• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

narrowed down to mtd, sadowsky, lakland

#82
I own a Sadowsky M5-24, A Ken Smith BSR 5MW, A Carvin SB5000, and I used to own a Lakland 4-94. All fine instruments. KJung did a great job of describing their sound characteristics. For the best all-rounder I'd recommend the Sadowsky.

Here's a clip that's a good representation of the Sadowsky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYSjHozHSZ0

Unfortunately, I have very limited experience with MTD (as in, I've only played one) so I can't be of any help there.
 
#83
johnbkim93 said:
I've been looking for a 5 string bass thats a killer for Gospel, hip hop, soul, funk etc but versatile enough to play many other style such as pop, fusion jazz, some latin etc.
I love kirk franklin type of gospel, roy hargrove rh factor, robert glasper, D angelo, and Marcus miller. I know I cant cover all those styles but am trying to.
I was going to go for an mtd but seemed like some people had trouble cutting though the mix. I know there are people who never had those problems but theres still a chance mine might have the problem you know. Maybe a good D.I.might solve the problem. Not sure.

So! I heard many thing from people and narrowed down to
1. A used MTD 535 with a wenge finger board. (With a good D.I. if it doesnt cut through the mix well. Do you think it would be fine?)
2. Sadowsky metro maple fb(Heard theres no difference regarding tone quality between metro and nyc) i need your suggestions with the model.
3. Lakland 5594 maple fb.

maple might be too bright but want it because i already have fender jazz custom 64 relic which is rosewood.
(Maybe i want a bartolini pick up for a darker sound. Maybe i want a soap bar pickup for a different feel.. idk..:( )

I know they are all top basses out there and its a matter of my taste but i cant try them and i just want to hear opinions regarding the tone that would be best for the style I have said.
If theres a different bass that fits all better than those, please suggest.
Click to expand...

Judging by what you asked for,I'd suggest the 55-94.Just happens that I've played pretty much all the style you've mentioned and I've been able to get the exact sounds I needed.

Of course,I had access to Lakland that most didn't have when I was an artist with them so,they really hooked me up with some great instruments...I'm no longer a Lakland artist but I still play my Lakland basses exclusively.

Having said all of that,you still should try them all if you get the chance..only problem is,you can't take em home for a test drive to see how they really respond.

If you're on a budget,the SB5000 would be a nice choice as well.

Here are sound samples from my 55-94...at the time of these recordings,the bass was only 4 months old...it sounds much better now(10 years later!)

Fingerstyle:
Invalid Link Removed

Slap:
Invalid Link Removed

Neo-Soul fingerstyle:
Invalid Link Removed
 
#84
Lonnybass said:
Does anyone have feedback as to WHY the MTDs were so difficult to fit into the live mix? I've seen a few threads on this issue over the past couple days, and I'm curious to learn what was problematic in terms of the signal.

Lonnybass
Click to expand...

Here's my experience...

I have a gloss finished Ash with Wenge 635. Burl top. When I got it it was strung with Stainless steel strings. Lots of zing.

I didn't want lots of zing so the first thing I did was install a set of DR Sunbeam Nickel strings. That alone really fattened up the sound. And I use a .120 B. I've never really had any more of a problem with FOH with it. I ask that they start with my channel flat vs. the typical highs and lows boosted thing. This bass needs no help.

I wonder how many really understand what it takes to work in a live mix. I have no doubt that that's a large part of the problem for many.

Check out Bubby Lewis with Snoop. His bass doesn't disappear. Guess he didn't know.
;)
 
#85
Lonnybass said:
Does anyone have feedback as to WHY the MTDs were so difficult to fit into the live mix? I've seen a few threads on this issue over the past couple days, and I'm curious to learn what was problematic in terms of the signal.

Lonnybass
Click to expand...

You have to factor in the player as well...some bassists have a tendency to play really loud onstage.That's my key to cutting thru a mix no matter what bass I'm playing.

I usually start there before I start blaming an instrument. :-)
 
#86
johnbkim93 said:
I've been looking for a 5 string bass thats a killer for Gospel, hip hop, soul, funk etc but versatile enough to play many other style such as pop, fusion jazz, some latin etc.
I love kirk franklin type of gospel, roy hargrove rh factor, robert glasper, D angelo, and Marcus miller. I know I cant cover all those styles but am trying to.
I was going to go for an mtd but seemed like some people had trouble cutting though the mix. I know there are people who never had those problems but theres still a chance mine might have the problem you know. Maybe a good D.I.might solve the problem. Not sure.

So! I heard many thing from people and narrowed down to
1. A used MTD 535 with a wenge finger board. (With a good D.I. if it doesnt cut through the mix well. Do you think it would be fine?)
2. Sadowsky metro maple fb(Heard theres no difference regarding tone quality between metro and nyc) i need your suggestions with the model.
3. Lakland 5594 maple fb.

maple might be too bright but want it because i already have fender jazz custom 64 relic which is rosewood.
(Maybe i want a bartolini pick up for a darker sound. Maybe i want a soap bar pickup for a different feel.. idk..:( )

I know they are all top basses out there and its a matter of my taste but i cant try them and i just want to hear opinions regarding the tone that would be best for the style I have said.
If theres a different bass that fits all better than those, please suggest.
Click to expand...

