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The Official MTD USA Thread

#2,601
Vic said:
I have played MTDs that have them, and while some were more noticeable than others, none of them were really bad, and none of the ones I've owned have had any worth mentioning.

You have one? If so, which model, what woods, where's the dead spot, etc.
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+1, mine wasn't bad, Mike actually resold it and the owner loved the bass. I am just picky that way, you know. Now I know that it is pretty common and not to get tweaked about it. Had I gone through that today instead of 8 years ago, I would have kept that bass. I even keep an eye out for it on ebay and various classifieds. The one I had was your typical wenge neck/fingerboard, tulipwood body, maple burl top. Anybody know who has it? It was #540.
 
#2,602
Ari said:
Did any of you guys experience a deadspot on your MTDs?
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It's a bolt-on; they pretty much ALL have them. On my fretless, it's around the 11th fret on the 'A' string. On the fretted Marilyn, it's slightly lower. That's the most pronounced one - there are a few others of lesser significance.

That does NOT detract from the wonder and magnificence of Michael Tobias' work - it's simply physics.

My 35" scale Kinal neck through had no dead-spots, and neither did my Pedullah Hexabuzz; but, comparing the sound of those instruments to one of my MTD's, the whole thing sounded 'dead', in spite of the fact that the Kinal had $1,400.00 worth of triple-coil tapped pickups and preamps in it.

MTD's just sound alive, vibrant, organic, woody, punchy, unique, and wonderful, in spite of the dead spots inherent in the bolt-on design.

Try playing a 'C' or a 'C#' on the 'G' String on a Fender sometime, even an old 'magical' one if you want to hear a deadspot from hell. On the MTD's, they are attenuated, but still there, and at least they are in a spot that you can easily avoid.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#2,603
I'm not sure it's something inherent to the bolt-on design as I've played neck-thru basses that had dead spots. Anyway some of my MTDs have a deadspot, more or less noticeable, but so have my Celinder, Skjold, etc... maybe I'm paying too much attention to them and another player would not notice them.

It's ok as I prefer a great-sounding bass with a deadspot than an average-sounding bass with no deadspot. On my fretless MTD I've got a deadspot on the 6th "fret" of the G string... Initially I was too bothered by the deadspot to keep the bass but then I tried a fat finger and it fixed the problem. The bass sounds wonderful so I can tolerate the fat finger on the headstock.

On my 635 I've got a deadspot on the 12th fret of the C string. Any other 635 users who have experienced the same deaspot?
 
#2,604
Ari said:
I'm not sure it's something inherent to the bolt-on design as I've played neck-thru basses that had dead spots. Anyway some of my MTDs have a deadspot, more or less noticeable, but so have my Celinder, Skjold, etc... maybe I'm paying too much attention to them and another player would not notice them.

It's ok as I prefer a great-sounding bass with a deadspot than an average-sounding bass with no deadspot. On my fretless MTD I've got a deadspot on the 6th "fret" of the G string... Initially I was too bothered by the deadspot to keep the bass but then I tried a fat finger and it fixed the problem. The bass sounds wonderful so I can tolerate the fat finger on the headstock.

On my 635 I've got a deadspot on the 12th fret of the C string. Any other 635 users who have experienced the same deaspot?
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If you don't mind the look, get a fatfinger for the bass. Seriously... they really work. It's all about altering the resonant frequency of the neck. If you have any doubt, take a very small C-clamp, with something to protect the finish on your headstock, clamp it on, doesn't have to be super tight, just enough to be firmly on, and then play the bass.
 
#2,605
Hello everyone ...

After seven months my MTD 635-24 arrived.

I couldn't be more pleased and am amazed by how balanced the bass is from low to high. Amazingly light too!

Specs are:
Walnut body
Claro walnut top
Maple/Bubinga stringer neck
Rose of the Mountain fingerboard

Best Regards,

... Clay
 

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#2,607
cperson said:
Hello everyone ...

After seven months my MTD 635-24 arrived.

I couldn't be more pleased and am amazed by how balanced the bass is from low to high. Amazingly light too!

Specs are:
Walnut body
Claro walnut top
Maple/Bubinga stringer neck
Rose of the Mountain fingerboard

Best Regards,

... Clay
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Incredibly nice, but don't do that again anytime soon... you just cost me like three bottles of beano, dude... ;) :D

SUPER sweet bass!
 
#2,608
Sure do want to thank you both for the kind comments.

When I spec'd out the bass with Glenn at ABT, we both spoke with Michael Tobias who said this combination would be phenomenal. Michael also said he wondered why he only made one or two of these a year. Maybe you could help with that Vic! ;)

My bass teacher who plays a Fodera imperial 6 says this MTD is real close in balance to his bass. I think that says alot. He also gave it the tap-test and stood the bass up and lightly tapped the back of the neck. The bass absolutely resonated thoughout the entire neck and body. I'm told that is the mark of a great bass, and I'm so pleased that I chose MTD.

The weight was a real nice surprise as well, at just a bit over eight pounds and no neck dive.

Do any of you notice that as you play these MTD's, the wood warms to the touch. Maybe it is me, but I sure do think that adds to the organic tone of the bass.

