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The Official MTD USA Thread

#2,202
B.C. said:
Man, that is a killer bass. Whens the next bass day;)

I would be interested to hear your comparisons with this and the Roscoe. I know they are two dif. beasts, but I am wondering why you went the MTD route(not that that is a terrible path)
Click to expand...

OK, I will try to explain it. From the moment I saw the roscoe, I loved it (buckeye burl on ash body with vera board and bart/bart system) and had to buy it (without playing it). I actually really liked the tone, until I heard a skjold (Vics) and how versatile the sound was. I tried to get a good slap tone out the Roscoe and I could, but not as good as the skjold. So I ended up picking up two skjolds and keeping my roscoe. ( I know this is a MTD thread and I am getting to the point). When I compared the skjolds to the Roscoe I really didn't care for the sound as much, so Vic changed the preamp to the aguilar, which made a big difference (IMO). Really opened up the high end and made the slap tone better. Then I started checking out some MTDs and really dug the tone and versatility (like the skjold, but voiced different).

I thought I would keep a skjold, roscoe and buy a MTD and be happy, but then thought the roscoe might not get played enough to justify so I worked out a trade for a MTD535. It hurt me to do the trade, but the MTD535 really hits the spot.

This is not a burn on roscoes. I actually preferred the feel of the neck, and the look of the top. Although, I now feel the buckeye top was some of the reason I couldn't get the sound I was looking for. I will own another roscoe, but with a harder top, nordstrands DCs and either the audere or aguilar pre.

So BC, a long answer, but the MTD really is versatile. Killer, killer slap tone and great fingerstyle. I really love it. Again, I am not a spalt top lover, but I would have a hard time having one built with the same specs with a different top in case it didn't sound as good as this one. When you and Vic get a chance to play you will know what I mean. Vic and I are planning on going to the St Louis GTG this saturday, you could check it out then.
 
#2,203
Saluki said:
OK, I will try to explain it. From the moment I saw the roscoe, I loved it (buckeye burl on ash body with vera board and bart/bart system) and had to buy it (without playing it). I actually really liked the tone, until I heard a skjold (Vics) and how versatile the sound was. I tried to get a good slap tone out the Roscoe and I could, but not as good as the skjold. So I ended up picking up two skjolds and keeping my roscoe. ( I know this is a MTD thread and I am getting to the point). When I compared the skjolds to the Roscoe I really didn't care for the sound as much, so Vic changed the preamp to the aguilar, which made a big difference (IMO). Really opened up the high end and made the slap tone better. Then I started checking out some MTDs and really dug the tone and versatility (like the skjold, but voiced different).

I thought I would keep a skjold, roscoe and buy a MTD and be happy, but then thought the roscoe might not get played enough to justify so I worked out a trade for a MTD535. It hurt me to do the trade, but the MTD535 really hits the spot.

This is not a burn on roscoes. I actually preferred the feel of the neck, and the look of the top. Although, I now feel the buckeye top was some of the reason I couldn't get the sound I was looking for. I will own another roscoe, but with a harder top, nordstrands DCs and either the audere or aguilar pre.
So BC, a long answer, but the MTD really is versatile. Killer, killer slap tone and great fingerstyle. I really love it. Again, I am not a spalt top lover, but I would have a hard time having one built with the same specs with a different top in case it didn't sound as good as this one. When you and Vic get a chance to play you will know what I mean. Vic and I are planning on going to the St Louis GTG this saturday, you could check it out then.
Click to expand...

Saluki...+1! I agree with your statement about the buckeye top on my old Roscoe (I know this is a MTD thread but this is why I went MTD also!) The soft buckeye top combined with the spanish cedar gave the bass a ton of low end and a good amount of top end clarity but the mids and lower mids were muddy and almost non existant. Just did not have the punch. I would not call it Scooped but just didn't get it if ya know what I mean. I may own another one but with the specs you described also. I'm currently looking for another LG3005 or Skb3005. Also looking for Tobias "Classic 5" too. Maybe an early Gibson one though...not enough dough for a Pre-Gibson right now and I used to own a 94 Gibson Tobias Classic that was killer! MTD 4 Lyfe!!!!
 
