The Official MTD USA Thread

[KoaFodera]

Oh OK... I was checking out an F Bass on the Ultimate Bass website and I'd thought I'd see what they had in their MTD stock...its a beautiful Bass there for sure but they listed it over $8300 US.
.I figure the retail price would be well over six grand...man...

Just noticed your posting. The primary reason this bass lists so high is the Pistachio top. It has a fifteen hundred list attached to it. I was little skeptical of the high entry cost but Mike insisted a Walnut body/Pistachio top is one of the best combinations he offers. IMHO, Mike is the gospel on wood combinations. My Pistachio 635 is pure magic.

If you were to spec a similar Fodera, it would likely be out the door for about 50% more than the MTD.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

Yeah I didn't realize the pistachio wood had such a premium...its a shame...I really am interested in at least trying one with a pistachio board at some point, but the price point might keep them a rare find...

 

[DRay521]

Hey guys, wanted to get your thoughts on something. I've been playing my 435 as my main bass for about 8 years now, and of course the tone and playability are just amazing. Recently, I've had a couple of sound guys and audience members say I have killer tone, but the slap notes get lost in the mix. Now, for an early model (#081!) with a wenge neck/fb and korina body, that shouldn't happen. As far as EQ, I'm boosting treble at 60%, high mids at maybe 10%, and bass at 50%. Basically blended center, a hair towards the neck. Love the tone, but I want it to cut! Oh, rig is Thunderfunk 550 into Berg AE410. 6 piece band. Any thoughts would be a "peace of mind" thing for me.

 

[bass12]

Hey guys, wanted to get your thoughts on something. I've been playing my 435 as my main bass for about 8 years now, and of course the tone and playability are just amazing. Recently, I've had a couple of sound guys and audience members say I have killer tone, but the slap notes get lost in the mix. Now, for an early model (#081!) with a wenge neck/fb and korina body, that shouldn't happen. As far as EQ, I'm boosting treble at 60%, high mids at maybe 10%, and bass at 50%. Basically blended center, a hair towards the neck. Love the tone, but I want it to cut! Oh, rig is Thunderfunk 550 into Berg AE410. 6 piece band. Any thoughts would be a "peace of mind" thing for me.

The first thing that comes to mind is that you might want to try boosting the mids at 500 instead of at 1000. I usually have my MTDs set as follows (regardless of wood combo): treble flat, mids boosted at 500 around 20%, bass flat. I will sometimes set the mids flat and boost the bass and treble a hair for slapping but I don't know how this sounds out in the room. In general I like to have a fair amount of mid content to my sound even when slapping. Also, I never boost the mids at 1000 as I don't particularly like that tone on my 535s.

 

[DRay521]

Sounds like a good idea, bass12. I also like a little mids in my slap tone. I've tried the alternative, cutting the mids altogether and boosting bass and treble more, but it's just not the tone I'm going for. I'll try boosting the mids a little bit and see if it will give the slapping a bit more presence.

 

[johnbkim93]

With all due respect, I think you might be going about this backwards. Tell us what kind of sound you are looking for and some of us might be able to help.

After I've been searching on youtube, I think the wenge wood combination sounds too focused and compressed rather than 'piano like' sound.
Do you have more suggestions on the wood besides the AG model?

 

[kevk]

After I've been searching on youtube, I think the wenge wood combination sounds too focused and compressed rather than 'piano like' sound.
Do you have more suggestions on the wood besides the AG model?

I'd recommend calling (or email) Mike T...that said, here's two bass pics from his website with "piano like" descriptions:

"Pistachio top on a walnut body with a flamed ash neck, titanium rod inserts and a pistachio finger board. Clear and articulate strong piano like attack."

"Red Narra top on avodire body with a flamed maple neck, titanium rod insert and highly mineral stained birdseye maple fingerboard. Clear, round, and warm with piano like string response."

 

[scubaduba]

Question for the MTD players here. I have one of my pre-Gibson Tobias Classic 5 strings up for potential trade and I've had a lot of people offering me MTD's and of course they all have differing wood combinations. I'm entertaining the thought of trading for a MTD but trying to figure out what wood combos would be ideal for me. My preference would be for big bottom end and punchy. Not really wanting the glassy highs. Would prefer highs that come across as balanced with the rest of the strings to the ear. So big fundamental, balanced highs. I do tend to like mids... like the G&L MFD type of sound if that helps. So would a maple or ash neck, rosewood/pistachio/wenge fingerboard make sense? And then maybe a walnut or alder or mahogany body? I realize that if I'm trading I can't really be overly choosy but thoughts on this? In the past I owned a MTD in tulipwood body/burl maple top with wenge fingerboard and wenge neck that just seemed "brittle" if that makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bass12]

After I've been searching on youtube, I think the wenge wood combination sounds too focused and compressed rather than 'piano like' sound.
Do you have more suggestions on the wood besides the AG model?

