mtd 535 cut through the mix?

[KJung]

To the guys discussing wenge; what rig are you using your MTD on?

Over the decade or so I gigged mine, always had good luck with tighter, more mid present rigs (Eden heads with XLT cabs, Bag End cabs with Eden or Thunderfunk heads, etc.). Not so much with more mid relaxed, wider voiced rigs like Epifani (NYC and UL), the early Bergantino HC cabs, etc.

Unfortunately, most front of house PA's sound more like the latter rigs above than the former rigs, which was sometimes problematic for me (and others, as posted above). Of course, again, a big honking front of house and a gig where slapping and a bit boom is appropriate can be a wonderful experience with an MTD, especially a wenge neck MTD! For other contexts, not so much IMO and IME. Just depends what you want.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Over the decade or so I gigged mine, always had good luck with tighter, more mid present rigs (Eden heads with XLT cabs, Bag End cabs with Eden or Thunderfunk heads, etc.). Not so much with more mid relaxed, wider voiced rigs like Epifani (NYC and UL), the early Bergantino HC cabs, etc.

Unfortunately, most front of house PA's sound more like the latter rigs above than the former rigs, which was sometimes problematic for me (and others, as posted above). Of course, again, a big honking front of house and a gig where slapping and a bit boom is appropriate can be a wonderful experience with an MTD, especially a wenge neck MTD! For other contexts, not so much IMO and IME. Just depends what you want.

Nice. I agree about most house PA's sounding loose in the mids. I used to play in a large basketball stadium type venue, and even with a great house system, the giant room gave any bass I had a huge amount of reverb and mud; moving through such a large space the tone just loosened up. I had to make my gear sound very tight and, almost overly mid heavy, knowing that 100 or 200 feet away the tone would sound 'normal', even though in my in-ears it was very bright reverse-scooped sounding.

For smaller stuff I'm using the Eden DI, and I sometimes push the mid-shift when using a P-bass, to help tighten up the sound.

 

[BassistForJesus]

Birdseye Maple

 

[Margus Alviste]

I don't agree with the comments about wenge. I have had a ash/maple/rosewood 535 and two wenge/wenge/korina 535 and the wenge/korina basses sound(ed) much fuller and sit/sat better in mix. To be precise - the wenge basses were from 93 and 95. These older models had different electronics.

 

[KJung]

I don't agree with the comments about wenge. I have had a ash/maple/rosewood 535 and two wenge/wenge/korina 535 and the wenge/korina basses sound(ed) much fuller and sit/sat better in mix. To be precise - the wenge basses were from 93 and 95. These older models had different electronics.

Again, wonderful basses, and it depends on what you mean by 'sitting in a mix'. The clip you put up of yours is wonderful, although with what seems like very old strings and your thumb muting, I don't hear much wenge in there. That being said, it all depends what you want. Putting a BIG pillow under the band.... these basses are great. Kicking some crazy upper treble slap sizzle, with big low end, these basses are great, and the wenge is the 'definition' of that to my ear. Solo playing... forget about it, one of the best sounding 'clinic basses' for the gun slingers I've ever heard. Boom and click gospel (Gouche, etc.)... perfect!

Slotting a bass above the bass drum and below the cymbals, with good note definition and nice warm, midrange punch, IMO, not so much, in general, although again, the more typical wood choices will help there quite a bit. A lot depends on how the OP defines 'cut through the mix', which is why I've been trying to give some tonal examples. If 'cutting through the mix means a big low end, and some very nice mid and upper treble pop, then, yes, the MTD would be awesome.

 

[Margus Alviste]

Again, wonderful basses, and it depends on what you mean by 'sitting in a mix'. The clip you put up of yours is wonderful, although with what seems like very old strings and your thumb muting, I don't hear much wenge in there. That being said, it all depends what you want. Putting a BIG pillow under the band.... these basses are great. Kicking some crazy upper treble slap sizzle, with big low end, these basses are great, and the wenge is the 'definition' of that to my ear. Solo playing... forget about it, one of the best sounding 'clinic basses' for the gun slingers I've ever heard. Boom and click gospel (Gouche, etc.)... perfect!

Slotting a bass above the bass drum and below the cymbals, with good note definition and nice warm, midrange punch, IMO, not so much, in general, although again, the more typical wood choices will help there quite a bit.

Oh that clip was just an exeption. I can upload some more samples with more traditional playing. Really nice low mids I'd say. But as I told already - the earlier pickups/pre sounded different.


PS! I use my wenge/korina 535 with different rigs - Epifani UL602 + 4x10" cab and Acoustic Image head + Schroeder 1210 cab. Lately I've been using HK Quantum 600 head with the Epifani cab and all the combos sound great with my MTD.

 

[KJung]

Oh that clip was just an exeption. I can upload some more samples with more traditional playing. Really nice low mids I'd say. But as I told already - the earlier pickups/pre sounded different.

Yeah, mine was a relatively early model. Can't remember when I bought it exactly (mid 90's)... serial number was 300 something. I really did love that bass (wenge, ash with a maple top), especially for the music I was playing back then (and the music that was still popular... the pop/jazz stuff that has all but disappeared today). But, it had a STRONG voice, for better or worse

 

[Fuzzbass]

I had an early 2000's 535 for awhile: spalt/burl myrtle top over tulipwood body, all wenge neck. It was gorgeous, light as a feather, and more importantly, I thought it had great tone, especially when I dialed in the bridge pickup (no surprise there). On top of that, the 3 band EQ with semi-para mid made it easy to dial in punch/growl/whatever.

