MTD K5 Kingston

I intend on upgrading the electronics.The features I like are the zero-fret,which is a very cool sound on open strings,and a 35 inch scale,a must for a truly good low B.The zero-fret is very consistent with fretted notes. The bridge could be better.It's kind of awkward to intonate and it's hard to string it without rubbing the strings on the finish at the bottom of the bass.I will probably replace that too.The overall design of the bass is awesome,though. Comfy,light,and the asymmetrical neck is a beautiful thing.It is kind of a given that hardware will be a bit cheap at this price range,but it is all passable. Nice tuners,too.Tone control doesn't do much,very subtle.

The sound of this bass is very nice. The B is ridiculous for such a cheap bass.I have an outboard Aguilar pre-amp and the bass benefits greatly with it's use.With new strings it sounds great. Does well with a
midrange bump.It doesn't sound quite as good as a Stingray(at 1000$ less),but I think the B does.I am excited to retrofit it with a Bartolini pickup.Fairly bright sound with a maple fingerboard. Electronics are a tad noisy from time to time.Basses in this price range are rarely shielded well.

I bought the bass slightly used. I did the action and intonation myself with a Peterson tuner.Very well intonated...maybe that Buzz Feitan thing means something.Plays very easily,and the asymmetrical neck is the best design I've felt.The wide string spacing at the neck makes for some easy slapping,much easier than slapping my Warwick Corvette,and as easy as my J-bass.Comfy,comfy,comfy. It's not a Modulus,but a ten for the price

Hard to give this a 10,I have only had the bass 4 months. It has a barrel jack and those need to be replaced often. It's pretty solid,though.I would use at a gig with no backup.

I have been playing for 15 years,all styles. I have a Warwick Corvette Standard 4, a 65 J-bass, and a 79 Ibanez Roadster fretless. I enjoy playing the Kingston as much as the others. Well,sometimes not the J-bass.For the price,it is super-sweet. It is my first 5, and I didn't want to drop huge dollars not knowing if I would like it. The B on the Kingston is undeniable.I can't recommend it enough as a first 5 string, or if you want some stingray like tone on the cheap. Unless you already have a good 5 string,buy one.

5-string, 35" scale with a zero fret. Maple fingerboard, one tone pot, one volume pot, sparkly blue finish and a white pick guard. At a guess, it could be a 2003ish model.

I run it through a Behringer BX4500H and a Hartke 115XL. This kit gives a really wide range of EQ balance - deep, tight low bass rumble and snapping mids for slap bass. Like everyone else says, it can have quite an aggressive edge that is really up front. Don't get me wrong, I love it and really play on it sometimes - but it can get a bit full-on after a while and needs toning down. I just kind of go 'aaaah, and relax' when I change to a mellower instrument. I am using Stainless Round Wounds though!

The screws for the pickguard were fractionally misaligned - I only noticed when I took it off to adjust the truss rod, no big deal. It was second hand, but everything looked solid and well put together.

The finish has worn off the very tip of the head stock where it rubbed against an ill-fitting gig bag in a former life, everything else has held up well - no dings or chips. All knobs and tuners are still solid and smooth. I've used it pretty heavily for just over a year now and it has never let me down.

Only ever read good things.

The wide string spacing makes for an imposing neck width at the bridge, but for me this was an easier transition from a 4-string than the other 5-stringers I tried. The neck is nice and fast and the extra width never seemed to bother me. I notice the neck length when I go back to a 34" scale, but not in a bad way. This guitar is a treat to slap and get funky with, but you'll have a job mellowing it out if that's what you need.

