fans,i'm dreamin'
fermely about my future Z6-maple-burple,
rosewood!!!;)

Hey TRBman, thanks for your patience! Brandt should be in touch soon with the info you're looking for.

Peace!

Here's a bump on this thread... We have a lot of our Z6's in stock now! Here's a link to the Z6 page of our site:

http://www.theperfectbass.com/mtdz6.cfm

We have another MTD shipment coming in soon, but I'm not sure how many 6's are in that shipment. We'll post when they arrive and are QC'd!

On another note, I'm cleaning up the forum a bit today and merging this thread with another Z thread already in place...it's getting a little crowded, so we're trying to tidy up the place. :)

Peace!

Here's a bump on this thread... We have a lot of our Z6's in stock now! Here's a link to the Z6 page of our site:

http://www.theperfectbass.com/mtdz6.cfm

We have another MTD shipment coming in soon, but I'm not sure how many 6's are in that shipment. We'll post when they arrive and are QC'd!

On another note, I'm cleaning up the forum a bit today and merging this thread with another Z thread already in place...it's getting a little crowded, so we're trying to tidy up the place. :)

Peace!

Woow! plenty of Z6's? hmmmm,i think i'm going to rush!!!
but before you'll cleaned maybe too much the forum:smug: can you help me please,before to catch one: for my future Z6 amber-murple, about fb,rosewood or maple for a 6? whose of the both is best or
give some specifics advantages for that 6 neck? (sorry,i'm pretty addicted too for pop'n'slap)
any advices from others Z6 players, very welcome!!!

:) TRBman, we have been having a problem with International shipping for the last week or so due to an error with the FedEx system that we use. We have been unable to quote accurate shipping rates for International shipping during this time.

I believe that we were able to get that resolved late last week. So hopefully you'll get a shipping quote soon.

Thanks for your patience!

ok, thanks James;
better to be sure for avoid problems with international shipping!
never works with UPS? do you know usuly the time between your located state and Europa?
at last, how many Z6 rosewood in stock?
i'll be patient for a well decided instrument!

Just to let anyone know, the 6 string version of this bass is very neck heavy and I am very disappointed with it!!

Well, the Z has a pretty lightweight body on it, which keeps the overall weight of the instrument down. An average Z5 is under 9 pounds...which is pretty light!!

The neck on the Z6 has 18mm string spacing (center of string to center of string at the bridge) and has 2 truss rods for maximum setup efficiency.

On a neck that wide, with a body built to not break your back, you're going to have some neck dive... The alternative is to go with a heavier body which results in an overall heavier bass...not a compromise a player with back problems (probably due to lugging around an 8 x 10 cab for years... :) ) would likely want to make.

When playing in a sitting position, you'll feel the neck dive more...as with any instrument. With the bass strapped on standing up, we experienced little or no neck dive when using a comfort strap (which we have in stock as well...).

If you're using a slick leather strap, I can see you having an issue. My recommendation would be to go with a strap with a little "grip" like the Comfort Strap.

I have to sum it up this way also... For $1,199.00, the Z6 is by far one of, if not the best value in high quality, yet affordable 6 string instruments available!

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but in ours...the Z6 is a huge winner!

Peace!

I have to sum it up this way also... For $1,199.00, the Z6 is by far one of, if not the best value in high quality, yet affordable 6 string instruments available!

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but in ours...the Z6 is a huge winner!

Peace!

And it's available fretless! :hyper:

(says J., who's been looking for an affordable-yet-quality fretless six)

J.

And it's available fretless! :hyper:

(says J., who's been looking for an affordable-yet-quality fretless six)

J.

I hear you regarding the fretless 6 - of course my Brice V2 only cost $199 new and I put a Bart 3-band preamp in it. It's KILLER...and I don't get upset if someone spills beer on it.

Those Z's are nice (and fitting, since that's my initial), but it would have to have a fretless maple board. If not, then all black with an ebony board...I'm tired of rosewood residue on my fingers.

Nice stuff on your myspace, by the way....

Z

Hey guys.
I was wondering if a store up here in Toronto could buy the bass off you guys.
They offer a killer deal where I can put 20% and take it home and pay monthly.
I would love to buy it directly from you guys, but I just can't :(
Unless you're willing to do something like that.
PM if needed :)

Hi Mark,
Unfortunately, we don't have any procedure in place that would allow us to do a transaction like that... In addition, I believe it would be a violation of our dealer agreement with MTD to ship sideways to another dealer.

In the end, it may also cost you quite a bit more than if you purchased it from us directly. Unfortunately, we do not offer financing options for you to make the purchase.

I would also encourage you to read the fine print on any financing programs that are out there... Several major instrument dealers offer interest free financing for certian periods of time, however, when the deal becomes full term, they often hit you with userously high interest rates...

We choose not to participate in these types of programs because it encourages debt with interest rates that we feel are nearing a criminally high rate.

If in the future, we can find a financing program that offers reasonable rates, we may offer that service to our customers. In the mean time, we have chosen to not offer in-house financing.

Hope that makes sense!

Peace!

Hey James?

