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Author Topic: Why I can live without a MTD  (Read 10883 times)

Offline Main5playah

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2008, 05:11:42 PM »
I got to chime in on this one, ultimately each Bassists seeks his own sound according to the style he is most accustomed to playing. (Hence why so many players have more than one Axe) I've met and played MTD I even used to own a few Tobias basses, but ultimately for the sound I wanted and the style of music I play quartet gospel and of course a little bit of Hez, Byron etc I found the sound I was searching for within the realm of a Maple neck through Ken Smith BT5 elite. It's all about the sound you hear within you. For me it's Ken and David or Ken and Ampeg either or gets it done for me.
But I must admit I prefer a Bass to sound like a Bass and not a guitar I love the bottom, not taking anything away form the guys who do crazy solo's enhanced with great harmonic licks as I too love that sound, but for the most part I stay in the pocket.
Main5playah

Offline dhagler

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2008, 05:23:59 PM »

Many of us, well i'll speak for myself, wont go on tour, play in huge concerts, be a well known recording bassist, or what have you. I just play for our local church and happy doing so for the Lord, and even though i could drop cash on one, that would just be overkill for a group of people who sometimes still ask me if thats an "electric guitar or a bass". LOL. i would rather be one of those players good enough to make a $100 bass sound good, and if i could do that then why do i need to buy a $4000 one?


+1.  Floaded said it perfectly.

My dream bass is the one I can afford, which at the moment is a G & L Tribute L-2500 in Natural. :D

Offline bassthumpa

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2008, 06:22:40 PM »
For me, MTD, Roscoe etc. all are great sounding basses, but they all have one thing in common, Bart PUPS.  This tells me that even though they have exotic woods, this sound is created mainly by the BARTS. Which to me are some of the best PUPS. SO therefore, really all you need is those same PUPS on any midrange bass with decent wood. This would be a bass in the price range of 800 to 1300 dollars.  MTDS 4000. Rediculous. Now the Smith, can't be imitated. It has a unique sound. That sound is HOT.

Keep in mind, a bart isn't always a bart.  Both MTD and Roscoe use their own custom tweaked version of bart pups, if I'm not mistaken.  Even beyond that, MTD and Roscoe have different sounds, and an Ibanez with barts isn't anywhere close to either one of them.  So it's not just the Barts by any means.

Not saying you can't have a good sounding mid-range bass with Bart pups... but don't expect that to be the equivalent of other brands or anywhere close.

Offline malthumb

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #23 on: January 24, 2008, 07:42:42 PM »
Just curious about the idea of Barts dominating the sound for MTD and Roscoe basses.  How many people can really tell?

Which of these clips is played with Bart pre / pups?

A:  http://www.learngospelmusic.com/media/displayimage.php?album=422&pos=5

B:  http://www.learngospelmusic.com/media/displayimage.php?album=422&pos=7

Peace,

James
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Offline blacklw234

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #24 on: January 24, 2008, 09:10:55 PM »
I guess my point is that the high quality of BARTs is what give MTD and Roscoe 60% of its good sound.  Regarless of whether the barts are tweeaked or not.The other 40% percent is given to the woods used.    But you could not put EMG's (Although I like EMG's) in a MTD or Roscoe and get that crisp sound. By the way, that Ibanez BTB, the natural wood one with the flamed maple top, and the High Quality Barts,  IMO would give them MTD's a run for its money. Actually they both sound alike so you really could not tell the difference. Next time you are in Sam Ashe or Guitar Center check one out. Again, I like MTD and Roscoe. They are some great sounding Basses, However, I think most people want these basses for the name and the self esteem that comes with it. Now again, that Ken Smith ain't no Joke.
I play a LTD ESP C-305 Bass

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #25 on: January 25, 2008, 08:47:53 AM »
This would be a bass in the price range of 800 to 1300 dollars.  MTDS 4000. Rediculous. Now the Smith, can't be imitated. It has a unique sound. That sound is HOT.