Just got the MTD Kingston 5 today from Musician's Friend,I assume it's a close out on the 06's.It's Korean made.24 fret maple neck,5 string,Has the "Buzz Feiten Tuning System" which is very noticable up and down the neck.Basswood body in White Snow Pearl w/Grey Mother of toilet seat pearl pickguard.Volume/Tone are the only controls,passive MM type pickup,pretty basic bridge,top load.The body is of a Jazz style.Tuners look like Gotoh,35" scale wide,flat neck.No case or bag

I like everything about this bass! For the money,It can't be beat. I've always been a "passive" kinda player as far as pickups,old school if you will.I mostly play Blues,Jazz,Rock.I've been playing 38 years now. I play through a GK 1001RB head and two GK neo 1x12's(mini stack) no effects. This bass is very quiet,has all the sounds I need,great bottom to slappin' highs.I haven't had it long enough to hear it at a gig or studio,I think it'll be kickin ass at a gig!

Out of the box...GREAT. I adjusted the G string,raised it a bit.No flaws.Very nice paint job,I dig the white with balck hardware

Haven't been to a gig with it yet,It's Wed....I'm playing this Sat. nite,we shall see. I look forward to playing this bass live.I don't abuse my gear,everything looks like it'll last a long time.Basswood is a soft wood,so don't bang it too much if you want it to look"pretty" for awhile.It will be at all my gigs now with my old Fender 4's.

Haven't had it long enough to have to deal with support...All I've heard is good things about MTD support

I've been playing 38 years,I play 4 strings mostly.Fender 1997 California P Bass,Fender 60's FSR Burgundy Mist Jazz w/Lindy Fralin pickups and stack knob controls,62' reissue P bass,Geddy Lee Jazz with a rodewood neck,Ibanez AG75 archtop jazz guitar,GK 1001RB head,two GK Neo 1X12 cabs,Peavey ValveKing 112 guitar amp,Epiphone Masterbilt DR500 acoustic guitar,and many parts(I enjoy building basses from parts off Ebay)If this bass was lost or stolen,Yeah..I'd get another.I dig everything about this bass,the pickguard is taking some getting used to.It's very light! Thats a big plus for an "old" guy like me. Get it while you can this cheap...$349 at Musicians Friend,free shipping! You won't regret it for the money

MY MTD WAS MADE AND PURCHASED IN 2001. IT HAS 24 FRETS AND 5-STRINGS
IT HAS A MAPLE TOP WITH TOBACCO SUNBURST FINISH. EXPOSED ALNICO MM PASSIVE HUMBUCKER. BASSWOOD BODY MAPLE NECK AND A ROSEWOOD FINGERBOARD. Buzz Feiten TUNING SYSTEM.
Kingston's are supplied with exposed-pole MTD MM style alnico humbucking pickups and passive electronics with master volume and tone. The hardware includes a custom made MTD bridge and tuners in black. 35" scale 5 string 24 medium jumbo frets.Zero fret 1 3/4" wide.

IT HAS GREAT ACTION AND THE STRING SPACING IS GREAT FOR SLAP OR FINGERPICK STYLE. I HAVE A FUNKYGROOVYROCKREGGAE STYLE AND HAVE OWNED
IT NOW 3 YEARS AND HAVE USED IT EVER SINCE THE LONGEST I HAVE EVER BEEN SATISFIED USING ONE BASS WITHOUT SEEKING A BETTER SOUND OR FEEL.
I HAVE AN SWR REDHEAD WITH A 2X12 CAB UNDER IT AND IT SOUNDS GREAT.
THE ONLY TIME IT HAS EVER BEEN NOISY IS WHEN I FORGET MY MONSTER CABLE
AND I AM FORCED TO USE CHEAP CORDS.
THE SOUND IS A BRIGHTER PUNCHY SOUND BUT CAN BE WARM TOO DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU PLUCK. I PLUCK CLOSER TO THE FRETBOARD IF I WANT BIGGER WARMER, FATTER JAZZY BASS SOUND OR BACK AT THE HUMBUCKER FOR A NICE
BRIGHTER TIGHTER SOUND.
WORKS WELL IN BOTH STAGE AND STUDIO SITUATIONS I HAVE RECORDED WITH IT THREE TIMES PLUGGED IN DIRECT TO THE BOARD WITH NO HELP FROM MY SWR
AND EVERY TIME IT SOUNDED GREAT.
THE ZERO FRET IS AWESOME GIVES THE OPEN NOTES A NICE PUNCHY SOUND I HAVE ONLY FOUND WITH THIS BASS. THE BRASS NUT ON WARWICKS MIGHT BE SIMILAR BUT NOT QUITE AS PUNCHY. IN BASS PLAYER MAGAZINE IT WAS VOTED
BEST BASS UNDER $1000.00 BUCKS AND I COMPLETELY AGREE. YOU WONT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS BASS. IT STAYS IN TUNE. SOUNDS GOOD. AND THERES NOT A CHEESY PIECE OF HARDWARE ON IT.

