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About MTD Kingston Z series

A

alvin243

Aug 19, 2009
6
0
#1
I have 3 AM fender basses and love them. but recently I tried an MTD 535 at Music Exbo. it have amazing slap tone. but the price amazing too....

So I am going to buy a Kingston Z series bass which have good price but made in Korea. They dont have local store, so I can not try them before I pay the money. I don't worry about the quality of Korea made basses, but is the tone comparable to any US made MTD?:confused::confused:
 
#2
alvin243 said:
I have 3 AM fender basses and love them. but recently I tried an MTD 535 at Music Exbo. it have amazing slap tone. but the price amazing too....

So I am going to buy a Kingston Z series bass which have good price but made in Korea. They dont have local store, so I can not try them before I pay the money. I don't worry about the quality of Korea made basses, but is the tone comparable to any US made MTD?:confused::confused:
Click to expand...

Lots of talk about these basses over the past couple years. Do a search, I think you'll find your answers real quick.

Lonnybass
 
#4
In a nutshell. The Kingston Z basses are gonna give you the look and feel of a US at a nice price. The electronics output is lacking and tone not superb for the same reason. Unless you pick up the KZX. This has Bartolini pickups and preamp similar to the USA basses. Very versatile and you can dial in nearly any tone you need. Or you can go the route most guys go. Get a Standard Kingston and upgrade the electronics. This results in a perfect bass!! And as close as your gonna get to a USA at a fraction of the price.
 
#5
newly minted MTD Kingston convert here. Got a Z6 and I love the thing. Quality is better than many mass produced American instruments I have played. The electronics and tone are a bit lackluster, and the hardware isn't top shelf, but I can complan about the function of either. It has a very trebly/mid rangey sound that I sometimes fight with when dialing up a good solo tone, but it sounds really great with a band and I am hardly using top notch amplification. I plan to upgrade the pups and electronics over time., it seems it should be a great mod platform to be sure. You are not going to get a US MTD in one of these basses, but mine is very much worth what I have into it IMO.

edit: its pretty darn heavy though.
 
#6
alexofc69 said:
In a nutshell. The Kingston Z basses are gonna give you the look and feel of a US at a nice price. The electronics output is lacking and tone not superb for the same reason. Unless you pick up the KZX. This has Bartolini pickups and preamp similar to the USA basses. Very versatile and you can dial in nearly any tone you need. Or you can go the route most guys go. Get a Standard Kingston and upgrade the electronics. This results in a perfect bass!! And as close as your gonna get to a USA at a fraction of the price.
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention this alex. I was at Guitar Denter last month and played a standard Kingston back to back against a Z - the Kingston was way more alive sounding and a much more convincing low end. As my man Iota Dwayne suggested, a Z with about $400 worth of pickups and electronics upgrades can get you into bass with aspirations of the high end realm.

Lonnybass
 
#7
Lonnybass said:
Funny you should mention this alex. I was at Guitar Denter last month and played a standard Kingston back to back against a Z - the Kingston was way more alive sounding and a much more convincing low end. As my man Iota Dwayne suggested, a Z with about $400 worth of pickups and electronics upgrades can get you into bass with aspirations of the high end realm.

Lonnybass
Click to expand...
Do you mean you played a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] vs a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]? The KZX is definitely worth the extra $$. You get the perfect electronics right off the bat. Like i said - its as close as your gonna get to a USA for the price. Or get KZ and gut the stock electronics and put something of your choice in.
 
#10
EagleMoon said:
I don't know why people complain about the electronics in the KZ. If you boost the preamp a little it sounds fine.
Click to expand...
If you A/B a stock KZ vs a lot of basses out there they are very weak. Yeah, I can take a KZ and tweak my amps settings to fatten it up and make it work.
If I A/B a stock KZ vs my KZX, the KZ is like a dried up weed blowing in the wind and my KZX is a wrecking ball taking down a building!
People dont want "fine" they want power and versatility. The stock KZ just doesnt get to that point. Its just "fine"
 
#11
alexofc69 said:
If you A/B a stock KZ vs a lot of basses out there they are very weak. Yeah, I can take a KZ and tweak my amps settings to fatten it up and make it work.
If I A/B a stock KZ vs my KZX, the KZ is like a dried up weed blowing in the wind and my KZX is a wrecking ball taking down a building!
People dont want "fine" they want power and versatility. The stock KZ just doesnt get to that point. Its just "fine"
Click to expand...

