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MTD Kingston 5 Reviews  5 / 5 based on 2 reviewsBought it in Belgium for about 600 $ (regular price out here is about 670 $ - made a good deal indeed). Was looking for a MM-like bass, without the price tag.
5-string, maple fretboard, MM-style pickup near the bridge. Tight B-string (35 inch), no dead spots.
Tone cuts easily through the mix, good sustain. Nice slap and plectrum sounds (very MM-like, if you boost sharp and narrow around 3-3.5 kHz). Sound is not a direct copy of MM, but character is very comparable. No dead spots on the neck. Stays in tune well.
Although limited electronics, wide tonal range possible by changing right-hand position and low-mid / high-mid settings of amp.
Limited electronics: passive, 1 volume, 1 tone, (although electronics compartment is huge and will provide ample space for any preamp), no lever to choose between single coil, series and parallel (like original MM).
Don't like the color (metallic red) and the pickguard (I hate pickguards anyway) - must be the reason why I could buy it so cheap.
Balance is slightly top-heavy, but after a few days of playing you forget about it.
It is light (considerably lighter than my 1991 American Fender JB V), neck is very wide (3/4" string spacing instead of standard 11/16" JB-V or MM-V string spacing - nice for slapping!) and is very comfortable. Very nice fretwork. Neck is not as stiff as I would like it, but is still very well. Bridge is very basic, but since the sound and sustain are OK, I guess it is must be of good quality. Accurate tuners.
Outstanding price/quality relationship. Not a top instrument as compared to the (horribly expensive) hand-made MTD's, but probably one of the best in this price range. I love it, and it's my favorite axe for live gigs (eighties coverband, funk to metal). Joghy rated this unit on 2003-02-26. I aquired this bass at Orlando's Bass Central for $422, after it being recomended to me by several bass players from www.Talkbass.com
What's not to like? It's a passive, single pickup bass, with a MM style exposed pole pickup in the "sweetspot" or mid position. Single volume, single tone. Do not think this is limiting in any way. There are quite a few VERY usefull tones you can get, by simply altering technique, or even re-EQing your amp to supplement the bass.
The neck very wide, and very flat, with string spacing a bit wider than a P bass. The B string is about as tight as I have seen, even on the higher end basses. Which makes the price especiallt sweet.
About my only beef that I can possibly give to this bass is that it's a little neck heavy. But, the act of simply playing it cures the neck dive, makeing it a non-issue.
Bolt on, and VERY well constructed. The fret work is immaculate, and the neck slim, without feeling flimsy. The hardware is not top of the line, but it's better than a lot of stuff out there.
Bottom line? Best new bass under $1000, with a B sring that rivals and beats some $2000 I've played. Brendan rated this unit on 2002-02-10.
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