IT WAS SET UP GREAT THE ACTION WAS NICE AND LOW. IT DIDNT NEED A SET-UP UNTIL MONTHS LATER AND HAS ONLY BEEN DONE TWICE IN 3YEARS AND I JUST DID IT TO DO IT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG.
FLAWLESS!!! AT LEAST THAT I NOTICED.

IT PLAYS GREAT LIVE, HAS GREAT HARDWARE, FINISH IS STILL BEAUTIFUL AFTER 3 YEARS AND PLENTY OF USE AND WEAR. STRAP BUTTONS ARE 100% TUFF.
I AM A STRONG BELIEVER IN THIS BASS.ITS LIKE THIS YOU BUY IT,PLAY IT,
USE IT,WHATEVER AND NOTHING GOES WRONG WITH IT.
SET-UP HAS ONLY BEEN DONE TWICE IN 3YEARS AND I JUST DID IT TO DO IT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG..
I HAVE USED IT EVERYTIME WITHOUT A BACK-UP.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 8 YEARS. I HAVE SWR REDHEAD 2X10 ON SWR 2X12 CAB, A GALLIEN KRUEGER 800RB HEAD ON A DAVID EDEN 2X10 CAB. A COUPLE OF PEAVEY BASSES AN IBANEZ SG FRETLESS AN UPRIGHT A TAKAMINE ETC.
I WOULD BUY ONE OF THESE AGAIN FOR CERTAIN.
I LOVE THE SOUND,PLAYABILITY,VERSATILITY,LOOK,FEEL,AND ESPECIALLY THE PRICE FOR THE PRODUCT. WORTH EVERY PENNY.

Maple/maple neck, basswood body, passive MM pickup, 5 string fretted. Everything I need, nothing I don't.

The tone of this bass is fairly aggressive and punchy, with no real "warmth" to speak of. This makes it great for heavy music, it cuts through distorted guitars very well. But, it DID NOT work in my jazz band, far too barky and rock'n'roll. Slap tone is quite good, and the B string is tight and focused, on par with many boutique basses.

Bass is built very well, with a very hard maple neck and fingerboard. Finish on body was glossy smooth, and the neck's finish is a very thin satin. Neck/body joint is very tight, and the fretwork is clean and uniform. Tuners and bridge are functional, although they seem rather flimsy. Action is set at medium low, although a small bump has developed at the 13th fret under the G string.

Bass has been used quite frequently over the past two years, and I'm sure it will last for years to come. The tuners and bridge would be the first to get replaced, other than that it should be fine. I've only adjusted the truss rod once, and the neck has stayed quite flat despite temperature and humidity changes.

Have not spoken, but c'mon, it's Mike Tobias!

For a 5 string under 500, you can't beat the Kingston. It's got uniform action, tension and tone across all the strings, and the playability is excellent. Great tone for rock styles of music, but you might need to do some heavy eq'ing to dial in a "smoother" tone from it.