It took me about five years to build the sound that I was hearing. I purchased a 1999 Ken Smith BMT Elete five. Best move that I ever made. The Tone! Totally awesome, talking about bottom; it will punch the kick drum right back into the drummers foot. Of course I moved away from Combo amps and went separate power rack EQ and bass Filtering. I just got a used Ibanez and installed a Bart eq system in it and with the rig  that I have it sounds great also.

I can say this. The tone a bass has is greatly enhanced by a powerful rig. The more amps the better tone and punch right through the mix.

I pray one day to have an F-Bass. talking about a powerful tone right out of the box. Chk these babies out.

http://www.fbass.com/html/available.html

Offline jeremyr

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #26 on: January 25, 2008, 10:12:27 AM »
Just curious about the idea of Barts dominating the sound for MTD and Roscoe basses.  How many people can really tell?

Which of these clips is played with Bart pre / pups?


B:  http://www.learngospelmusic.com/media/displayimage.php?album=422&pos=7


Peace,

James


honestly it's hard to tell since you didn't play slap on version 1.

LOL A might be Barts as well
Somebody put me in the key of E#

Offline hands5

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #27 on: January 25, 2008, 10:56:40 AM »

VERY INTERESTING!

Which pre-amp did you have installed while you had the Nordy's in there?
In the 535 I had Mikes own preamp/and in the 635 I switched outr Mike's for a Dave McKing preamp ( consequently the one I have in a 96 American Deluxe Jazz bass I pickup a couple of weeks ago) and I switchd back to Mikes. I started to put a old ( early Fodera Monarch ) Hazlab in the 635, but by that time I'd figured that I really didn't care for the MTD...so there'ya go

Offline yogooch

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #28 on: January 25, 2008, 11:00:14 AM »
Once you understand how much time Mike Tobias puts into making just ONE MTD, you'd understand the price, which seems to be the real issue here. First of all, he actually takes trips to buy woods, the price of which are directly affected by things like oil prices, civil wars in African countries, (where he gets a lot of his wood from!), and other things as well. Secondly he builds them for the most part, by himself in a workshop outside his house, (sometimes a guy named Chris comes by and helps him out). He spends about a to make about three basses. The Preamp he uses is is made for his basses. Having said all that, EVERY MTD is unique, (I'm talking about 635, 535, and 435's), so every one sounds different, different wood combos, neck woods, etc. Many of his basses are made to order, so he'll make wood combination that you want. The problem with that is, MOST people dont know diddley about how different woods sound, so they end up picking something that they regret later! The best to do is tell him the tone you're looking for, he understands you, and he makes it! A lot of people ask me the wood combinations of my basses, I tell them call Mike, cuz I don't know! All I know is he knows my sound and he makes it.  I understand the issue of price, but the bottom line is, a Ford don't cost as much as a BMW, it's a good car, and will get you from point A to point B, but make no mistake, it'ts NOT a BMW! MTD basses are the standard that most luthiers go by. I've had at some point in my life owned or played most brand of basses, but MTD is that best  bass I've ever touched in terms of quality, versatility of sound, and customer service. Mike Tobias stands behind every bass he makes, he remembers everyone ever made, and you can call him on the phone and talk to him. I love Fenders, Smiths too, I own them, but for me it's MTD4LYFE!!!
SPEAK LYFE

