Do you think that the alder/maple/rosewood combo would get lost in the mix in a huge concert easier than other combos?
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The Official MTD USA Thread
- Thread starter johnpaulbass
- Start date
I'm nor sure if I have any clips. I might have some video footage taken with an iphone but I'd have to check.
I never had any problem when playing with my thirteen piece band with my alder 535 (playing some pretty big rooms and outdoor venues). Our main sound guy seemed to really like that bass. The only 535 combo I had trouble with in terms of not cutting through the way I would have liked was an ash/ash/maple.
I checked and I don't have any video footage of the alder 535 - just the ash/wenge.
I see.Thanks for checking! If you compare your video with the AG models on youtube, how do you think they are different?
Here's an alder clip...
Mike mentioned to me, also...that adding a bubinga board gets you very close to an AG tone. The cottonwood burl is a pretty soft top wood, so it's not an exact comparison to alder/maple. I believe the maple burl is a little harder, which helps focus the alder body...
Mike mentioned to me, also...that adding a bubinga board gets you very close to an AG tone. The cottonwood burl is a pretty soft top wood, so it's not an exact comparison to alder/maple. I believe the maple burl is a little harder, which helps focus the alder body...
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Yeah thats what he told me too. But I'm wondering if rosewood can be put instead because it gets more expensive with the bubinga board. Maybe I'll wait and save more money for the bubinga, but for now I'm just trying to figure it out.
It really depends on how adamant you are about trying to get close to that sound...keep in mind that quite a bit of Andrew's sound comes from his attack and the fingerboard wood plays a role certainly, but not as important as his style of attack IMO...I saw him up close and personal some years ago playing an MTD with a different wood combo (dont remember exactly what, but the bass had a Bloodwood top) and it sounded very much the same as his newer MTD to me, with the signature sounding a bit warmer...he's got and even newer model with a MIDI pickup and different woods and the difference isn't that noticeable unless I REALLY listen...certainly not as noticeable as maple and rosewood are to me...
vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
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- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
Yes, yes, yes! I've heard Gouche on all kinds of basses and he ALWAYS sounds like Gouche. Even when I've heard him on a non MTD (like a jazz bass) he sounded like Gouche. It's all in his hands. Here's a clip of him playing the Norm Stockton sig - sounds like Gouche. If you listen REALLY closely with headphones you can hear a bit more grind with that bass than with his sig, but it's still his tone:
Gouche boosts the bass and treble a good amount on his MTDs, and since the preamp is already powerful that is probably a bigger factor in his tone than the specifics of the wood selection.
He also tunes his basses down a whole step to low A, so there is less tension in the strings and this has an affect on his tone.
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For you 535/635 owners - would someone be able to please measure the distance from the crown (center) of the fingerboard down to the body? I am curious what Mike is using as a height measurement these days for the Hipshot B bridge. Thanks!
The Bubby clip is a bit anaemic sounding but 1) the sound was captured by (presumably) a cell phone, 2) I don't know what amp and cabinet he was running through and, 3) I don't know what his settings were.
The Chaka Khan clip was closer but I would still describe my alder 535 as being a bit meatier and less scooped. Having said that, I almost always boost the mids on my MTDs a touch. But the alder 535 is definitely one of the most "full" sounding MTDs I've played (whereas I've found some MTDs to be more scooped in the mids).
What do you mean by being meatier and less scooped?
I'm not really familiar with those terms. Can you please explain what they mean if possible?
By "meatier" I mean thicker sounding and by "scooped" I mean that there is a dip in the mid frequencies, so you are, relatively speaking, getting lots of highs and lows but not as much in the mids department.
Oh I get it. Thanks for your explanaition thats perfect.
How would you compare the clarity and 'piano like' sound of your basses?
They're both clear but the wenge is a bit darker and growlier. If I was going to use one to play chords, for example, I would use the alder over the ash/wenge. The most "piano"-like tone I've had in an MTD, however, was probably my old black limba/wenge/wenge (with ebony top). That bass also had a dark voice but, at the same time, it had a lot of upper harmonic content to the notes. Definitely the most "elegant" sounding MTD I've owned.
Sounds a lot like my Mahogany/Wenge 535....dark voice but lots of upper harmonic content while being able to get nice and growly...
You can do a lot worse than a Z bass, but they don't compare to a US MTD at all...nice instruments though..I know cat in VA who plays one at his church gig on Sunday's and he sounds killer every time..the Kingston series is a really nice alternative to the US series, but again, not as nice..I owned an AG5 Kingston and it was really nice..if you're considering a Kingston, I'd say it's a good choice...
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