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Anthony Jackson and the Ken Smith bass

twinjet

twinjet

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Sep 23, 2008
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#1
Hey gang,
Kind of in the same vein as my older thread, Anthony Jackson and the Four-String Bass, I want to know every track imaginable with AJ on his old Ken Smith bass. In spite of what my old thread said, I did get back into six-string bass and am exploring the possibility of a Smith 6er some time in my life.

Show me, TB Hivemind, what do you know?
sc0063a6f8.jpg
 
#6
Just curious why you are so interested in the Smith basses. Anthony Jackson continued to pursue the six string concept with Fodera - initially with double cutaway instruments, then single cutaway Presentation models, and in more recent years he went with a hybrid design (semi hollow body, iirc).Why would you go back to the beginning when there are more evolved designs available, that Anthony clearly preferred? (Unless it is cost). BTW, I believe Vinny Fodera also built the Smith basses for Anthony Jackson when he was working for Ken Smith. So, in actuality, all of Anthony’s 6-string basses, other than the first two by Thompson, we’re built by Vinny, I believe.
 
#9
I know that when Carl Thompson had built the six string for Anthony it didn't make the mark, quality-wise, and so Anthony went to Ken and showed Ken the CT. Ken took a look at it and said they weren't going to do anything like that.

I think the issue for Anthony was that Ken absolutely nailed the design from the off. Ken was always a fairly 'narrow' sort of builder. He knows what works and what doesn't and isn't really interested i building someone else's vision.

FWIW, Anthony's explorations with Fodera over the years haven't really deviated too far from his original design, albeit things have simplified with subsequent iterations. The hollow body model was the most divergent in years.
 
#12
Wow, gorgeous tone and playing! Anthony was really bringing it! I found that in those days and in the early days of when he was using the Contrabass with the bridge pickup, his tone was much more forward and high in the mix. It really allowed him to participate very fully and I believe it was part of his philosophy that the Contrabass was a complete instrument that should be given just as much space in the music as any other instrument.
 
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#14
PJ Muzikmansky said:
Some good footage of Anthony playing the Smith from 1:00 on, though it seems to be a splice of two different takes because he's switching between pick and fingers almost instantaneously from one shot to the next, LOL

Great tone though.

Paul Simon: Hearts and Bones Album Flash 1984 - YouTube
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing this!! There's a really good shot of AJ at 2:18, and another REALLY good one at 21:15 !!

He's playing the instrument I have right now. Wish I had that preamp on it, though...
 
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