Are there any new Z's on the way.
New colors, different tops, etc.

Anything new from Summer NAMM?

For that matter are there any new MTD's coming down the pike that you know of?

Thanks

Hi Super T,
I could tell you...but I'd have to kill you. :)

Seriously, we'll have some news soon, but I'm not at liberty to talk about it just yet.

Peace!

Today is a good day to die...

For MTD I'm ready.

Lay it on me...

Hit us up when you're free to talk.

Mr. Tobias has already shared some news from NAMM, in regards to a Jazz type instrument, a hollowed out bass with piezo pickup, and a prototype Mr. Gouche was showing no mercy.

We're standing by...

Hi Super T,
I could tell you...but I'd have to kill you. :)

Seriously, we'll have some news soon, but I'm not at liberty to talk about it just yet.

Peace!

Would that be the Natural Maple Burl finish? (A competitor claims to have the first one's in the US)

Would that be the Natural Maple Burl finish?

Hmmmmm, that sounds delicious...

I just checked it out.

That looks delicious...

Negative... More details coming soon! :)

Would that be the Natural Maple Burl finish? (A competitor claims to have the first one's in the US)

Negative... More details coming soon! :)

And I thought I had mad Google skillz. :D

Can you define "soon"? I need a new 5 banger "soon" and I'd like to include all options in my selection.

Hopefully by the end of next week... We're working on some details and we can't make any official announcements until we have 100% accurate info.

Thanks for considering the Z! It's IMO one of the absolute best values in the $1000 price range! I will say that the "coming soon" model will be a bit more expensive...but WORTH IT!

Excellent. That timing should work nicely. The local GC has a used Z5 on the floor. I plan on going down there and giving it a whirl. Of course they have it priced as a used instrument at MORE[1] then your retail price, and that's not even including your generous TB discount code.

[1] You know that might have worked before Al Gore invented the Internet, or if your trying to rip off unsuspecting teens and their parents. Wait, that couldn't be their marketing plan could it? :eek:

I plan on going down there and giving it a whirl.

Give us a review after you check it out...

If you haven't seen it yet, we have a video Podcast! You can find it in iTunes via the iTunes store by doing a search for "The Perfect Bass". We also post all episodes on our site at www.ThePerfectBass.com/Podcast.cfm and on YouTube. Search for The Perfect Bass on YouTube and you should hit a few episodes...

Anyway, what do you all think about us doing a video review of the Z for our podcast? Would you check it out?

Peace!

Give us a review after you check it out...

Well honestly I can't really give an honest review. The bas played fairly well before I plugged it in, pretty nice in fact. But after plugging it in I realized it was seriously messed up. The jack crackled and popped with the slightest movement and the battery appeared to be near dead. The B string buzzed quite a bit and it was so annoying trying to play the stupid thing I couldn't remain objective.

Now I'm a bit concerned about the quality of the build. I'd definitely have to play another one that was set up correctly before I dropped any $$ on a new one.

I've played the Carvin Icon 5 (the other model I've been considering) and really liked it. And I'm guessing they would net out at about the same cost based on a guesstimate of what the new ZX (or whatever they call it) might run.

So now I need to find someone (either an individual or other store) that has a Z5 here in the Raleigh, NC area to try.

That was my fear when you said it was at GC.

I thought is would be in poor condition and not representative of a Z5...

Ditto on that... The previous owner may have messed it up trying to give it a "setup"... ;)

Get one from us...it'll be right when it arrives!

Peace!

Hopefully by the end of next week... We're working on some details and we can't make any official announcements until we have 100% accurate info.

Thanks for considering the Z! It's IMO one of the absolute best values in the $1000 price range! I will say that the "coming soon" model will be a bit more expensive...but WORTH IT!

<ping> Just checking the status of the new Z's. Also saw the pre-production Z on the summer NAMM video so I now have a better idea of what you can neither confirm nor deny.

This is the most i've ever gassed for a bass!
i wish somewhere near me had one so i could give it a spin :(

Does anyone have or know where to find a schematics diagram for the electronics/wiring within the MTD Kingston Z-5? I just picked it up today, and I think I'm in love.

we'll have some news soon, but I'm not at liberty to talk about it just yet.

JB, Is this the news you were talking about?

TPB is proud to announce that we will be the EXCLUSIVE worldwide dealer for MTD's new Kingston ZX bass until March of 2008! Initially only 24 of these basses will be available, each hand signed and numbered by Michael Tobias. Stay tuned to our email news for more info to be released soon!

That's it my friend! :)

It's official and we can now talk about it! We have an exclusive on the new MTD ZX bass until March!

Initially we'll have 24 of these basses available, all of them are 5 string with Burl Maple top and Trans Black gloss finish. 2 of them are fretless with Ebonol fingerboard, 12 fretted with Maple boards, and 10 fretted with Rosewood boards.

The fretless version will sell for $1,859.00, the others will sell for $1,799.00.

What makes these basses different from the normal Z is the chrome logo, smoked chrome truss rod cover, and USA made Bartolini pickups and EQ!

