• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Anything else close to a Ken Smith 6?

#42
I've owned quit a bit of other Yamaha gear and quite a bit of Peavey gear also.
IMO Ken Smith is one of the greatest of our time, original designs and not just overpriced
rehash of Fender designs.
I also have the utmost respect for Hartley Peavey; the man holds almost 200 patents. Ya gotta respect that
 
#43
CrUiSeR said:
I've owned quit a bit of other Yamaha gear and quite a bit of Peavey gear also.
IMO Ken Smith is one of the greatest of our time, original designs and not just overpriced
rehash of Fender designs.
I also have the utmost respect for Hartley Peavey; the man holds almost 200 patents. Ya gotta respect that
Click to expand...

I get that. Those hahas you wrote earlier came off like you thought other folks were dumb for their opinions. I know I don't always exactly communicate what I mean myself.
 
#44
AngelCrusher said:
Well i have to be honest, these bacchus basses came out of left field but they are pretty amazing to me. Jazz style basses with humbucking pickups and a high end bart pre amp. Everything about them is a master buld and the 6ers weigh under 10 pounds.

Extremely intrigued, and this really doesnt happen that often.

My main issue with a smith is the price. Its 4-5k. 3k used. And i love the heck out of it, but its tough for me to buy that any instrument is worth that. Especially when you look at some of these high end japanese basses that are just impeccably built.
Click to expand...

The Japanese are very much in lock and step with what the master luthiers of North America are doing...Mas Hino is no joke, neither are the guys and gals at STR....spending anywhere north of $3k is a commitment to me for sure....if I didn't feel comfortable making that purchase, I wouldn't... You seemed to have found viable options elsewhere...I'd be interested in seeing what you chose and to hear how it may compare to a Smith...
 
#45
Bone said:
I think these are pretty close. Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...
Surine are not the same although as smith. Smiths have an unusual take on the neck through contruction, it's actually half through. The neck blank still runs the whole length of the instrument but not the whole depth. There are very few instruments which use this method. Surines are generally very expensive boutique models and a lot more than a smith!

image-jpg.jpg


4-jpg.jpg
 
#46
Take a look at Adamovic basses, I was about to pull the trigger on a Smith but luckily an Adamovic bass crossed by and tried it. Was blowen away by the versatility and playability. And can achieve a smith tone too (not exactly as a Smith but very close). And with the posibility of splitting the coils separatly as you want (series, parallel and single coil for each pick up) wich gives you a wide variety of tones.

Adamovic Halo Ha 023

Adamovic Halo Ha 023

34,5" scale, tulipwood body, olive top, wenge/maple neck, pau ferro fingerboard, pau ferro...
 
#49
GMC said:
Surine are not the same although as smith. Smiths have an unusual take on the neck through contruction, it's actually half through. The neck blank still runs the whole length of the instrument but not the whole depth. There are very few instruments which use this method. Surines are generally very expensive boutique models and a lot more than a smith!

image-jpg.jpg


4-jpg.jpg
Click to expand...
just an fyi, not all smiths are built like that. my neck through smith has the neck running the full depth of the body all the way to the end.

related topic, can't you now buy smith pickups and preamp from ken's website?
 
#50
CrUiSeR said:
Uhm , i am a big Peavey fan as well as Ken Smith, but I get a get a good laugh when the cirrus gets compared to a Ken Smith. IMO when this happens cirrus owners are just trying to flatter their self
Click to expand...

Not so fast! I have owned Cirrus and Ken Smith 6 Chuck Rainey. I have owned two Peavey Cirrus Custom Shop Tiger's Eye 6 basses. Those were the EASIEST and MOST AMAZING playing basses I have ever laid my hands on! Pure butter! It absolutely pummeled the Smith in playability. The tone was great too. Not better or worse, just different.

I also have owned several Korean-made Warwick Corvette 6 basses that blew the Smith out of the water as well in terms of playability.

In my opinion, the Smith bass is unique mostly because of its tone. That tone is mostly from the exposed-pole pickups and the preamp although the pickups drive the majority of the tone.

I could think of other basses that have superior playability and feel. But in the end, what makes a Smith a Smith is its tone. There aren't any other brands that use Ken Smith pickups as stock components. That is reserved only for Ken Smith basses. HOWEVER, you CAN purchase those pickups from Ken Smith himself.

