I might give him $1500 as long as Michael would give me some pickups to put back in them for less than $2000+
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MTD mod'd with PEAVEY pickups??????
- Thread starter Vic
- Start date
...which I'm sure he'd sell you a set, but there might be ugly artifacts from the pickup mod, that'd be my concern... even at $1500.
A bass is a tool. We shape the tools that we have to meet out needs. When our needs outgrow the possibilities of our tools, we move on to a new tool.
I think that bass probably sounds amazing with those pickups in it.
lowsound
I think that bass probably sounds amazing with those pickups in it.
lowsound
I wonder if there isn't a bit of Peavey predjudice here? I don't think anyone would freak out if the owner had installed Nordstrands or Lane Poors as one person mentioned. The Super Ferrite pickups are inexpensive, but sure as heck sound great! I wouldn't have done it to a bass that expensive, but swapping pickups is swapping pickups, assuming they fit without a bunch of woodwork.
I wonder if there isn't a bit of Peavey predjudice here? I don't think anyone would freak out if the owner had installed Nordstrands or Lane Poors as one person mentioned. The Super Ferrite pickups are inexpensive, but sure as heck sound great! I wouldn't have done it to a bass that expensive, but swapping pickups is swapping pickups, assuming they fit without a bunch of woodwork.
Great point, the SF peavey pickups are some of the best pickups ever made IMO.
lowsound
Nah, at least with me, it's neither of those things. I do like those pickups. IMHO the custom barts are still a lot better, but I accept that's purely subjective, so no biggie on that.I wonder if there isn't a bit of Peavey predjudice here? I don't think anyone would freak out if the owner had installed Nordstrands or Lane Poors as one person mentioned. The Super Ferrite pickups are inexpensive, but sure as heck sound great! I wouldn't have done it to a bass that expensive, but swapping pickups is swapping pickups, assuming they fit without a bunch of woodwork.
Thing is, I'd have the same reaction to his changes regardless of the pickup maker. Good comment tho... it got me to thinking what my real problem was with it...
It's not that he swapped pickups (tho I personally still think it was stupid for him not to keep/restore the originals for resale). It's that he did something to such a high end instrument that wasn't 100% reversible. I guess it all boils down to that... at least with me.
BTW, I love a lot of the Peavey stuff out there... especially their USA made stuff such as the USA Millenniums and Cirrus'.
I wonder if there isn't a bit of Peavey predjudice here? I don't think anyone would freak out if the owner had installed Nordstrands or Lane Poors as one person mentioned. The Super Ferrite pickups are inexpensive, but sure as heck sound great! I wouldn't have done it to a bass that expensive, but swapping pickups is swapping pickups, assuming they fit without a bunch of woodwork.
I admit to have a prejudice against the pickups chosen (have not been blown away by SFs), but mostly I saw $$$ flying away (esp. since I also have a prejudice against Barts). If the pickups were direct replacements and the originals could be reinstalled, no big whoop. It's still no concern to me, as I'm not interested in buying, but given the woodwork it's one of those mods that can devastate resale if the time comes.
M
Great price. Im sure you could get some of the barts, and its worth asking the owner if he still has the originals. if he does, thats a great deal.
That and a fear of creativity and individuality. What would Geddy and Justin think?
By the way Mike has made a custom MTD with J pickups so he's not as rigid as some would prefer.
You're way off the mark here if you're referring to me.
First, Mike and I are good friends and I even had the prototype JJ here with me for a while. I'm well aware of the designs he's come up with, as well as their variations and the multitude of custom options on top of all that. I have 4 of his instruments, and each one is an individual in many ways. That's what I like about them. Mike's creativity and the individuality of his instruments.
To some people, basses are just tools, which is fine (really!), but to me, they're that AND much more... at least when you're talking about hand made pieces like Mike builds, there's a strong artistic component as well. To me, that's significant.
I know this is taking the example to the extreme, but to make the point I'm really getting at...
I'd liken what this guy did to taking a painting by a great artist and deciding to add a mustache to it. If all the picture is is a tool to cover a hole or stain on the wall, sure, who cares. But if the art also matters to you, it bugs you a bit... even if it's not yours, and you have no intention of making it yours at any point.
I think that's why the main reason I think it was a bad idea is not because he may like those pickups better than the stock ones, it's really more about the irreversible part. Just seems like defacing something to me, that's all.
IMHO
Well I don't seem to agree. As mentioned before, Mike makes basses for your specifications, thus making each bass unique. Yes it is true that he makes all those options, and good for him, they sound great.
I think this isn't so much about which pickups he put in it, because if he placed Nordy's in it, I would still be shocked, as the barts are still part of the MTD tone. If you don't want that tone, why spend thousands on it and then mod it so there is no way to get the money back?
I say this because I modded a bass and now am stuck with it. I should have sold the bass to find my sound. So creativity or innovation is not on trial here, but it is surprising that this guy modded the bass for a new sound other than selling it to find more of what he was looking for, which IMHO is better and much more cost effective.
I don't see anything done here that's worse than what Jaco did to that pre CBS bass with his pliers and boat epoxyYou're way off the mark here if you're referring to me.
First, Mike and I are good friends and I even had the prototype JJ here with me for a while. I'm well aware of the designs he's come up with, as well as their variations and the multitude of custom options on top of all that. I have 4 of his instruments, and each one is an individual in many ways. That's what I like about them. Mike's creativity and the individuality of his instruments.
To some people, basses are just tools, which is fine (really!), but to me, they're that AND much more... at least when you're talking about hand made pieces like Mike builds, there's a strong artistic component as well. To me, that's significant.
I know this is taking the example to the extreme, but to make the point I'm really getting at...
I'd liken what this guy did to taking a painting by a great artist and deciding to add a mustache to it. If all the picture is is a tool to cover a hole or stain on the wall, sure, who cares. But if the art also matters to you, it bugs you a bit... even if it's not yours, and you have no intention of making it yours at any point.
I think that's why the main reason I think it was a bad idea is not because he may like those pickups better than the stock ones, it's really more about the irreversible part. Just seems like defacing something to me, that's all.
IMHO
Jaco needed to be mentioned
There's a great scene in the movie The Magic Christian where they buy the Mona Lisa or something and then right in front of the art dealer pull out a scissors and cut out the nose. They hand the rest back saying you can burn this all we wanted was the nose. That scene has sparked more than one conversation about what people should be allowed to do with their property that others feel is precious. Quite the polarizing question as we see.
I fall into the camp of you're allowed to do what you want with your property myself. And as long as no one tells him what to do with it being revolted by his choice is OK too
