The "Official" MTD (non-US made) Club Part 2

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #1 02-26-2010, 12:51 PM

Continued from the following thread:
The "Official" MTD (non-US made) Club thread - Show them off !

NickInMesa · #2 02-26-2010, 01:39 PM

Oh wow 50 pages of MTD Kingstons already...

alexofc69 · #3 02-26-2010, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Oh wow 50 pages of MTD Kingstons already...

right on!!!! I knew i started something good!!!!

BoneMachine · #4 03-02-2010, 03:00 PM

Quick question...

Were the old passive Kingston Artists (with the pickguard) ever made with ash bodies and flamed maple tops? Or has the body wood been basswood all along?

Thanks!

alexofc69 · #5 03-02-2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneMachine

Quick question...

Were the old passive Kingston Artists (with the pickguard) ever made with ash bodies and flamed maple tops? Or has the body wood been basswood all along?

Thanks!

Always basswood bodies. Tops - cant answer

duckbutter · #6 03-02-2010, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexofc69

Always basswood bodies. Tops - cant answer

The one I have looks like a flamed maple top

LaklandMike · #7 03-02-2010, 11:09 PM

Hey guys! Here's mine. I've been following this thread for ages and I'm glad I can finally be a part of it! I love this thing. I'm getting a decent amp this week, so I can't wait to hear what I've been missing while playing into a 1988 Peavy Minx 110

. Even through that crapbucket, I can still tell it's a great sounding instrument. Anyway, here's the pic... can a brotha get a numba?

Thanks!

alexofc69 · #8 03-02-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaklandMike

Hey guys! Here's mine. I've been following this thread for ages and I'm glad I can finally be a part of it! I love this thing. I'm getting a decent amp this week, so I can't wait to hear what I've been missing while playing into a 1988 Peavy Minx 110

. Even through that crapbucket, I can still tell it's a great sounding instrument. Anyway, here's the pic... can a brotha get a numba?

Thanks!

Its a beauty! welcome and congrats you are #88.

LaklandMike · #9 03-03-2010, 12:39 AM

Thanks! Ahhh, my first club

Skip_NJ · #10 03-03-2010, 11:29 AM

Whats up guys, I currently play a Fender Am Deluxe P bass, I like it but I cant make it not sound like a P-bass, and honestly I wish it had a J pickup at the bridge instead. Would a Kingston Heir 4 compare quality-wise? The Fender is the best bass I've ever owned in terms of sturdiness and reliability, but it is a bit of a one-sound bass. How is the quality control on these Korean MTD's? Will I have to hunt through a bunch to find a good one, or will I be safe ordering one online and then getting it set up and looked over? Does the setup change a lot with the weather and will I be tuning it between every song? Things like setup, tuning, and the quality of the electronics (pots, soldering, wiring) are problems I've experienced with my old "midline" basses that I dont really want to have to deal with again. Is a Kingston Heir a quality instrument or will I need to replace parts to get it to the same level? Thanks

alexofc69 · #11 03-03-2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip_NJ

Whats up guys, I currently play a Fender Am Deluxe P bass, I like it but I cant make it not sound like a P-bass, and honestly I wish it had a J pickup at the bridge instead. Would a Kingston Heir 4 compare quality-wise? The Fender is the best bass I've ever owned in terms of sturdiness and reliability, but it is a bit of a one-sound bass. How is the quality control on these Korean MTD's? Will I have to hunt through a bunch to find a good one, or will I be safe ordering one online and then getting it set up and looked over? Does the setup change a lot with the weather and will I be tuning it between every song? Things like setup, tuning, and the quality of the electronics (pots, soldering, wiring) are problems I've experienced with my old "midline" basses that I dont really want to have to deal with again. Is a Kingston Heir a quality instrument or will I need to replace parts to get it to the same level? Thanks

You need not fear! The Korean made MTD basses blow away standard USA Fenders in terms of quality and playability. Yes, these are midline in price, but not quality. They are very durable basses and dont seem to vary alot with weather changes. They are not like Fenders where you have to play a stack to find the right one. They usually ship and arrive with a near perfect setup.
My only caution to you on the KZ basses are the electronics. Not the quality of the wiring etc, but the tone. If you read around here a lot of people complain about the tone and output being thin and end up changing out the stock electronics. What happened here is in order to get the basses to the price point Mike wanted, they had to cut cost on the electronics. Therefore you will be looking at additional cost upgrading electronics. If you want to avoid this the KZX comes with Bartolini pickups and pre-amp. The Kingston Heirs do not suffer from the thin tone either. Its only the standard KZ's.

I think once you play one you will love the feel and never want to play anything else!

