Gwilym

Something has come up that requires some funding, so this is a feeler, and I may withdraw this if the other thing falls through. £1900 + shipping + professionally packed. Collection preferred (West London). Packing the last bass i shipped cost £30 at Mailboxes Etc. Shipping to Europe via FedEx Economy through Interparcel was around £65, but max insurance cover was £1000. Shipping through Mailboxes Etc was quite a bit more expensive £180 to £230 + VAT to Europe. Obviously would be a fair bit cheaper to the UK I imagine. I'm letting this go because I have another 535 in a different wood combo (and has 24 frets), thats better suited to the music I play, although I have played this bass live, and it cuts through the mix very well, and sounds fantastic. Pictures are courtesy of the Groove Shoppe (RIP) from where I bought the bass back in 2006 I think. The condition I would say is near mint - I take very good care of my gear. I can take additional photos if there are any seriously interested buyers out there, or you can come to see/try it out yourself. I would consider trades on this, with cash either way if appropriate. However, I think if I were to trade it would have to be meet-up involved, rather than shipping. Preferred trades would be another MTD, a Smith (both either fretted or fretless), or fretless FBass. 5 string only on fretted, 5 or 6 for fretless. [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535f_tn.jpg"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535hs.jpg"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535f2.jpg"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535b.jpg"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535b3.jpg"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535f.jpg"][/url] [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v722/Gwilym/MTD/535.jpg"][/url] So, here's the blurb from MT [quote]Dear Customer, Thank you for selecting this bass as your new instrument. This is an MTD535. This is the 1189th bass of my MTD series. The serial number is xxxxxxxxxx The body is poplar with a maple burl top. The neck is wenge with a wenge fingerboard. This bass is delivered with the revolutionary Buzz Feiten Tuning system. This system will show a great improvement in tuning when playing chords and when working with a keyboard and horns. I recommend the Korg DT7, tuner which has the “Feiten Mode” built in. Tuning is normal in every way except the intonation. The tuner has the pitch offsets burned into the chip and all you need to do is follow the simple instructions in the tuner manual to achieve the proper intonation settings. This bass is 35" scale with 21 frets. The neck and body are hand finished with an epoxy base coat and catalyzed urethane topcoat. This should make a great feeling and durable finish. Upkeep on the finish is simple. This can be done with "Butchers Wax" (follow the directions on the can) or it can be cleaned and polished with any high quality guitar polish. The fingerboard should also be oiled regularly with a good quality wood oil or mineral oil. Be sure to wipe off the excess. The new truss rod is a true double acting rod and will adjust in both directions. It is adjustable with the 4 mm Allen wrench supplied with this package. The strings are MTD strings gauged: 045, .065, .085, .105, and .135. They are available through your dealer. The pick-ups and active electronics are custom made by Bill Bartolini. The controls are: master volume and a pan pot, treble, mid, bass cut and boost, with center click (from neck to bridge). The three position switch selects the mid range cut and boost point. Down is lower mids (250); center is middle (500) and up is upper mids (1000). When the mid pot is at center click, the switch has minimal effect. This eq has 2 batteries and is a +/- 9 volt system. Be especially careful not to change the batteries when the bass is plugged in. There is a trim pot inside the control cavity to adjust the gain. There is great variety in the settings of the EQ. The basses can be made to sound very traditional by cutting the mids all the way at 1000 and boosting the bass and treble to 10 with the blend pot at center. To me, this is the best slap tone. Boosting the mids at 250, with bass at 10 and treble at 9-10 with the blend pot on the bridge pick up gives the early Bartolini TCT tone. This offers a very percussive finger tone. These are just suggestions. Your tone will vary depending on your rig and technique. I hope that this bass brings you many hours of enjoyment and playing satisfaction. Best regards, Michael Tobias, Luthier[/quote] In email correspondance with MT he also stated: [quote]The bass was made on 12/26/04[/quote] I weighed it once and I think it was a touch over 8.5 lbs Regarding the price if any one is interested: Looking at the current price list, this would cost at least $5300 (4800 basic, 300 for the wenge neck and 200 for the matching headstock and truss-rod cover) new. As far as I'm aware though, the typical price through a dealer would be $4200 ish. Bottom line, to get a similar new bass into the UK from the US at the moment would set you back a cool £3500 (at least IMO). Typcially a used bass like this will be in the $2800+ range, so around £2500, all in, to the UK - at thats before the Torys put up VAT! So anyway, I think the price is fair, even though the economic climate is not. Thats it for now thanks G

sweet - i'd be tempted to buy this just because of the colour edit: how much does it weigh?

hi guys, thanks for the interest. I'm afraid it's still on hold - if anything changes I'll bump the thread edit: this bass is now SOLD

These are brand new and never fitted. I picked up these up last year thinking I would swap out the Nordy dual coils in one of my basses and replace them with these. However, I'm thinking I don't want the cost/hassle of butchering the guts of a perfectly good bass, to end up with something I potentially won't like as much as the DC's. So to help fund another bass purchase, it probably makes sense to move these on. £150 shipped in the UK *NOW SOLD*

[quote name='pantherairsoft' post='759354' date='Feb 27 2010, 07:19 PM']How is this still here!!?[/quote] thanks for the sentiments! personally, i think it's a tough time to sell, unless you are selling stuff at rock bottom prices. Also I think things typically sell on BC for less than market value, because sellers don't explore other avenues, and trust this marketplace and therefore are willing to take the hit to keep things in the family, as it were. Admittely I'm not. I've priced it at what I think is fair given what it is - a pretty unique instrument in near mint condition, and sounds fantastic too. My motivation for selling is/was out of guilt of owning more basses that I can really justify, although I'm starting to think I could justify keeping it now, we'll see in a week or so when I get back from the alps

I now have sourced a Ritter gig bag for this, so now the 875 includes a virtually new gig bag. So, this is still available, for now.

these are nice strings - I've got the same set but slightly different gauge. nice and warm sounding, and sound great IMO.

i will take this if it's still available... sending you a PM now

[quote name='jonnyfastfingers' post='736552' date='Feb 5 2010, 07:04 PM']Thanks, I did state that I wanted to trade. If anyone want to make an offer to buy the head, the cab or the whole rig please make one and I'll consider it.[/quote] now that isn't allowed - you have to state a price ;0)

i think the OP clearly stated that he wanted a trade for a all valve head: [quote name='jonnyfastfingers' post='735838' date='Feb 5 2010, 09:27 AM']Looking for a trade really, would like an all valve head in future so maybe part-ex either way.[/quote]

potential trades (+/- cash) for MTD 535 or 635 NYC Sadowsky, Standard 5 string Ken Smith 5/6 string NS EUB - 5 string or maybe cash + other bass(es) as long as it'll be easy to sell on etc...

[quote name='purpleblob' post='729985' date='Jan 30 2010, 06:43 PM']Very tempting But I must try and get rid of some stuff before I buy anything else and wouldn't wish to waste your time until I can clear something out. I've one instrument I was going to get rid of. So I gave it a clean and plugged it in to make sure it worked and it sounded great. Now not sure I can get rid of it I don't know how you guys can get rid of instruments, I find it so difficult letting go, sad I know [/quote] I know what you mean - it's a wrench. I'm still playing this bass at home, and it does really sing, but no more options. May have to consider some other avenues anyway, here's another bump, and let's open this to some trades...