The Official MTD USA Thread

[MattLplaysBass]

Anyone here also own a Roscoe? Thoughts about the 2 brands? Is there a comparison?

I own 2 Roscoe Century basses, one a 5 and one a sixer. The fiver is an ash body, exhibition koa top, wenge fingerboard on the maple/purpleheart/maple neck, bartolini pickups and electronics.



The 6er is the infamous "Red Devil", an alder body with a (non-figured) maple top, pau ferro fingerboard on the maple/purpleheart/maple neck, bartolini pickups and 9v electronics.



I'm not really sure how I would compare them- the MTD 535 that I had (ash body, ash neck, maple 'board, walnut top and stock MTD USA electronics) was "nicer" to me, but that could be because it was new (to me) and shiny. Don't get me wrong, the Roscoes are nice, but I think that the MTD (at least the one I had, and hopefully the one I have on order as the specs are similar) was a lot more flexible, yet had a more unique sound. The Roscoe 6er sounds like a 6 string active jazz (which I like), the 5er is a bit dark and meh to me with the stock Bartolini set up, I have a set of the Nordstrand pickups, a Nordstrand 3 band and a Pope flexcore that at some point I will get around to mixing and matching and hopefully get what I want out of it.

 

[mikezimmerman]

I'm sure others have more experience than me, but I've owned several MTDs, and owned one Roscoe and played a few others.

Both are great instruments, but they have very different "vibes" to me. Roscoe does what they do very well, but there are other makers in the same space, while no one else does the woody, articulate voice of the MTDs that I've owned...

Anyone here also own a Roscoe? Thoughts about the 2 brands? Is there a comparison?

 

[vision]

That's what I'm getting on my replacement 535.

Got a pic?

Here’s a pic of my roasted BEM board, and the blue world logo…

 

[Taustin Powers]

The world logos do look pretty cool, but it's not something I would spend extra money on. MTD's already have the best looking headstocks in the business, regardless of the logo colors.

I am still debating if the magnetic covers are worth the upcharge. Anyone have these? Do they fit pretty snug, is there any danger of rattling of knocking them loose? Knowing their general high standard of build quality, they are probably just perfect, aren't they...

 

[iplay5strings]

The world logos do look pretty cool, but it's not something I would spend extra money on. MTD's already have the best looking headstocks in the business, regardless of the logo colors.

I am still debating if the magnetic covers are worth the upcharge. Anyone have these? Do they fit pretty snug, is there any danger of rattling of knocking them loose? Knowing their general high standard of build quality, they are probably just perfect, aren't they...

They're absolutely worth the upcharge IMO, it makes access to the batteries and electronics instant vs having to find a screwdriver.

 

[BassJuju]

I have magnetic covers on another bass and it’s worth it in my opinion.

 

[DrGroovenstein]

Here's my world

 

[Funkinthetrunk]

My world

 

[tombowlus]

My World

John's an MTD player, so it's all good!

 

[red_rhino]

I’m a believer in the “many worlds” theory.

My blue world. I call it Planet Myrtle.

 

[Gougedeye]

I am in the process of restoring a 2007 535-21. I need to replace the bridge and pickups and probably the preamp. What are the drop in replacements for those parts?

 

[Nuage420]

Seeing all of your Worlds makes me so happy I decided to spend the extra $100

 

[Nuage420]

My World

John's an MTD player, so it's all good!

Thank you for helping me affirm that choosing an MTD for metal was the right choice.

 

[Vic]

Thank you for helping me affirm that choosing an MTD for metal was the right choice.

MTD's can do any style of music without even the smallest reservation.

 

[Nuage420]

MTD's can do any style of music without even the smallest reservation.

I knew that, I grabbed a Kingston Super5 and upgraded it with the US parts before deciding to pull the trigger on a US build.
My favorite heavy pick tone was with the neck in single and the bridge in parallel.
I was teetering between MTD and Dingwall. I'll get a dingwall eventually but listening to guys like Mr Excane, Zlatoyar, and Sean/Combinator won me over. Of course it was Bubby Lewis that first caught my ear and caused me to start looking at MTD in the first place.

 

[MattLplaysBass]

I am in the process of restoring a 2007 535-21. I need to replace the bridge and pickups and probably the preamp. What are the drop in replacements for those parts?

Well without seeing the bass, I am guessing, but the bridge is probably just a Hipshot b style, with 19mm spacing. As for the pickups and pre, those are proprietary to MTD, you’d have to contact them if you want an exact replacement.

 

[Combinator]

I knew that, I grabbed a Kingston Super5 and upgraded it with the US parts before deciding to pull the trigger on a US build.
My favorite heavy pick tone was with the neck in single and the bridge in parallel.
I was teetering between MTD and Dingwall. I'll get a dingwall eventually but listening to guys like Mr Excane, Zlatoyar, and Sean/Combinator won me over. Of course it was Bubby Lewis that first caught my ear and caused me to start looking at MTD in the first place.

 

[Gougedeye]

here is a pic. I thought it was a Hipshot B style bridge, just curious about the pickups and preamp. The pickups work fine, as a matter of fact, the whole bass sounds great and functions as it should. It was just Rode hard and put away wet.

 

[DRay521]

I’ve noticed the Hipshot black hardware tends to wear fairly easily. Doesn’t take away from the fact that they make great bridges, but their coating doesn’t seem extremely durable. Both my 435s, one of which is only 4 years old and has been pampered, have wear around the corners of the bridges.

 

[chaak]

Thank you for helping me affirm that choosing an MTD for metal was the right choice.