Just curious... what is your budget and how did you narrow your search down to these three basses? Where are you located?

I'm also not following the good DI if it doesn't cut through in the mix thing. if a bass truly couldn't cut through it wouldn't cut through in the house either.

Bartolinis don't sound dark, some basses they're installed in do. There are other choices.

In all seriousness the "versatility of a bass" is way more about you than the bass. Any of the three can work fine in any of those genres IME. Plus a lot more that you aren't focused on. I play all of the genres you mentioned and I don't have a bass I gig with that doesn't work well in any of them. A lot of the answers you're getting are from folks who aren't playing in the genres you've mentioned. So the answers aren't necessarily what would work best for you. What's your experience, how long have you been playing, what's your rig? All of this and more should be prerequisites for making a recommendation vs. talking about what I like.
:)

Without knowing your technical particulars, what really leaps out is a Fender Jazz Deluxe 5. None of the basses you've mentioned do what these do as easily IME IMO. No, that's not what I currently use :D. And I've played tons of examples of the three you mentioned. Owned several too.
 
#87
johnbkim93 said:
That is true, but people still want the bass that is Easier to make the tone to their style and the tone they want than a bass that just can make it close to it.
Click to expand...

At some point that can be a part of the problem, depending on experience, when you're looking for versatility. You can have a bass voiced so hard in one direction that you have to fight that baked in sound anytime you don't want it. Other basses can be more of a blank palette, even though they can be a robust one.

Plus I'm of the school that thinks that you should learn how to make a bass do what you want it to do. Granted, it takes more time to gain this experience, you need to really understand how all parts of the system (you, your bass, your rig, your band, FOH) all work together.

Jimmy Johnson and David Hood both play Alembics. Neither sounds like Stanley Clarke.
;)
 
#88
Brad Johnson said:
Just curious... what is your budget and how did you narrow your search down to these three basses? Where are you located?

I'm also not following the good DI if it doesn't cut through in the mix thing. if a bass truly couldn't cut through it wouldn't cut through in the house either.

Bartolinis don't sound dark, some basses they're installed in do. There are other choices.

In all seriousness the "versatility of a bass" is way more about you than the bass. Any of the three can work fine in any of those genres IME. Plus a lot more that you aren't focused on. I play all of the genres you mentioned and I don't have a bass I gig with that doesn't work wㅡell in any of them. A lot of the answers you're getting are from folks who aren't playing in the genres you've mentioned. So the answers aren't necessarily what would work best for you. What's your experience, how long have you been playing, what's your rig? All of this and more should be prerequisites for making a recommendation vs. talking about what I like.
:)

Without knowing your technical particulars, what really leaps out is a Fender Jazz Deluxe 5. None of the basses you've mentioned do what these do as easily IME IMO. No, that's not what I currently use :D. And I've played tons of examples of the three you mentioned. Owned several too.
Click to expand...

I've been playing bass for 6 years. I have a fender jazz custom shop 64 relic and played many different genres with it. It was fine for a lot of genres but sometimes missing the 2%. Im currently in a gospel band and a fusionjazz band. I needed a 5 string especially for gospel and Illbe doing session work and some hiphop and hard groove music. If im gonna get a 5 string for gospel, why not should i get one thats pretty good for all those. So i thought those 3 I mentioned can fit to all and wanted to hear what people say about them and how different they are. Because i cant play all of them. I was goning to go for the mtd but heard people saying and heard my self some mtds not cutting through the mix. And the good D.I. was just a suggestion from someone.
I shouldnt have generallized all the bartolini pickups to be dark but the ones ive seen sounded dark so maybe im wrong with that. My budget maximum $3500.
 
#91
Sadowsky have a passive tone control, on top of the active eq.
They need not be bright.

Another thought:
Have Nino Valenti build you exactly what you decide you want.

johnbkim93 said:
Thanks for all the opinions. Im leaning towards the sadowsky mv5 but i have another question.
If i want the bartolini pick up for a darker sound, what bass do you suggest that fits to my requirements?
Click to expand...
 
#92
johnbkim93 said:
I've been playing bass for 6 years. I have a fender jazz custom shop 64 relic and played many different genres with it. It was fine for a lot of genres but sometimes missing the 2%. Im currently in a gospel band and a fusionjazz band. I needed a 5 string especially for gospel and Illbe doing session work and some hiphop and hard groove music. If im gonna get a 5 string for gospel, why not should i get one thats pretty good for all those. So i thought those 3 I mentioned can fit to all and wanted to hear what people say about them and how different they are. Because i cant play all of them. I was goning to go for the mtd but heard people saying and heard my self some mtds not cutting through the mix. And the good D.I. was just a suggestion from someone.
I shouldnt have generallized all the bartolini pickups to be dark but the ones ive seen sounded dark so maybe im wrong with that. My budget maximum $3500.
Click to expand...

The three mentioned are different out of the box. The only person who knows what you'll truly like is you. No doubt some people have issues with MTDs... while others don't. Who knows which side of that you'll come down on? They may be exactly what YOU want.