Here's a quote from Mike Tobias about the Z (An excerpt from a press release from The Power Group regarding the ZX):

“I wanted to narrow the gap between my American Handmade basses and “Z” bass and the most logical and profound way was to upgrade the electronics package” states Michael Tobias. “The X version incorporates Bartolini pick-ups and a 9 volt pre-amp that are voiced similarly to the 18 volt system I use in the handmade instruments. The 3 band active pre-amp features a switchable midrange that is activated via a push-pull pot on the Midrange EQ control and an active/passive selector that is activated via a push-pull pot on the Master Volume control. This system really brings out the tone of the wood and offers the player a full pallete of sonic colors.”

We are now taking pre-orders for the bass, and as you can see it's a very limited run! If you're interested, give Brandt a call or email. Here's Brandt's contact info:

Brandt@ThePerfectBass.com
Toll Free: 866.751.3220

We expect to be able to ship the ZX by mid to late November at the latest. That's an estimate, but we are pretty confident in that timeframe and are hoping that they will arrive sooner.

We got a taste of the ZX at the Summer NAMM in Austin and it is VERY impressive! With the USA Bartolini electronics, it truely bridges the gap between the USA MTD basses and the standard Z.

After this initial run, it will continue to be a limited production instrument, and this first run is being hand signed and numbered by Mike Tobias.

We're very honored that Mike and The Power Group have chosen TPB as the exclusive dealer to introduce this exciting new bass and look forward to getting them in the hands of some TB'ers!

Peace to all and call, email or post if you have any questions!

James, those sound interesting. Let us know what you think of them when they come in!

We should be getting the prototype in sometime soon. When that happens, we'll take some pictures and do a video review for our Podcast!

We'll be sure to let you know when that's published!

Peace!

Although the black with maple fb will be very nice - it's still missing a string (:D) and has an untouchable "new" price range - unless the lottery fairy is generous to me tonight....

It is a bit more than the standard Z, but the cost of the electronics and having them warranted and installed at the factory is worth it! And when you consider that the USA MTD basses start at over $3k, it's a steal!

Peace!

So are these basses made in Korea or USA?

Did he say the pickup type on these basses (P/J/Humbucking)?

They are made in Korea, but have USA made Bartolini Pickups and EQ. The Pickups are Soapbar style, voiced similarly to the electronics in Mike's USA made basses. Pickups and EQ are loaded domestically.

3 more questions.

1) He says he wants an in between with USA and Zephyr. How big of a gap is there between the two? As I've never heard or played a Z bass but have played a USA

2) Also Im guessing that everything on the normal Zephyr is done overseas(construction, pickups, EQ) Correct?

3) How much can I put down to reserve me a ZX bass?

USA MTD 535's start at about $3,600.00 USD. There is a pretty substantial difference between any of Mike's overseas basses and his handmade, made in the USA product.

If you are familiar with the MTD line, it looks like this:

Kingston Artist - Most affordable MTD bass, 4 or 5 string, 3 band EQ, single MM style bumbucker, starts at $499.00. Great value, one of the absolute best basses available in the price range! Built 100% in Korea, Quality checked and set up in Canada.

Kingston Heir - Artist + versatility of an MM/J pickup configuration. Starts at $699.00. Another great value with lots of versatility and still one of the best buys in it's price range. Built 100% in Korea, Quality checked and set up in Canada.

Kingston Z - The Z takes a significant step up from the Artist and Heir. Burl Maple tops, active pickups and EQ, more pleasing to the eye and more sophisicated pickups and EQ brings you one step closer to USA MTD perfection! Starts at $949.00. Built 100% in Korea, Quality checked and set up in Canada.

Kingston ZX - The ZX is the Z + USA made Bartolini pickups/EQ, as well as some cosmetic upgrades as per my previous post. As Mike mentions in the quote, the fastest and easiest way to approximate the USA MTD tone (at this target price point) is via the Z with the much better USA made Bartolini electronics. While it's not 100% hand made by Mike Tobias himself, it's as close as you can get for under $3,600!! Built in Korea minus electronics, pickups/EQ installed and final Quality check and set up performed in Canada or USA (we do not have final word as to whether this final step will be done in Canada or USA. However, Mike will be touching every ZX bass that is coming in!)

USA Made - Hand made by Mike Tobias himself, all custom USA Bartolini electronics, Made in the USA, price starts at about $3,600.00 USD. Perfection in bass luthiery, built by the man that is arguably the most respected bass builder in the US and possibly the world!

The ZX is NOT a USA bass, and it is not intended to replace the USA made MTD basses. However, while there is a substantial diference between the USA basses and all overseas models, the ZX is the absolute closest thing you can purchase at that price!

Do not purchase an $1,800 instrument and think it's a $3,600 one! That is simply not smart... But if your budget is under $2,000 and you want the best of what's available in that price range, the ZX is definitely a top choice! If you're in the $1,000 price range, the Z may be the best bass under $1,000.

Michael Tobias is a master craftsman. He has a high standard of quality, which is why the Kingston Artist and Heir were the 1st products built overseas that we were confident enough to offer our customers here at TPB!

