• 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

#8,541
Brams77 said:
Yeah didn't expect that... I would love to try a brass b style bridge tho...

My bass is more on the bright side which is ok... But fiddling with it could make it even more a tone monster then it already is... Ill look into that.. Thanks man!
Click to expand...


If what you re looking for is mid focused with sweet treble go with the brass !! Check out first to change the saddles the difference is huge !!
 
#8,545
carlis said:
No wonder. Makore body is helpful in providing the most balanced and well rounded sound to my ears.
Click to expand...

I have to ask - how do you know it's the body wood making the difference? Have you tried the same basses with different necks? I'm not trying to start a "tone wood debate" (as I do believe the wood does make a difference), I'm just wary of generalizations that very often are based on having tried only one or two instruments.
 
#8,549
bass12 said:
I have to ask - how do you know it's the body wood making the difference? Have you tried the same basses with different necks? I'm not trying to start a "tone wood debate" (as I do believe the wood does make a difference), I'm just wary of generalizations that very often are based on having tried only one or two instruments.
Click to expand...

I dislike tone wood debate as well. My opinion on makore is based on my own experience, and by comparing the three MTDs I own. Since we are discussing it in our MTD club I just hope it be somewhat helpful to who wants to buy his new/next MTD. ;)

I am an ebony enthusiast so all of my MTDs have an ebony & maple neck. The bodies are makore, swamp ash, and primavera (allegedly the "white mahogany"). The strings are same gauge of the same brand. I've also had the opportunities to checked out a bunch of MTDs with varying combos. To my ears an ash body tends to be aggressive and harsh (which is cliche), a mahogany body on the warmer side, and makore in the middle range between them combining the best of both worlds.

Again, that isn't to say any of them is better than the others...just my opinion and YMMV.
 
#8,550
jazzy grille said:
Perhaps it was your amp/cab setup?

The MOST aggressive voiced bass I have ever heard comes from my MTD 535-24 with an ash/maple neck. Through either a UL902C or a Glock HR II and a mix of either a UL210, UL410 and a UL212 (pick two).
Click to expand...

No, it was the bass. At first I thought it was the ash neck that was the problem so I had Mike make me a new neck (maple/maple) but the issue was still there. I've noticed this with other maple boarded basses as well. But again, each bass is different - so I'm not surprised when I hear a bass with a maple board cutting nicely (my Lull is fine since I switched preamps and my Sadowsky sounds great). But if I was ordering a bass I'd feel "safer" ordering one with a fretboard other than maple.
 
#8,551
bass12 said:
No, it was the bass. At first I thought it was the ash neck that was the problem so I had Mike make me a new neck (maple/maple) but the issue was still there. I've noticed this with other maple boarded basses as well. But again, each bass is different - so I'm not surprised when I hear a bass with a maple board cutting nicely (my Lull is fine since I switched preamps and my Sadowsky sounds great). But if I was ordering a bass I'd feel "safer" ordering one with a fretboard other than maple.
Click to expand...

Cant agree with that more, each bass is different, changing the fb from maple to something else is however or the oppositie always a big change.
But the thing is woods tend to give somekind of expected result.
But I'm sure there is someone out here that has a wood combo with a maple maple neck and sounds warmer then a bass with a so called warm combo that sounds very bright or far more bright then expected...
But thats just how woods are...

Thats actually the reason I was frist thinking of letting Mike make me a maple rosewood neck for my ash bodied bass, prolly giving me a slightly darker/warmer sound.. but since the bass sounds so good and has such an earthquake like b string... The risk of loosing that quality is too big.. So I leave it as is...
Maybe one day ill find another that sounds even better with a rosewood board, tho I'm not in a hurry;)
 
#8,553
Brams77 said:
But the thing is woods tend to give somekind of expected result.
But I'm sure there is someone out here that has a wood combo with a maple maple neck and sounds warmer then a bass with a so called warm combo that sounds very bright or far more bright then expected...
But thats just how woods are...
Click to expand...

Exactly - wood is organic and each piece is different. I do believe that certain woods have certain tendencies, sonically speaking, but there can certainly be surprises. This is why I'm reluctant to give much weight to comments regarding wood types unless a person has had quite a bit of experience playing certain wood combinations. That's NOT to say that such comments from people with limited experience combo-wise can't be useful - they certainly can be and the more feedback the better - but I do think it's important to not be too quick to categorize the various wood combos based on relatively little feedback (something I feel is fairly common).
 
#8,554
iwearpumas said:
I think I already want to order a second MTD.
Click to expand...

No doubt about it - MTDs can be addictive. If I had the money I'd always have one on order! Quite aside from the playability and the sound, they're gorgeous objects to behold. And there's no thrill like the process of choosing your top wood (though I have to say that the two times I left it up to Mike he selected stunning wood).
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back