The Official MTD USA Thread

[bucephylus]

I am REALLY appreciating my 534. Such an amazing instrument. Took me a little while to sort out the electronics. The only part that makes me sad is that Mike never got to actually hear it in proper performance. It’s just a tad heavier than I was hoping for, but so completely solid. Monster.

Mike is just a fantastic person and an incredible builder. Very special.

 

[R Briere]

I am REALLY appreciating my 534. Such an amazing instrument. Took me a little while to sort out the electronics. The only part that makes me sad is that Mike never got to actually hear it in proper performance. It’s just a tad heavier than I was hoping for, but so completely solid. Monster.
View attachment 3578522

Mike is just a fantastic person and an incredible builder. Very special.

With all Due Respect....Mike heard your bass when he picked up the block of wood to make it. He's funny that way.

 

[bucephylus]

With all Due Respect....Mike heard your bass when he picked up the block of wood to make it. He's funny that way.

Word!!

 

[Vic]

View attachment 3579183

cool picture! where is that from?

 

[R Briere]

cool picture! where is that from?

G'mornin' Vic ...... If you promise not to tell, ..... I found it in a Folder marked "MySpace". It's obviously from a NAMM Show.....probably early 80's. Mike could tell us cuz he remembers what he had for Breakfast that day. I also found this one. I used to make "Badges" for my Pals on Myspace. Click on said Badge and Magically / Mystically be Transported to another Place and time. We've now moved forward to MTD ...... and a "Mike with No Tie." .... Which can be Sung using the Melody from America's Blockbuster Hit, "Horse with No Name". "I went down to Woodstock to see Mike with No Tie" ......kind of a Bouncy little Number.

 

[Vic]

G'mornin' Vic ...... If you promise not to tell, ..... I found it in a Folder marked "MySpace". It's obviously from a NAMM Show.....probably early 80's...LOL, awesome! back in the days when I thought I'd never be able to afford such an instrument, let alone become a friend of his. Damn I'm a lucky SOB.

 

[bucephylus]

HELP!

I must be a moron.

Just getting around to putting on new strings; but, my ear and my tuner are telling me the intonation as set from Mike is off. ?????

So, I looked up this Buzz Feiten tuning system to learn how it works. Here is what they say:
How It Works

Certainly not an explanation for idiots like me. I’m glad their “intonation offsets” are patented; but, what are they? Is it some kind of big secret? And, why do we want the intonation to be offset anyhow? All of my intonation is just a tad sharp. Are we supposed to be sharp going up the neck?

To put the intonation where I think it should be, I’m literally going to have to move the bridge back a 1/4” or so. Before I do that, what in God’s name am I missing?

Thanks for your patience with my ignorance.

 

[rodneyat]

HELP!

I must be a moron.

Just getting around to putting on new strings; but, my ear and my tuner are telling me the intonation as set from Mike is off. ?????

So, I looked up this Buzz Feiten tuning system to learn how it works. Here is what they say:
How It Works

Certainly not an explanation for idiots like me. I’m glad their “intonation offsets” are patented; but, what are they? Is it some kind of big secret? And, why do we want the intonation to be offset anyhow? All of my intonation is just a tad sharp. Are we supposed to be sharp going up the neck?

To put the intonation where I think it should be, I’m literally going to have to move the bridge back a 1/4” or so. Before I do that, what in God’s name am I missing?

Thanks for your patience with my ignorance.

Don't trust your tuner unless it's one that support Buzz Feiten. If it does not...go and order one now. And then report back to us after you check it. A regular tuner is going to report that your intonation is off.

 

[bucephylus]

Don't trust your tuner unless it's one that support Buzz Feiten. If it does not...go and order one now. And then report back to us after you check it. A regular tuner is going to report that your intonation is off.

Wait a minute. So, I don’t want an accurate tuner? How does that work?

 

[bucephylus]

This is extremely frustrating. I’ve got everything else on this bass sorted out, it sounds terrific; but, I absolutely refuse to play an out of intonation instrument. Period. Either I sort it out or the bass will be history.

Or, maybe I’ll just move the bridge. No way anyone is going to convince me that improper intonation is a good thing.

 

[rodneyat]

Wait a minute. So, I don’t want an accurate tuner? How does that work?

Because the offsets on the Buzz Feiten tuning system are different. Not all tuners will work correctly. The tuner has to support to Buzz Feiten system to set intonation. Peterson tuners, for example, do support it. If you are only tuning open strings any tuner will work. But as soon as you are fretting notes and setting intonation. It has to support the BFTS. So, it is more accurate.

 

[bucephylus]

Because the offsets on the Buzz Feiten tuning system are different. Not all tuners will work correctly. The tuner has to support to Buzz Feiten system to set intonation. Peterson tuners, for example, do support it. If you are only tuning open strings any tuner will work. But as soon as you are fretting notes and setting intonation. It has to support the BFTS. So, it is more accurate.