If you're interested in getting one on order, contact our National Sales Manager, Brandt Bourque toll free at 866.751.3220 or via email at brandt@theperfectbass.com. Our standard policy on pre-orders and custom orders is 1/2 down and half before it ships!

Peace!

Here is the MTD Kingston ZX 5 string in action.

http://bassplayer.tv/index.html?req=1&station=bpsummernamm07&video=bptv/namm07/bptv_h07_mtddemo

This is the ever so smooth Andrew Gouche at NAMM. He is touring with Chaka Khan and plays this bass on the regular now

James, any word on the prototype podcast? I'd love to see a ZX in action.

Also, what's this I hear about a TBer discount? Feel free to PM me if you need to... I really don't like the burl tops and am considering a Z6, and upgrading the pickups.

Did you ever find out if Nordies would fit into the Z6 (and which ones)? Let me know!

Best,

Hi Dave,
The Talkbass discount is available to any of our friends that are active in the TPB corner of the Talkbass universe!

Simply use the promo code "Talkbass" on checkout at our site, or mention it to your rep at TPB on the phone (toll free is 866.751.3220) and voila! Instant savings on nearly every item in stock!

I have not looked into Nordies on a Z6, but we may be able to take a look at that for you... I'd recommend giving Brandt a call on that one though...he'll likely be able to get back to you sooner than I can.

Hopefully we'll have the proto ZX soon! :bassist:

Peace!

Whats the update on this bass

USA MTD 535's start at about $3,600.00 USD. There is a pretty substantial difference between any of Mike's overseas basses and his handmade, made in the USA product.

If you are familiar with the MTD line, it looks like this:

Kingston Artist - Most affordable MTD bass, 4 or 5 string, 3 band EQ, single MM style bumbucker, starts at $499.00. Great value, one of the absolute best basses available in the price range! Built 100% in Korea, Quality checked and set up in Canada.

Kingston Heir - Artist + versatility of an MM/J pickup configuration. Starts at $699.00. Another great value with lots of versatility and still one of the best buys in it's price range. Built 100% in Korea, Quality checked and set up in Canada.

Kingston Z - The Z takes a significant step up from the Artist and Heir. Burl Maple tops, active pickups and EQ, more pleasing to the eye and more sophisicated pickups and EQ brings you one step closer to USA MTD perfection! Starts at $949.00. Built 100% in Korea, Quality checked and set up in Canada.

Kingston ZX - The ZX is the Z + USA made Bartolini pickups/EQ, as well as some cosmetic upgrades as per my previous post. As Mike mentions in the quote, the fastest and easiest way to approximate the USA MTD tone (at this target price point) is via the Z with the much better USA made Bartolini electronics. While it's not 100% hand made by Mike Tobias himself, it's as close as you can get for under $3,600!! Built in Korea minus electronics, pickups/EQ installed and final Quality check and set up performed in Canada or USA (we do not have final word as to whether this final step will be done in Canada or USA. However, Mike will be touching every ZX bass that is coming in!)

USA Made - Hand made by Mike Tobias himself, all custom USA Bartolini electronics, Made in the USA, price starts at about $3,600.00 USD. Perfection in bass luthiery, built by the man that is arguably the most respected bass builder in the US and possibly the world!

The ZX is NOT a USA bass, and it is not intended to replace the USA made MTD basses. However, while there is a substantial diference between the USA basses and all overseas models, the ZX is the absolute closest thing you can purchase at that price!

Do not purchase an $1,800 instrument and think it's a $3,600 one! That is simply not smart... But if your budget is under $2,000 and you want the best of what's available in that price range, the ZX is definitely a top choice! If you're in the $1,000 price range, the Z may be the best bass under $1,000.

Michael Tobias is a master craftsman. He has a high standard of quality, which is why the Kingston Artist and Heir were the 1st products built overseas that we were confident enough to offer our customers here at TPB!

If you're interested in getting one on order, contact our National Sales Manager, Brandt Bourque toll free at 866.751.3220 or via email at brandt@theperfectbass.com. Our standard policy on pre-orders and custom orders is 1/2 down and half before it ships!

Peace!

hey james,

can our talkbass discount apply to the new zx?

-matt

Sorry Matt... The price on the ZX is set by MTD and we are not allowed to offer and special pricing on this model.

But, if any TB'ers pick up the ZX and we have TPB t-shirts in stock, we'd be happy to include one at no charge with your order! I'll send a memo out to our Sales team, but if you order one, be sure to mention that you are a TB'er to get your free T!

Also, we're working on a delivery update as well! Unfortunately MTD was not able to get the proto out to us for the review, but we should be recieving the final product soon! I'll post with an update shortly!

Peace!

The udate on delivery of the ZX is now mid-December. So we should be able to ship it in time for Christmas!

Remember, there's only 24 of these basses available, and they will be hand-signed and numbered by Mike Tobias. Mike will also be doing the installation of the electronics and final setup on these basses.

Call Brandt to pre-order now if you want one of these exclusive pieces! 866-751-3220 or email him at brandt@theperfectbass.com!

