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The Official MTD USA Thread

#5,242
lowend range said:
Nice try :D

I don't even keep them together, god forbid someone broke into my home. They are spread out at various locations - storage facility, rehearsal space, Fort Knox, etc... ;)
Click to expand...

for safe keeping - you can pick them up anytime...;)

And I LOVE that tobacco sunburst...what are the woods on that baby?

I gotta go look at the Wishbass threads again now...I hate this thread...

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#5,246
Since I have another MTD 535 in transit (will be here Monday), I looked back to Photobucket to reflect on my MTD journey.. :)

This was my first REALLY nice bass. I owned a Tobias Killer B before it, but when I got this I was in awe for quite some time.. It was originally built for Jonathan Starr, but went through a few people before it got to me. Ash/Myrtle Burl/Maple/Rosewood. Nice bass.

MTDfront.jpg


Sold it and started playing Zon's for a long time, then tried to come back to the MTD side. I bought a used 535 from Atlanta Bass Gallery (Tulipwood/Wenge/Wenge), but it smelled like the Marlboro Man owned it, so back it went. No pics of that one, but a few TB'ers have owned it.

Long MTD hiatus, then I end up with one of my favorite players (Norm Stockton) personal basses! This was the "clone bass" that he had made because he was worried something would happen to his original #252 while traveling. Best playing MTD I've ever had, but it was a little thin tonally, and I don't like colored instruments, so off it went. You already know the wood combo on this one..

DSCN2928.jpg


Went right back to MTD with this BEAUTY! Alder/Burl Maple/Maple/Mac Ebony. This is the most amazing MTD I ever picked up, and sold it like a fool. I've had around 50 basses, and this is one of the few that I truly miss. All purpose tone in an MTD.

DSCN3098.jpg


I've been playing Warriors for a while now, and have been really happy with them. I made the mistake of going to a friends the other night who has two 535's, and the next day the Warrior was in the classifieds (I do have a custom Warrior being built), now this is on the way to me. Ash/Spalted Maple/Wenge/Wenge. I've never heard wenge with anything other than Tulipwood, but I gotta think this one will have plenty of crisp snap..

MTD1.jpg
 
#5,247
lsu921 said:
I've been playing Warriors for a while now, and have been really happy with them. I made the mistake of going to a friends the other night who has two 535's, and the next day the Warrior was in the classifieds (I do have a custom Warrior being built), now this is on the way to me. Ash/Spalted Maple/Wenge/Wenge. I've never heard wenge with anything other than Tulipwood, but I gotta think this one will have plenty of crisp snap..

MTD1.jpg
Click to expand...

Ash bodies with Wenge/Wenge necks are among my favorite. They have a punch and clarity to them that you won't hear in any other combo - yet they're still amazingly full and supportive sounding. It will be VERY different from the Alder/ Ebony board bass you had and loved though. For good or bad.

Enjoy it -- and get ready to really focus on your technique. ;) There's no hiding a bad note with that combo!
 
#5,248
I've seen quite a few posts covering what Mike considers to be the best wood combo for fretless, but are there other combos that people have found to work very well?

Because I'm still not really a 6-string guy, I'm wondering whether I should part with my (awesome) pre-Gib Basic 6, in order to fund an MTD 535/534 fretless. I guess it would help if I knew a little more about the tone differences I'd get from the mahogany/redwood/maple/ebony combo, compared to the older Tobias combo of maple/maple+purpleheart.

Cheers,

EG
 
#5,249
evilgus said:
I've seen quite a few posts covering what Mike considers to be the best wood combo for fretless, but are there other combos that people have found to work very well?

Because I'm still not really a 6-string guy, I'm wondering whether I should part with my (awesome) pre-Gib Basic 6, in order to fund an MTD 535/534 fretless. I guess it would help if I knew a little more about the tone differences I'd get from the mahogany/redwood/maple/ebony combo, compared to the older Tobias combo of maple/maple+purpleheart.

Cheers,

EG
Click to expand...

EG

I imagine I've probably had more fretless MTD's than most. There are a few good combos. The one you mentioned is tried and true. I also liked chambered Mahogany with blackredwood.

The more time I spend with the single "sweet spot" pickup, the less I like it. We did a single 60's position pickup on the chambered Mahogany 635 and it just killed. Although - to be fair, it was totally passive and we used a Nordstrand wired single/series/parallel... so it was a bit unconventional for an MTD.

Ash/Walnut is fun too... but a bit too uber growly for many folks. Myself included.

JC
 
#5,250
MTD Fretless 635-24 Redwood/mahogany/maple/ebony #1323...

On the left...

MTDsRig2504.jpg


Bass solo at 6:40



Magnificent bass, and getting nothing but better with age.

Cheers,
Cameron


Joelc73 said:
EG

I imagine I've probably had more fretless MTD's than most. There are a few good combos. The one you mentioned is tried and true. I also liked chambered Mahogany with blackredwood.

