KSB Amati Shop Basses?

Eric Swanson · #1 11-17-2008, 01:15 PM

I noticed today that the price on these has been reduced.

http://smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=481

I haven't seen them and can't make the trip right now. Anyone else played one of these, or actually own one? Seen them in person?

A review, comments, or experience with these instruments? Any thoughts, anyone?

Eric Swanson · #2 11-19-2008, 05:22 AM

Really? 141 viewings to date and nobody has seen, played, or thought about these basses? No comments whatsoever?

C'mon. We got to 10+ pages with the Sunrise Jupiter...

bassist14 · #3 11-19-2008, 05:40 AM

hm...maybe ken lowered the price because nowbody bought one - so nobody can comment on them

Eric Swanson · #4 11-19-2008, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist14

hm...maybe ken lowered the price because nowbody bought one - so nobody can comment on them

Good point.

I thought that he had sold some, though.

Haven't any of us seen them or played one? I understand that folks visit his shop, at least to see other basses...

In the words of Lily Tomlin, "C'mon, you can do better than that!"

Eric Swanson · #5 11-20-2008, 05:36 AM

Bump. Anyone else? Random thoughts?

drurb · #6 11-20-2008, 07:09 AM

Eric, I don't suppose asking a fifth time would help.

Seems no one around here has first-hand experience. Maybe you'll just have to jump in the car and check out one of them. The Jupiter generated all that excitement because of the ad copy and its relation, real or imagined, to the Cleveland. Here we have another set of very pretty Chinese factory basses.

Eric Swanson · #7 11-20-2008, 09:24 AM

It will certainly come to that, but I can't make the trip for a couple of months, so was hoping to gather advance info...Thanks for yet another eminently rational post!

MIKMAN · #8 11-20-2008, 12:13 PM

Dear friends i own one of these basses. I bought it directly from China, from the factory that makes them. It has the best-absolutely the best-tonewoods i have ever seen in instruments of the violin family. The quality of the flamed maple and the spruce is excellent. The constructor claims that the tonewoods are at least 25 years old, but i am not in a position to check it.
The spirit varnishing is very beautiful but not durable and suffers from scratches even with a sipmle contact with a hard object. It could be better with a stain underneath the varnish.
As for the sound it is a decent instrument, with warm, rich tones and it also produces reasonable volume. My own bass came without a proper set up, so i did it alone, following Chuck Traeger's book and our forum's suggestions. Ken Smith makes the set up in his headquarters and his experience surely produces better results than mine. The bass has created a lot of favourable comments in Greece by many of my fellows bassists and i'll order two more of them for my friends. I'll order one "in white", i.e. unvarnished, and i'll varnish it using my experience in violin making. Using spirit varnish from Hammerl and finishing with a French polishing it will give it a durable coat, enhancing its acoustical properties.
In Europe this bass costs about 4.000 - 5.000 euros. It is definitely better than the various fully carved Strunals and Romanian basses, which i tried and compared with it many times in the last five months. Ken's price is a bargain and if anyone has a chance to try one of them i'd like to hear his opinion.
Mike

Eric Swanson · #9 11-20-2008, 03:27 PM

Hey Mike,

Thanks for that. Are you mostly playing pizz or arco, on your bass?

MIKMAN · #10 11-20-2008, 11:19 PM

Eric,
i'm not an arco specialist, i play mostly jazz, but one of my friends performed with my bass in the local Symphony Orchestra and commented favourably for the arco sound.