loushort Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 [b]Has anyone owned or own a MTD Grendel?[/b] [b]are they good/bad[/b] [b]any pros or cons am thinking about seriously tracking one down [/b] [b]i played one years ago in a local music shop which had a single musicman pick up[/b] [b]which didn't look half as good as this one[/b] [b]any help would be great [/b] [b]thanks [/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTB Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) I had a 5 string with 2 J p/ups some years back. It was good. Very light, great neck and a modern sound. I sold it to buy a MM Stingray 5 that weighed a ton & then sold that & another bass and bought a US MTD. The current version of the Grendel is called the KZ I think. Take a look on the Bass Direct site. Edited July 20, 2013 by PTB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satrugar Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I had a Grendel 5-string for a while, so I hope I can provide a bit of information. But first: The bass on the picture is definitely a MTD Beast, the passive version of the Grendel. The Beast uses a Hipshot Vintage bridge instead of the Hipshot B-style (MUCH better imho) on the Grendel, I think it was only available in solid colour finishes (instead of a flamed maple top on the Grendel). Oh, and of course it doesn't have the active Bartolini 2-band-electronics with the mid switch. Both models have a poplar body, maple neck with wenge or maple fretboard (usually wenge), 35"-scale on the newer ones and 34" on some earlier ones, passive Bartolini J-pickups and 19mm stringspacing at the bridge. Afaik there was no czech-made model with a MM-pickup, I guess you must have played a Tobias Growler.....that's the only bass I know that comes close. About the Grendel: Pretty nice bass for the money. Sounds very "jazzy", but a bit more refined and with more punch and flexibility. The neck has the asymmetrical MTD-shape, thinner under the high strings and thicker towards the b-string. I didn't really like the neck profile too much, but that's a matter of taste I guess. Playability was good though. My Grendel was a pretty light bass, i guess somewhere below 4 kg. On the other hand the light poplar body caused quite a bit of neck-dive, but it was manageable. Mine had a 35"-scale (no experience with the ones sporting a 34"-scale) and a pretty nice and tight b-string, so no complaints there. Build quality was also really good, way above the newer korean-made MTD Kingston-line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu_g Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 ive not long bought a bass centre stadium bass which isn an early growler brilliant bass schaller tuners flame maple hipshot bridge made in czech republic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loushort Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Thanks for the pointers guys all very helpful Iight weight and comfortable are the key for me as well as powerful enough to cut thru a drummer and bloody loud guitarist I picked up an Epiphone Toby last week for under £200 and that sounds great all the Jazz bass sounds but with more definition, I'm now gassing for a MTD Kingston KZ four string and wondered what the Grendel was like as it came before plus Ms G A Dorsey seemed to like hers a lot nearly swapped a Reggie Hamilton standard Jazz bass for a five string version from a guy on here at the end of last year but felt I should keep one fender in the collection......just one mind here is a picture of the bass similar that I played just imagine it blue with four strings and fretted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foal30 Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 way better than good best V I've ever played I have the 35" J Pick up Czech made version strung with flats it's my #1 gigging and go to Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu_g Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 heres mine its different from the mtd as it only has a two way switch and vol ,blend ,tone really great bass though[attachment=139548:stadium bass.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loushort Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 [quote name='stu_g' timestamp='1374395311' post='2148224'] heres mine its different from the mtd as it only has a two way switch and vol ,blend ,tone really great bass though[attachment=139548:stadium bass.jpg] [/quote] thats a stunning bass thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 I had an old MTD Kingston Heir and absolutely loved it. Great construction, super neck, and some lovely tones - I only moved it on as I simply couldn't make five strings work for me (a mistake I keep repeating). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20SOLD/MTD%20Grendel%201996%20SOLD/2uizuyw.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20SOLD/MTD%20Grendel%201996%20SOLD/2uizuyw.jpg[/IMG][/URL] I bought this at a stage in my bass-playing life before I had finally realised that I just don't get on with Jazz basses and derivatives. Despite not getting on with this bass because it was a Jazz, I remember it as being superbly made and ridiculously good value for money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I played a Kingston once and was surprised Mike Tobias would allow his name to be associated with it. Other than the core shape it had very little in common with the USA535 I had at the time. I was looking for a back up to the 535 but 10 minutes with a Kingston clearly demonstrated that it wasn't really up to the job Maybe they've got better since then though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loushort Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 [quote name='molan' timestamp='1374655074' post='2151276'] I played a Kingston once and was surprised Mike Tobias would allow his name to be associated with it. Other than the core shape it had very little in common with the USA535 I had at the time. I was looking for a back up to the 535 but 10 minutes with a Kingston clearly demonstrated that it wasn't really up to the job Maybe they've got better since then though. [/quote]Apart from it not holding up to the USA 535 what else didn't you like about the Kingston? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu_g Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 i think the czech made basses are real quality, wenge fretboard, mine has a proper flame maple cap combined with the schaller tuners hipshot bridge and bartolini electronics for the price i got mine for it was a bargain and ive never been a fan of jazz basses as such but it just feels and plays so nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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