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10-27-2010, 01:46 PM
|  | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | FS/FT MTD Saratoga
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There's a really nice bass parked in my closet...
I bought this MTD Saratoga (Mike's old model by that name) NOS a couple years ago. There's very little playing time on it, because shortly after that I transitioned to playing 5 strings exclusively.
The bass has been out of production for a while. Here's the orphaned web page on Mike's site: http://www.mtdbass.com/pages/saratoga.html
Please note this is not the bass he now sells as a Saratoga. Check the differences in the electronics and wood top!
Here are pictures I took of mine:     
It's in excellent condition, functionally and cosmetically.
FS: $650.00 shipped CONUS in an inexpensive new gig bag.
I'm open to trade possibilities: small Aggie/Epi/Berg cabs, Markbass F500 or SD800. Or PM me with whatever...
Last edited by Ewo : 12-01-2010 at 11:38 AM.
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10-27-2010, 07:28 PM
| | Banned
Endorsing Artist: Warrior Guitars | | Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Cuse, cny | | | Where is this bass made? |
10-28-2010, 06:27 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | Quote:
Originally Posted by DrFunkenstein  Where is this bass made? | Korea. This was made after Mike switched production from Czechoslovakia to South Korea, and started using the Feiten intonation system.
BTW, to my ears the Feiten intonation is just a little bit "sweeter" in the upper register. I know folks debate whether it makes a difference, but that's what I hear when I switch between MTDs and other basses. Not a big difference, no--but a little something something in it.
The zero fret is nice, too, IMHO. When the fretwork is good (as it is, on this bass) you don't have to be so concerned about the depth of the slot in the nut changing from string wear. |
10-28-2010, 06:32 AM
|  | Starring In: Return of Kung-Fu World Champion | | Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oxford, Ohio (Near Cincy) | | | What is the action like on this bass? |
10-28-2010, 08:13 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | Quote:
Originally Posted by GrooveWarrior What is the action like on this bass? | I have a fairly light touch and set my basses up with pretty low action. Working from memory, I'm gonna say about .012 relief and about 3-4/32 height at the 24th fret of the G string. (It's at home and I'm at work, so I can't check it.) That's pretty much the setup I like on all my instruments which are capable of it.
It's been a while since I set this one up and played it, so I might be off a bit...
But when I play other bassists' instruments and they play mine, theirs are consistently higher and mine are consistently lower.
Would you like me to measure it tonight, and post it tomorrow? I'd be happy to do that.
Bottom line is that this is a very good quality instrument, and the original pricing (see Mike's web page on it) reflected that. |
10-28-2010, 11:07 AM
| | Starring In: Return of Kung-Fu World Champion | | Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oxford, Ohio (Near Cincy) | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Ewo I have a fairly light touch and set my basses up with pretty low action. Working from memory, I'm gonna say about .012 relief and about 3-4/32 height at the 24th fret of the G string. (It's at home and I'm at work, so I can't check it.) That's pretty much the setup I like on all my instruments which are capable of it.
It's been a while since I set this one up and played it, so I might be off a bit...
But when I play other bassists' instruments and they play mine, theirs are consistently higher and mine are consistently lower.
Would you like me to measure it tonight, and post it tomorrow? I'd be happy to do that.
Bottom line is that this is a very good quality instrument, and the original pricing (see Mike's web page on it) reflected that. | No need to measure. I was just curious. I play a Warrior Signature 4 as my main bass, so I have become spoiled by the uber-low action, so much so that my style has changed to a very light touch. |
10-29-2010, 12:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chennai, India | | a bump all the way from India.  lovely bass... i hope to own an MTD someday. |
10-29-2010, 07:24 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | Quote:
Originally Posted by theo2409 a bump all the way from India. lovely bass... i hope to own an MTD someday. | And I thank you for that bump, good buddy! |
10-29-2010, 07:33 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | Quote:
Originally Posted by GrooveWarrior No need to measure. I was just curious. I play a Warrior Signature 4 as my main bass, so I have become spoiled by the uber-low action, so much so that my style has changed to a very light touch. | Well, I went ahead and measured anyway, when I got home from work! Actually, I had set it up lower than what I'd remembered...
Here 'tis. I measured the relief with a feeler gauge at the 8th fret with the first and 16th frets stopped. (Mike had emailed me a sheet describing his standard setup, and that's how he measures neck relief.)
.011!
And I measured string height at the 24th fret with the cool Stew-Mac action gauge. (That tool is super handy, IMO.)
3/64", all strings!
That's pretty low, by my lights. It's playable without buzz, if you have a light touch and clean technique. (Actually, I've got the bass I use regularly set a bit higher than that. If I were going to put this bass back into service, I'd raise the string height 1/64th on the G, and probably 2/64ths on the B.) |
10-31-2010, 12:37 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | Bump City. |
11-02-2010, 09:46 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | This'd be a nice Christmas present for somebody...
I'll trade it for a Markbass F500 head, or maybe for Aggie/Epi/Berg cabs... |
11-05-2010, 07:28 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | It'd be a nice Christmas present for yourself... |
11-08-2010, 02:38 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | ...or a very nice present for someone else... |
11-10-2010, 02:59 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | B-b-b-b-b-ump. |
11-12-2010, 02:40 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | |
11-16-2010, 04:36 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | Sure is a good-looking bass. Sure plays beautifully... |
11-19-2010, 09:49 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | I'm gonna be out on the road and away from 'Net access until next Wednesday, 11/24. I'll catch up with PMs that afternoon.
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! |
11-24-2010, 12:52 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | A Happy Thanksgiving bump... |
11-26-2010, 03:30 PM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | And a Leftover Day burp... |
11-29-2010, 10:45 AM
| | a/k/a Steve Cooper | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Huntington WV | | | Dig the Bartolini electronics on that beauty...
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