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An MTD Question???

jokerjkny

jokerjkny

Jan 19, 2002
13,427
54
NY / NJ / PHL
www.instagram.com
#1
so, i'm all set to go with an MTD, but arent sure of what fingerboard / neck wood i should go with.

i know the body is gonna be ash, but i'm torn if i should go with a rosewood fingerboard / maple neck, or wenge / wenge combo?

anyone play both, which did you prefer? i want lots of body and fatness, and yet with an articulate top end for chordal work.

what say y'all?!
 
#4
I really dig the ash/maple neck combination, but it may be a bit aggressive for what you're looking for! ;)

Probably a maple/rosewood combo, and an ash or avidore body either with or without a top (I actually really like the ash bodies WITHOUT a top myself, nice punch and growl).

The wenge/wenge is very mid-heavy, and may not have the clarity you're looking for, although for some tones it is very cool.
 
#6
I smiled when I read your post. I would have loved to have traded my 535 for your beautiful Sadowsky :)

I owned a maple/rosewood 435 with an ash body without a top and I still own a 535 wenge/wenge with a korina body and myrtle burl top. I talked with Mike Tobias about the selection of woods for the 535 and, at that time, he felt that the top made only a slight difference in tone and was mostly cosmetic. This was a while back and I note that he is making a lot of instruments with exotic tops now.

The main difference between by 435 and 535 was that the 435 had a more "traditional" tone while the 535 is extremely aggressive with a "growl" that the 435 didn't have. Personally I felt that 435 had somewhat less clarity but that depends on what you hear as clarity in a tone. What I mean by clarity is the ability to cut through in a band situation which some people interpret as uneveness.

It is worth bearing in mind that the Bartolini pickups are fantastic and the electronics are very flexible so you can really tweak the tone you want.

Even though my 535 has not turned out to be a perfect match for me, it is a very wonderful bass. I am sure you will be happy whatever combination of woods you choose.

Best wishes

Philip
 
#9
jokerjkny said:
thx guys,

so Gard, lemme get this straight, would the rosewood/maple combo have more clarity than the wenge/wenge?
Click to expand...

J - In my opinion based on playing a few 535's through the years ;), yes, the maple/rosewood will be a bit clearer sounding than the wenge/wenge. I find that the wenge/wenge is a good PUNCHY sound, but not as defined as the maple.

I still prefer the ash/maple to them all so far...however, that may be TOO MUCH clarity for you.
 
#12
Sorry I don't have any experience with the maple / rosewood or wenge / wenge but in my search for an articulate, chordal MTD, I came across a maple / ebony 635. I asked Mike and he said it should do the trick.

Once I got it home and tried it out, damn if the notes didn't come out of the amp before I played them. :p Every note is distinctive. I'd really like to compare my 635 to other MTD's but for right now, it's meeting my needs.

I was curious why you don't see ebony fingerboards on a lot of MTD's so I asked Mike. I didn't know if he didn't like ebony. He said that after using it for a while, he became allergic to it. He's good with it now and using it again.

LeonD
 
#15
I can give this comparison. A week or so ago I had a Myrtle top on poplar/tulip with wenge neck and board come in on trade. It was just before the Dallas Guitar show. A buddy of mine in Dallas had a redwood top on Avidore body, wenge neck and board, and was planning to trade when I got down there. When he showed up with a couple other Dallas players there was no question that the Tulip/poplar body was much clear and punchier.... he ended up find something else in the Booth that rocked his socks, but between the two MTD basses with same neck and different body woods the Tulip wood body was hands down by everyone around better sounding.

best with the wood choice..
 
#16
jokerjkny said:
so, i'm all set to go with an MTD, but arent sure of what fingerboard / neck wood i should go with.

i know the body is gonna be ash, but i'm torn if i should go with a rosewood fingerboard / maple neck, or wenge / wenge combo?

anyone play both, which did you prefer? i want lots of body and fatness, and yet with an articulate top end for chordal work.

what say y'all?!
Click to expand...

My advice would be to ask Glenn Kawamoto at Austin bass traders. I have played several of his MTD's and he really knows what he is talking about. He could probably give you a good suggestion or may even have something in stock your looking for. He has a 535 solid ash body, ash neck, lined fretless honduran rosewood board. And that thing sounds extremely growly and great.
-Greg
 
#17
jokerjkny said:
so, i'm all set to go with an MTD, but arent sure of what fingerboard / neck wood i should go with.

i know the body is gonna be ash, but i'm torn if i should go with a rosewood fingerboard / maple neck, or wenge / wenge combo?

anyone play both, which did you prefer? i want lots of body and fatness, and yet with an articulate top end for chordal work.

what say y'all?!
Click to expand...

Rudy's has the "sister" bass to mine - although it's a 6, it will give you a good feel. Ash body (Rose of the Mountain Top), Ash neck and maple board

Mike
 
#19
jokerjkny said:
so, i'm all set to go with an MTD, but arent sure of what fingerboard / neck wood i should go with.

i know the body is gonna be ash, but i'm torn if i should go with a rosewood fingerboard / maple neck, or wenge / wenge combo?

anyone play both, which did you prefer? i want lots of body and fatness, and yet with an articulate top end for chordal work.

what say y'all?!
Click to expand...

My 4 string is an Ash body (with exotic top) with a maple/rosewood board. My 535 is an Ash Body (with exotic top) with an ash/maple board. My old fretless was ash bosy with wenge/wenge. If you want to make the 3 hour drive north, you are more than welcome to spend a few hours with my 4 and 5.

The maple/rosewood is decidely warmer than the ash/maple. The ash/maple is unbleivealby responsive and can take on maj=ny different characters depending on how aggressive you play and how you set the EQ. I love tghe ash/maple, especially for what I do. Perhaps the maple/rosewood is more versatile, but for chording/chord-melody and solo playing NOTHING beats the ash/maple combo

Mike
 

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