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F-Bass or Ken Smith? Help

LedBelli Bass

LedBelli Bass

Fine, Handmade Custom Bass Guitars
Dec 25, 2008
1,169
104
Pasco, WA
www.ledbellibass.com
#1
Hi guys,

I have a choice between two basses.

The first is an F-Bass BNF-5 fretless.

The second is a Ken Smith Black Tiger Elite, fretless 5 String.

I know something of F-Bass, having owned one.

I know nothing of Ken Smith's basses other than they look nice and are in the same price range.

Opinions please! . . . :bassist:
 
#10
I think Marcus Miller plays a Ken Smith fretless. I read that in "The Fretless Bass", but I'm not sure if that's the same kind of fretless he currently uses. (Most of us probably know Marcus for his fretted work, but he also has quite a few fretless credits--for example, there are recently a few on the new SMV "Thunder" CD with Marcus on a fretless.)
 
#11
I've compared both my BN6 and a BSR6 Elite. The BN6 had a wider neck but not chunky. The BN6 is also assymetrical and it felt great to my hands. The KS has a narrow strings spacing both at the nut and bridge. I'd love to have another KS, but I'd opt for the 19mm bridge spacing.

t0t0m said:
Ken Smith..
I oen a F bass BN5, not a fretless but the neck is kind of chunky.
I played a KS elite 6 before and, a real smooth and killer sounding bass..

So I vote for KS
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#12
I think you should play both, then make a decision. Have you checked out any of Cliff Bordwell's basses? Definitely comparable in price with the advantage of getting any wood combo you want. Of all the basses I have owned my CB is the nicest, easiest to play and killer sound! Just an idea.
 
#13
+1 especially a recommendation from a Tb'r who owns a Carl Thompson. Now that's ultimate gas. :)


nickbass79 said:
I think you should play both, then make a decision. Have you checked out any of Cliff Bordwell's basses? Definitely comparable in price with the advantage of getting any wood combo you want. Of all the basses I have owned my CB is the nicest, easiest to play and killer sound! Just an idea.
Click to expand...
 
#14
What kind of sound are you going for? I think these basses sound difference although I have no experience with the Ken Smith. I passed on a bolt-on, fretless one to get my BNF5. I have two fretless Fender basses and the F-Bass is the perfect 5 string complement to them. Actually, that's what I was looking for: a 5 string Fender sound. The F-Bass does that, even better than Fender!

Gale

F-bass_2.jpg
 
#19
I've owned a Smith BSR5GN and a couple F's. You really won't know which one is for you until you try both. For me, the Smith had a distinctive kind of growl to the sound, kind of a color that is there no matter how you adjust the knobs. And to my hands it felt like playing a china cabinet. The ergonomics just weren't there. Of course, we all have very different hands and shapes, and that is a personal thing.

On the flip side, the F pre (I own a BN5, VF5, and have played BN6 and BNF5) puts out as good a tone to my ear as I have heard anywhere - transparent compared to many basses but with a touch of warmth and focus, while the ergonomics are perfect. If you like 19mm spacing and a somewhat narrower nut than many basses, along with a shape somewhat closer to "C" than "D" you would dig it. I will eventually buy a BNF5 to round out my collection. (I do not aspire to own an AC because it is not the fretless sound I hear in my head, fwiw.)
 
#20
pocketmonster said:
I've owned a Smith BSR5GN and a couple F's. You really won't know which one is for you until you try both. For me, the Smith had a distinctive kind of growl to the sound, kind of a color that is there no matter how you adjust the knobs. And to my hands it felt like playing a china cabinet. The ergonomics just weren't there. Of course, we all have very different hands and shapes, and that is a personal thing.

On the flip side, the F pre (I own a BN5, VF5, and have played BN6 and BNF5) puts out as good a tone to my ear as I have heard anywhere - transparent compared to many basses but with a touch of warmth and focus, while the ergonomics are perfect. If you like 19mm spacing and a somewhat narrower nut than many basses, along with a shape somewhat closer to "C" than "D" you would dig it. I will eventually buy a BNF5 to round out my collection. (I do not aspire to own an AC because it is not the fretless sound I hear in my head, fwiw.)
Click to expand...

I'm intrigued as to what fretless sound you hear in your head? A Gary Willis type? Jaco? Mark Eganesque? Or Marcus Miller on his Fodera fretless? There's a guy from the UK Mike Flynn who plays a Jeff Chapman bass, you can find him on youtube under ijazzmunki, it's the most distinctive fretless sound I've heard for quite some time

Regards to teh F Bass/ Ken Smith Having never played an F Bass but have a Ken Smith Tiger fretted. KS have a distinctive sound that works better for fretted rather than fretless. I would say the F bass would be the choice for fretless. You may not prefer the AC F Bass tone, but that is a PHAT tone check out 'Intuitions' by Alain and tell me that's not a smoking fretless tone!
 

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