The "Official" MTD USA Thread (part 5)

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #1 10-02-2009, 07:09 PM

Continued from the USA MTD thread part 4, which you can find here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=459328

Vic · #2 10-02-2009, 10:01 PM

OH OH OH ME FIRST!

rockstarbassist · #3 10-03-2009, 08:41 AM

My mom asked me to send her a hi-res photo of my MTD a few weeks ago. My bday is in 2 weeks, and I've been asking for a "poster" style photo of it to put up in my house or at my desk.

I'm expecting good things.

Georges Abitbol · #4 10-03-2009, 09:45 AM

Bassflute · #5 10-03-2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Georges Abitbol

Georges posted way too many MTD pics...

thank God they're all missing a string, or I would be seriously jealous!

Nice collection, man!

(Old pic before I installed the Lexicon in the rig).

Cheers,
Cameron

dirtbird · #6 10-03-2009, 02:04 PM

hello all, I've been lurking here for quite sometime and thought that since we're onto a new thread I'd post some pics of my 535's

First got turned on to these lovely basses when I played a friends 535 3 or 4 years ago. Not long after I picked up this one used from the Groove Shoppe. Poplar body, maple burl top, wenge neck & f/b.

I had not so long ago been considering selling/trading it as I felt it was a bit too bright in the top end and too scooped in the mids for my tastes. I tried some nickel strings on it, which warms the tone somewhat. However, it was a change of cab that really made a difference. ACME Low-B2. I'm getting a much more balanced tone now, and it sounds great with everything set flat. I'm using a Mark Bass F500 - and that is just fantastic too.

So enough waffle here's some of the Groove Shoppes pics of the bass:

My second and most recent aquisition was a ash/maple/maple 535. Due to my circumstances at the moment, I've only been able play it through a sound card into some decent monitoring headphones, and it plays and sounds very nicely.
Here are some pictures courtesy of the previous owner:

My other reason for posting was to ask for people's opinions/experience of fretless MTDs. What wood combinations have you found to work well on a fretless?

thanks!

p.s. and slightly off topic, but Mike Tobias was involved in some capacity in it's creation/design, I've also been keeping company my Groove Shoppe GS5 #2

drgregn · #7 10-03-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtbird

My second and most recent aquisition was a ash/maple/maple 535. Due to my circumstances at the moment, I've only been able play it through a sound card into some decent monitoring headphones, and it plays and sounds very nicely.
Here are some pictures courtesy of the previous owner:

That used to live at my house before Gwilym got it - it's a great bass. Here's a pic of what replaced it:

Alder/maple burl top/maple neck/RW board. Love it.

dirtbird · #8 10-03-2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drgregn

That used to live at my house before Gwilym got it - it's a great bass. Here's a pic of what replaced it:

Alder/maple burl top/maple neck/RW board. Love it.

Hey Greg! Loving my 535 - and that's a very nice looking one you've gotten to replace it

I'd be interested to know your thoughts on the Alder/Maple/Rosewood in comparison. If I get another fretted 535 it would likely be alder/maple/rosewood, or maybe an ebony board.

cheers!

drgregn · #9 10-03-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtbird

Hey Greg! Loving my 535 - and that's a very nice looking one you've gotten to replace it

I'd be interested to know your thoughts on the Alder/Maple/Rosewood in comparison. If I get another fretted 535 it would likely be alder/maple/rosewood, or maybe an ebony board.

cheers!

It's a little darker with less native high end and upper mids, which works well for my application, playing direct into the board at our church. The maple/ash model could get a little harsh and zingy there if the sound guy didn't EQ it right, although for playing through an amp it was killer, IMO.