MTD Bassss

[Calvin Marks]

Seems like a ton of these are available on the used market and they're quite pricey...any reason why they're so frequently traded? What's the general consensus around these basses in terms of quality, sound, etc?

Thx

 

[cataract]

Seems like a ton of these are available on the used market and they're quite pricey...any reason why they're so frequently traded? What's the general consensus around these basses in terms of quality, sound, etc?

Thx

I’ve sold things that I didn’t want to part with just because I needed the money and knew I would get a fair amount of money quickly. Maybe the sellers have their eyes on something else and need to sell a bass or two to fund their GAS, maybe they need the money for an unexpected bill or expense.. too many hypothetical reasons to list them all.
I wouldn’t assume that these basses aren’t good just because there are a lot of them being sold used- if we went by that reasoning, Precisions and Stingrays must be total garbage!

 

[kesslari]

Look at the MTD club thread.

 

[jd56hawk]

Some people like them.
Never knew anyone who did, but I never met anyone who liked BC Rich, Schecter, Brubaker, etc, etc, etc, either.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

I know lots of people that like them. These basses aren’t a gimmick. He’s sold thousands of them. His basses sell well because they’re good. Often these imports are a gateway drug to the real thing. They are also a great stepping stone. Something to step up from.
IOW people that dig them will often start looking for a US hand made version used. They are a high grade import, they are made very well. They actually sound quite good. They are able to get pretty old school as well as very modern. While the preamps are not the top of the line Bartolini offering, they are quite serviceable and sound quite good. MTD basses seem to be favored by many high profile praise and Worship players.
Just got comps on my new/used MTD Heir, last night, A recent addition. (not one of my main basses) I own a 94 Tobias Killer B5 that’s excellent. Now a real MTD, MiA hand made by Michael, will run twice as much as the Kingston new and probably used too. Different horses for different courses. There are threads for both import and domestic versions here.

 

[Deadworks]

The only instruments I regret selling were my MTD's. I had one of the older Kingston 5 string models(single MM pickup with the shark fin pickguard) which I had zero complaints with especially at it's price point. I only sold that to downsize the herd.

GAS got the better part of me and I bought a MTD 535-24 and while I absolutely loved everything about that bass the reality of my situation eventually sunk in. At the time I was gigging frequently in a metal band and some of those places were absolute dives which meant the 535 never ventured out into the wild so I sold it because it was just sitting there.

 

[LeonD]

If you're referring to USA MTDs, because the electronics are so transparent, their tone is very dependent on the woods used. I've flipped MTDs just because the tone didn't work only to buy another made with different woods.

Other than that, I'd say the owner either didn't like/need that particular tone any more. Or, GAS for something else got the better of him.

 

[Calvin Marks]

I was referring to USA models. What I fear is what you stated, they are made with so many different choices for wood and some combos may simply not work tonally but may look beautiful.

 

[bucephylus]

I was referring to USA models. What I fear is what you stated, they are made with so many different choices for wood and some combos may simply not work tonally but may look beautiful.

While Mike does tend to build instruments with substantial visual appeal, he is first and foremost all about the sound. The woods he uses are intended for very deliberate sonic results. He does use a wide variety of woods; so, there is a pretty wide variety of feel and sound characteristics going on. For example, the wenge necks and maple necks produce dramatically different results. A player needs some experience with how the different constructions behave. If you buy with your eyes, you may end up with an unintended result. A lot of the flipping probably happens because players are trying to figure out the construction characteristics.

 

[Viggo51]

I own a MTD 535-24 and owned a earlier 535-21 I would have to say it is my favorite bass (I also own a NYC Sadowsky and a SKB 3006). The basses are extremely well made and the Bartolini electronics are perfectly dialed. I cannot see myself selling/ trading it ever! And I have some textbook GAS! I think that some might just like to acquire and trade higher end basses just to get a chance to own several even if it is just for a short while

 

[B-Lo]

^^Exactly! I can't easily get my hands on higher-end basses around here. I can either travel to places where those basses are sold to try them out, or purchase one used and give it a go.

I suspect the latter happens more often than not with the majority of people.

 

[Fender_Bender]

While Mike does tend to build instruments with substantial visual appeal, he is first and foremost all about the sound. The woods he uses are intended for very deliberate sonic results. He does use a wide variety of woods; so, there is a pretty wide variety of feel and sound characteristics going on. For example, the wenge necks and maple necks produce pretty dramatically different results. A player needs some experience with how the different constructions behave. If you buy with your eyes, you may end up with an unintended result. A lot of the flipping probably happens because players are trying to figure out the construction characteristics.

