The Official MTD USA Thread

[GHOST AT]

How about my upcoming build.Wood combo is Maple burl top, mahogany body, roasted maple neck, and rosewood FB. What you all think about the top and FB I selected, I selected #3 the dark purple FB.

View attachment 3911976 View attachment 3911977

Beautiful choices jpeese! Are the Rosewood boards the 50 year old stash Mike acquired last year?

 

[jpeeze]

Beautiful choices jpeese! Are the Rosewood boards the 50 year old stash Mike acquired last year?

YES IT IS!!

Thanks

 

[Combinator]

I think this is far enough along into the start of the project that I can post about it with some degree of accuracy.
New build in progress! Highly customized 635-24, incorporating elements of my custom 535, Nick Schendzielos' recent build, and a little of my Warwick past.

This maple burl top:


With a custom take on the "lumpy fade" - a deep blue with a mid-transition purple stop on the way to near black.
These are my own lousy "renderings":

New Hipshot MTD bridge, new non-auto switching preamp, matching knobs/headstock/covers, all magnetic covers, a magnetic slap ramp like Nick's.

Burl maple top on a light northern ash body, 5-piece laminate neck with flamed ash for the majority, wenge stringers, maple center - dyed to match body and head. Wenge board, titanium inserts.

Custom inlays based on one of my tattoos (still working this out):


Standard MTD USA pickups... what else? I'm sure I'm forgetting a thing or two! Caaaaan't wait

 

[BluesyCat]

I think this is far enough along into the start of the project that I can post about it with some degree of accuracy.
New build in progress! Highly customized 635-24, incorporating elements of my custom 535, Nick Schendzielos' recent build, and a little of my Warwick past.

This maple burl top:
View attachment 3916595

With a custom take on the "lumpy fade" - a deep blue with a mid-transition purple stop on the way to near black.
These are my own lousy "renderings":
View attachment 3916599

New Hipshot MTD bridge, new non-auto switching preamp, matching knobs/headstock/covers, all magnetic covers, a magnetic slap ramp like Nick's.

Burl maple top on a light northern ash body, 5-piece laminate neck with flamed ash for the majority, wenge stringers, maple center - dyed to match body and head. Wenge board, titanium inserts.

Custom inlays based on one of my tattoos (still working this out):
View attachment 3916602

Standard MTD USA pickups... what else? I'm sure I'm forgetting a thing or two! Caaaaan't wait
View attachment 3916605

OH MAN! My "signature Sean Fairchild" MTD will be outdated before I get it!!!

Congrats! Love the color choice. I almost ordered Purple Burst with a diff wood config.

 

[Combinator]

OH MAN! My "signature Sean Fairchild" MTD will be outdated before I get it!!!

Congrats! Love the color choice. I almost ordered Purple Burst with a diff wood config.

No way, I'm keeping my other 6 and I love it!! Thank you so much, I'm really excited about it. But almost more importantly, Dan is too, as is Mike. I think when you can get skilled artisans and tradespeople really interested in and excited about a project (not that they're not normally, but posing some less frequently seen challenges), you likely come out with something really special. Psyched for build progress reports! However it's not expected until late this year.

 

[bass12]

I have to say, I’d never be comfortable custom ordering something so personalized. I always figure there’s a very good chance that anything I order will not turn out the way I’d hoped (in which case the bass will end up in the classifieds sooner or later).

 

[bassgrackle]

I have to say, I’d never be comfortable custom ordering something so personalized. I always figure there’s a very good chance that anything I order will not turn out the way I’d hoped (in which case the bass will end up in the classifieds sooner or later).

Mike won’t let you go wrong with a very custom build. He’s a very skilled builder, that can tell you right at the start if the outcome with work or not.

 

[bass12]

Mike won’t let you go wrong with a very custom build. He’s a very skilled builder, that can tell you right at the start if the outcome with work or not.

No luthier can be that precise. Wood simply isn’t fully predictable and there’s always a degree of luck involved. I’m not suggesting custom builds can’t work out ever (and that the process of ordering a build and seeing things come to life can’t be worth a lot in and of itself) but it’s always a crap shoot.

 

[Combinator]

Prob should've just posted about a tobacco sunburst joint with P pickups.

 

[bassgrackle]

No luthier can be that precise. Wood simply isn’t fully predictable and there’s always a degree of luck involved.

some luck yes, but he’s built thousands of basses. He will at the least let you know if the woods you are choosing will be a terrible idea, or have potential to sound awesome.

 

[red_rhino]

I have to say, I’d never be comfortable custom ordering something so personalized. I always figure there’s a very good chance that anything I order will not turn out the way I’d hoped (in which case the bass will end up in the classifieds sooner or later).

That's certainly a valid concern. I've only had one custom build done, and that was done by Tobias back in the Burbank shop. It did indeed turn out differently than I thought it would. Not bad, just different. It has a very unique and beautiful voice and sounds simply amazing in a recording studio (not bad live, either).

Having now owned several MTD's over the years, and knowing way more about what I wanted out of a bass than I did 30 years ago, I was seriously contemplating another custom build before I happened upon my most recent MTD acquisition that turned out to be close to what I would have special ordered. It sounds exactly like I would have wanted it to.

My next purchase from MTD will likely be a Saratoga 4-string PJ or JJ, and there's a good chance I will special order it. I think Mike and Daniel are at a perfect convergence of creativity and expertise, and my confidence would be very high that I would be happy with the result.

