MTD Heir 5

A stock bass as described by all those before me. I consider it a somewhat modern-classic in that it's based around a merger of many tried and true elements.

On the classic side we have:

Basswood back with flamed maple top
Musicman and jazz style pickups in all the right places
Passive electronics, simple but effective bent plate bridge
Retro-funky pick guard

On the modern tip:

35" scale length
Wide string spacing/broad neck with asymetrical back
Buzz F's tuning system
Sealed tuners
The body shape is on the fence of both sides, being a Tobias innovation from back in the day which has become a standard shape emulated by others.

You're not going to get any extremes out of this set up, just solid, usable tones with the only sonic shortcomings originating in your technique. You get the best of both musicman and jazz basses in a single package, so be it big bottom dubby tones or crisp slappy funk or grinding rock, look no further.

If you're addicted to the "fidelity" that excesses of freqs around 8 to 16kHz induce and have tweeters in your cabs to make sure it's heard, you may need to add a 27 volt preamp with a bright switch and turn up the treble.

The B string is solid and fits very well amoung the other strings.

String type and finger technique play a huge part in the overall experience with this instrument (or any for that matter). I replaced the stock roundwound strings with Thomastik-Inkfield flatwounds straight away because I always find rounds too bright and I love the feel of T-I flats. That naturally warmed up the bass but by fingering closer to the bridge I can still rip through the mix with bright, aggressive tone. Or play the neck pickup with the tone rolled back for dub city... It translates your subtleties or lack there of with extreme clarity and it's variety of classic tones is the best trait of this instrument, which is a good selling point to all in need of bass that can effectively tackle many different tasks with quality.

Other than changing the strings I've kept is set up as it arrived. I found the action to be fine and nothing about it's condition moved me to break out the tools.

The finish is nice but obviously budget minded. A well done tobacco burst with a flame maple top that has a good appearance, but it seems to be a thin veneer laminate, nothing like a 1/4" or larger like you'd find on higher priced instruments. The back was made out of 3 pieces. The wood does feel soft in some way, possibly because I find the bass to be very light, but in the few times I've dropped it the poly lacquers are solid enought to not chip, crack, or barely scratch.

I thought the fret board looked and felt quite dry, something i find on most new instruments. Let it be a motivator to play it often and get it nice and dirty. I believe the finish on the back of the neck is a poly-based spray, and I can't get into that. It never feels right, sort of cheap and plasticy, which is something that pervades over the entire bass. Since most instruments these days use similar materials, it may be no issue at all to most people - I'm just an oil finish kind of guy.

My nut had a minor corrected flaw (seemed to be chipped at the bottom and epoxied back to normal) and one of the frets had an odd blemish that looked to have been damaged, then repaired with solder. I'm talking out of the side of my head with this as I have no idea if that is even possible, it could just be a metal blemish. Nothing compromized the playability, just some micro details... frets were fine otherwise.

It is a relatively large instrument, feels massive in the hands with the broadneck and 35" scale length but is very well balanced and light. The neck and string spacing is very wide, and it's coupled with an asymetrically backed neck. These all contribute to the modern feel of things and you'll either be a fan of it or end up buying a Warwick or a jazz bass depending on your needs.

As a side note I think the pickups look kind of cheap, and an interesting aesthetic change for this bass is to remove the pick guard. It looks great.

I never ended up gigging with this bass, it did all it's time with me in the studio. It feels solid yet light, which to me is a mixed bag... I never had tuning or neck related problems, but then again, I've kept the same strings on it for the entire year I've had it. I think the sweat from my hands has made the pickup pole pieces start to rust, but that's my deal...

In the 2 times I emailed Mike, he replied in about a day and was always attentive to my questions. I like the personality that is eminated from his website and think his organization is great.

Here's the deal, this is a budget bass from a very professional pedigree and it's gained much from it's higher priced siblings. In terms of bang for the buck - this is the absolute best deal going. You're not going to find the combo of 35" scale, BF tuning, neck form and great pickup type and placement on anything else at this price. Plus, this isn't a common instrument or brand, and having something different from the rest is a great plus.

You don't get active electronics, and that is a good thing at this price point (otherwise you're stuck with more OEM EMG parts like all the other crap out there.)Instead you get passive pickups that sound great and give you a familiar tonal pallet that covers a lot of ground.

If the bent plate bridge makes you feel iffy, change it, but I'd doubt there would be that much gained other than placebo effects.

In the under $1000 price range, it will be hard to beat. Double that dollar amount and it's a different story. If you liked the traits of this instrument, I'm sure you'd end up with a MTD of that price.

But let me turn everything upside down and say this: You have to be a fan of wide string spacing, broad neck width and thin neck depth to enjoy this instrument. Those traits define it almost more than it's tone. I spent the last 15 years playing heavy, thick necked jazz basses of Fender or homebrew origination. I bought the Heir based on tone (which served me amazingly well in the studio), and although I was turned off by the feel, hoped I would adapt and get used to it. I did, but not in a way that inspired passion (sounds like the pretext of a romance novel crisis).

