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The Official MTD USA Thread

#3,102
Just wanted to let all the MTD fans know how my newest MTD performed on Sunday. The venue is a medium sized church with a great sound system but sometimes suffers from poor mixing. The mixing has improved since I first started playing regulary there, but the church suffers from trying to keep the ambient SPLs to around 90 and this is hard to do when the drummer is bangin' hard (even in the glass booth). Most of the drummers there are loud enough they are barely mixed in the house or the Avioms whihc can be a real problem setting up your mix in the IEM. Anyway there are 3 services with a 7:00 am soundcheck (yuk!) and Sunday soundcheck was a disaster. The drummer was not there for rehearsal so this was the first time we had played the songs together and the sounds guys were in between rehearsal and Sunday and completed some major tweaking that had not been tested (Yip- if your thinking it that cannot be good then your right). After setup we have no sound in the Avioms. After about 1/2 hour tweaking we finally get sound and have about 20 minutes to rehearse the songs and get off the stage before 8:00 crowd rolls in. Here is the cool thing: Despite all that mess, God created a great worship experience that just really showed the Praise team who is in controll of things. I mean everything went great with only a few minor glitches.

So back to the MTD. It was great. I couldn't asked for anything better. I have tried Warwicks, Stingrays, Roscoes, Fenders and a few other in this same setting and the MTD blew 'em all away. It was clear, open, wide, even and just filled in the mix perfect. Our worship arts director just kept having the sound guys crank up the bass. I had several great comments from those with a "musical ear" and those without. The best part was when I would remove one of the IEM and listen to the house mix and just hear the MTD filling up the room. Total bliss.

Vic had a chance to listen to me hack it up during rehearsal, but didn't get a chance to hear me (with some Divene intervention) to bring it together for Sunday. Anyway I think Vic is playing there this Sunday or next. I bet I know whihc bass he is going to bring:D
 
#3,103
Vic said:
Spent a little more time with it last night and this morning... oh man, this bass is as nice as anything else I've ever seen or touched from him. I could not be any happier with it. :hyper:
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I know each bass that leaves Mike's hands is ultimately unique and different, but how would you (roughly) compare the sound of your new baby to something like my ash/maple-burl+ash/mac-ebony? The more I hear, the more I'd like to stick to ash, but I wouldn't mind taming it a touch more. Not to mention I'm really starting to dig the birds-eye maple against walnut look, pretty darn hot! :cool:
EG
 
#3,104
Don't want to speak up for Vic hear, but Mike T told me that ebony on ash was "harsh" to his ears. Personally that was all I needed to stay away from that combo, but I have seen a few out there.

Here is copy of Mike T's response (all in regards to ash/walnut body combo), printed without permission so I hope he doesn't mind:

Thanks for writing. I think that the ash neck has the focus of the wenge without the “choke” that goes with it. I really like it with a maple board because it opens up the bottom end. Rosewood or ebony on ash seem to be harsh to my ear. On an ash walnut the ash maple will be more aggressive and have a bigger open bottom end. Bright sweet and aggressive treble. The maple ebony will be a bit faster and have more click in the attack.


evilgus said:
I know each bass that leaves Mike's hands is ultimately unique and different, but how would you (roughly) compare the sound of your new baby to something like my ash/maple-burl+ash/mac-ebony? The more I hear, the more I'd like to stick to ash, but I wouldn't mind taming it a touch more. Not to mention I'm really starting to dig the birds-eye maple against walnut look, pretty darn hot! :cool:
EG
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#3,107
evilgus said:
I know each bass that leaves Mike's hands is ultimately unique and different, but how would you (roughly) compare the sound of your new baby to something like my ash/maple-burl+ash/mac-ebony? The more I hear, the more I'd like to stick to ash, but I wouldn't mind taming it a touch more. Not to mention I'm really starting to dig the birds-eye maple against walnut look, pretty darn hot! :cool:
EG
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Yeah, Saluki's right... I haven't heard that combo, but so far, Mike has been dead-on regarding his thoughts on wood combos at least as far as my perception and experience goes. I wouldn't go there, but again, keep in mind one mans poison is another's pleasure... dunno.

That said, I LOVE my ash bodies... with almost any kind of top, depending on tonal goals, and maple is one of my faves because I like bright and aggressive.
 
#3,109
Thanks, guys, each opinion helps, regardless of personal preferences. :)

Even though I don't consider my current bass to sound harsh in the top end, I can imagine it might have a bit more higher snap than some other wood combos. And I wouldn't be surprised if my Thunderfunk/Acme rig is simply warm enough to get the best out of it, whereas an Epifani head might be too bright, etc. Even though it's not Mike's ideal combo, my bandmates have forbidden me from selling it, so I better choose carefully or simply stick with it. :)

If only there was currently more than just *ONE* USA MTD in Sydney that I could try out.... :(

EG
 
#3,110
While I agree with everyone on here. I must say the woods are very important,but Mikes preamp and pickups can be tweaked for and type situation. My 2 basses as an example one Korina with no top and wenge wenge neck and fingerboard. I have to roll off the treble to stay close to the tone of my tulipwood wenge wenge with a spalt top. Normally when Mike T, says he doesn't like a wood combo. It most likely sounds bad,let's face it he is the Man.
 