1 mm style humbucker
1 volume
1 tone

ok here is where i will be at odds with everyone... this bass is very bland... it had THE LOWEST OUTPUT OF ANY OF THE 30+ BASSES IVE OWNED, and ive owned quite a few crappy ones as well as a bunch of mid range basses at this price level and some high end basses... this was the reason i ended up selling this bass... it was HORRIBLE... ive heard that if you add an active preamp and maybe swap the pickup it can sound quite nice but to me its probably not worth it... the b string was too floppy for me

the neck was awesome, that was my favorite part of the bass, too bad the rest couldnt measure up

seemed very fragile and easy to dig because of the body

skip it unless you plan on doing an electronics upgrade... DO NOT BUY THIS NEW! the resale value is terrible... if you want a project buy a new one and throw in a good preamp and you might have something good going on but dont buy it new and dont keep it stock... this is probably the most overrated bass that ive ever encountered... tons of people say these are way better than they are... you will be disappointed

The Kingstons are made in Korea, to Mike Tobias' exacting standards. The Kingston 5 has a 35 inch scale. I ordered this one with a Rosewood fingerboard, in Red Pearl. It has an MM-style pickup in the "sweet spot," which yields a nice tone. It's got passive electronics; 1 volume, 1 tone.

The string spacing is great: 3/4" at the bridge. This rocks for developing a comfortable slap style, which I'm just starting to play with. I've felt crowded on other basses.

The pearloid pickguard is a nice touch and gives it a hint of 'retro.' The neck is one piece, but Mike is known for choosing very hard maple that stands the test of time, so don't expect this thing to warp. The finish is beautiful. Metallic with a nice clear. There are no fret markers on the fretboard. Only on the side. This looks very classy.

ZERO FRET. Learn about it. Having one makes your open notes sound the same as fretted ones. Evens things out very nicely.

Also these basses come with the Buzz Feiten Tuning System. Also learn about this very interesting solution to the age-old intonation issue with fretted instruments. www.buzzfeiten.com.

Black hardware rounds out this very solid and wonderful-feeling and playing instrument. I'm rating it at 8 because I would like to see a higher-mass bridge and the option of no pickguard.

It took me a bit to get used to the midrange-heavy sound of a bass with no neck pickup. I had gotten used to my Spector NS2000/Q5. The Kingston is very punchy and with the pickup positioned toward the bridge, you get a very growly and midrange-heavy tone. Don't get me wrong, lots of folks WANT this. It just took me a while to adjust to it. I'm running this through an SWR Workingman's 300 head pushing a new Workingman's 4x10T cabinet. It all sounds VERY good. I also run through an Alesis 3630 compressor. I walked away from using a Sansamp Bass Driver DI because I had just acquired the SWR head and wanted to get to know the REAL tone from my head, without the influence of the buttery Sansamp. I have fallen in love with this combination of bass and head, and cabinet. The electronics in the bass are quiet, it has a bright sound. Like I said above, the zero fret helps contribute to a very even sound across the fretboard.

The only thing I'd like to see more of is sustain.

The action rocks! From the factory (direct) nice and low, very playable. There are no flaws that I can find (and I look.) The neck joint is tight, the finish is great, the hardware is all good. The pickup was adjusted well. MTD makes sure every bass leaves the warehouse in top shape.

This bass is constructed of basswood, which is softer than alder or other woods, but if you take care of your instruments, this isn't a problem. Everything feels built to last. The strap buttons are solid, the jack feels good, the tuners are solid and smooth. I don't gig with a backup.

Mike Tobias answers emails personally and personably. :) He is a great guy. He is known to stand behind his products and I know that this Korean bass will be no exception. The name speaks for itself.

I've played for almost 10 years, I've owned several basses. I've always been a research-before-ya-buy kinda guy. I've done my homework and these basses are the BEST YOU CAN BUY for the money, right alongside Spector, but we're not talking about Spector in this review. :)

You owe it to yourself to play a Kingston. If this were stolen, I'd replace it with another one. I'd try the Blue Pearl next time, though, just to make the rounds.

The K5 Kingston is made in Korea. Here's a brief tour of the bass: 35" scale, 25 fret 2-octave maple neck with maple fretboard, carved basswood body, swoosh-type pearloid pickguard, conventional volume and tone controls, single Music Man style pickup "in the sweet spot", Hipshot? bridge, Buzz Feiten tuning system, and Straplock compatible buttons (a nice touch!). The headstock has Gotoh-style tuners in a 4+1 configuration. It's also tilted back so the strings rest across the zero fret instead of the nut. The bass body has that "Tobias" look. The electronics cavity is shielded and large enough to add an active preamp or even another pot--I've seen this done on a Kingston fretless, and it looked like original equipment.