The reason I asked where you're located is because you may be near someone who has a bass you can check out. I'm in Maryland, near DC.

A good DI won't fix a truly deficient bass. I use the DIs built into my amps.

For $3500 you have a heck of a lot more choices than what you've listed.
 
#93
Brad Johnson said:
The three mentioned are different out of the box. The only person who knows what you'll truly like is you. No doubt some people have issues with MTDs... while others don't. Who knows which side of that you'll come down on? They may be exactly what YOU want.

The reason I asked where you're located is because you may be near someone who has a bass you can check out. I'm in Maryland, near DC.

A good DI won't fix a truly deficient bass. I use the DIs built into my amps.

For $3500 you have a heck of a lot more choices than what you've listed.
Click to expand...

I used to live in Long island NY for few years but now im back in Korea. Should've tried them all when I was there haha
 
#95
Valent Basses built one of my favorite basses of all time for way less than $3500.

http://www.valentibasses.com

152b_zps59d22311.jpg
 
#96
johnbkim93 said:
Please suggest if there are basses that you think that could fit me better then the ones ive listed! I know its not a better/worse question. Just want opinions from different people which may or may not apply to myself.
Click to expand...
There are lots and lots of people making great basses these days. One of my main basses is a Lull (with a Sadowsky preamp) and that might be a good alternative to a Sadowsky (if you wanted a flatter neck and 35" scale, for example). Lots of people seem to really like Roscoes. I've never gigged one but the two I tried out in a shop felt and sounded great. Those are just two examples of other basses that I think would work for the kind of vibe you seem to be into.

One other positive regarding Sadowskys (and this can't be said of all the basses in your budget range) is that their resale value is consistently pretty good, so that might be one more thing to consider.
 
#98
Brad Johnson said:
Check out Bubby Lewis with Snoop. His bass doesn't disappear. Guess he didn't know.
;)
Click to expand...

That was pretty much my first thought. I know Andrew Gouche sounds great with a 635 on that live Chaka Khan CD too. I think a great deal comes down to knowing how to eq your bass and really working it out with the sound crew. Your suggestion to start flat and see how it sounds makes the most sense to me. I know I recently have started using a passive five string P-bass (Lakland 55-64) with a very high output pickup. I have found that I get good results running through the active jack on my amp or running it through the passive output but cutting all controls 25% below flat. That was after playing it during service and finding that it sounded a bit more aggressive than I wanted it at times.

Back to your point, I am getting great results playing Urban Gospel with my Lakland. I don't sound like Andrew Gouche or Snoop Evans, but I get the job done. If you know the music and the genre, most any bass will work.
 
#99
Dr. Cheese said:
Back to your point, I am getting great results playing Urban Gospel with my Lakland. I don't sound like Andrew Gouche or Snoop Evans, but I get the job done. If you know the music and the genre, most any bass will work.
Click to expand...

Certain basses can definitely work less in certain contexts but I do think that the most important thing is to have a bass that inspires you to play in a way that means you'll sound good within the given context.
 
#100
Dr. Cheese said:
That was pretty much my first thought. I know Andrew Gouche sounds great with a 635 on that live Chaka Khan CD too. I think a great deal comes down to knowing how to eq your bass and really working it out with the sound crew. Your suggestion to start flat and see how it sounds makes the most sense to me. I know I recently have started using a passive five string P-bass (Lakland 55-64) with a very high output pickup. I have found that I get good results running through the active jack on my amp or running it through the passive output but cutting all controls 25% below flat. That was after playing it during service and finding that it sounded a bit more aggressive than I wanted it at times.

Back to your point, I am getting great results playing Urban Gospel with my Lakland. I don't sound like Andrew Gouche or Snoop Evans, but I get the job done. If you know the music and the genre, most any bass will work.
Click to expand...

That live Chaka CD is a good example of what I'm talking about with the MTD tone through front of house. Great playing of course (I actually love that performance), but man, that is the classic example of an uber scooped MTD tone. Massive deep low end, upper treble click on the slap sections, and virtually nothing coming out of that instrument between 500hz and 4K. I understand that is kind of his thing, and that it doesn't sound 'bad' in an absolute sense (that uber scoop was quite popular, especially with the urban Gospel players back in the day). But man, no articulation, very weak tone center to the note, and virtually no 'space between the notes'... very 'blurry'.

Of course, many love that tone, and that is totally cool. Just trying to describe it for the OP more than saying 'that is good or that is bad', even though that sound, for me, is really bad.

It is interesting that he uses MTD's version of a more traditional J with Prince at this point;) In his recent Bass Player interview, he talks about not even bringing his 'regular' MTD with him on that gig. I wonder if Prince had something to do with that!

Just FYI on your hot output P (most of them are... my passive P is by far my hottest output bass)..... the passive tone control is your very good friend with an aggressive P bass. Very different from a J, where many leave that passive tone all the way up. There is definitely a sweet spot with the passive tone control on a P that will help you control the pronounced upper midrange of those instruments without going all the way to dub/flub land!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back