The more time I spend with the single "sweet spot" pickup, the less I like it. We did a single 60's position pickup on the chambered Mahogany 635 and it just killed. Although - to be fair, it was totally passive and we used a Nordstrand wired single/series/parallel... so it was a bit unconventional for an MTD.

Ash/Walnut is fun too... but a bit too uber growly for many folks. Myself included.

JC
Click to expand...
 
#5,253
Hey everyone, got a question..My MTD 535 is just over a year old now and and the pups are starting to look funky under the strings? Is this normal. I've owned other basses with Bart pups and 2 other MTD 535's that were built in the late 1990's and never noticed this on those. I don't play hard but I play alot. Any idea whats happening to the casing?

Also, and this is more my fault..I was cleaning the bass with a bit of Lemon oil per Mikes suggestion and I think I may have got some on the inner adge of the pups. It looked fine after I cleaned her up but the next morning at church I noticed the pup casing was discolored on the inner edge..almost "White" looking? Anyone else run into this and what did you do to corredct it if possible? I think the lemon oil interacted with what ever the pickup casing is made out of.

I know this is more of a generic pup question but I thought I'd ask here with the MTD folk:)

Thanks!
 
#5,254
skb5string said:
Hey everyone, got a question..My MTD 535 is just over a year old now and and the pups are starting to look funky under the strings? Is this normal. I've owned other basses with Bart pups and 2 other MTD 535's that were built in the late 1990's and never noticed this on those. I don't play hard but I play alot. Any idea whats happening to the casing?

Also, and this is more my fault..I was cleaning the bass with a bit of Lemon oil per Mikes suggestion and I think I may have got some on the inner adge of the pups. It looked fine after I cleaned her up but the next morning at church I noticed the pup casing was discolored on the inner edge..almost "White" looking? Anyone else run into this and what did you do to corredct it if possible? I think the lemon oil interacted with what ever the pickup casing is made out of.

I know this is more of a generic pup question but I thought I'd ask here with the MTD folk:)

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Pickup case wear is normal on barts, and there's nothing unique about the casing material on an MTD... maybe just the MTD has the pickups closer to the strings than others you've played, if you're saying you've noticed less wear on other basses you've played the same amount that also have barts.

The "white" look can also happen even without something else affecting things. If it bugs you, you can probably just use some sort of armor-all kinda thing to darken them back up, but don't use any kind of polish, of course the wax in any polish will make it come right back after the polish dries out (tho it'll look great while the polish is still not dry). :)

Anyway, bottom line is, no big deal. :)
 
#5,255
Vic said:
Pickup case wear is normal on barts, and there's nothing unique about the casing material on an MTD... maybe just the MTD has the pickups closer to the strings than others you've played, if you're saying you've noticed less wear on other basses you've played the same amount that also have barts.

The "white" look can also happen even without something else affecting things. If it bugs you, you can probably just use some sort of armor-all kinda thing to darken them back up, but don't use any kind of polish, of course the wax in any polish will make it come right back after the polish dries out (tho it'll look great while the polish is still not dry). :)

Anyway, bottom line is, no big deal. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Vic:) Yeah, I hit the pups with the lemon oil rag by accident. I'll try the Armor-all on them. Has not (and will not) affect sound, just a cosmetic thing for me;) the bass is in MINT condition and I want to keep it that way:) Thanks again!
 
#5,256
skb5string said:
Hey everyone, got a question..My MTD 535 is just over a year old now and and the pups are starting to look funky under the strings? Is this normal. I've owned other basses with Bart pups and 2 other MTD 535's that were built in the late 1990's and never noticed this on those. I don't play hard but I play alot. Any idea whats happening to the casing?

Also, and this is more my fault..I was cleaning the bass with a bit of Lemon oil per Mikes suggestion and I think I may have got some on the inner adge of the pups. It looked fine after I cleaned her up but the next morning at church I noticed the pup casing was discolored on the inner edge..almost "White" looking? Anyone else run into this and what did you do to corredct it if possible? I think the lemon oil interacted with what ever the pickup casing is made out of.

I know this is more of a generic pup question but I thought I'd ask here with the MTD folk:)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I won't use armorall on anything but you could probably hit the pickups with some 303 Aerospace Protectant. I've seen that stuff work magic on many a plastic item.
 
#5,259
Joelc73 said:
I won't use armorall on anything but you could probably hit the pickups with some 303 Aerospace Protectant. I've seen that stuff work magic on many a plastic item.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Looks like it might be good stuff. What's the problem you've had with armorall? I generally don't use anything at all, but I've seen people use the AA with decent results.
 
#5,260
kesslari said:
I'm curious - what *does* Mike consider the best wood combo for fretless?
Click to expand...
Sounds like he particularly likes mahogany/redwood + maple/ebony for fretless. Makes sense to me, the mahogany should give a strong, but tight bottom-end, even mids and a singing top-end. And I guess the maple neck and ebony board will contribute an even, clear tone with nice snap and a bit of tightness.

I WANT ONE!!! :)

EG
 

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