Mike would possibly recommend an ash/walnut body with an ash/maple neck. The way he often describes that combination is "like wenge but without the choke". I have to say that my 535 in that combination was fairly "piano like" in its clarity and wiry-ness but it lacked a strong fundamental in a live mix, which would mean that I wouldn't be able to clearly hear what notes I was playing. Also, when I would go from fingerstyle to slap I would be left with no low end punch (or presence at all, really). This brings me to an important point that I find myself mentioning often: you can never be sure of what a bass is going to sound like until you hear it for yourself. Mike T knows his woods really well but not even he can predict with certainty how a bass is going to sound once it is finished. The ash/walnut/ash/maple 535 I had didn't work for me, but it's the only MTD in that wood combo I've ever tried. Maybe the majority of them do sound more like wenge "without the choke" than mine did - I don't know. All that to say I can only recommend based on my relatively limited experience with MTDs - so take everything with a grain of salt . Maybe some other folks will step forward with some suggestions.

 

[bass12]

Question for the MTD players here. I have one of my pre-Gibson Tobias Classic 5 strings up for potential trade and I've had a lot of people offering me MTD's and of course they all have differing wood combinations. I'm entertaining the thought of trading for a MTD but trying to figure out what wood combos would be ideal for me. My preference would be for big bottom end and punchy. Not really wanting the glassy highs. Would prefer highs that come across as balanced with the rest of the strings to the ear. So big fundamental, balanced highs. I do tend to like mids... like the G&L MFD type of sound if that helps. So would a maple or ash neck, rosewood/pistachio/wenge fingerboard make sense? And then maybe a walnut or alder or mahogany body? I realize that if I'm trading I can't really be overly choosy but thoughts on this? In the past I owned a MTD in tulipwood body/burl maple top with wenge fingerboard and wenge neck that just seemed "brittle" if that makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

Of the MTDs I've owned, the one that comes closest to your description is my alder/maple top/maple/rosewood 535. Very present and punchy low mids. Much more "traditional" sounding than the majority of MTDs I've played. A close second would be a swamp ash body/maple/rosewood combo (in a Saratoga, mind you).

 

[johnbkim93]

Mike would possibly recommend an ash/walnut body with an ash/maple neck. The way he often describes that combination is "like wenge but without the choke". I have to say that my 535 in that combination was fairly "piano like" in its clarity and wiry-ness but it lacked a strong fundamental in a live mix, which would mean that I wouldn't be able to clearly hear what notes I was playing. Also, when I would go from fingerstyle to slap I would be left with no low end punch (or presence at all, really). This brings me to an important point that I find myself mentioning often: you can never be sure of what a bass is going to sound like until you hear it for yourself. Mike T knows his woods really well but not even he can predict with certainty how a bass is going to sound once it is finished. The ash/walnut/ash/maple 535 I had didn't work for me, but it's the only MTD in that wood combo I've ever tried. Maybe the majority of them do sound more like wenge "without the choke" than mine did - I don't know. All that to say I can only recommend based on my relatively limited experience with MTDs - so take everything with a grain of salt . Maybe some other folks will step forward with some suggestions.

I see, but I need the low end punch or presence on the bottom too. How do you think about the AG model?

 

[bass12]

I see, but I need the low end punch or presence on the bottom too. How do you think about the AG model?

I have no experience with the AG, ungortunately. I'm pretty sure that you don't have to spend the extra money on an AG to get what you're looking for.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

I have no experience with the AG, ungortunately. I'm pretty sure that you don't have to spend the extra money on an AG to get what you're looking for.

+1....alder body/fancy top maple/rosewood oughta do the trick...

 

[johnbkim93]

I have no experience with the AG, ungortunately. I'm pretty sure that you don't have to spend the extra money on an AG to get what you're looking for.

Then what do you suggest to get what I'm looking for w/o spending the extra money on an AG?

 

[bass12]

+1....alder body/fancy top maple/rosewood oughta do the trick...

I was actually thinking that. By most standards my 535 in that combination is quite "piano-like". I think a lot of people are tempted to go with more exotic wood combos when it comes to MTDs but the old "tried-and-true" combos also work great with these basses - and they still sound very much like MTDs.

 

[bass12]

Then what do you suggest to get what I'm looking for w/o spending the extra money on an AG?

I'm inclined to agree with Ace of Bass. Alder/top of your choice/maple/rosewood.

 

[johnbkim93]

+1....alder body/fancy top maple/rosewood oughta do the trick...

I thought the maple board had too much treble and I didn't like the fret noise(?) that maple tended to have in my experience.
And I thought the rosewood board needed to be mor punchy and the tone was too warm compared to the sound I wanted.
However, I think I'm gonna have to thing about the alder body and maple board combination to save the money not getting the AG.

 

[johnbkim93]

Whats the difference between the alder and ash body?

 

[Ace Of Bass]

I thought the maple board had too much treble and I didn't like the fret noise(?) that maple tended to have in my experience.
And I thought the rosewood board needed to be mor punchy and the tone was too warm compared to the sound I wanted.
However, I think I'm gonna have to thing about the alder body and maple board combination to save the money not getting the AG.

Im speaking of a maple neck, not board...i definitley change my
attack a bit when dealing with
maple.... Are you reffering to the maple/rosewood combo in general or on an MTD...?..its very different going through MTD electronics...there's a pretty good sound example on YouTube from Korea, I believe where the guy plays four or five MTDs with different wood combos...its one of the better sound samples out the IMO...wish I could find the link...

 

[kevk]

...there's a pretty good sound example on YouTube from Korea, I believe where the guy plays four or five MTDs with different wood combos...its one of the better sound samples out the IMO...wish I could find the link...