Sorry for rattling on so much, but after playing old fenders for so long, this bass has inspired me to move to a different level.

Take care,

... Clay
 
#2,610
cperson said:
Michael also said he wondered why he only made one or two of these a year. Maybe you could help with that Vic! ;)
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I'd love to, but I've already got 4 of these babies, so it's gonna' be a while before I order another. :)

VERY interesting wood/construction combo, tho... it'd be really cool to check one like it out someday if I ever get the chance.

...the tap-test and stood the bass up and lightly tapped the back of the neck. The bass absolutely resonated thoughout the entire neck and body. I'm told that is the mark of a great bass, and I'm so pleased that I chose MTD.
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Yes, and this is also what Mike does for all the wood... even before he starts to process it... at initial selection time, so it's already been done (in a sense) on your bass.
 
#2,612
That's a nice looking MTD! Wana post more pictures of it? :P

Anyways, so I remember someone posted a pre-finished picture of a Walnut top that Mike Tobias was going to use, and found out it ended up at the Bass Exchange in Sherman Oaks.

MTD%20535%20Walnut.jpg


I'll be visiting the Bass Exchange tomorrow after school with a friend and we're going to take some time to try out the MTDs they have there :hyper:. One thing that made me sad was that they sold the two JJ's they had [I'm assuming since they're not listed on the site anymore]; the black one I posted on here a couple pages back, and a Cherry burst? JJ4 they had too.
 
#2,614
Dude! So I must say my experience today playing two of the MTDs at Bass Exchange was by far better than the first time I tried an MTD there. I tried the Walnut topped MTD I posted the picture of, and it was REALLY nice, and I can definitely see why people dig this wood combo.

I was going to try the Ebony topped MTD but Justin told me it was much brighter than the Walnut topped MTD so I decided not to try it. I also tried an MTD they don't have posted on their site yet that had an Alder body with a Water cured Redwood top with Maple board and I think a Rosewood board? I forget. It was nice as well, but I preferred the tone of the Ash/Walnut + Ash/Maple MTD. :)
 
#2,615
Did you try the JJ5 in trans black? I would be curious how this sounds compared to the ash/walnut/ash/maple 535 you tried. I currently own an ash/walnut 535 and have been thinking about a JJ5 with similar wood specs but don't know if they sound different enough to justify owning two with similar woods.

Anyway, let us know what you thought!

xkimsungminx said:
Dude! So I must say my experience today playing two of the MTDs at Bass Exchange was by far better than the first time I tried an MTD there. I tried the Walnut topped MTD I posted the picture of, and it was REALLY nice, and I can definitely see why people dig this wood combo.

I was going to try the Ebony topped MTD but Justin told me it was much brighter than the Walnut topped MTD so I decided not to try it. I also tried an MTD they don't have posted on their site yet that had an Alder body with a Water cured Redwood top with Maple board and I think a Rosewood board? I forget. It was nice as well, but I preferred the tone of the Ash/Walnut + Ash/Maple MTD. :)
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#2,616
-_- I was REALLY looking forward to trying the See-Thru Black JJ5 they had, but it seems they sold it within a weeks period because it was there when I checked several days ago, but wasn't there today. That one and the JJ4 Burst wasn't there either =\.

I saw a video of Norm Stockton interviewing Mike Tobias regarding his JJ5 and Mike said that the sonic foot print on the JJ5 is much smaller than that of the 535's as he meant it to be more like the traditional jazz bass in the way the bass is supposed to be used.

So I'm assuming a 535 with the Ash/Walnut + Ash/Maple neck/board compared to a JJ5 with an Ash body and the Ash/Maple neck/board would have a lot more variety in tone. And Mike mentioned in the interview that the pickups were wound so they'd be slightly darker to compensate for the brightness of the wood combo on the JJ5.
 
#2,618
kimal said:
-_- I was REALLY looking forward to trying the See-Thru Black JJ5 they had, but it seems they sold it within a weeks period because it was there when I checked several days ago, but wasn't there today. That one and the JJ4 Burst wasn't there either =\.

I saw a video of Norm Stockton interviewing Mike Tobias regarding his JJ5 and Mike said that the sonic foot print on the JJ5 is much smaller than that of the 535's as he meant it to be more like the traditional jazz bass in the way the bass is supposed to be used.

So I'm assuming a 535 with the Ash/Walnut + Ash/Maple neck/board compared to a JJ5 with an Ash body and the Ash/Maple neck/board would have a lot more variety in tone. And Mike mentioned in the interview that the pickups were wound so they'd be slightly darker to compensate for the brightness of the wood combo on the JJ5.
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that assessment sounds about right...where did you find the norm stockton/mike tobias interview? i'd be curious to see that myself
 
#2,620
I played over on the West coast of Florida last weekend (Bradenton Beach, the drummer grew up there and he got us the gig).. I got major compliments from the other bassists and the sound guy was going nuts over my tone..

It is always a good thing to be friends with the sound guy, he was getting me free drinks all night.. :eek: I was gonna drive all the way back to the East coast that night (3+ hours), but the sound guy got me trashed and I ended up staying at my drummers dads house..
 

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