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The Official MTD USA Thread
- Thread starter johnpaulbass
- Start date
I sent an email back to Mike about this maybe a year or so ago. I told him that every low serial number MTD that I've owned has seemed to sound better to me than the newer ones for whatever reason and I tend to gravitate toward those basses. He mentioned about the pickup differences and how there shouldn't be a difference tonally but he thought there seemed to be a difference as well.
+1
I've noticed a slightly bigger, fuller tone that is a touch warmer to my ears than the newer ones.
The 635 is ash body, maple top, wengé neck and wengé fretboard.
The 535 is alder body, myrtle burl top, maple neck and wengé fretboard.
This is really interesting, actually. I'll see about the 'zangy'-ness of the wengé neck when I try it. I think that would be cool for a 6'er, though - especially on the high C.
I guess I play about 75% finger style, 25% slap, maybe a little more slap... I don't really play enough with a pick for it to be an issue.
Currently I like to EQ my bass with a mid boost, a little bit of a bass boost and leave the treble flat. I roll the PU selector all the way forwards and play on the back PU, moving around if need be (more fatness, etc.).
So what's the verdict on the 635 PU? Are they any different from the older ones? Did Mike ever change the PU, or was it just the pre-amp?
The answer is yes and yes. But saying that it's your ears and tonal expectations that will rule out anything and anyone. It will be the deciding factor. Peace
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Alder body. Ok. Boy, with those wood combos, if it was me, I'd probably stick with the alder body and maple neck, but that's VERY MUCH MHO. However, I'm also not a sixer, and I can definitely see that wenge zing working pretty well for the high C string, so there's that. Also, the ash body on that 635 would offset my wenge/wenge issues. I played an ash body'd wenge/wenge MTD and I liked it lots better than the tulip and black limba (as I recall) body'd wenge/wenge 535's I've played. Again, IME/IMHO. The whole wenge/wenge thing is very polarizing.
Tough call. Both sound like really cool combos...
He changed both, but from what I understand, there were not a lot that went out with other preamps.
The way to tell if you have the integral preamps in the pickups is you'll only have 2 black modules in the elex cavity instead of three. The third module is the external pickup preamp. I don't know if there was a specific serial number range, but I'd always verify visually anyway to be sure.
Ultimately tho, it doesn't really matter... just like bassnote6 says, the basses are what they are, and you'll decide based on that. It's not like a pickup swap is a realistic option.
I guess I can check for the extra module when I try it.
I really am itching to try it now... I can't wait to see what the wengé/wengé set-up is going to feel like. Also, I've never tried a 'proper' 6 string, in the sense that the only ones I have tried have been on sub-par basses like cheap-o LTDs, ESPs and Ibanez basses.
I wonder, though, if my bass style is going to change a lot if I make the trade? This'll definitely be interesting...
I can't wait to hear what my bass teacher is going to say - he disapproves (for some reason) of anything that has more than 5 strings. Not to bash Fender guys, but that seems to be a pretty standard view for the Fender guys I have met, IME of course. Ah, well...
I really am itching to try it now... I can't wait to see what the wengé/wengé set-up is going to feel like. Also, I've never tried a 'proper' 6 string, in the sense that the only ones I have tried have been on sub-par basses like cheap-o LTDs, ESPs and Ibanez basses.
I wonder, though, if my bass style is going to change a lot if I make the trade? This'll definitely be interesting...
I can't wait to hear what my bass teacher is going to say - he disapproves (for some reason) of anything that has more than 5 strings. Not to bash Fender guys, but that seems to be a pretty standard view for the Fender guys I have met, IME of course. Ah, well...
I remember this bass. I almost bought it from Adrian. That is one killer 635. How are you liking it so far?
i like this ash /ash combination compare to wenge/wenge neck. vic is right about the tone difference iof wenge and ash neck
It was, and I personally played it while hanging with him last summer in Vegas. In fact, that bass is THE reason I have my latest one, which is rapidly becoming my favorite.
Here's mine (hope the folks who've seen it already don't mind my reposting):
Yep, and yours was there first.
I hope you dig it as much as I did... that bass blew me away, and I already owned two MTDs at the time! BTW, I believe yours originated at Bass And Beyond, where Juan worked out some sort of deal with Adrian.Yep, and yours was there first.
so you are the man holding this killer bass?
Attachments
DOH! Yeah.
BTW, you probably already know this, but that's TB'er Roscoe5 in the middle... Gary... totally awesome dude.
Oh, you have NO idea... I'm honored to have had that opportunity.man you are lucky!
I keep looking at that picture... spooky... without going into a big thing about Adrian (there's a whole other thread for that), it was one of the greatest days of my life, but at the same time, it reminds me of what we lost, and I'm torn between joy and sorrow. Dang...
