Gwilym

After gigging my ACME Low-B2 I can't really see what else can come close. It's similar in tone/air movement as a Trace stack of 2 large 1x15 cabs that I once played through at a rehearsal studio. I couldn't believe it when the ACME sounded like that. So much (clean) bottom end extension I've actually had to dial out some bass. Very responsive to EQ, but I've pretty much been playing with bass & amp EQ set flat. It is power hungry, but it's all about the tone right?! If I ever need another cab, I'll be looking for another Low B2 to stack on this one.

+1 EMG 40DC pups will give you bark... The Hz are their budget line? I played a Cort/Elrick once with the Hz pups - nowhere near as good the real thing.

just put a EXL170-5 (Long Scale) on my bass. Gauges are: 45, 65, 80, 100, 130 Don't know what the strings were that they replaced, but they were/appear to be identical gauges. They may have been DR Hi-Beams. They felt like them, and had a similar tension to what I've experienced with Hi-Beams in the past. The EXLs feel slightly more elastic. A subtle difference but I feel like vibrato/bending the string is slightly less of an effort. No truss rod/action adjustments required. B string clarity is excellent, and it sounds warm and punchy and not too bright. Harmonics ring out with clarity and definition. Next time I'm going to try the lighter EXL220-5 set (in a longer scale). But these ones feel nice and smooth, and sound very nice after haveing been on the bass all of 15 minutes. The only down-side is that the taper starts too early on the E and B strings, i.e. before the string crosses the zero fret/nut. This actually doesn't appear to have an adverse effect, but I'd say "Long Scale" is not long enough for a 35" scale bass. Annoyingly, on strings direct they or D'Addario quote: 34"-36" - D'Addario Long 36"-38" - D'Addario Super Long IMO the long scale is NOT long enough for a 35" let along 36" scale (B and E strings at least). So I'd suggest the Super Long if your bass is 35" or more. I think the Long Scale would be fine up to 34.5" scale.

if you like Lalo Schiffrin, you should check out "The Cat" by Jimmy Smith. Hammond organ grooves, with a big band backing conducted and arranged by Lalo.

after playing a Sadowsky Tokyo, Celinder J5 Update, and Atelier Z M265 back to back, I would go for an Atelier. [url="http://www.atelierz.co.jp/atelierzm265.htm"]http://www.atelierz.co.jp/atelierzm265.htm[/url] [url="http://www.atelierz.co.jp/atelierzcoll23.htm"]http://www.atelierz.co.jp/atelierzcoll23.htm[/url]

thanks for the thoughts/comments on this - i've yet to experiment, but when I do I will report back. If the string is vibrating in a weaker magnetic field then there will at least be differences due to it being to vibrate more naturally/freely. So I'm guessing it will sound a little less "compressed" for want of a better word. Whether the differences will be discernible is another matter I suppose!

Quick question about pickup height - I'm sure I've read about this before on this forum, but I can't find an answer, and I've googled to no avail. If all else is equal, how would the frequency response of a pickup vary as a function of the distance from the pickup to the string? thanks!

[quote name='chris_b' post='603627' date='Sep 20 2009, 02:34 PM']Nice bass. What tone do you get with ash and maple? Bright and punchy? Deep and thumpy?[/quote] naturally bright and punchy I think with everything flat, although you can get a very decent deep and thumpy P bass sound too if you eq it right. pretty versatile basses IMO. It's less "hi-fi" than the wenge necked ones, but even with those you can get a decent vintage tone IME. I put some nickel strings on my other wenge necked MTD, and through my F500 into ACME B2, it never sounded better. I think that cab seems to really complement the the MTD "full-range" tone. With hindsight I think other cabs I've had have sounded too scooped in the mids. The nickel strings slightly warm up the tone by taming the natural brightness a bit. Plus, unbeliveably, the ACME kicks out like a 2x15 stack, not as loud, but the tone is there - sweet!

So I picked this up a few months back. Should have had it back in January but the previous owner decided to keep it. I jumped on it when it came up again. Luckily at the time the exchange rates were heading back in my favour too. Currently this is my only bass..... well, it's my only bass in New York anyway Pictures are courtesy of the previous owner, as I don't have a camera at the moment. I'll try to record some sound clips when I can, and post them up here too. I love the simple understated looks, in comparison to most MTDs. It has an ash body, maple neck and board. Sounds wicked. I really like these basses, and even more so knowing what a cool guy Mike Tobias is - he's always been very helpful and very quick replying to e-mails etc. [attachment=33174:i4.photo...lbass002.jpg][attachment=33175:i4.photo...lbass004.jpg]

[quote name='fatgoogle' post='590785' date='Sep 5 2009, 04:33 PM']The best music shop i have been too in England is the Bass cellar, i still dont see what you are complaining about , great service, really nice people, let me play anything and for as long as i wanted. I was very pleased. I havent been to mnay over there but that was easily the best.[/quote] Are you sure that wasn't the Bass Centre, which was in a basement near Spittalfields/Liverpool St. (and prior to that, down in Wapping) as opposed to the Bass Cellar, which is not in a cellar and is located on Denmark Street. There has been confusion about that in the past. your experience sounds to me like the old Bass Centre, when they were very good - now gone completely I think? Or at least don't have a physical shop anymore.