You can do that comparison with a lot of basses. I think the KZ stands by itself just fine. I've never had to tweak my amp to get a tone I like. But that's all relative anyway, isn't it? Tone preference, I mean.
 
#12
Check out this Youtube video for a good demonstration why I'd initially really dug the tone of my Z...and the later realization that it just wasn't me: (NOTE: I don't know who the guy in the video is)



First thing you hear that distinctive honky biting midrange character, a sort of boutique-y modern snap and snarl, seems like it's really happenin', it sounds good.

Then...notice that there is very little actual fundamental BASS in what you are hearing. (and it's not just because this is a Youtube video). Play that bass in a rock band - or anything requiring a convincing bottom end for that matter - and you'll hear nothing BUT that honk.

Part of me wishes I sprung for the electronics upgrade on my Z rather than sell it, as Iota and some of the other fellas have had good success bringing new life to their Zs. The only bass I've ever sold. :rollno:

Lonnybass
 
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#13
Lonnybass said:
Check out this Youtube video for a good demonstration why I'd initially really dug the tone of my Z...and the later realization that it just wasn't me: (NOTE: I don't know who the guy in the video is)



First thing you hear that distinctive honky biting midrange character, a sort of boutique-y modern snap and snarl, seems like it's really happenin', it sounds good.

Then...notice that there is very little actual fundamental BASS in what you are hearing. (and it's not just because this is a Youtube video). Play that bass in a rock band - or anything requiring a convincing bottom end for that matter - and you'll hear nothing BUT that honk.

Part of me wishes I sprung for the electronics upgrade on my Z rather than sell it, as Iota and some of the other fellas have had good success bringing new life to their Zs. The only bass I've ever sold. :rollno:

Lonnybass
Click to expand...
+1 EXACTLY!!!! The KZX has that versatility to dial in boutique honk, rock bottom p type fat bottom, mid scooped slap, finger style growl etc. - just like the USA basses.
The standard Z is just fine at one thing!
 
#14
EagleMoon said:
You can do that comparison with a lot of basses. I think the KZ stands by itself just fine. I've never had to tweak my amp to get a tone I like. But that's all relative anyway, isn't it? Tone preference, I mean.
Click to expand...

Got to agree. Stock the KZ electronics are a bit thin sounding and kind of blah when compared to some other basses, but I like the way it sounds all by itself. I do find myself screwing around with my amp when I am playing alone, but with a band its been pretty much plug and play for me.
 
#15
Well I just got my KZ a couple of days ago and I have to agree with others that the preamp is a bit lacking. It's odd, but set flat it has very little volume output but really wakes up when you start boosting frequencies. IMO, it's tones are fairly useless unless you're boosting it. The one thing I do like about the preamp, though, is the pickup blend, which really does seem to offer nice tonal variety with even the slightest of knob turns.

Does Bartolini make direct drop in replacement pickups for these?
 
#16
pjmuck said:
Well I just got my KZ a couple of days ago and I have to agree with others that the preamp is a bit lacking. It's odd, but set flat it has very little volume output but really wakes up when you start boosting frequencies. IMO, it's tones are fairly useless unless you're boosting it. The one thing I do like about the preamp, though, is the pickup blend, which really does seem to offer nice tonal variety with even the slightest of knob turns.

Does Bartolini make direct drop in replacement pickups for these?
Click to expand...
There are an array of pickups that drop in. A lot of guys are going with Nordstrands and Aquilar OBP-3 preamps. You might want to try the preamp upgrade first as i think that is the weakest link in the tone problem. Take a look through this thread and you will get an idea of what guys are doing. I think once you get the electronics set up you will have an incredible bass.
 

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