However, this then opens up the whole argument of "placing a Mercedes engine in a beater does not make the beater a Mercedes." (Not that I equate Ken Smith pickups quality to Mercedes)
 
#51
Ace Of Bass said:
The Japanese are very much in lock and step with what the master luthiers of North America are doing...Mas Hino is no joke, neither are the guys and gals at STR....spending anywhere north of $3k is a commitment to me for sure....if I didn't feel comfortable making that purchase, I wouldn't... You seemed to have found viable options elsewhere...I'd be interested in seeing what you chose and to hear how it may compare to a Smith...
Click to expand...

Man you are right. I am starting to think they may be ahead in some ways. Design being one of them. Their basses simply look amazing.

bongostealth said:
Not so fast! I have owned Cirrus and Ken Smith 6 Chuck Rainey. I have owned two Peavey Cirrus Custom Shop Tiger's Eye 6 basses. Those were the EASIEST and MOST AMAZING playing basses I have ever laid my hands on! Pure butter! It absolutely pummeled the Smith in playability. The tone was great too. Not better or worse, just different.

I also have owned several Korean-made Warwick Corvette 6 basses that blew the Smith out of the water as well in terms of playability.

In my opinion, the Smith bass is unique mostly because of its tone. That tone is mostly from the exposed-pole pickups and the preamp although the pickups drive the majority of the tone.

I could think of other basses that have superior playability and feel. But in the end, what makes a Smith a Smith is its tone. There aren't any other brands that use Ken Smith pickups as stock components. That is reserved only for Ken Smith basses. HOWEVER, you CAN purchase those pickups from Ken Smith himself.

However, this then opens up the whole argument of "placing a Mercedes engine in a beater does not make the beater a Mercedes." (Not that I equate Ken Smith pickups quality to Mercedes)
Click to expand...

I hate for this thread to become a Cirrus versus Smith debate but I disagree. I am sitting right next to a Cirrus 5 right now, and I love the thing, but it in no way pummels a Ken Smith in any way. If that was the case I'd buy this one for 10% of the cost of a new KS and move on with my life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CrUiSeR
#53
I own a Ken Smith and have played a Cirrus. I can hear why people have called the Cirrus the poor man's Ken Smith. I had to do a lot of work to find that "Ken Smith lite" tone on the Cirrus. The day I received my Smith and plugged it in, I could hear and feel the authenticity of the Smith bass. I would choose a Smith all day long but, I would never knock anyone for choosing a Cirrus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ace Of Bass
#54
shwashwa said:
just an fyi, not all smiths are built like that. my neck through smith has the neck running the full depth of the body all the way to the end.

related topic, can't you now buy smith pickups and preamp from ken's website?
Click to expand...

Yes I've seen a few Smiths with a full through neck and to be honest, with the construction...I seriously doubt it'll make a lot of difference in tone.
The pickups are custom made by Kent Armstrong for Smith. I've had him make me something very simular (without the pole pieces) and in different shells.
 
#55
bongostealth said:
Not so fast!

However, this then opens up the whole argument of "placing a Mercedes engine in a beater does not make the beater a Mercedes." (Not that I equate Ken Smith pickups quality to Mercedes)
Click to expand...
HA, that's a good thing considering the maintenance on a mercedes. Yes, i really like mercedes also though.
Here is one for ya; yes that is MPH on the gauge. Also a wagon!
image.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: bongostealth
#57
Roy Vogt said:
If you're going for a slightly less expensive instrument I'd maybe check out the KSD (Ken Smith Design) 6 strings:
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

Hi, Roy. I was looking at these as well and got to play a few at Bass Central. While they were nice, I didn't want to buy one.

I'm pretty picky about basses, which is why I rarely buy or sell any..lol.
 
#59
An Alembic standard Rogue, Orion, or Epic 6-string might be a consideration. They turn up in the TB classifieds every now and then in the $3k range.
 
#60
pauljude said:
I own an Ibanez 6 string Terra Firma....wild looking. Big thing, which I rarely play, but real 6 stringers who I've had play it love it. Just under a grand I think.
Click to expand...

I like the really high end Ibbys, but the cheaper ones just don't retain warmth in the highs like I prefer. They have a thinness to them that bugs me.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back