Ken Smith Stings

ejgauna · #1 03-02-2011, 10:35 AM

Anyone have any experience with Ken Smith strings? Some buddies suggested the burners and the custom balanced. From juststrings.com theyre only $20! Half of what some DRs are (which are what are on all my guitars. love DR). I have a 5 string and I think i have the marcus miller DRs on there.

Am in the process of upgrading a P-Bass. Got a Squire body and am putting Fender original 62 pickups in it and gonna get a new neck soon. Looking for tight, fat, and smooth tone.

Been searching the TB forums about round vs flatwound. Youtube its hard to tell but the flats sound dead. I played a bass once with flats and I remember them feeling super smooth. Appreciate your help!

bassteban · #2 03-02-2011, 10:42 AM

Aside from this reply, I wouldn't use the terms *flatwound* & *Ken Smith(strings)* in the same sentence. IMO that's going in two vastly differing directions- KS strings are IME/IMO bright & piercing in tone whereas any flats are going to be deep & thumpy(also IMO/IME). Which way would you like to go?

Corporate Boy · #3 03-02-2011, 11:19 AM

I play Ken Smith slick wounds, which is Ken Smith's take on half rounds. They are anything BUT bright and piercing. I really like their sound. Really full flavored. Phill Lesh used them for the last several tours (he may have switched) and Mike Gordon still uses them. The slick wounds are not the best for slapping, but they still maintaing some brightness. They will give you an uncommon slap tone. Mike uses a lot of effects when he slaps with them. IMO they are the best of flat and round worlds. I use them on my Modulus 6 string and I have been thinking about putting them on my Fretless Thumb. I haven't yet because I need to get a tapered B String.

ejgauna · #4 03-02-2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corporate Boy

I play Ken Smith slick wounds, which is Ken Smith's take on half rounds. They are anything BUT bright and piercing. I really like their sound. Really full flavored. Phill Lesh used them for the last several tours (he may have switched) and Mike Gordon still uses them. The slick wounds are not the best for slapping, but they still maintaing some brightness. They will give you an uncommon slap tone. Mike uses a lot of effects when he slaps with them. IMO they are the best of flat and round worlds. I use them on my Modulus 6 string and I have been thinking about putting them on my Fretless Thumb. I haven't yet because I need to get a tapered B String.

yeah, i ended up getting the burners so I could try out the nickel plated type. Everyone who had anything to say about them loved them so we'll see.

CapnSev · #5 03-02-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corporate Boy

I play Ken Smith slick wounds, which is Ken Smith's take on half rounds. They are anything BUT bright and piercing. I really like their sound. Really full flavored. Phill Lesh used them for the last several tours (he may have switched) and Mike Gordon still uses them. The slick wounds are not the best for slapping, but they still maintaing some brightness. They will give you an uncommon slap tone. Mike uses a lot of effects when he slaps with them. IMO they are the best of flat and round worlds. I use them on my Modulus 6 string and I have been thinking about putting them on my Fretless Thumb. I haven't yet because I need to get a tapered B String.

Slick Rounds are still much brighter then most flats IME. They are nice strings though once you get past that initial "grabby" phase.

I really enjoy the Smith Compressors as well.

kellyrojo · #6 03-02-2011, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassteban

Aside from this reply, I wouldn't use the terms *flatwound* & *Ken Smith(strings)* in the same sentence. IMO that's going in two vastly differing directions- KS strings are IME/IMO bright & piercing in tone whereas any flats are going to be deep & thumpy(also IMO/IME). Which way would you like to go?