Peace!

Sorry Matt... The price on the ZX is set by MTD and we are not allowed to offer and special pricing on this model.

But, if any TB'ers pick up the ZX and we have TPB t-shirts in stock, we'd be happy to include one at no charge with your order! I'll send a memo out to our Sales team, but if you order one, be sure to mention that you are a TB'er to get your free T!

Also, we're working on a delivery update as well! Unfortunately MTD was not able to get the proto out to us for the review, but we should be recieving the final product soon! I'll post with an update shortly!

Peace!

I actually put a down payment for one last Friday with Brandt. The wait is going to kill me...:p.

Awesome! It will be well worth it and we appreciate your business, thank you mtirey!

We are still working on getting the proto out here for a video podcast review. I'm not sure if we'll pull that off before we actually recieve the final product, but we're getting closer...

If it pans out, you guys will be the first to know!

Peace!

Hey James! I'm highly considering ordering a Z4 from you guys in the near future. How would you describe the tone of the bass?

Hi Sundance,
I'd say it has that P Bass on steriods vibe that MTD USA is kind of known for. It's got a really strong output and is very punchy. You can hear the fundamental notes very well, but it has that open feel of a P pickup.

You really get that juiced up P bass thing going on when you solo the neck pickup and the bridge pickup has a P flavor to it as well, but it's also got that honk from being in the bridge position that adds a strong bite.

My favorite pickup blend on the Z4 is slightly panned to the neck, but I would have use for both pickups soloed as well.

If you are familiar with MTD USA basses, the Z does a really great job of approximating that USA tone at a very reasonable price.

I have to say that the Z has a great feel to it also. Both in your hands and the responsiveness as well. For me personally, I like kind of a hot tone, or a higher output on my basses. The Z4 delivers in this regard and it translates into responsiveness, or a kind of "immediacy" to the fundamental note that I really dig!

When you hold this bass in your hands it's very natural feeling and comfortable. It's one of the basses that inspires confindence for me. I like the thinner profile of the neck on the treble side, and the added beef on the bass side of the neck makes it fast and thin, yet still substantial without being uncomfortable at all for me.

If I were looking for a bass in the $1000 price range, the Z would be on the top of my short list! ;)

Hope that helps!

Peace!

Whats the pricing of each stringed zx bass?

The fretless version will sell for $1,859.00.

The fretted model will sell for $1,799.00.

We are taking pre-orders now! :hyper:

Whats the pricing of each stringed zx bass?

Awesome! It will be well worth it and we appreciate your business, thank you mtirey!

We are still working on getting the proto out here for a video podcast review. I'm not sure if we'll pull that off before we actually recieve the final product, but we're getting closer...

If it pans out, you guys will be the first to know!

Peace!

James,

Any word on a definite ship date from Mike?

No exact date yet, but we are hearing mid-december... They are supposed to be here in time to ship for Christmas. We'll post if we get any other firm dates!

Peace!

Only 15 days 'til Christmas....

James:

Any good word on the ZX's coming in?

Ok, I just received an update moments ago..

There has a been a customs delay on the ZX that will push our delivery date to some time in January. We still can't estimate an exact date as once they arrive to Mike's shop, they will still have to perform final assembly of the electronics, pass quality check and get final setup.

Mike is doing this final assembly, setup and QC at his shop and his hands will touch every bass. Once they arrive there, we'll be able to release a much more certain delivery date.

We're disappointed in the delay as much as anyone, but unfortunately we can't control the customs process on imported goods.

The good news is that the prototype is on the way! We should have that here at TPB around the middle of next week and we have a target release date of December 28th for an exclusive first look at the ZX on our video podcast!

There are some videos from NAMM of the ZX floating around the web, but you'll get a much higher resolution and in depth look at the bass in our podcast episode, so stay tuned for that!

MTD is anxious to get the ZX on the streets, and we are looking forward the having the honor of shipping out the very first of these limited basses!

I will keep you all updated as we receive more info!

Peace!

:bawl: CRAP...well thank you for the update. James by the way what is the warranty that comes with these basses?

Ok, I just received an update moments ago..

There has a been a customs delay on the ZX that will push our delivery date to some time in January. We still can't estimate an exact date as once they arrive to Mike's shop, they will still have to perform final assembly of the electronics, pass quality check and get final setup.

Mike is doing this final assembly, setup and QC at his shop and his hands will touch every bass. Once they arrive there, we'll be able to release a much more certain delivery date.

We're disappointed in the delay as much as anyone, but unfortunately we can't control the customs process on imported goods.

The good news is that the prototype is on the way! We should have that here at TPB around the middle of next week and we have a target release date of December 28th for an exclusive first look at the ZX on our video podcast!

There are some videos from NAMM of the ZX floating around the web, but you'll get a much higher resolution and in depth look at the bass in our podcast episode, so stay tuned for that!

MTD is anxious to get the ZX on the streets, and we are looking forward the having the honor of shipping out the very first of these limited basses!

I will keep you all updated as we receive more info!

Peace!