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='569776' date='Aug 15 2009, 10:28 AM'] That's astonishing. Have you had your plucking fingers surgically replaced with feathers?[/quote] it's not bad - I actually only got it this low recently after having the bass for 2.5years. I went with a slightly lighter gauge than usual, and some nickel strings for a slightly less bright tone. I actually tend to dig in when I play, but if I use a lighter touch there's not much fret noise at all. The measurments are not highly accurate, so I was probably going to the nearest 0.25mm - but saying that, it's now got the lowest of the basses I have.

Smith BSR5J 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2mm at the 3, 12, 17, 24 frets respectively. Low. Can't remember which strings. Hi-Beams perhaps. Groove Shoppe GS5 1mm, 2mm, 2.5mm 2.5mm at the 3, 12, 17, 24 frets respectively. (and was lower when I got it). Low+. Elixirs 135's MTD 535 1mm, 1.5mm, 1.5mm, 1.5mm at the 3, 12, 17, 21 frets respectively. Low to Low-. Elite Players nickels. 125 set i think F BN5 1mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 2.75 at the 3, 12, 17, 21 frets respectively. Low+. La Bella Supersteps that were on it when I got it.

on the topic of ethics, I've always wondered about what % of new instruments are manufactured from renewable wood sources, and other recycled materials.

[quote name='OldGit' post='566282' date='Aug 11 2009, 09:48 PM']Thanks, we worked very hard on it and it's working well for him. Many vistors reading his articles from all over the world. He has a lot to give in terms of the science of fettling guitars and basses and really knows what he is doing. Certainly the best fettler I've ever had work on my basses.[/quote] ah, you had a hand in it too? Certainly would consider dropping off a bass with him for a set up next time I head down the M4.

[quote name='Josh' post='566268' date='Aug 11 2009, 09:36 PM']That's a little dismissive, the MTD's I've had have never really needed much tampering with other than adjusting the saddles, I could only guess yours would've been the same.[/quote] hey Josh, sorry, didn't mean it to sound like that at all. Just my observation that you probably wouldn't have got your preferred set up on my MTD. cheers G

I thought that some of you might be interested in checking out "my" band. I really just play the bass occasionally, and the other chaps do all the hard work. Anyhow, if anyone has time to waste, then check it out [url="http://www.chimovski.co.uk/"]http://www.chimovski.co.uk/[/url] It's still, to some degree, under constuction, so if you spot any bugs etc, feel free to point them out.

[quote name='Josh' post='562938' date='Aug 7 2009, 05:47 PM']To clarify, my ideal set up is a stupidly low action, with minor buzz and the tension is usually quite low because I dig in a lot, and as such I compensate by playing a full step down.[/quote] hi Josh, not sure why you are tuning a step down to compensate? I would have thought that tuning a step up to increase tension, if anything, would compensate for having "stupidly" low action? I like low action, and I dig in, and like medium to light strings - and given the scenario you describe, would expect a little bit more that just minor string buzz - even if the bass had a perfect set up. Perhaps you have answered your own question by stating that it's stupidly low - maybe just raise it a little, it doesn't take much to make a considerable difference. How much time are you leaving the bass to settle, after adjusting the truss rod etc? Have you tried following a set up guide? Gary Willis has a decent one on his web site, at least its a good bench mark to start from, even if it doesn't immediately yield the desired results. I don't blame you for being distrustful of some luthiers, but if you do find a reputable one, then paying for the bass to have a decent set up is not going to devalue it. The only other thing I would say is that once you start wanting very very low action, the tolerances are so much smaller, and factors like string gauge and tension, and a decent set up start contributing more to the end result, than if you had action like a high-wire. It's a shame you don't get on with it, it looks like a sweet bass to me. Just as well I didn't trade my MTD with you, it doesn't sound like you'd have been happy with it either! G [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='563090' date='Aug 7 2009, 09:37 PM']My 0.2c FWIW Ken Smith designs his necks deliberately to have a little bit of give. It helps with getting the growl. I could never get super low action on any of mine because they weren't designed like that.[/quote] My Smith has about the lowest action I've played on any bass - I seem to remember your old Smith that I played around at Platypus' place wasn't too shoddy either. I'd be interesed to know whether Ken Smith himself ever stated that he doesn't design his basses to have low action? It seems an odd design feature to deliberately incorporate, especially because my experience of Smith basses would indicate otherwise. [quote name='OldGit' post='563120' date='Aug 7 2009, 10:14 PM']I'd suggest you take your bass to Eltham Jones [url="http://www.edgeguitarservices.co.uk/index.htm"]http://www.edgeguitarservices.co.uk/index.htm[/url][/quote] cool web site - there's a really interesting article on there as to why he believes the concept of the Buzz Feinten tuning system is flawed. MTD owners take note

cool stuff - glad the Sei has found a good home! Love the Cort Elrick too...

[quote name='Clarky' post='553207' date='Jul 27 2009, 09:06 PM']Yep, most of my time was spent tweaking the truss rod but got no joy [/quote] well, the only thing I can add is that it may take more that a few hours for the neck to settle after you have tweaked it... how much were you turning the t/r ?