FWIW I sold it because it was just too fancy for me. I'm a blue collar player (so to speak) and when it comes to aesthetics I prefer Fender-style to boutique-style.

As others have been saying: "cut through" factor depends on all components in the tone chain -- and their settings.

 

[bass12]

So maple or rosewood fingerboard would be better cutting through the mix than wenge?
Or like Lucky Strike said, would a good D.I. make it able even on a wenge board?

I had an MTD with an ash/maple neck (ash/walnut body) and had Mike make me a new neck because I thought I didn't like the ash neck very much (I found the fundamental of the notes wasn't emphasized enough). The replacement neck was maple/maple and it was still the same story fundamental-wise. So I'd say that, for "cutting through a mix" wenge and rosewood are a safer bet (I generally have found maple fingerboards to be a bit thin in the note fundamental department, though there are definitely exceptions). In fact, I'd say the wenge helps the bass in a mix. A recent reminder of this for me was at a reggae gig I played on a large outdoor stage a couple of months back. My onboard bass was boosted and the sound was huge. The notes, however, remained clear (I attribute this partly to the compression of the wenge - for whatever that's worth ).

 

[bass12]

To the guys discussing wenge; what rig are you using your MTD on?

Ampeg SVT 3 and 4 Pro heads, Bergantino AE cabinets (2x10 or 4x10). I used to have Eden XLT cabinets which also worked well. A fair number of the gigs I play are ampless, with headphones being my only monitors.

 

[johnbkim93]

Wow I hear so many different things about mtd its sso hard to make up my mind
Some say that it has the big lows and some say their lows are too light..
Same with the cutting through the mix.. man its hard

 

[pickles]

I don't see the point in getting a 535 with traditional woods. If i want an alder/rosewood or ash/maple sound, im getting a sadowsky or lakland. The wenge/tulip 535s are distinct and thats what you are probably after if you are thinking 535. Your soundman may be confused, but they are gnarly and amazing and unique. The problem is how complex, broad, and complete the tone is. No room in the mix for anybody else.

Warwicks can offer a similar tone tuned to more of a rock sensibility. And sadowskys and laklands offer the luxury feel and playability (and great low Bs) with a modernized but still traditionally functional tone.

 

[pickles]

Wow I hear so many different things about mtd its sso hard to make up my mind
Some say that it has the big lows and some say their lows are too light..
Same with the cutting through the mix.. man its hard

Its the difference between deep and fat. 535s are very deep and not at all fat. A p bass is very fat and not all that deep.

 

[Testing123]

+1

Played my incredible sounding 1972 Jazz today at rehearsal and it really doesn't cut very well. Comparing to my dual coil equipped Fodera isn't really fair. The Fodera almost cuts too well... Every missed note is right in your face IME.

So your E5S cuts really well, huh? Is it the type of bass that's suitable for Gospel as well as say a rock type situation?

 

[johnbkim93]

Its the difference between deep and fat. 535s are very deep and not at all fat. A p bass is very fat and not all that deep.

I see. Then what bass has the fat low besides p bass?
Wouldn hiphop and soul type of music need fat and deep low?

 

[LaBassGuy]

Its the difference between deep and fat. 535s are very deep and not at all fat. A p bass is very fat and not all that deep.

I have a yamaha bbne2 which is also not fat or boomy but deep. So it is really defined and clear.

 

[bass12]

I don't see the point in getting a 535 with traditional woods. If i want an alder/rosewood or ash/maple sound, im getting a sadowsky or lakland. The wenge/tulip 535s are distinct and thats what you are probably after if you are thinking 535. Your soundman may be confused, but they are gnarly and amazing and unique. The problem is how complex, broad, and complete the tone is. No room in the mix for anybody else.

Warwicks can offer a similar tone tuned to more of a rock sensibility. And sadowskys and laklands offer the luxury feel and playability (and great low Bs) with a modernized but still traditionally functional tone.

As someone with an alder/maple/rosewood MTD I have to say that it is every bit as much an MTD as the other wood combos I've owned. It's not at all like a Sadowsky or Lakland. As for Warwicks, I've never played one that sounded much like an MTD.

 

[bass12]

Its the difference between deep and fat. 535s are very deep and not at all fat. A p bass is very fat and not all that deep.

I think I know what you're getting at but, again, different MTDs will give you different results. As far as the voicing of the pre-amp is concerned I might agree with your above statement, but part of the reason that my main MTDs are my main MTDs is that they are plenty "fat" and not just "deep". I may have to boost the mids a little to get there but that's all it takes.

 

[bass12]

Wow I hear so many different things about mtd its sso hard to make up my mind
Some say that it has the big lows and some say their lows are too light..
Same with the cutting through the mix.. man its hard

You're inevitably going to wind up with different opinions on the subject. To make matters more difficult, it's hard to know who has had what experiences (how many basses of a given model they've played, where they've played them, what their preferences are, etc.). Ultimately, you're going to have to find out for yourself (which is why buying second hand is probably the best way to go).

 

[THRAK2]

Do yourself a favor and just get in touch with Mike. There are few people on this planet who know more about wood combinations and electronics than he does...