 

[bass12]

some luck yes, but he’s built thousands of basses. He will at the least let you know if the woods you are choosing will be a terrible idea, or have potential to sound awesome.

Sure but, again, there’s no guarantee. You can stack the odds in your favour (by choosing certain wood combinations that have worked in the past) but it’s still a roll of the dice. It’s all cool if you’re not worried about re-sale possibilities.

 

[kuma9]

I read from a lot of people about concern with 535s cutting through a mix so here's a live recording with my favorite bass. I'm playing through a Kustom Kxb500 ( the hype is spot on) and an Aguilar GS412

Now this is what I like...... To actually hear these amazing basses being played in a live band setting. I had to go way back to find this. Lets see some more folks.

 

[Combinator]

Sure but, again, there’s no guarantee. You can stack the odds in your favour (by choosing certain wood combinations that have worked in the past) but it’s still a roll of the dice. It’s all cool if you’re not worried about re-sale possibilities.

Life's too short to always worry about resale. I've been playing 26 years, have ordered 4 totally custom basses that were total one-offs (and sold 2 without issue), and have had 7 Tobias family basses. Hopefully I know a bit about what I like at this point! I just wanted to share my excitement about a uniquely cool MTD build, that Dan and Mike are thinking of as an "exhibition piece" by the way. I don't know why I expect here to be better than Facebook

Also, a good number of you need to be giving Dan more credit than you do in these posts. He's doing a whole lot more than you may know, and Mike's retirement from building the regular MTD line is imminent. Along with the other skilled folks at the shop, they're definitely a team. And if you order a Super or a Headless - that's high percentage Dan up in there!

 

[bass12]

Life's too short to always worry about resale. I've been playing 26 years, have ordered 4 totally custom basses that were total one-offs (and sold 2 without issue), and have had 7 Tobias family basses. Hopefully I know a bit about what I like at this point! I just wanted to share my excitement about a uniquely cool MTD build, that Dan and Mike are thinking of as an "exhibition piece" by the way. I don't know why I expect here to be better than Facebook

Also, a good number of you need to be giving Dan more credit than you do in these posts. He's doing a whole lot more than you may know, and Mike's retirement from building the regular MTD line is imminent. Along with the other skilled folks at the shop, they're definitely a team. And if you order a Super or a Headless - that's high percentage Dan up in there!

Yes, concern about resale is definitely a personal thing. I can respect that it’s not something that worries you. In my initial post I was thinking out loud about how I get nervous wading into highly personalized territory. The vast majority of custom builds have ultimately not worked out for me, regardless of luthier. That doesn’t mean I regret commissioning those builds or that I will never order another custom build. But given my experiences I might draw the line more conservatively than some where personalization is concerned. Anyway, I hope your bass works out for you - just as I hope anyone else on this thread’s custom order works out for him or her.

 

[TolerancEJ]

Sure but, again, there’s no guarantee. You can stack the odds in your favour (by choosing certain wood combinations that have worked in the past) but it’s still a roll of the dice. It’s all cool if you’re not worried about re-sale possibilities.

You’ll never know unless you take a risk. Maybe you’ll always wonder, “What would that bass have been like?”

I’ve ordered a few custom builds, none of which there was an opportunity to try first. I’ve been very happy with all of them.

If you’re afflicted by Bass Hoarding Personality Disorder BHPD as I am, then selling is rarely an option.

 

[bass12]

You’ll never know unless you take a risk. Maybe you’ll always wonder, “What would that bass have been like?”

I’ve ordered a few custom builds, none of which there was an opportunity to try first. I’ve been very happy with all of them.

If you’re afflicted by Bass Hoarding Personality Disorder BHPD as I am, then selling is rarely an option.

I always enjoyed the adventure of ordering custom builds enough that what I would likely lose through re-sale would be worth it to me. So I get it. I personally can’t afford to hoard too many basses (space-wise nor money-wise). It usually takes the sale of one or two basses for me to be able to fund the next one. I wish things were otherwise but, hey, I’m lucky to have what I do have.

 

[Combinator]

I also forgot two points that seem pertinent:
1. I'm more artist than sideman, so visual impact is appealing rather than a detriment to me, and
2. It's actually a 10th anniversary present, so I'm likely never selling!

These are mostly all features I've always wanted (colors) or already have on my previous custom 535 build and previous (Mag covers, 4 knob layout, slap ramp, lam neck, etc).

 

[red_rhino]

Also, a good number of you need to be giving Dan more credit than you do in these posts. He's doing a whole lot more than you may know, and Mike's retirement from building the regular MTD line is imminent. Along with the other skilled folks at the shop, they're definitely a team. And if you order a Super or a Headless - that's high percentage Dan up in there!

I think that is indeed creeping into everyone's awareness. And Daniel's signature appearing on the back of the headstocks is an obvious indication that a transition is underway. As a long-time Tobias & MTD owner/player, I'm very pleased by that continuity. My new 535 has the Super pickups as well as the new preamp and bridge. I wanted something different and I got it, but it's still the 535 I know and love. I couldn't be happier.

 

[MMiller28]

Also a good number of you need to be giving Dan more credit than you do in these posts. He's doing a whole lot more than you may know, and Mike's retirement from building the regular MTD line is imminent. Along with the other skilled folks at the shop, they're definitely a team. And if you order a Super or a Headless - that's high percentage Dan up in there!

Throughout my Saratoga build I addressed a handful of emails to both of them. Daniel replied to zero of them, including the ones thanking and praising them and the finished product. Seems like a weird way for the new generation to be handling a probable repeat cus