Thanks for the update on the ZX! I've been checking in on this thread every so often to see what's up with it... So once the initial run of ZX's is finished, do you know if they will be offered in other finishes, besides the black?

Thanks!

The ZX is being produced in limited quantities. It is not a regular product in the MTD line. There will be future releases of ZX basses, but there is no telling as to when they will be produced, how many will be made or what finishes will be available.

TPB will have the exclusive on this first run and we know that there will not be any more released before April of 2008 at the earliest.

In addition, this first run is the only run scheduled to have final assembly and setup done by Mike Tobias personally. He is also hand signing and numbering this first run as it's the first batch ever produced!

Peace!

can you ship mtd z5 to europe?

Working on an aswer to shipping the Z to Europe as well as the warranty period. I believe the warranty period is 1 or 2 years, but we are looking for confirmation on both of those questions from MTD.

On another note, the ZX prototype arrived today!!! First impression...VERY IMPRESSED!!

The first thing I noticed was that the electronics are quieter and are much more responsive! More to come and a video podcast review will be soon to follow!

Peace!

We cannot ship the Z to Europe.

Warranty is 3 years parts and labor!

Peace!

Are there any pics of this zx bass? How does it compare to the Z basses out now?

We are in the process of getting some really nice pix together of the prototype ZX bass! We'll post them here when they're ready...

We are also working on a video podcast episode featuring a detailed review of the ZX! We'll put a link out here for that also!

Look for this stuff a week or so after the new year!

Peace!

Any update on the ZX pics and/or review (Podcast)?

Anxiously waiting :)

Still in production! Hopefully towards the end of next week or the beginning of the following week we'll have more for you!

The Holidays have some of our staff on vacation so we're a little backed up on podcast production.

Soon my friend...soon! ;)

Peace!

Any update on this?
Thanks...

Sorry for the delay guys, but here are some nice shots of the ZX Prototype for your viewing pleasure!

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450.jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(2).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(3).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(4).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(5).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(6).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(7).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(8).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(9).jpg

We are in the production phase of the video podcast featuring the ZX, and with NAMM approaching this week, we will not be able to get that published until the end of the month.

We should start to see the ZX basses start coming in soon and we are taking pre-orders now! This is a limited run of 24 in this first batch and in addition to final assembly and setup, they will also be hand signed and numbered by Mike Tobias himself!

Get in touch now before it's too late!

Peace!

hmm.. looks nice! are they Bart MK pickups?

Thanks James!

That's HOT!!!

really nice. cool to see Mike's US Barts in these. will be good to hear at NAMM.

I forget which part number the pups are, but I'll find out. They are USA made Bart pups though.

I believe the preamp is a ressurection of a circuit similar to one that Mike used in his pre-Gibson Tobias instruments!

The tone on this bass is awesome! Compared to the Z, it's got a much cleaner output and better, fuller frequency response across the spectrum.

With the standard Z being so good, as you can imagine, this version is really special!

Peace!

Will there be any 6's? Us ERB'rs wanna know.:smug:

Sorry for the delay guys, but here are some nice shots of the ZX Prototype for your viewing pleasure!

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450.jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(2).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(3).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(4).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(5).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(6).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(7).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(8).jpg

http://www.dynasite.net/dynaweb/1001081/Images/1001081mtd_zx5proto_tbmp_300_450(9).jpg

We are in the production phase of the video podcast featuring the ZX, and with NAMM approaching this week, we will not be able to get that published until the end of the month.

We should start to see the ZX basses start coming in soon and we are taking pre-orders now! This is a limited run of 24 in this first batch and in addition to final assembly and setup, they will also be hand signed and numbered by Mike Tobias himself!

Get in touch now before it's too late!

Peace!

Man!!! I'm dying to hear the tone? Was their a price point on these basses yet, maybe I missed it here in this thread? I like the clear coat vs. the rubbed oil of the other Z's I've seen and played :)

Only 5 string in this first run...

Was their a price point on these basses yet, maybe I missed it here in this thread?

$1799.00

Maaaaan... That's sexy! :hyper:

ZX basses will begin shipping to us next week!!! That means we will have some available for delivery within 15 days or so!

Sounds good. I can't wait to get mine.

ZX basses will begin shipping to us next week!!! That means we will have some available for delivery within 15 days or so!

Ok folks, the wait is over! We now have the ZX posted at our site along with a video review!

Check them out along with the video at www.ThePerfectBass.com/mtdzx.cfm!

Peace!

The basses are exquisite!

The video is nice, but it's missing a good sound clip.

If I wasn't broke from the last bass I bought from yous a couple of weeks ago...

US Bart electronics mixed with the playability/quality of the Z5---these basses have GOT to be winners.

They are sweet! All the goodness of the Z with the added responsiveness of the USA Bartolini electronics!

The final assembly and setup on these basses were also done by Mike Tobias himself... So they have the added benefit of his hands touching each one.

Adding to the exclusivity of these basses is the fact that Mike hand signed and numbered them as they came off the bench! So it's a rare treat that only 24 people will have!

