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The Official MTD USA Thread

#3,901
Hey all. Here is a really rough soundclip. But, I wanted to share the tone of this bass. I recorded it direct into garageband with a $20 USB- 1/4" cable. I ran the bass direct into the USB port with the EQ setting flat. The only thing I added in garageband is a tiny bit of verb. Other than that, what you hear is what I got.

Enjoy and thanks for all of the compliments on the look of the bass!!

Peace,
Chris


http://www.zshare.net/download/5517810347562f98/
 
#3,903
Thanks. I realized after the fact, that I should have recorded it with the track and without the track in the background. Quite a big difference between the bass in the mix and just the bass by itself.

My wife is irritated with me because I have been going to bed around 2 am since I got the bass on Wednesday. :bassist:
 
#3,905
Hey all. I just found out something that I feel very honored to have in my possesion.

I had emailed Mike about the serial number (#562). I took off the control cavity to find the number since I could not tell what the writing said. I was curious what year the bass was made and this was his response.

"if I did not misstamp something 562 was originally built for ADrian Garcia.
the numbers after 562 030800 mean March 8, 2000. enjoy it!"

I had only a few communications with Adrian a few years ago and I always admired and respected the guy. I know he is dearly missed and a large number of people here knew him personally. But, I have no idea how this bass ended up in my hands. I feel very honored just to have a bass that he played at one time.

Anyway, I just thought I would share that. I am kind of speechless on the whole matter.

Peace,
Chris
 
#3,906
Hey, Mike Tobias is building me a MTD 534. It will have the old Tobias neck, 34" scale 24 frets and 17mm spacing. It will be a Maple body with Honduran Rosewood tops. It will be neckthru with a maple neck with purple heart stringers and a Pauferro fingerboard. I think I will have one of the badassest MTDs around. Will be ready in November and I will post photos.
 
#3,907
gregwatts2008 said:
Hey, Mike Tobias is building me a MTD 534. It will have the old Tobias neck, 34" scale 24 frets and 17mm spacing. It will be a Maple body with Honduran Rosewood tops. It will be neckthru with a maple neck with purple heart stringers and a Pauferro fingerboard. I think I will have one of the badassest MTDs around. Will be ready in November and I will post photos.
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That sounds really cool!!! I played Andrew Gouche's MTD at the NAMM show in '07 and it was really cool!!! His is a neckthru as well. Can't wait to see some pics. Congrats!
 
#3,908
chris.gotfunk said:
Hey all. I just found out something that I feel very honored to have in my possesion.

I had emailed Mike about the serial number (#562). I took off the control cavity to find the number since I could not tell what the writing said. I was curious what year the bass was made and this was his response.

"if I did not misstamp something 562 was originally built for ADrian Garcia.
the numbers after 562 030800 mean March 8, 2000. enjoy it!"

I had only a few communications with Adrian a few years ago and I always admired and respected the guy. I know he is dearly missed and a large number of people here knew him personally. But, I have no idea how this bass ended up in my hands. I feel very honored just to have a bass that he played at one time.

Anyway, I just thought I would share that. I am kind of speechless on the whole matter.

Peace,
Chris
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Yeah, I remember Adrian talking about that bass way back when I first got to know him. He really loved that one. BTW, Adrian's been through a lot of basses that were particularly great. I still have one myself. He had a knack for picking them out. Alas, tho, he often had to budget conservatively, so he couldn't afford to keep them all, so he flipped basses as the projects he was involved with varied. It's likely he got hired on for a project that the MTD just didn't fit as well as something else, so he had to flip it to get something more appropriate.
 
#3,909
Today, I went to see Justin at the Bass Exchange, not far from where I live. Justin is very knowledgeable on the MTD line, owns a few himself. I had ordered an MTD Kingston Heir which I still think is the best Bass you can get for $1029. I cancelled that back order and bought the MTD 535-24 Justin had on display. I really wanted this in the first place, but had balked at paying four times more price. You will never be sorry you got the best of anything, I did today with this Bass.

Mine is: MTD 535-24, Maple Burl top over Tulipwood, all Wenge neck in dark Cherryburst finish.

So Michael Tobias hand signed me my "MTD club" number #1734. And I can dig it.

BTW, I have Buzz Feiten tuning setup on my Stratocaster and a Garrison acoustic guitar and welcome that now on a great Bass.

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#3,910
alangrus said:
Today, I went to see Justin at the Bass Exchange, not far from where I live. Justin is very knowledgeable on the MTD line, owns a few himself. I had ordered an MTD Kingston Heir which I still think is the best Bass you can get for $1029. I cancelled that back order and bought the MTD 535-24 Justin had on display. I really wanted this in the first place, but had balked at paying four times more price. You will never be sorry you got the best of anything, I did today with this Bass.

Mine is: MTD 535-24, Maple Burl top over Tulipwood, all Wenge neck in dark Cherryburst finish.

So Michael Tobias hand signed me my "MTD club" number #1734. And I can dig it.