#3,111
bassnote6 said:
While I agree with everyone on here. I must say the woods are very important,but Mikes preamp and pickups can be tweaked for and type situation. My 2 basses as an example one Korina with no top and wenge wenge neck and fingerboard. I have to roll off the treble to stay close to the tone of my tulipwood wenge wenge with a spalt top. Normally when Mike T, says he doesn't like a wood combo. It most likely sounds bad,let's face it he is the Man.
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What wood combo does Mike Tobias not like? I always hear what he does like, but never what he doesn't.
 
#3,112
Tony G said:
What wood combo does Mike Tobias not like? I always hear what he does like, but never what he doesn't.
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he has used them, and will still if a customer insists, but he says they have the sonic characteristics of a piece of styrofoam.

Also, he says he doesn't like ebony or wenge fingerboards with an ash neck.


Cheers,
Cameron
 
#3,113
Bassflute said:
he has used them, and will still if a customer insists, but he says they have the sonic characteristics of a piece of styrofoam.

Also, he says he doesn't like ebony or wenge fingerboards with an ash neck.


Cheers,
Cameron
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The styrofoam comment I have heard a lot. Thats funny. "I guess thats a way of saying I don't like it":D .
 
#3,114
Bassflute said:
he has used them, and will still if a customer insists, but he says they have the sonic characteristics of a piece of styrofoam.

Also, he says he doesn't like ebony or wenge fingerboards with an ash neck.


Cheers,
Cameron
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Are you sure he said that about Goncalo Alves? That stuff is pretty hard and he's used it quite a bit with the original Tobias line along with his MTD line currently.

He's said that about Buckeye Burl for sure though.

I've also talked to Mike about this subject, and I remember him saying that he doesn't like using certain woods along with Mahogany...only problem is that I can't remember which woods that he was talking about.
 
#3,115
Bassflute said:
Also, he says he doesn't like ebony or wenge fingerboards with an ash neck.
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I have heard that too, but he's happy to make them on request. It makes sense that there are woods that compliment each other nicely and create a "sweet" sound and some that are slightly in conflict or under tension in some way. That's not necessarily a bad thing for everyone, you can get certain aggressive characteristics or EQ curves ideal for certain playing. Mike obviously has a great ear for these combos and his expert opinion is part of the service! :)

In the case of ash for necks, I believe it's a stiff wood with strong grain, especially when slab-cut. This, in combination with a harder fingerboard, like ebony or wenge, tends to create tension and gives you a bit more of an aggressive tone than a "traditional" combo like maple and rosewood, etc. In the case of mine, it's not harsh at all - there's a nice bit of zing in the highs (lower than with wenge) that adds snap to fingerstyle playing and a bit of bite to slapping. Personally, I prefer it to the ultra-high zing of the wenge/wenge combo (as heard on the MTD website), it's a bit more solid and doesn't need EQing.

Cheers,

EG
 
#3,116
Have been seriously ogling those pics of 535 #1668 with the 5-piece flamed ash neck and bubinga runners, I might have to head that way myself. Not sure what the body wood is and I don't recall seeing pics of the top or board, does anyone know?

And any opinions on black limba bodies? Similar to mahogany and maybe a bit piano-like? Ari? Any general comparison to ash would be great. :)

Cheers,

EG
 
#3,117
evilgus said:
Have been seriously ogling those pics of 535 #1668 with the 5-piece flamed ash neck and bubinga runners, I might have to head that way myself. Not sure what the body wood is and I don't recall seeing pics of the top or board, does anyone know?

And any opinions on black limba bodies? Similar to mahogany and maybe a bit piano-like? Ari? Any general comparison to ash would be great. :)

Cheers,

EG
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I've been told that black limba is similar to ebony in tone, but is a bit more "open" sounding, which of course is completely subjective. And again, this is total heresay. Where is this bass you're talking about?
 
#3,119
I have a Korina bodied 635 and the tone is much like Mahogany.Coupled with the wenge neck and fretboard gives id a more compressed tone in the mids. Very warm.


Korina, Black (Terminalia superba):
Its true name is Limba from Africa. Black Korina is usually a medium weight wood, but we occasionally get light weight pieces. It features a very handsome olive color with black streaking. Korina has a naturally waxy feel to it. Oil finishes work well on this wood. The tone is very similar to Mahogany with added mids. An excellent tonal choice for hollow chambered bodies

Korina, White (Terminalia superba):
Its true name is Limba from Africa. White Korina is a medium to heavy weight wood Korina has a naturally waxy feel to it. The tone is very similar to Mahogany with added mids. An excellent tonal choice for hollow chambered bodies. With a Vintage Tint Gloss on it, it resembles the famous Korina Flying Vs of the late 50s.

X
 
#3,120
Bassflute said:
he has used them, and will still if a customer insists, but he says they have the sonic characteristics of a piece of styrofoam.

Also, he says he doesn't like ebony or wenge fingerboards with an ash neck.


Cheers,
Cameron
Click to expand...

As far as the Buckeye, he told me that with an ash neck/body and maple board the buckeye seems to even out the tone a bit.

IMHO: He was spot on, I played two Walnut/ash/ash 535's and they had a little bit too much bite for me, but my 535 seems more darker and fatter, I had to roll off the highs quite a bit with the two walnut basses, don't get me wrong, I love highs in a bass, but with the walnut the highs just seemed a little too focused.. Plus buckeye burl looks so good (nothing against walnut).. :D
 

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