Not to rain on anyones parade but since Im in the market for a 6 string would it be more cost effective for me to buy a z6 and have bart electronics installed?

Not to rain on anyones parade but since Im in the market for a 6 string would it be more cost effective for me to buy a z6 and have bart electronics installed?


Well, the Z6 will run you about $1215 shipped, and depending on the Bart pickups and preamp you are looking at, plan on another $400 or better on parts (give or take a few bucks). If you do the work yourself, that'll save some cash, but otherwise, plan a spending some money to get everything installed/wired up.

I would venture to guess that for around $1800 (+ or -), you could have a Z6 with a complete Bart setup.

Yes, but these are not "off the shelf" Bartolini electronics... And you don't have the option of having Mike Tobias install them... :)

The other unique feaures of the ZX is the Limited Edition finish and Mike hand-signing and numbering them!

That being said, the ZX is only available in a 5 string. Options are Maple/Rosewood or lined fretless with Ebonol fretboards only. AND we would be happy to help anyone with a standard Z as well as standard Bartolini electronics! ;)

Peace!

^We'll be talking in the near future about a complete Bart setup for my Z5.;)

let us know how we can help! :)

I forget which part number the pups are, but I'll find out. They are USA made Bart pups though.

I believe the preamp is a ressurection of a circuit similar to one that Mike used in his pre-Gibson Tobias instruments!

Any update on this? What frequency is affected by the mid control switch?


The tone on this bass is awesome! Compared to the Z, it's got a much cleaner output and better, fuller frequency response across the spectrum.

With the standard Z being so good, as you can imagine, this version is really special!

Peace!

I can testify to that! While I still like and appreciate my Z5, I'm loving my ZX. Hit up TPB before they're all gone! :bassist:

I haven't got word on the frequency that the mid shift affects, but the Bart pickups AND preamp are both custom wound Bartolini pieces made specifically for the ZX. They are not off the shelf Bartolini electronics that can be purchased without actually buying the ZX.

I did clarify that the circuitry in the JJ protos are modeled after the pre-Gibson Tobias circuitry. The ZX voicing is ENTIRELY UNIQUE to the ZX!

I had some time to visit with Mike Tobias about the ZX yesterday and was really impressed with exactly how much hand work went into the final assembly and setup of the ZX. Which is a feature in itself... Mike personally did this work and there are at least 2 hours of bench time put in by Mike on every one of them!

As with anything that Mike puts his hands on he really did it RIGHT! He added shielding to the control cavity, removed every bridge and grounded them properly and also touched up the fretwork on every one.

In my opinion, the ZX is the closest thing you can get to a USA 535 that can be purchased period, of course without spending a minimum of about $3,800 (which is where the 535's usually start...).

Mike is truely a legendary builder of instruments and all the while is very humble about his work. He continues to impress me every time we meet...

Peace!

I had some time to visit with Mike Tobias about the ZX yesterday and was really impressed with exactly how much hand work went into the final assembly and setup of the ZX. Which is a feature in itself... Mike personally did this work and there are at least 2 hours of bench time put in by Mike on every one of them!

As with anything that Mike puts his hands on he really did it RIGHT! He added shielding to the control cavity, removed every bridge and grounded them properly and also touched up the fretwork on every one.

In my opinion, the ZX is the closest thing you can get to a USA 535 that can be purchased period, of course without spending a minimum of about $3,800 (which is where the 535's usually start...).

Mike is truely a legendary builder of instruments and all the while is very humble about his work. He continues to impress me every time we meet...

Peace!

A big plus one to alla dat!

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj78/supertanker_photos/zx1.jpg?t=1209310693 (http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);)

Let us know how it sounds in a gig setting. I'm very interested to hear how it cuts through a band and if it has any similarities to the alleged "thin" sound of the Z series. I would actually like to hear sound clips of both to A/B but that would probably only happen in my dreams. :)

Let us know how it sounds in a gig setting. I'm very interested to hear how it cuts through a band and if it has any similarities to the alleged "thin" sound of the Z series. I would actually like to hear sound clips of both to A/B but that would probably only happen in my dreams. :)

I have not played a Z bass, but I can assure you if the Z basses sounded anything like this bass NO ONE would be complaining...

1st Give a shout out to my peeps at The Perfect Bass for hookN me up!

I've only had it 4 days so this a early review.

Appearance 9.8:
Pretty obvious MTD put a special package together. The fit is flawless. I think the neck extends far in the body, like another 2 inches maybe beyond what's visible. So there's a slot cut in the body that neck extends into. That makes the neck pocket tight and strong and is probably what makes the B string so great.

The finish is pretty good but there a slight clear coat spray problem on the top of the bottom horn. You can't see it, but you can feel it. Perhaps a few minutes of buffing would resolve it. Otherwise the finish is flawless.

Electronics 10: US Bartolini Custom pickups and preamp. The voice is very modern, clear and defined. It seems to have equal amounts of mid, bottom and top. The mid knob pulls up as a frequency selector switch, the volume switch pull up for passive. The preamp is dead quiet and boost like crazy. Reminds me of the LH3, you wonder how can you get so much boost with a 9v battery? The signal from the ZX is HOT and CLEAN!

