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The Official MTD USA Thread
- Thread starter johnpaulbass
- Start date
I'm just wondering which strings are preferred by MTD 535 players.
I have an MTD 535-24 with an ash body/maple-burl top, and maple neck with ebony fretboard. All I can say is that it's the clearest, most articulate, and down-right BRIGHTEST bass I've ever played.
I know the debate over stainless steel and nickel strings (there are many threads on that topic). And of course, it comes down to personal taste regarding the material, gauge, and either rounds or flats.
I'm have some difficulties "taming" the brightness/crispness of the tone. Of course, I need to experiment more with the EQ, but even with the treble turned down completely, the bass still sings on the high-end.
I play a wide range of genres (R&B, Funk, Dance, Latin, Fusion, etc). I currently use Nickel DR Lo-Riders. But after talking with Mike Tobias, I would like to try the MTD brand. I've even considered trying some flats (Chromes) because I have so much high-end coming from the bass. However, I do slap a lot, and I don't think flats would accommodate that technique very well.
Please let me know your thoughts and opinions. Thanks.
I have an MTD 535-24 with an ash body/maple-burl top, and maple neck with ebony fretboard. All I can say is that it's the clearest, most articulate, and down-right BRIGHTEST bass I've ever played.
I know the debate over stainless steel and nickel strings (there are many threads on that topic). And of course, it comes down to personal taste regarding the material, gauge, and either rounds or flats.
I'm have some difficulties "taming" the brightness/crispness of the tone. Of course, I need to experiment more with the EQ, but even with the treble turned down completely, the bass still sings on the high-end.
I play a wide range of genres (R&B, Funk, Dance, Latin, Fusion, etc). I currently use Nickel DR Lo-Riders. But after talking with Mike Tobias, I would like to try the MTD brand. I've even considered trying some flats (Chromes) because I have so much high-end coming from the bass. However, I do slap a lot, and I don't think flats would accommodate that technique very well.
Please let me know your thoughts and opinions. Thanks.
I personally use MTD stainless steel .045 - .130 on my 535s. For me they work really well on those basses. If you're trying to eliminate brightness then nickels are probably the way to go. You might also give some kind of coated string a try (Elixirs, for example). I love flats but putting those on my MTDs would just seem redundant. Unfortunately, I rarely have a difficult time with overly bright strings as I kill them so quickly. So that's another option - I could just send you my old strings.
I actually like the MTD strings they ship with quite a bit. Steel .135-.045 or maybe with a .130 B.idoker said:
I feel almost the same way as you. MTD's SS strings sound pretty nice, but they're just too rough to my fingers. I'm an exclusive nickel user and have been using Sadowsky Blue Label Nickels (a tad brighter and lower tension than Lo-Riders Nickels, stainless bright bite with nickel soft smoothness) and DR Sunbeams (warmer than Lo-Riders, and lowest tension among all roundwound strings). I've tried MTD nickels too, but they became dead way too fast to me.
String choice is very personal. Thankfully we own a MTD bass, which sounds great with whatever strings you put on
I appreciate the advice everyone. I ordered the MTD stainless steel set (.045 - .130) to try out. Much of my decision to go with these was from my talk with Mike Tobias who said that all of his basses ship out with these strings, and that he feels they are voiced best for his specific MTD basses.
Also, I really haven't heard anything bad about them with the exception of how they have a tendency to get "dull" a little on the quick side.
This may seem to go against me wanting to achieve a "warmer" tone (as steels are known to be brighter than nickel). But as I've come to know from experience, that assumption is not always the case. So, I'll give them a try. If I don't like it, I'll simply try a different type of string next time.
Also, I really haven't heard anything bad about them with the exception of how they have a tendency to get "dull" a little on the quick side.
This may seem to go against me wanting to achieve a "warmer" tone (as steels are known to be brighter than nickel). But as I've come to know from experience, that assumption is not always the case. So, I'll give them a try. If I don't like it, I'll simply try a different type of string next time.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,942
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
+1 That is what I use. I slightly prefer the non tapered core B string, but I don't really mind the tapered core, either. I like the MTD SS rounds so much that I use them on darned near all my basses.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,942
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
If you like what the MTD SS rounds do, but want a slightly warmer tone, you might want to try DR Sunbeams, too.
I used to insist on the non-tapered Bs but it just became too much of a hassle trying to find them. I've been using tapered Bs on my main 535 and, honestly, I don't miss the non-tapered Bs enough to go through the trouble of obtaining them.
On the other hand, those will also feel very different, because they're round core (being based on the HiBeams), so they'll feel much "slinkier" (tho they will also tend to last longer).
The Nickel LoRiders would be more directly comparable to the feel of the (also) hex core MTD strings. BTW, I'm pretty sure MTD also makes nickel strings, tho I have not yet tried them.
Also, those DR strings won't be tapered, so you'll have to lower the B saddle and move it forward (towards the nut) to adjust intonation accordingly.
DR also makes a tapered string set called the Longnecks (based on the LoRiders -- hex core), but it's a fully tapered set, and the taper is different, so you'll still be moving bridge saddles around to re-adjust action/intonation.
Just FYI.
FInally decided to go with this stunning poplar burl top for my next custom 535 with mike. He's been very nice sending me pics of different kinds of tops from maple burl to ebony. This one will have alder body, maple neck and pistachio board! It'll be awesome! Let the waiting begin now.
Attachments
Typically, when will master Mike contact you with the options for tops/boards?
One month prior to delivery date?
He'll give you options of tops as soon as you place the 1st deposit, at least that's what happened in my case.
The build itself takes about 6-8 months.
That's not my case.
I put my deposit to a MTD dealer and got my "order sheet." Story ends. That's 4 months ago.
Is it probably because I have specified the top and fingerboard wood? Shouldn't I have the chance to pick, for example, one particular block from a pile of woods of the same type?
carlis said:That's not my case.
I put my deposit to a MTD dealer and got my "order sheet." Story ends. That's 4 months ago.
Is it probably because I have specified the top and fingerboard wood? Shouldn't I have the chance to pick, for example, one particular block from a pile of woods of the same type?
I find that the dealer can make or break a purchase like this. For big-ticket bass purchases, I want to deal directly with the builder. I know that's not possible with all basses, though. If I was laying MTD money down, i'd make choosing my top part of the deal.
Widjajar - that's going to be a very distinctive looking MTD! Can't wait to see the finished product. I'm very curious about the pistachio.
That's normal enough. The only times I've had the opportunity to choose specific pieces of wood were when I wasn't sure what I wanted wood-wise (and so Mike would send me photos of possible tops or fingerboards representing a certain wood type) and when I was actually at his shop. Otherwise I simply placed my order and heard back when my bass was ready.That's not my case.
I put my deposit to a MTD dealer and got my "order sheet." Story ends. That's 4 months ago.
Is it probably because I have specified the top and fingerboard wood? Shouldn't I have the chance to pick, for example, one particular block from a pile of woods of the same type?
