• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The Official MTD USA Thread

#5,601
VroomVroom said:
Virgil! I hope you're well, my friend. You know, this gig was a reminder of just how great this bass plays and sounds. I've been using five-string J basses on so many gigs these days, but this gig required a sixer. It's definitely all bark and all bite, but is remarkably flexible.

Looking at my gig log, I had 54 hits last year. I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I only used this bass on three of them. Were it any other bass I'd be thinking of selling it for that reason alone, but this one is special.

Here's hoping for a very busy 2011!
Click to expand...

This post got me wondering so I counted things up. 82 paid gigs plus a bunch of freebies (promotional hits) and studio sessions. I used my MTDs on most of those dates with the Fender Jazz coming in a very distant second. I think I used my Sadowsky on two or three gigs plus a couple of recording sessions. I generally prefer the Sadowsky to the Fender but a couple of people I was playing with preferred the Fender (as much for the image as anything else, I think). I love my MTDs!
 
#5,602
I did about 60 gigs last year; on all of my Gospel gigs I used the MTD, I used my other basses on half of my pop/funk/Motown gigs because my Motown stuff begs for the passive tone that my MTD doesn't have. I have been expermenting lately with my MTD tones. I am finding that if the mid selector is at 1000, and I boost the bass and treble and cut the mids, the MTD can sound very traditional. If you further add some palm muting it can sound like a PBass. I am going to work on that tone all winter to see if I can get closer to the passive Fender PBass tone.
 
#5,603
Virgil said:
I did about 60 gigs last year; on all of my Gospel gigs I used the MTD, I used my other basses on half of my pop/funk/Motown gigs because my Motown stuff begs for the passive tone that my MTD doesn't have. I have been expermenting lately with my MTD tones. I am finding that if the mid selector is at 1000, and I boost the bass and treble and cut the mids, the MTD can sound very traditional. If you further add some palm muting it can sound like a PBass. I am going to work on that tone all winter to see if I can get closer to the passive Fender PBass tone.
Click to expand...

Virgil! Set your MTD flat with maybe some treble rolled off (depending on your neck fretboard material) and roll to 100% neck pickup. As modern as the MTD's are, those basses sound a LOT like a PBass when played with the neck pickup only. Scooping the mids and cranking the bass and treble... not so much:)

That neck pickup on the MTD must be in almost exact P location, and I believe someone posted it is a split coil design like a P pickup under the cover.
 
#5,604
Virgil said:
I did about 60 gigs last year; on all of my Gospel gigs I used the MTD, I used my other basses on half of my pop/funk/Motown gigs because my Motown stuff begs for the passive tone that my MTD doesn't have. I have been expermenting lately with my MTD tones. I am finding that if the mid selector is at 1000, and I boost the bass and treble and cut the mids, the MTD can sound very traditional. If you further add some palm muting it can sound like a PBass. I am going to work on that tone all winter to see if I can get closer to the passive Fender PBass tone.
Click to expand...

I sometimes play with an old-school soul singer (Stax, Muscle Shoals, Motown, Philly International type stuff) and I've been really happy with my ash/maple/wenge/wenge 535 on that gig. That particular MTD has a really "woody" tone and using the EQ (I should experiment more with the pickup blend than I have) I can get a good "traditional sound". I realise, however, that not every MTD has the potential to sound "traditional", even in the same wood combinations as the one I've just mentioned. I certainly didn't find that my ash/walnut/ash/maple had the ability to sound as "trad" as my ash/maple/wenge/wenge. That bass just had too much grind in it and not enough punch in the lower mids.
 
#5,605
KJung said:
As modern as the MTD's are, those basses sound a LOT like a PBass when played with the neck pickup only.

That neck pickup on the MTD must be in almost exact P location, and I believe someone posted it is a split coil design like a P pickup under the cover.
Click to expand...

I have found this to be true as well. I was pleasantly surprised when I got my 535 as to how 'P-like' it could sound with the neck pup alone. And of course totally modern with the pups blended.

These basses truly are amazing.
 
#5,606
KJung said:
Virgil! Set your MTD flat with maybe some treble rolled off (depending on your neck fretboard material) and roll to 100% neck pickup. As modern as the MTD's are, those basses sound a LOT like a PBass when played with the neck pickup only. Scooping the mids and cranking the bass and treble... not so much:)

That neck pickup on the MTD must be in almost exact P location, and I believe someone posted it is a split coil design like a P pickup under the cover.
Click to expand...

Thank you Sir, I will give it a try when I go home tonight.
 
#5,608
VroomVroom said:
Here's a little NYE love...