Probably the “wood doesn’t matter, it’s all in the setup” crowd who get a rude awakening.

 

[bucephylus]

Probably the “wood doesn’t matter, it’s all in the setup” crowd who get a rude awakening.

Right?

My main occupation was as a PhD Materials Scientist. Though most of my work was with thin film materials, I’ve got a healthy appreciation for the effects of material properties on various of our constructions, including the bass guitar. Wood is actually an extremely complex engineering material. I always get a good chuckle out of the tendency to trivialize the role of the wood, as being mundane, unimportant, or both.

 

[ogiebb]

ive got one listed in the Classifieds I like how my 434 sounded the only reason I was selling it was GAS I bought a Fodera and a Moollon and been digging those Basses at least for now. they might be listed soon too.

 

[Kevorargh]

I had a Tobias Growler 5 as my first 5 string and later I had a Kingston Z series. Beautiful to look at, pretty easy to play, but tone wise the Bartolini pick-ups didn't do it for me. I fought to get what I considered a good tone out of them. To be fair, I did not know what I was doing re: eq settings when I had the Tobias and that played a large part in why I couldn't get a good tone, but the Kingston, in the low end, lacked oomph, and was too mid-rangey for my tastes.

 

[Spectre Gunner]

I have a good friend who has an American Mike Tobias handmade bass he's selling and I'm seriously considering buying. However, they are an investment. Photos don't due them justice but once you pick one up and hold it in your hand you see the quality of the wood and fine craftsmanship that goes into it. At least the handmade basses made by Mike himself are. I'm not familiar with the import line of MTD's so I can't comment on those.

His reason for selling has nothing to do with him not being happy with it. In fact, he loves and it's hard for him to part with it. He's only selling it because he already has 3-4 MTD's and working on buying a new handmade directly from Mike which is even nicer than any he's had so far. Now he has me GASsing for a custom MTD and they are not cheap new or used.

 

[jnuts1]

I have an MTD and Suzy and I shall never part. We have been together about 20 years now and She is literally the best playing bass I've ever touched and almost everyone who has played her has been blown away with how effortless she plays. but it takes a lot to get used to especially if you are a fender guy. ive had quite a few people tell me it plays so easy it makes it very hard to get used to for some reason.

 

[India_Sierra]

I absolutely love Michael Tobias' designs and it is my great shame that I've never played a US Tobias or MTD bass. Make no mistake, his builds are up there with the best of the best and along with Ken Smith, Mike Pedulla, Fodera, Alembic and Stuart Spector, I'd consider him one of the absolute godfathers of boutique bass design. That said, boutique bass buyers often have a relatively large amount of disposable income and trade boutique basses as others might trade a common Fender. The boutique market is also relatively stable, once the initial depreciation is accounted for. You can usually get back what you paid without much effort, which means the funds to get a new bass aren't far away.

 

[Jackass76]

I have a MIK Kingston Heir and a USA Super - both 4 string, 34" scale. They are completely different tone wise, but they are that way for a reason.

The Heir is Ash, Flame Maple veneer, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. It's a killer combination of Jazz and MM, quite versatile for lots of different music tastes. Can be treble-ly, mid-focused, or fat; kinda depends what you need and how you set the eq...but it does have a piano-like tone to it. I love it, got it new 15 years ago, and don't plan on ever selling it.

The Super 4 is Ash, Maple Neck, Roasted Bird's Eye Maple Fingerboard. It's very Mid/Treble Focused because that's what I was looking for in the instrument. However, it will fill the bottom end in if you want it to. Again, I will never sell it.

The pickups and preamps he uses definitely allow the wood to do the talking. Mike has said many times in the past that even though you plug them into amps, they are acoustic first. The build quality, materials, and attention detail are all there. MTD Basses are incredible instruments...but I might be a little biased.

These two MTDs are going nowhere but to sessions and gigs with me. I did have a MIC CRB 4, and a MIC Kingston Heir 5 at one point. I never connected with the CRB (could be the P-Bass sound, I'm not sure...), and I could not, and still can't, get used to a 35" scale 5 string, so I sold them both.

 

[jbl71004]

Love my 2 MTDs. Looks, sound, feel. Just incredible instruments.