But, why is it a good thing to have the 12th fret harmonic in tune and the fretted 12th fret sharp? That makes absolutely no sense. The result is ALL the notes going up the neck are increasingly sharp. That’s just wrong.

 

[soflbass]

I don't know anything about the Buzz Feiten tuning system. However, this is what I found on the FAQ section of their web page.

If you want to check your guitar's intonation yourself, you can use the Peterson StroboStomp and Korg DT-7 Tuner, which have the Buzz Feiten Tuning System Mode for tuning and intonation and the Peterson VSII and Peterson 490 which can be programmed with the Buzz Feiten Tuning System for tuning and intonation. Check out details on "How to Use the Korg DT-7 Tuner" by accessing the link button on the Home Page of this site. Check out Peterson's website Link Removed for details on using their tuners.

 

[Davethebassguy]

But, why is it a good thing to have the 12th fret harmonic in tune and the fretted 12th fret sharp? That makes absolutely no sense. The result is ALL the notes going up the neck are increasingly sharp. That’s just wrong.

I'm a devoted MTD player, and love the BF tuning system. I hear the difference mostly in chords higher up on the board. Once it's set right, it's amazing. Peterson tuners do the trick. If you take the time to adjust to it, you'll wish all of your other basses had it. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[bucephylus]

I'm a devoted MTD player, and love the BF tuning system. I hear the difference mostly in chords higher up on the board. Once it's set right, it's amazing. Peterson tuners do the trick. If you take the time to adjust to it, you'll wish all of your other basses had it. Just my opinion, of course.

Yeah, I’m not getting it. Sure, I understand that tempering can produce more pleasing chordal textures. But, my job as a bass player is to get the roots right for the ensembles I’m playing in.

Perhaps, I should have studied this more before spec’ing the bass. Shame on me for not doing my homework. I’ve got a call in to Mike. Hopefully he can help me sort this out.

 

[bucephylus]

I don't know anything about the Buzz Feiten tuning system. However, this is what I found on the FAQ section of their web page.

If you want to check your guitar's intonation yourself, you can use the Peterson StroboStomp and Korg DT-7 Tuner, which have the Buzz Feiten Tuning System Mode for tuning and intonation and the Peterson VSII and Peterson 490 which can be programmed with the Buzz Feiten Tuning System for tuning and intonation. Check out details on "How to Use the Korg DT-7 Tuner" by accessing the link button on the Home Page of this site. Check out Peterson's website Link Removed for details on using their tuners.

Yeah, I read that too. But a tuner literally just measures frequency in decimals of Hz. All those tuners do is give you some kind of idiot light telling you when some kind of offsets are met. Why not just describe the offsets? And, I’m still not getting why a bass guitar should have offsets, aside from tempering for solo chordal work; which I mainly don’t do and isn’t what I bought the bass for.

 

[Combinator]

Yeah, I’m not getting it. Sure, I understand that tempering can produce more pleasing chordal textures. But, my job as a bass player is to get the roots right for the ensembles I’m playing in.

Perhaps, I should have studied this more before spec’ing the bass. Shame on me for not doing my homework. I’ve got a call in to Mike. Hopefully he can help me sort this out.

Dude. Take a deep breath, and just de-escalate. Instead of asking a bunch of non-technical enthusiasts here to solve your "problem", Google Buzz's system and learn the value points in the words of its own creator. And then realize you still have two options - to intonate with the BF system, or not to. We're talking about about nearly infinitesimally small increments here. If you are not super familiar with what a cent is in tuning, it's 1/100th of the pitch difference bwteen any two frets on your bass. You're supposedly offsetting by 1 of these on most strings. The fretting system isn't altered on a BF instrument except for to move the nut or zero fret slightly closer to the next fret. You can intonate your bass regularly with practically no discernible difference from a non-BF bass. It's gonna be ok.

 

[Davethebassguy]

Yeah, I read that too. But a tuner literally just measures frequency in decimals of Hz. All those tuners do is give you some kind of idiot light telling you when some kind of offsets are met. Why not just describe the offsets? And, I’m still not getting why a bass guitar should have offsets, aside from tempering for solo chordal work; which I mainly don’t do and isn’t what I bought the bass for.

Sounds like this may be a 'round hole, square peg' situation. Not everything works for everyone; some just need meat & potatoes. It comes across to me like a knee jerk reaction that just needs a step back to properly evaluate, but that just might be my perception and I could be way off base. Hoping you're able to give it the time but understand if you're not willing to.

 

[soflbass]

There is a discussion with offsets here:
Intonation offsets for Buzz Feiten

 

[TolerancEJ]

To put my mind at ease, is Buzz Feiten a distant cousin of Beaver Felton at Bass Central? (Just kidding )