5312121524_8783650911_z.jpg


5312121566_9882c16a25_z.jpg


Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. Great gig. Cocktail jazz up front, some R&B and smooth jazz in the middle, and dance/pop/disco as the night wore on. It got really loud in there...dance floor packed with happy folk and their various noisemakers, so here are a coupla' clips from the first set. #1763, ash/walnut, ash/maple. Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 & Bergantino HT112ER. Everything flat & centered on the bass, volume @ ~ 6/10. Everything flat & centered on the amp, except for pre-gain @ 7/10. Tweeter @ 10 o'clock on the cab.

Link Removed

Link Removed
Click to expand...

and if you see me at one of your gigs, don't leave that bass unattended...

Beautiful, man...you're a lucky guy.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#5,610
DRay521 said:
Saw some pictures on Bass Gear Magazine's Winter NAMM 2011 page of the MTD booth, and there appeared to be some new designs. Can any of the guys out there fill us in? IE, Vic, TomB, etc, etc...:ninja:
Click to expand...
Very sadly, I didn't have much time to spend in that booth, but I'm sure I can get answers if I don't know them. Which ones are you talking about?
 
#5,611
Well, after looking again, I think they may not have been MTD's. They were next to the MTD's in the Bass Gear album, and used the same pickups and some quality top woods, but I don't believe they were Mike's design. Different bridges, knob placement, etc.
 
#5,613
DRay521 said:
Saw some pictures on Bass Gear Magazine's Winter NAMM 2011 page of the MTD booth, and there appeared to be some new designs. Can any of the guys out there fill us in? IE, Vic, TomB, etc, etc...:ninja:
Click to expand...

I talked with Mike for a while about the one on the left. If you recall the three black MTD models that Mike had at the show a couple of years ago, they were experimenting with some "rock bass" body styles (including the infamous "amoeba bass"). Apparently, this is the end result. It's a Kingston, and it will sell for under $1k, I believe. It looks pretty cool in person.

Invalid Link Removed
 
#5,617
Drocdbase said:
Last Wednesday I received this "awesome" bass, MTD 535 ash body with walnut top, maple/maple board and neck. Had a chance to play it at church today, my rig is GK MB2 500 head powering peavey cab. Oh my, this bass "SMOKES", this was a great purchase from a great TBer!! Here's a body shot of it....along with the rest of the crew:hyper:
Click to expand...

Hey Drocdbass, I see that you use the GK MB2 500 bass head with a peavey cabinet. I currently have the MB Fusion 500 Tube preamp version with my peavey cabinet and my MTD535 and the sound is just off the chain!(WICKED!) I have a Roscoe LG and a pre-Gibson Tobias Signature that dont leave the house now since I re-acquired another MTD535, this one I wont let go. May be looking to get an MTD635 down the road.

MTD 4LYFE!
 
#5,618
dkterry,
I was a little scared at first to run the GK with the peavey cabs, for they have been there forever, but the sound this bass produces is so beautiful, had a guy come up after service Sunday and he was blown away by the tone of this bass. There might be another MTD535 down the road for me also:D, D your 535 is "HOT", love that top. Can I also say......MTD 4LYFE!

dkterry said:
Hey Drocdbass, I see that you use the GK MB2 500 bass head with a peavey cabinet. I currently have the MB Fusion 500 Tube preamp version with my peavey cabinet and my MTD535 and the sound is just off the chain!(WICKED!) I have a Roscoe LG and a pre-Gibson Tobias Signature that dont leave the house now since I re-acquired another MTD535, this one I wont let go. May be looking to get an MTD635 down the road.

MTD 4LYFE!
Click to expand...
 
#5,619
Drocdbase said:
dkterry,
I was a little scared at first to run the GK with the peavey cabs, for they have been there forever, but the sound this bass produces is so beautiful, had a guy come up after service Sunday and he was blown away by the tone of this bass. There might be another MTD535 down the road for me also:D, D your 535 is "HOT", love that top. Can I also say......MTD 4LYFE!
Click to expand...

Drocdbase,
This is my 3rd MTD535 in the past 2yrs. The 1st one I had was Ash body, Koa top, Ash neck, Maple fretboard and it was a little thin sounding to me. Last year I had a Quilted Maple top, Ash body, Wenge neck & board and for the life of me I cant remember why I got rid of that bass and vowed if I get another MTD I would be buried with it!! haha. I got lucky and came across the current Spalted Maple top one and I just love it. I hope to get a 635 later this year or next. I would like to try one with the Ash body, Walnut top, Maple neck and Birdseye fretboard. I see that you own a Smith 5P also (Nice), I just sold my Smith Zebrawood 5PE a couple of months ago to fund another bass purchase. Shoot me a soundclip if you get the chance of the MTD, I would love to hear how your bass sounds with those wood combinations...I'm sure its SMOKIN!!
 
#5,620
Thanks for the update, dk. That's a great combination. I found the same thing with the ash neck (not as much punch in the mids and a bit too "grindy" sounding for my liking) and I'm having it switched out to a maple/maple. Anyway, welcome back into the fold!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back