Offline jeremyr

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #29 on: January 25, 2008, 11:11:20 AM »
Once you understand how much time Mike Tobias puts into making just ONE MTD, you'd understand the price, which seems to be the real issue here. First of all, he actually takes trips to buy woods, the price of which are directly affected by things like oil prices, civil wars in African countries, (where he gets a lot of his wood from!), and other things as well. Secondly he builds them for the most part, by himself in a workshop outside his house, (sometimes a guy named Chris comes by and helps him out). He spends about a to make about three basses. The Preamp he uses is is made for his basses. Having said all that, EVERY MTD is unique, (I'm talking about 635, 535, and 435's), so every one sounds different, different wood combos, neck woods, etc. Many of his basses are made to order, so he'll make wood combination that you want. The promblem with that is, MOST people dont know diddley about how different woods sound, so they end up picking something that they regret later! The best to do is tell him the tone you're looking for, he understands you, and he makes it! A lot of people ask me the wood combinations of my basses, I tell them call Mike, cuz I don't know! All I know is he knows my sound and he makes it.  I understand the issue of price, but the bottom line is, a Ford don't cost as much as a BMW, it's a good car, and will get you from point A to point B, but make no mistake, it'ts NOT a BMW! MTD basses are the standard that most luthiers go by. I've had at some point in my life owned or played most brand of basses, but MTD is that best  bass I've ever touched in terms of quality, versatility of sound, and customer service. Mike Tobias stands behind every bass he makes, he remembers everyone ever made, and you can call him on the phone and talk to him. I love Fenders, Smiths too, I own them, but for me it's MTD4LYFE!!!

Well put sir and you sure do make that MTD sing..lol.

With that being said I'll be out in Cali next month, so maybe you can persuade me ;-)
Somebody put me in the key of E#

Offline yogooch

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #30 on: January 25, 2008, 11:17:43 AM »
Hit me up andd lemme know when you get here, we'll hang AND I will teach you the ways of MTD!!!!
SPEAK LYFE

Offline jeremyr

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #31 on: January 25, 2008, 11:26:57 AM »
Hit me up andd lemme know when you get here, we'll hang AND I will teach you the ways of MTD!!!!

uh oh......lol.

I think i might be sticking my foot in my mouth in a couple of weeks..haha
Somebody put me in the key of E#

Offline Robear22

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #32 on: January 25, 2008, 01:44:02 PM »
Let me jump in on this one.

This is why I am glad there are so many different bass makers and companies out there because we are all different. What may not work for you may just be the deal for someone else. I remember the first time I played an MTD. My jaw hit the ground. The tone that I heard in my head was in my hands and I was never the same again. That was about three years ago. I do not own a US MTD but I am currently the owner of an MTD Z6. That was the closest I could get at this time with my current financial situation. But in that time I have come to realize that my tone is really in my hands. How I hit the strings is how I hit the strings. Sure electronics and wood type play a factor but I sound the same pretty much on every bass I play. Ever wonder why a bass you own sounds so different when someone else plays it? We all have our unique touch and that will greatly influence how our instrument sounds. Back in the day guys had to move their hand position to vary their tone. Now we rely on our preamp knobs!!!!!

My suggestion is to realize what works for you and get what works for you. I know that I prefer maple boards over rosewood both visually and sonically. All of my basses have maple/maple designs. I love the sharp attack and brightness that maple gives and I know how to move my hands and play with my blend knob if I need depth. Ash is my preferred body wood. I cannot stand Alder and have went through many basses to come to this realization. In fact I have went sold a lot of perfectly good basses because of my lack of bass knowledge. I actually traded one because I thought that something was wrong with it and I came to realize that the battery just died!!!!!

Learn more about your instrument than just where your A string is at.  ;D

Offline hands5

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #33 on: January 25, 2008, 02:02:12 PM »
What are you playing now, Hands5?
74 Jazz Bass, 97 MIM 5 String Deluxe with DiMarzio Ultra J's ( no preamp-had an Audere JZ3 in it but I like the way the bass sounds passive so I took it out ) Marcus Miller V ( that had Nordstrand JF5's in it, but I switched back to the Jason Lollars ) with the stock preamp rewired for 9vlt instead of 18 vlt,and for church  Sadowsky MS5...eeehhh ( can do or do with out it )
I was checking out the Nordstrand Jazz bass, but I didn't care for the 12' inch radius nor the 20mm string spacing,and I already have a Modern sounding bass in the Sadowsky  :-\

Offline malthumb

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #34 on: January 25, 2008, 02:30:14 PM »
Blacklw234 & Jeremy,

It seems you both think that both basses in the clips are Bart-equipped.  You're both right.  But to me they don't sound anything alike.  Granted, one is fretless and I played that one fingerstyle only in the clip, but to me they sound like completely different animals.

