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Michael Kelly

#7
:cool:
Just played three M. Kelly ABG.
A fretted 4-string-fretted 5-string. fretless 4-string.
All looked nice, but could have been made better.
Sound wise they sounded chocked when played unamped.
Plug in the can to life. I dug the fretless sound the best.
Did not like strings that came on these basses, suggest you try other strings.
Over all, you get what you play for.
A nice, inexpencive bass. After playing the Kelly's, the store I was in had a Tacoma ABG.
The Tacoma was much better than the Kelly.
 
#9
I think the MK's are pretty nice but if your going to get one go with the fretless model, they sound better.

I recently had this same dilema, I liked the MK's but they look a little too "high-dollar" for me. (I've heard them refered to as "Bling-Bling") I mean they're loaded!! Quilted maple everywhere, abalone rosette, abalone and pearl dragonfly/vineyard/flowergarden inlay on the neck .......etc. It looks nice but I wanted something I could kinda drag around with me and play whenever I felt the urge.

I ended up with an Ovation CC074 and am very, very happy with it. Alot of people don't like the fact that there's a plastic bowl an the back but I think it makes it all the more durable. And it's loud for an AEB, even unplugged!!!

Anyway, good luck on your search :D
 
#10
i agonized over which AEB to buy. i played the MK 5-string, the ovation cc074, and tacoma thunderchief. it was thunderchief hands down for me but i couldn't afford the 1200.00 price tag. so i went with the olympia (tacoma with lower cost fishman pickup and built in indonesia). everyone i've played with has been blown away with the sound of the olympia - unplugged or not. and it was cheaper than the ovation and MK.

looking on musician's friend, seems many have gotten defective MKs. all AEBs seem like fragile creatures and i would recommend playing one in person rather than an on-line purchase.

anyway, for under $500.00, the olympia, imho, is the best bang for the buck if looks don't matter.
 
#11
anchorsteam said:
i agonized over which AEB to buy. i played the MK 5-string, the ovation cc074, and tacoma thunderchief. it was thunderchief hands down for me but i couldn't afford the 1200.00 price tag. so i went with the olympia (tacoma with lower cost fishman pickup and built in indonesia). everyone i've played with has been blown away with the sound of the olympia - unplugged or not. and it was cheaper than the ovation and MK.

looking on musician's friend, seems many have gotten defective MKs. all AEBs seem like fragile creatures and i would recommend playing one in person rather than an on-line purchase.

anyway, for under $500.00, the olympia, imho, is the best bang for the buck if looks don't matter.
Click to expand...

I agree, you definently have to play an AEB in person.

BTW, I tried an Olympia but I didn't really dig it (looks or otherwise) different strokes I guess. :D
 
#13
I picked up a MK Dragonfly Rose from a fellow TBer. It is a fretted 4. It is different from the great majority of MK basses in that the body has solid wood components (spruce top, rosewood back) as opposed to all laminates (it does have laminate rosewood sides). I think this makes for a more nuanced tone, more color and overtones. It is not used much in my current play situation so it's all I need.

Just in case you can't tell from my avatar (shot of the headstock of my Gretsch Super Chet), I am a sucker for inlay.
 
#15
MaskedJackal said:
I'd be interested to hear his story, I've heard (and seen) cases of subpar construction. :confused:
Click to expand...
I can tell you mine. When I received my Dragonfly 4 (4-2005)the fretboard was not glued from the nut to the 4th fret. It was just floating. I glued and clamped it myself. It's fine now. How does something like that slip through the cracks?

Cheers,
Jim
 
#16
jazzbo58 said:
I can tell you mine. When I received my Dragonfly 4 (4-2005)the fretboard was not glued from the nut to the 4th fret. It was just floating. I glued and clamped it myself. It's fine now. How does something like that slip through the cracks?

Cheers,
Jim
Click to expand...


Hey Jim
I hope I have better luck with this one. The guy has had it set up and what ever so maybe it will have all ready been gluded togather.I have heard some bad some good about them. Is your strings peged in or string thur bridge?
 
#17
Winky B,
The strings are pegged. If you have somone setting it up you shouldn't have the problem I had. I do enjoy playing this ABG. It's nice to just pick it up and play without having to setup an amplifier. As far as strings I'm thinking of trying some tape wounds. That should give me more thump than twang.

Cheers,
Jim
 
#18
Well I got the Michael Kelly a fue days ago. Now for the good and the bad. I don`t know what the deal is with this one but it is a 32 inch scale and is a string through bridge.
It is like new as the man I bought if from sead. When I got it it had the strings that came on it and sounded like a guitar with heavy strings. That was a big let down. I replaced them with a set of DAddario ECB81-5 flat wounds that I had. Had to do a little work on the strings to make them fit the 32 inch scale. I think the B string I took off was about a .090 or.100 B string And the set I put on is .132. But man it came alive. As and acoustic it is a little better than my solid bodys but it lives when pluged in. Has a sound to me between a Beatle Bass and a Upright so I am happy with it even if it rates about a 1 1/2 as and acoustic on a 1 to 10. It has the sound I was looking for with the flat wounds.
 
#19
i just recently bought an MK club custom fretted 4. and i love it. the craftsman ship is great for a bass that cost me right over $300. i bought it at GC here in houston, so i got to play it and look at it. the only one they had that i liked better was a takamine and at $800 it was a bit pricey for me. lovely addition to my bass arsenal. looks great plays great. also, dont buy one from the internet!
 
#20
Ok, here's the deal with the MK Dragonfly 5 from my(an endorsee) perspective. First, get rid of those horrible brass roundwound strings. Yeah, they sound much louder in an acoustic setting, but they sound like crap. Put some flatwound strings on it. I use Dogals but any will do. Second, check the entire fingerboard for any weird notes. If there are any, get a setup by a professional. Third, roll off most highs & mids & boost the bass almost all the way. NOW you should have a bass that sounds pretty much like an URB. So much ,in fact, that it will SHOCK you. I had to have the fingerboard radiused before mine was playable because some of the inlay had risen, but afterwards I was very favorably impressed with the sound. Now there are sessions & gigs where the MK is the only bass they want to hear. Oh, forgot to mention....mine is fretless.
 

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