#2,204
vision said:
My vote is for natural!!! If you must have color, maybe an amber burst...
Click to expand...
BIG +1! I was literally thinking the same exact thing based on how well that finish worked for me on another (tho non-MTD) bass I have. It's just enough to give it character and really make the grain pop out, but not enough to mask anything. GREAT idea!!!
 
#2,205
Saluki said:
Although, I now feel the buckeye top was some of the reason I couldn't get the sound I was looking for. I will own another roscoe, but with a harder top, nordstrands DCs and either the audere or aguilar pre.
Click to expand...
Actually, I'm not convinced this is true based on the Roscoes I've owned and played (both of which had much harder tops on them), but that's another thread. :)

So BC, a long answer, but the MTD really is versatile. Killer, killer slap tone and great fingerstyle. I really love it. Again, I am not a spalt top lover, but I would have a hard time having one built with the same specs with a different top in case it didn't sound as good as this one. When you and Vic get a chance to play you will know what I mean.
Click to expand...
He knows. He's been over to my house several times. :)
 
#2,206
Saluki said:
OK, I will try to explain it. From the moment I saw the roscoe, I loved it (buckeye burl on ash body with vera board and bart/bart system) and had to buy it (without playing it). I actually really liked the tone, until I heard a skjold (Vics) and how versatile the sound was. I tried to get a good slap tone out the Roscoe and I could, but not as good as the skjold. So I ended up picking up two skjolds and keeping my roscoe. ( I know this is a MTD thread and I am getting to the point). When I compared the skjolds to the Roscoe I really didn't care for the sound as much, so Vic changed the preamp to the aguilar, which made a big difference (IMO). Really opened up the high end and made the slap tone better. Then I started checking out some MTDs and really dug the tone and versatility (like the skjold, but voiced different).

I thought I would keep a skjold, roscoe and buy a MTD and be happy, but then thought the roscoe might not get played enough to justify so I worked out a trade for a MTD535. It hurt me to do the trade, but the MTD535 really hits the spot.

This is not a burn on roscoes. I actually preferred the feel of the neck, and the look of the top. Although, I now feel the buckeye top was some of the reason I couldn't get the sound I was looking for. I will own another roscoe, but with a harder top, nordstrands DCs and either the audere or aguilar pre.

So BC, a long answer, but the MTD really is versatile. Killer, killer slap tone and great fingerstyle. I really love it. Again, I am not a spalt top lover, but I would have a hard time having one built with the same specs with a different top in case it didn't sound as good as this one. When you and Vic get a chance to play you will know what I mean. Vic and I are planning on going to the St Louis GTG this saturday, you could check it out then.
Click to expand...

Sounds good man, I was just curious.
 
#2,207
Vic said:
Actually, I'm not convinced this is true based on the Roscoes I've owned and played (both of which had much harder tops on them), but that's another thread. :)

He knows. He's been over to my house several times. :)
Click to expand...

I would think it would have as much to do with the Spanish Cedar. I thought were bad until I played an ash bodied one. I asked Chuck at BassEmporium why this one sounded so much better/different and he pointed out the Ash body, It was then that I realized the half a dozen or so Roscoes I had played in the past had all been Spanish Cedar with a variety of tops.

I generally don't put much stock in tops making a big difference in solid bodies with maybe the exception of Roscoes which have pretty thick tops.
 
#2,208
I should clarify that I think it was the top and the pickups. I think if I would have dropped in some Nordy DCs with the aguilar I would have achieved the sound I was looking for, but I wanted to be sure. Instead of investing another $350 in the roscoe that I certainly wouldn't have got back out of it I decided to go with the MTD. I like roscoes and will have another one, but it will be more open and clear like my MTD.
 
#2,209
Smallequestrian said:
I would think it would have as much to do with the Spanish Cedar. I thought were bad until I played an ash bodied one. I asked Chuck at BassEmporium why this one sounded so much better/different and he pointed out the Ash body, It was then that I realized the half a dozen or so Roscoes I had played in the past had all been Spanish Cedar with a variety of tops.

I generally don't put much stock in tops making a big difference in solid bodies with maybe the exception of Roscoes which have pretty thick tops.
Click to expand...
Right. The key is the thickness of the top, and as we know MTD's have a pretty thick top. You make a good point on the Spanish Cedar, but I guess what I'm saying is, without getting too far off-topic, if you go with his standard pickups, there's an inherent character there that's always there regardless of wood combos, and while the two I personally owned were SC with hard tops, I have played Salukis, and even with all those variables, certain things were still very prevalent... even after swapping the preamp.
 