For myself, and specifically my hands, it never fit right. My palms are large and fingers not quite as long, so the way the neck felt didn't work well with my hands as other basses did. It is not as wide as most modern Ibanez or Yamaha basses, or as thin as a Lakland I played when I was considering it. My hands have been chasing after something else and it finally found it - a 5 string Warwick Thumb bass... That's my main instrument now, and it's a complete departure in every way (price, weight, sound, feel) from the Heir. But that's me and my specific needs. For most players, I think they'll love it.

5-string electric bass made this year in Korea. Basswood body, Bolt-on 24-fret Maple neck (long 35" scale), Rosewood fretboard, Flame Maple top, Tobacco Sunburst finish, Passive MM Stingray-style bridge and J-style neck pickup. Vol, Vol, Tone configuration. Sealed tuners, Hipshot bent-type bridge, strap lock compatible strap buttons. All black hardware. Swoosh-type pickguard. Buzz Feiten tuning system (check out http://www.buzzfeiten.com/) for more information on this truly revolutionary way of setting up guitars and basses). Way more features than one could ever ask for on a bass in this price range.

The sound is simply amazing. Before I got this Bass, I anticipated I'd be swapping the pickups for an active setup. I will probably keep these pickups and add an outboard preamp, but only for certain situations where I need that ultra hi-fi tone, which this bass comes remarkably close to in its passive configuration. I never played a bass that was so acoustically loud. Even while sitting on the couch watching TV, you can play on this bass and still hear all the notes...even the low B. Plugged in, this bass is alive. Literally piano tone. I imagine the 35" scale helps this - especially the low B. All strings and fretted notes are very even, focused and defined. The pickups provide incredible versatility. I'm a guitar player, but was always intrigued by the electric bass. Since I've started doing a lot of home recording, I decided to pickup a versatile bass that was pro-quality but that wouldn't break the bank. This is the only bass I've seen that fills these requirements - and I have looked very hard. I can go from heavy Jason Newsted tones to hi-fi John Patitucci staccato with one bass. Simply amazing. I play through a Tech21 NYC SansAmp PSA-1 into either a) a PA, b) power amp and Bass Cab or c) direct into my computer recording systems interface/studio monitors and the tone is always incredible. The PSA-1 is great for guitar, and good for bass...but I will be shopping for a dedicated Bass preamp/DI of some sort in the near future - probably by Aguilar, Eden or SWR.

Action was just right for me. Not too low, not at all too high. Just a buzz here or there, but I like that. I play with a fairly light touch (mainly finger-style), and I find this bass very easy to control. Digging in for rock tones and with a pick might require a slight increase in string height. The finish is immaculate, and you wouldn't believe the depth of the flame maple on this bass. The bass was in tune when I got it and it stays in tune. The only two critical things I have to say is that a) the instrument is flawless except for some kind of imperfection in the middle of the back of the neck around the 5th fret. I thought it was a knot, but it looks more like a burn mark from the sanding process or some combination thereof. I can't see it when I'm playing normally, but I know its there and it bothers me that such an otherwise beautiful instrument would have such an elementary flaw in appearance. b) I did not receive documentation on the Buzz Feiten tuning system, so I'm not sure how I'm going to re-setup the instrument should I change string type or gauge...the A string's intonation is WAY off...almost a half step sharp at the 24th fret. I thought this might be a casualty of the tuning system, but no way - it just needs an intonation adjustment on that string.

This bass is solid; the vol and tone pots feel dampened, like they are of extremely high quality. The bass feels very substantial without being too heavy or awkward. I have not doubt this bass will last a lifetime.

Before buying this bass, I read all the reviews. One reviewer indicated that replacement pickups would be a challenge to find - I think they were reviewing the Kingston 5, which is the Heir less the neck J pickup. Anyway, I e-mail MTD, and Mike himself returned my e-mail with very good information. The reviewer was incorrect. The MM Stingray 5 style pickup is easily replaced with a number of options from premium manufacturers like Seymour Duncan, Bartolini etc...however, no EMGs or MECs available in this shape that I could find. Mike Tobias also mentioned that the J pickup might be difficult to replace because it is a larger than normal J pickup. He indicated that the body routing was OK, but that a new pickguard would likely have to be purchased and routed for the replacement. Great customer service to say the least!

I've been playing guitar for 16+ years, and most recently picked up the bass. I know gear and I can recognize good tone and quality in an instrument. This bass is absolutely impressive. I originally wanted a Fender Jazz bass, but I found this bass to be more playable, better built, more versatile in playing style and tone and overall a much better offering. I just wish that flaw in the back of the neck wasn't there. Its purely cosmetic, but it still bugs me. The dealer said they would order a replacement bass, but this things sound, plays and otherwise looks so good (amazing flame and finish) that I'll probably keep this...I am very attached to it and get more so every time I pick it up!