The sound of the K5 Kingston is limited due to its basic electronics (one volume, one tone), but is quite good--full and punchy. This is good, considering my Kingston didn't have a capacitor wired on the tone pot when I acquired it. A local guitar tech solved that problem and now the bass sounds like it should--plenty of tonal sweep, even for passive electronics. The original MTD strings sound great on this bass. It's presently strung with Ken Smith custom balanced round-wounds; nothing wrong with them, but the original MTD's are my personal preference for this bass.

The K5 Kingston came with absolutely no discernible flaws. The action was set properly--low enough for just a bit of fret buzz. No nut shavings, which I've seen on other Korean-made basses. The finish is gloss black and I suppose it will develop the used look over time. The only modification I've made to the bass was to raise the pickup somewhat by inserting some foam in the cavity, and then using ball-point pen springs around the pickup screws to stabilize the height (I got this idea from another K5 reviewer). The string spacing might tax your fingering ability, but it's great for slapping!

I've only had the bass since November 2001, so I don't know how reliable the K5 Kingston will be in the long run. I really don't anticipate having any problems (other than perhaps string breakage), but I have a backup just in case.

I ordered the K5 Kingston in October 2001 and the salesman gave me a great discount because I had to wait so long at the counter to order it while somebody was trying to unload a Fender Strat--I saved 80 US dollars over Musician's Friend. He also threw in a set of strings for "all my troubles". My e-mails to Matthews and Ryan (the sole North American distributor of MTD overseas products) were answered to my satisfaction and in a timely manner.

When you see people raving about the K5 Kingston playing like a bass two or three times its price, believe them. The stock sound of the K5 Kingston is great, but you can add active electronics and even install another pot and still come out ahead. I plan on leaving it stock and purchasing a Digitech BP-200, which has all the sound shaping I'll ever need. If it were lost or stolen, I'd replace it with another K5 Kingston (perhaps the blue pearl paint job - the black gloss finish is hard to keep clean). All things considered, the features of the K5 Kingston are first-rate products: the Hipshot bridge and Straplock compatible buttons aren't found as stock on basses costing much more.

Alright. This baby is made in Korea in 2001. I think. It has 24 frets, five strings, and 35 in. scale neck. Its a solid top and has 1 MusicMan style pickup. Has 1 volumn control and 1 tone control. Its passive but I'm thinking about putting active electronics. The body is basswood and the neck is maple w/ rosewood fretboard. My bass has white finish w/ pearl pick guard. The body is kinda small compare the other fender style basses I've played before. Some people say that this bass has Buzz Feiten Tuning system but I'm not really sure. If it does, its a killer deal for $500. The neck is little wide for my taste but its still very sweet and smooth.

The sound...... most important part of the instrument in my opinion. This bass sounds REAL NICE. At least in my opinion. I use Nemisis NC200 combo and the bass sounds very clean. No hums or any unnecessary noise whatsoever. The bass can make variety of sounds from very low and bassy to very bright. The B-string can really ring and the high notes have a strong punch to their tone. I mainly play old funk music and christian music so I need variety of sound and this bass does the job.

The bass was SET from the start. I had ordered it through Musician's Friend and it was playable the minute I recieved it. Nothing was loose (except the strings..) and every nut and bolt was tightly placed. No rattle anywhere in the bass. The action was low and no buzz. the finish to the bass was really nice and shiny =) It was basically set for playing

Not much to say on this one. IT WILL LAST AND I USE IT WITHOUT BACKUP.

I emailed the MTD to ask about some specs of the bass and Mike Tobias emailed me himself within two days. I say the support is very good and friendly.