Neck and Body 10:
The body is smaller than any bass I currently own. The 35" neck has a satin finish and 24 medium jumbo frets. The fret work is excellent. It has the zero fret, which certainly sounds different when playing an open string. I play lots of open strings as passing tones, so I don't know if I'm a fan of the zero fret yet. The bass weight just under 10 pounds and balances perfectly from the strap.

Hardware 10:
Love the smoked hardware! Great action on the tuners. The bridge is not string through the body. Preamp knobs all turn smoothly and quietly.

B-String 10:
X CEL LENT!!! As good as any of my Laklands. Andrew Gouche tuned the B down to an A when he played one and it still sounded great.

Playablity 10:
Setup was perfect out the box. This bass is alive! It's very responsive and unforgiving of sloppy technique! And of course the slap tone is just ridiculous! Chords and solos seem to jump off the fret board. I find this bass very easy to play with good access to all 24 frets.

Tone 10:
Tone is harder to describe. It sounds like US Barts, smooth and punchy with a lots of growl. The bottom growls and punches, the mids are smooth and punchy, and the top is clear, transparent and equally loud. Some basses as you go up in range the notes get quieter, not here. The top, bottom and mid speak equally.

It's a great bass, easily one of the best on the market at any price and honestly I don't see how MTD can stop at 24. I see a 6 string ZX (IMHO) on the horizon...

It's a great bass, easily one of the best on the market at any price and honestly I don't see how MTD can stop at 24. I see a 6 string ZX (IMHO) on the horizon...

They didn't...I have #26 with a maple fretboard (see above posts)! 25-30 are going to be sold in Canada...and I wouldn't mind a Zephyr 6X myself come to think of it!

They didn't...I have #26 with a maple fretboard (see above posts)! 25-30 are going to be sold in Canada...and I wouldn't mind a Zephyr 6X myself come to think of it!

I knew there were 30.

I didn't know where the other 6 were...

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj78/supertanker_photos/zx1.jpg?t=1209310693 (http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);)

That is NICE - but it's missing a string and it's an inch too long....

Have to stop in Woodstock and complain the next time I drive to Albany...;)
Z

That is NICE - but it's missing a string and it's an inch too long....

Have to stop in Woodstock and complain the next time I drive to Albany...;)
Z
Thanks for pointing that out.

I hadn't noticed.

I'll be sending it back in the morning!

Hey, dudes and dudettes.

I've got a rather dumb question (sorry if it's been already asked and answered ..I don't have the time to search through all the threads and replies) ....

... so I've got this model in the 5 string fretless but in the Translucent Cherry finish .... so my question is is the body still the carved mahogany?

(again, sorry about the stupid question but I'm asking JUST to make sure)

Thanks!

... so I've got this model in the 5 string fretless but in the Translucent Cherry finish .... so my question is is the body still the carved mahogany?

Yes.

All Z basses have a carved mahogany body...

Yes.

All Z basses have a carved mahogany body...

Ah. Gotcha. I thought it was so, but I tend to second-guess myself constantly ...

Thank you so much!

I'm looking at a fretless Z4 on TPB. Can anyone tell me what they sound like as fretless models?

As someone else asked, how's the mwah, how's the sustain and how bright are they? Perhaps someone can point me in the direction of a sound clip or a song where one was used? Anything really because they look wonderful and I might be able to afford one in a week or so so I have to be sure.

Also I noticed it says shipping is free even though I entered that I'm from the UK. Is that a mistake or is it actually free? Also is there some kind of tax I would have to pay on it being imported because of the weight? Please let me know about all of these things because my eye is staring at that burled maple top and I'm having trouble diverting it.

Just the thought of it on my lap (if it sounds half as nice as it looks) is enough to make me smile.

I'm looking at a fretless Z4 on TPB...

...Also I noticed it says shipping is free even though I entered that I'm from the UK. Is that a mistake or is it actually free? Also is there some kind of tax I would have to pay on it being imported because of the weight? Please let me know about all of these things because my eye is staring at that burled maple top and I'm having trouble diverting it.



I would contact James or Brandt directly after the holidays if they haven't responded on here by then.

Haven't played a fretless Z yet, but a fretless ZX or Z4 or Z5 in Natural Gloss finish is on my G.A.S. list...

So has anyone here put a Bart HR5.4AP/918 and a set of P46CBC into their Z6 here yet? I'm contemplating doing it for mine...

Thanks Rev. If you are interested there's a Z5 going on eBay for $799 at a buy it now price.

Claims to be in excellent condition, not natural gloss, however you might be tempted by the price.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MTD-5-String-Fretless-Electric-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ250328869302QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGui tar?hash=item250328869302&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Thanks Rev. If you are interested there's a Z5 going on eBay for $799 at a buy it now price.

Claims to be in excellent condition, not natural gloss, however you might be tempted by the price.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MTD-5-String-Fretless-Electric-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ250328869302QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGui tar?hash=item250328869302&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177


Yummy! But not a Z though...

Oh yeah, my mistake.