I got this bass used, and the guy who had it before me put in an Aguilar 2-band preamp, but these basses are passive stock. Mine is finished with a very sweet tobacco sunburst over flamed maple, and it has a maple fretboard.

This bass sounds GREAT. I have yet to find a better sounding bass. I'm running it through an MXR M-80 and an Ibanez SB-7 into an Ampeg BA-115. I play a lot of different types of music, from hardcore to worship and this bass can get me about any sound I want. The only problem I have with it is that there's a fair ammount of hum when I stand in certain spots. This is mostly a problem in my room, I haven't really noticed it anywhere else. The basic sound, with the blend pot in the middle and bass and treble controls set flat (remember, mine has a preamp. The standard controls are volume volume tone) is a nice, smooth, deep tone that's still very clear. More of the Humbucker and you get a mean growl, good for rock. More of the Jazz pickup, and you get a deeper, more refined sound. A nine only because of the buzz.

Perfect. mine was used, so the bass was already set up. It's a little bit low for me, but I'm coping ok. The B string is nice and tight and the fretwork is great. The Neck shape is amazing. I can't think of a better neck.

I haven't had any trouble except for a pair of dead batteries (my fault). Stays in tune very nicely. I'm not sure if I'd gig without a backup, if for no other reason than the batteries.

I haven't had to use it.

I've been playing for three and a half years. I also own a Warwick streamer five string that I'll be selling soon, because this bass is so much more comfortabe to play, and a cheap P-bass ripoff that I'm keeping because I want the wide string spacing and because it's my first bass (you can't sell your first bass!). This bass is amazing. I absolutely love it. The only bass that I remember sounding better was a Peavy Cirrus, and that cost four times as much. I highly recomment this bass.

This is a 2001 model, made for MTD in Korea. It is a 5 string fretted model. The body is basswood with a flame maple top and a very nice tobacco sunburst finish. Even the back is finished in a dark chocolate brown stain that shows the wood grain. The neck is maple with a rosewood fingerboard, 35" scale, 24 medium jumbo frets and a zero fret. MTD says that the newer versions are being made with the Buzz Feiten Tuning System but mine does not have that (you can tell by looking for the BFTS decal on the back of the headstock). It has a single coil, Jazz style neck pickup and a MusicMan humbucker at the bridge. Controls are Volume/Volume/Tone like a passive Jazz bass. The bridge is a sturdy Jazz bass style with no provision for stringing through the body. Tuners look like Gotoh GB-7 copies. All hardware and knobs are black.

I play in a Church Worship team and a Contemporary Christian band, so I have to do a little bit of everything style-wise. The tonal possibilities from this bass are pretty extensive, so I've been able to find just what I need. The MM pickup has a great growl by itself and adding the neck pickup warms things up nicely. The B string sounds very nice and is well balanced with the other strings. The only problem I have is hum from the neck pickup due to a VERY noisy environment (flourescent lights everywhere). I play through an Eden WT-400 head and a Bag End S12-C cab, adding a SansAmp Bass Driver DI when I need a little grit. I do plan to add a preamp, which will be pretty simple because the control cavity is HUGE and they have already installed a high quality, stereo jack to provide the needed preamp power switching. Nice touch!

As delivered the action was set nicely. Bass Northwest did a setup on it before shipping the bass to me. Both pickups are really low and it appears the springs/foam/whatever is under them can't support them if they're raised. I will be adding better springs to get the pickups up where they belong. Everything else about the fit and finish is great, especially for a bass in this price range. Even the control cavity is neat and clean, with shielding paint that is nicely applied and a foil lining on the cover.

I will use this bass mainly in a live setting and without a backup. It seems to be very well made and I don't expect any problems. I changed the strap buttons to Dunlop strap locks but that's just a personal preference; the included strap buttons are solid.

I contacted MTD several times via email prior to buying the bass, with questions regarding pickup upgrades and the Buzz Feiten Tuning System. Mike Tobias himself answered every email within a day. This is great support for a potential customer of their "low end" product line.

I've been playing for about 2 years and this is my first 5 string bass. I also have a no-name P/J fretless bass, Eden WT-400 head, Bag End S12-C cab, SansAmp Bass Driver DI and Boss chorus pedal. I just picked up a Suhr 3-band preamp that will go into this bass; adding a preamp was part of my plan all along. It has been everything I hoped for. I was a little nervous buying a bass I had not played because I like wide string spacing but have small hands, so I needed a wide and thin neck. The Heir 5 fits very nicely and sounds great. I just wish I could get it without the pickguard - it seems a shame to hide that flame maple top! I was also looking at a Carvin (neck was too narrow), Music Man Stingray 5 (couldn't afford it) and a Lakland Skyline 55-01 (heard the electronics were kind of "blah" sounding).