Skip_NJ · #12 03-03-2010, 04:40 PM

Mmmm Sounds really nice. They had a few MTDs, not sure which models, at a guitar center by me but they were 5'ers so I didnt mess with them. I think I'll go back this weekend to see what the tone is like. Gotta love tax season

Holdsg · #13 03-03-2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip_NJ

Mmmm Sounds really nice. They had a few MTDs, not sure which models, at a guitar center by me but they were 5'ers so I didnt mess with them. I think I'll go back this weekend to see what the tone is like. Gotta love tax season

Just so you are awares going in, my experience with my local GCs (there are four near me that I frequent, I am spoiled) has been that they only stock the Artist 4 (usually in Amber, which is the ugliest color IMO), an Heir 5 (colors vary), and a KZ 5 (usually in the maple color, which I also despise for some reason, reminds me of school lunch lasagna day, yes, I still have issues). I have never been able to "try out" a KZX, but look forward someday to doing so (before purchase, of course).

victoriouspirat · #14 03-03-2010, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip_NJ

Mmmm Sounds really nice. They had a few MTDs, not sure which models, at a guitar center by me but they were 5'ers so I didnt mess with them. I think I'll go back this weekend to see what the tone is like. Gotta love tax season

Skip_NJ: it's worth a trip to Sam Ash in Manhattan for MTDs. I was in there recently and they had all the Kingston models in a bunch of finishes, 4s, 5s, lefties... since they took over Manny's and made it all guitars they've devoted a whole big room to basses which is pretty sweet.

Side note: I just picked up a 4 string passive Artist from a fellow TBer. My first 4 in almost a decade!

RevGroove · #15 03-03-2010, 09:25 PM

Well, the stock KZ5 just became my main recording axe. I really must have lucked out with mine, as in the electronics are definitely NOT thin.

I showed up at a studio date last night with my three MTD's Kingson Zs and a fretless Dean 6 string (borrowed; debating between getting a Fretless Kingston Saratoga 5 in black transulcent and a Fretless Z 5 in natural finish...)

The engineer initially turned up his nose...either the amber finish turned him off (I still like it), or the fact that it wasn't a Fender P bass did...

...so I grabbed that first...plugged straight into a Focusrite pre and set the tone controls flat...and basically got every song with fretted bass in ONE TAKE. The engineer was impressed after the first song and didn't lose that feeling for the rest of the session.

I still like the ZXs for live play...the natural compression of those Bartolinis is great! The Z5 gets the call for straight rock gigs and now, for recording. Nuff said!

RevGroove · #16 03-04-2010, 12:41 PM

Oh, just found the Facebook Fan Page for MTD Kingston.

Any one know of any Twitter presence? There's one for the US MTDs, but none yet that I can find for 'Kingstons...

tearalong · #17 03-05-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip_NJ

Does the setup change a lot with the weather and will I be tuning it between every song?

I've had not problems in this area. There have been a few times when I have had to leave my Heir 5 in my car on days when the temperature has gone from 20 degrees C in the morning to 35 in the afternoon and has still kept 3 out of 4 string in tune.

That's 68 to 95 non-standard measurement

Never exposed it to really low temps though.

Holdsg · #18 03-06-2010, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexofc69

The Kingston Heirs do not suffer from the thin tone either. Its only the standard KZ's.

Just wondering, Alex, if you know this about the Heirs from experience, or just from spending lots of time discussing on this thread. Reason I ask is that I am warming up to the MM + J pickup combination, as a companion, not replacement to my existing Jazz bass, and the Heir obviously fits that bill. Interested in your thoughts.

Also, if I could pick up a used late model Heir for about $500, do you think that is fair value?

alexofc69 · #19 03-06-2010, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holdsg

Just wondering, Alex, if you know this about the Heirs from experience, or just from spending lots of time discussing on this thread. Reason I ask is that I am warming up to the MM + J pickup combination, as a companion, not replacement to my existing Jazz bass, and the Heir obviously fits that bill. Interested in your thoughts.

Also, if I could pick up a used late model Heir for about $500, do you think that is fair value?

My nephew has an Heir and I play it all of the time. Its way better in the electronics dept. than the std. KZ. If I owned an Heir I would probably still upgrade pups to Barts and Aguilar OBP3 pre. Ive just never bought one, but have been tempted. $500 is excellent!

NickInMesa · #20 03-07-2010, 12:46 PM

I love my Heir 5, it is a great bass, but I am not getting used to the 5-string setup, and don't think I will have any use of it anytime soon.

I'd rather sell it for more gear.

What would be a decent asking price for a 2003 MTD Kingston Heir 5? It is non-active, not upgraded.

I may be interested in a 4-string, by the way.

Thanks!