I saw this one on their website. I think it is $10,099.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Ken Smith at Chuck Levin’s talking about a really cool bass.
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I saw this one on their website. I think it is $10,099.
Ken looks pretty darn good. He's been in the business a long time. He actually seems more energetic now than a few years ago.
I learned about him through Michael Dresdner, who moved on from electric instruments and went to work for Martin Guitars, and then Tacoma.
The walnut and maple shouldn't surprise anyone who's roamed through that part of PA. They have a lot of great trees. And Ken has a heck of a wood stash.
I've bought parts from Ken - bridges, etc. But never a bass.
I've heard him play upright. He can play.
I learned about him through Michael Dresdner, who moved on from electric instruments and went to work for Martin Guitars, and then Tacoma.
The walnut and maple shouldn't surprise anyone who's roamed through that part of PA. They have a lot of great trees. And Ken has a heck of a wood stash.
I've bought parts from Ken - bridges, etc. But never a bass.
I've heard him play upright. He can play.
It's an exquisitely beautiful instrument. I love hearing J.V. Collier play the 6 String Version with Bruce Hornsby.. Stellar Solos and Lines With my smaller hands I would not be able to span a 6 String Smith the reaches are just to great. I can just barely reach the first three notes at the bottom of the neck on the B and E String on the Lakland 55-94's 35"Scale. Lakland is finally offering a 34"Scale 55-94 but at $5,690 .00 it's out of,my price range. My two
55-94' Laklands combined cost less than a single, new one.
55-94' Laklands combined cost less than a single, new one.
Last edited:
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
Smiths are some of those few makes where the wood makes a noticeable difference to my ear. The walnut body with the maple top and back with the classic maple neck, gives a super-growly tone.
Though, 10K+ for current ones? Nnnnnnope.
He did not have TB members stressing him out.
I listened to that video for the "porn music" and noticed that Ken said the bridge was plated with 24 carat gold. That's cool, but I suspect it will just wear off if the instrument is played regularly.His gold plating is very good. I had a Chuck rainy for 10 years. The goldplating never failed.
Nice! Come to think of it, I think mine had a gold plated bridge too. (I could be wrong, I traded it for a Modulus Q5 nearly 28 years ago.) I don't remember the gold plating fading either.
Last edited:
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
CR stood for "crunch resonator", not Chuck Rainey. Never knew this until a few years back.
?
Yep, that's a beautiful instrument. I always think of Smiths as being very elegant-looking basses.
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
I find it curious that Ken Smith does not know the name of the top wood it has.
The thing he described is obviously a burl, and yeah that's burl wood. He could have said crotch wood and
I would have never given it a thought.
Absolute gorgeous bass there, I think I really like the enlarged pickup surrounds, I haven't seen that before.
The thing he described is obviously a burl, and yeah that's burl wood. He could have said crotch wood and
I would have never given it a thought.
Absolute gorgeous bass there, I think I really like the enlarged pickup surrounds, I haven't seen that before.
Even rarer than the Crotch Walnut top in the beginning of the video is Ken smiling!!! Seriously I only played one Smith it was a used White Tiger thirty years ago, from what I remember it was a fantastic bass. I have used Smith strings since high school, followed by a detour to Fodera strings when the prices skyrocketed went back to the Smiths.