BTW, I have Buzz Feiten tuning setup on my Stratocaster and a Garrison acoustic guitar and welcome that now on a great Bass.

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That is SWEEEET! Congrats!
 
#3,911
alangrus said:
Today, I went to see Justin at the Bass Exchange, not far from where I live. Justin is very knowledgeable on the MTD line, owns a few himself. I had ordered an MTD Kingston Heir which I still think is the best Bass you can get for $1029. I cancelled that back order and bought the MTD 535-24 Justin had on display. I really wanted this in the first place, but had balked at paying four times more price. You will never be sorry you got the best of anything, I did today with this Bass.

Mine is: MTD 535-24, Maple Burl top over Tulipwood, all Wenge neck in dark Cherryburst finish.

So Michael Tobias hand signed me my "MTD club" number #1734. And I can dig it.
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Dude, that is SUPER nice!!! :)

Man, I LOVE Mike's work!! :)
 
#3,913
It was a bright, sunny day when I brought this Bass home, the outdoor pics in direct afternoon sunlight bring out the yellow and orange colors of the Dark Cherryburst finish on the Burled Maple top.

Here are some shots taken indoors while changing strings, that show the intense complexity of the Burled Maple, like some great artist has drawn these figures into the wood. The lower light shots show more of the woody ambers and browns of this finish that changes a lot depending on the ambient light. Wood is Good!

MTD1734-20a.jpg


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#3,914
alangrus said:
...the Burled Maple, like some great artist has drawn these figures into the wood...
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Yeah, the top on yours is similar to one of mine in that it's a really complex void-free burl. I love those!

Here's a crappy pic of mine... it doesn't have as many of the small swirls as yours, but it's got a particularly strong chaos to it I really really love. A little of everything seen in burls...

mtd_535_08.jpg
 
#3,915
Vic said:
Yeah, the top on yours is similar to one of mine in that it's a really complex void-free burl. I love those!

Here's a crappy pic of mine... it doesn't have as many of the small swirls as yours, but it's got a particularly strong chaos to it I really really love. A little of everything seen in burls...
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Still, a lovely image of your Bass.

It can be challenging on these Bass finishes to get a digital camera to see what a person sees. The digitals tend to bloom the color more than it is. I never wanted a damn "orange" Bass, and some cameras mis-represent that color that way.

Whats interesting to me is that my Medio Fina Double Bass has a similar coloring and the same challenges getting a picture of it, as shown here:

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#3,916
In setting up my MTD 535, with the catalyed urethane topcoat and Wenge neck, I brought out the cleaner / polish I have been using on my Double Bass. That being "Clef Restorative Cleanser & Polish Old No. 1 Instrument Polish" or what I call "Bass Juice". Its good for both a polished and natural wood surface.

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So I tried it on my MTD and it seems to work well, especially on the neck which had been dry and dusty being on the retail display rack for a while.
 
#3,918
lindseyp said:
I saw John Legend's bass player with the J5, I think it carries the return of the "Saratoga" label, on the NBA All-Star Game halftime tonight. Matte black finish, 5 string, think we'll be seeing a lot more of that model.
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You know I played that Saratoga Bass as it was $1200 cheaper than a 535. It just didnt do anything for me compared to a lot of other Basses at around $3000. Like the style just fine, but the tone was just OK, not stellar to my ear. Don't mean to offend anybuddy, just my take. :confused:
 
#3,919
alangrus said:
You know I played that Saratoga Bass as it was $1200 cheaper than a 535. It just didnt do anything for me compared to a lot of other Basses at around $3000. Like the style just fine, but the tone was just OK, not stellar to my ear. Don't mean to offend anybuddy, just my take. :confused:
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I'm in total agreement. I'm a MASSIVE fan of Mike and his work, but...

I've played a few of these at this point, and the only reason to pay this much for one of these is simply because it's worth it to you to have had Mike build you a flavor of a J bass. The reason it's priced where it is is simply because of what Mike's time is worth... not because there's anything knock down drag out about it. They play and sound great, but not particularly notable IMHO.

In fact, Mike originally only intended to prototype these in the USA... he eventually wanted to outsource much of this instrument to make it a reduced price model. Just never happened.
 
#3,920
alangrus said:
Mine is: MTD 535-24, Maple Burl top over Tulipwood, all Wenge neck in dark Cherryburst finish.

So Michael Tobias hand signed me my "MTD club" number #1734. And I can dig it.

BTW, I have Buzz Feiten tuning setup on my Stratocaster and a Garrison acoustic guitar and welcome that now on a great Bass.

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Hi,
Really nice, congrats!
I own a similar one, the difference is only in the body whch is ash on mine. 1st pic below has been taken with sunlight, the other has been taken indoor with no sunlight.
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When I received the bass, I was a little bit disappointed with the dark cherry sunburst, because I wanted to have the same finish I saw on a pic (I think it was on bassexchange) but this pic was taken with lot of light, and I think Mike can't do the same finish on 2 basses. But now I can say I love the work Mike did on mine!
 

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