#2,210
Saluki said:
I should clarify that I think it was the top and the pickups. I think if I would have dropped in some Nordy DCs with the aguilar I would have achieved the sound I was looking for, but I wanted to be sure. Instead of investing another $350 in the roscoe that I certainly wouldn't have got back out of it I decided to go with the MTD. I like roscoes and will have another one, but it will be more open and clear like my MTD.
Click to expand...
+1

At some point you have to decide whether you're starting with the wrong bass and trying to "fix" it by changing into something it wasn't originally designed to be like.
 
#2,211
Vic said:
Right. The key is the thickness of the top, and as we know MTD's have a pretty thick top. You make a good point on the Spanish Cedar, but I guess what I'm saying is, without getting too far off-topic, if you go with his standard pickups, there's an inherent character there that's always there regardless of wood combos, and while the two I personally owned were SC with hard tops, I have played Salukis, and even with all those variables, certain things were still very prevalent... even after swapping the preamp.
Click to expand...

++++1 Vic. My Buckeye had soo many holes and knots in the wood that the clear finish actually became "part" of the top. Looked frigg'in great but sound wise....hmm. The thickness or hard tops on MTDs or Roscoes are very important to the tone. Ok, back to MTD's...sorry!
 
#2,212
bertrand said:
Hi all,

I'm waiting for my new MTD 535-24, and have to choose the color...

That's just impossible to choose... :help::help::help:

So I give you a photo of the top. That's a myrtle burl top on ash body. The fingerboard will be hondurian rosewood.

I don't like "cold" colors like blue/green. So the possibilities I see are :

- natural
- dark cherry sunburst (Mike Tobias' favorite)
- tortoise shell sunburst
- maybe dark amber sunburst (very similar as tortoise shell)
- other ? (ice tea, honey...)

Do you think the natural will be good ? Cause the myrtle is yellow-green...

If you've another idea, just say !

The only thing that I'm sure is that this bass'll be beautiful with any color... ;)

Tx a lot.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to say natural. That top has some great figuring that I wouldn't want to obscure with any finish. But if you go the finish route, I'm with Vic and vision and saying light amber, maybe even ice tea.
 
#2,214
bertrand said:
Hi all,

I'm waiting for my new MTD 535-24, and have to choose the color...

That's just impossible to choose... :help::help::help:

So I give you a photo of the top. That's a myrtle burl top on ash body. The fingerboard will be hondurian rosewood.

I don't like "cold" colors like blue/green. So the possibilities I see are :

- natural
- dark cherry sunburst (Mike Tobias' favorite)
- tortoise shell sunburst
- maybe dark amber sunburst (very similar as tortoise shell)
- other ? (ice tea, honey...)

Do you think the natural will be good ? Cause the myrtle is yellow-green...

If you've another idea, just say !

The only thing that I'm sure is that this bass'll be beautiful with any color... ;)

Tx a lot.
Click to expand...

I'm partial to the Dark Cherry Burst. That's what I have on my bass so I guess that makes me a bit biased. But Mike's bursts are killer. You really can't go wrong with any color choice....
 
#2,216
jwbassman said:
I'm partial to the Dark Cherry Burst. That's what I have on my bass so I guess that makes me a bit biased. But Mike's bursts are killer. You really can't go wrong with any color choice....
Click to expand...
I love his bursts as well, but the dark cherry burst (which is what I have on my latest MTD purchase), while beautiful, is so dark that I think a lot of the grain's beauty is subdued except in very bright light. I think the top being discussed here would do well with a lighter colored burst, or not even really a burst at all, but maybe an overall "dusting" of amber stain for the sole purpose of bringing the figuring out. IMHO of course.
 
#2,220
jwbassman said:
Great videos!
Click to expand...

I agree, though it made me want to watch more!

I have been in contact with Mike over the last few days and may be joining the club before too long. One of the things I needed to know is whether or not he had an upcharge for 34" scale, which he does not, so that is great news. And if I order from my local store out here, I can get one of their slots and not have to wait the 1.5 years that he is currently backlogged. He briefly went over wood selections and I will be making my way into the store some time this week to try a few different things out to narrow my choices.

It looks like an MTD will be with me in the future.
 

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