The first time I actually played an MTD-535 was at Bass Central, and I played it A/B with a Hanewinckel that I owned at the time.  It had almost the exact same Bart set up as the MTD, but the voicings of those two basses couldn't have been further apart.  Both nice, but different.  Likewise when I took that same Hanewinckel to the Ohio gearfest and played it, a Roscoe (not certain if that one had Barts), my Marchlewski (Barts) and a chambered MTD (Barts) back-to-back-to-back-to-back through the same amp.  Four different voices.  To me, the differences were in the wood and the construction (neck thru v bolt on plus chambered v non-chambered).  May have been some string differences there, too.  From that grouping I liked the Roscoe best, then the MTD, then the Hannie, then the Marchlewski.

Peace,

James
FAITH unites people
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Offline jeremyr

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #35 on: January 25, 2008, 02:36:00 PM »
Blacklw234 & Jeremy,

It seems you both think that both basses in the clips are Bart-equipped.  You're both right.  But to me they don't sound anything alike.  Granted, one is fretless an

I think that A being fretless has a big thing to do with it sound like a differnt animal, however as you stated the woods make a big dfference.
I've learned over the eyars taht I prefer ash bodies with maple/maple necks.

I'm not accustomed to hearing a fretless bass, but they inherently have a "smoother" sound then a fretted bass.

Somebody put me in the key of E#

Offline fLaT-fIfTh

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #36 on: January 25, 2008, 04:54:21 PM »
Once you understand how much time Mike Tobias puts into making just ONE MTD, you'd understand the price, which seems to be the real issue here. First of all, he actually takes trips to buy woods, the price of which are directly affected by things like oil prices, civil wars in African countries, (where he gets a lot of his wood from!), and other things as well. Secondly he builds them for the most part, by himself in a workshop outside his house, (sometimes a guy named Chris comes by and helps him out). He spends about a to make about three basses. The Preamp he uses is is made for his basses. Having said all that, EVERY MTD is unique, (I'm talking about 635, 535, and 435's), so every one sounds different, different wood combos, neck woods, etc. Many of his basses are made to order, so he'll make wood combination that you want. The problem with that is, MOST people dont know diddley about how different woods sound, so they end up picking something that they regret later! The best to do is tell him the tone you're looking for, he understands you, and he makes it! A lot of people ask me the wood combinations of my basses, I tell them call Mike, cuz I don't know! All I know is he knows my sound and he makes it.  I understand the issue of price, but the bottom line is, a Ford don't cost as much as a BMW, it's a good car, and will get you from point A to point B, but make no mistake, it'ts NOT a BMW! MTD basses are the standard that most luthiers go by. I've had at some point in my life owned or played most brand of basses, but MTD is that best  bass I've ever touched in terms of quality, versatility of sound, and customer service. Mike Tobias stands behind every bass he makes, he remembers everyone ever made, and you can call him on the phone and talk to him. I love Fenders, Smiths too, I own them, but for me it's MTD4LYFE!!!

+1 Gooch!

Offline MikeGee

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #37 on: January 27, 2008, 04:59:07 AM »
I have no choice but to live with out. (cost)

Offline mjl422

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #38 on: January 28, 2008, 01:09:09 PM »
I have no choice but to live with out. (cost)

+1  I can definately live without one but, would love to have one (along with a Ken Smith and Brubaker).

Offline MikeGee

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Re: Why I can live without a MTD
« Reply #39 on: January 28, 2008, 06:07:04 PM »
+1  I can definately live without one but, would love to have one (along with a Ken Smith and Brubaker).

i do indeed like mtd basses. I like the ones that Norm Stockton plays mostly. But if I could afford such a bass I think I would rather have a Lakland... Just personal choice.
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