I agree with this. I put those Ken Smith Burners on my G&L a month ago and they were super bright when I put them on and they are still kind of "clinky" for lack of a better term. They sound good but a little too bright IMO. I will say this .... they have maintained their bounce and tone very well through a lot of practice and some gigs so they are well manufactured strings but you have to like their tone. I am interested in those slick wounds though...sounds like similar strings but with a somewhat backed off tone

ejgauna · #7 03-02-2011, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellyrojo

I agree with this. I put those Ken Smith Burners on my G&L a month ago and they were super bright when I put them on and they are still kind of "clinky" for lack of a better term. They sound good but a little too bright IMO. I will say this .... they have maintained their bounce and tone very well through a lot of practice and some gigs so they are well manufactured strings but you have to like their tone. I am interested in those slick wounds though...sounds like similar strings but with a somewhat backed off tone

thats strange. it seems like everyone thought the nickels were LESS bright at first that steel. we'll see. for $20 you can't beat em to try out.

jacojbass · #8 03-02-2011, 01:19 PM

I liked em' but to grabby and rough on frets and fingers....once you go nickle you never go back.

mmbongo · #9 03-02-2011, 01:33 PM

Not sure what you're comparing, but most DR's are around $23 from JustStrings. LoRiders, HiBeams, Sunbeams, take your pick.

I like Smith strings okay, they're not bad. Just not my thing. They are made by GHS.

ejgauna · #10 03-02-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Not sure what you're comparing, but most DR's are around $23 from JustStrings. LoRiders, HiBeams, Sunbeams, take your pick.

I like Smith strings okay, they're not bad. Just not my thing. They are made by GHS.

yeah i guess you're right. still cheaper at $17

mmbongo · #11 03-02-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ejgauna

yeah i guess you're right. still cheaper at $17

SIT are even cheaper, and I like them much better

robertusf · #12 03-02-2011, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacojbass

I liked em' but to grabby and rough on frets and fingers....once you go nickle you never go back.

+1

vstrings · #13 03-06-2011, 08:47 AM

I swear by Ken Smith strings.

I just put on a Rock Masters medium set (45-130) on my 5-string Sadowsky and I like them a lot better than the DR Marcus Miller custom set they replaced.

I moved the DRs on my BT Custom VG bass and they are fine on it.

I used to string all my 4-strings with DRs, but I may stick with Ken Smith strings in future.

It's great to try new strings, but I hate not enjoying playing a bass because of the strings I put on it.

vstrings · #14 03-06-2011, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

I like Smith strings okay (...) They are made by GHS.

I had heard this before, but I never went to the bottom of it.

I wonder which set of GHS branded strings would be the equivalent of Ken Smith Rock Masters?

Joe Smithberger · #15 03-06-2011, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnSev

Slick Rounds are still much brighter then most flats IME. They are nice strings though once you get past that initial "grabby" phase.

I really enjoy the Smith Compressors as well.

Did you try the Slicks on your P5? B string?

mmbongo · #16 03-06-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstrings

I had heard this before, but I never went to the bottom of it.

I wonder which set of GHS branded strings would be the equivalent of Ken Smith Rock Masters?

They will be different since they are Ken's design, just wound by GHS. It's a fairly common practice. For instance Fender strings are made by D'Addario. Carvin strings are LaBella. Lakland are also GHS.

bass12 · #17 03-06-2011, 01:22 PM

I like Ken Smith's strings but after receiving a snarky response from him (to a string-related question) I decided there are too many nice guys out there making strings for me to want to give Ken my business.

vstrings · #18 03-06-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

They will be different since they are Ken's design, just wound by GHS. It's a fairly common practice. For instance Fender strings are made by D'Addario. Carvin strings are LaBella. Lakland are also GHS.

Thank you very much for clarifying.

vstrings · #19 03-06-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass12

I like Ken Smith's strings but after receiving a snarky response from him (to a string-related question) I decided there are too many nice guys out there making strings for me to want to give Ken my business.

Ouch! A marketing lesson learnt there...

Groover · #20 03-08-2011, 02:44 PM

I think Ken Smith compressors work really well on a P bass. Smooth, but still bark when you need them to. These have purple silks. I have never dealt with Ken Smith Customer Service, but I have dealt with DR Customer Service and in my experience, they were awesome.