I've been playing about five years now. I don't own many basses, in fact this one is only my second bass. But I have played many different basses and I think this one beats most of the ones I've played. I definitely like this one better than the fender bass and Ibanez. Against MusicMan, this bass will compete pretty well. But then again, MusicMan 5-string Stingray costs $1300 while this baby costs only $500. If this was stolen, first I would track down who stole it and rip that person's head off, THEN i would buy this bass again. Only wish is the active electronic on this bass. I'm thinking about adding it so it won't be a wish for long. =) You want a nice 5-string bass but can't afford expansive one like MusicMan Stingray??? Get this one!

The bass I tried out was a 2001 MTD Kingston 5 string fretless model, with white pearl finish and a phenolic fretless fingerboard. The neck is maple and the body is basswood. The single pickup is a Bartolini exposed-pole MM-style humbucker. Single volume and tone, passive electronics. I didn't open the cavity, but I suspect that controls are as simple as they come, so that with both controls wide open, the pickup would be wired straight to the output jack with nothing else in the signal path (should record GREAT). There is plenty of room in the cavity for some active electronics, though so upgrading it would be easy. The neck is a bit longer than most (35" scale, very thin and plenty wide; just the way I like it. Makes for very easy slapping - even moreso than a Yamaha BB- or RBX. The extra inch of scale length really makes the B sing; no flopping/flutter etc. NO DEAD SPOTS on this baby! This is a no nonsense, minimalist approach to building a bass, so what IS included is first-rate.

The sound from the fretless was very well balanced. I was actually hoping to try out a fretted 5, but they are a little tough to find. That's OK cause I have a fretless and know how to play it, and can figure pretty well how the fretted version will sound. The highs are not overly pronounced but they're definitely in there. A slight tweak of the amp, and they quickly start to sparkle. The bottom - WHOA BABY! The low B is almost like a 9 ft grand piano. full round, plenty of overtones. Overall I'd say this a very smoothe, well balanced sounding bass, not emphasizing any range of tones over the others. The humbucker and (according to what I've read) shielded cavity make for no noticable noise at all.

This bass is BY FAR the most playable instrument I've tried. Previously I like the Yamaha BB and RBX series basses for playability. This one beats those by a pretty good margin. Think 4-string P-bass string spacing, but with 5 strings and a MUCH thinner neck. The assymetrical taper of the neck really does it for me. Mike Tobias really knew what he was doing when he designed this neck. The finish on the neck is a satin type polyester(?) that feels almost like an oil-rubbed finish, but will be much more durable and stable. The body has a high-gloss white pearl finish (also comes in blue pearl, red pearl and gloss black, or tobacco sunburst for extra $). Has a really ugly "swoosh" type pickguard. I say ugly because I hate pickguards in general. You may disagree. Maybe they put the pickguards on the Kingstons to give people a reason to go for the higher-priced Grendel! The fit and finish work was very good indeed, in any case, and I'm more concerned with playability and sound than with looks.

I only tried one out in the store, and from what I hear the basswood body might prove to be just a tad soft: subject to dents, etc. It seemed solid enough to me. The hardware is fine, should hold up very well. Take normal care of it and it should serve you for a lifetime, although it may pick up some "character" over time. I've never concerned myself with taking a backup bass along, and the worst thing I've ever experienced was a dead battery, which the Kingston doesn't need!

I emailed the company with some questions about whether or not the Kingston's pickups were also Bartolini as the mother MTD models are (it is), and whether they are also getting the Buzz Feiten tuning system (they are). BTW, the Buzz Feiten tuning system is really something, if you haven't heard of it. Check it out. In any case, I received an email response within about 3 days. Pretty good in my book.

I've been playing for about 25 years, and have played Fenders, Carvins, Yamahas. I am looking for a no-nonsense straightforward bass with five strings, the sort of playability I desire, good sound for recording, and the lowest price possible. This bass delivers all of the above, and really went beyond my expectations for this price range. The sound, while not offering a tremendously wide range of tone possibilities (because its passive), is a VERY GOOD sound; especially on the B string. I find that 98% of the time, I'll set the pickups wide open and the tone flat on an active bass anyway, and go for different tones the old fashioned way - using my fingers! This one will suite me perfectly. No need to spend any more money than this - the sound doesn't get any better.