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MTD is a good name for Basses. Long rep for Mr. Tobias. This made in china version, though not inexpensive cam with some added features from the Chinese factory workers. When I received the instrument, it was set up in an unconventional manner. The neck was flat (good) and the action was low, but the bridge saddles were very high, not much left to raise them, which needed to be done. The abnormally low action made for all sorts of interesting buzzes and growls which I kinda liked but found it very challenging to control, and not entirely musical. Also the pickups seemed to be too far from the strings. I took it to my usual luthier for an inspection and setup. That's when he found the special features. The neck had a shim between it and the body, causing the neck to be too high. One of the five neck bolts was stripped and had a wooden dowel pounded into bolt hole. After removing and repairing these factory enhancements, the neck was given some relief, the saddles lowered and the pickups raised. Much more playable instrument. I'm left wondering why some worker in China would go to all this extra effort to distort the design. One final note, no documentation for the preamp which appears to be backward from most bass knob configs. As best I can discern, the closest knob is the treble boost/cut, the farthest is the bass boost/cut. Volume and pickup pan are placed close to the bridge.