Ken Smith wood questions

[lefty007]

I see Ken's point. His Web site reflects how his company moves into the future: slowly but surely. No flashy new models, no flavors-of-the-month, no 11-string hollow body.

I think Ken gets enough business already and there is a 6-month wait for a new Smith. Who needs a new Web site?

 

[kazamamaster]

Currently we have over 1,100 visits a day on average 24/7 throught the entire month. Some days it's 800 visits (weekends) and some days it's over 1,500. We don't get too many complaints but do get a few calls for help to find what they need so we must be doing something right.

Speaking of which, I want K Smith parts on my current bass, anyone know whether I can get a Ken Smith bridge/knobs to fit my Carvin 6 ?

 

[MJ5150]

You guys need to lighten up, and quit harassing the man about his website. You can find super slick, fancy schmancy bass websites, from places like Ibanez and Fender.

As he said, send an e-mail or call.

-Mike

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Speaking of which, I want K Smith parts on my current bass, anyone know whether I can get a Ken Smith bridge/knobs to fit my Carvin 6 ?

Read thru here (link is from the borttom of the Home page); Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed

You will have to measue your Bass to see what fits. We only have the knobs we use on our own circuits..

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

You guys need to lighten up, and quit harassing the man about his website. You can find super slick, fancy schmancy bass websites, from places like Ibanez and Fender.

As he said, send an e-mail or call.

-Mike

Thx for the suggestion.. By the way, we get about 100 compliments from customers for each complaint about the website and that's usually from someone trying to trade services. If we get any more traffic than we have now, I will need extra help just to field the calls and emails. We are not in the website Business. We are in the Bass business and the web is just one of the tools we use to 'promote' our products. A completed Bass in the field speaks for itself. Feeling the Strings on your Bass tells you more than we can in our website other than the basic specs.

Thx anyway guys n gals for your concerns about us. You know what they say? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". She's running just fine...

 

[Tom7]

I worry that I'd order a lemon,

I don't think that's a concern. Ken inspects every bass that leaves his shop. I've never heard any horror stories about his basses in terms of the guitars themselves. He builds Killer instruments! Call them and talk with them about the woods you're thinking about. If you know what sound you're looking for they will take care of you. Even if you don't know they can help you with the wood choices.

What I mean (and should have said better) is I worry that I'll order a bass that doesn't have the combination of possibilities that the bring the tone I'm looking for... and if calling them is the only way to do that, well, it kind of supports what we have been saying about the website.

But all the bass sites are like this. The Barker Bass site is the only one that comes to mind that has mp3s posted so we can check out tones, but that is minimal.

There are third parties who post bass samples for us to check out, but I've always thought luthiers should do that. How great would it be to go to a site and see a model bass, say a BSR 6 string, and on one page see what the string spacing is, the neck length, finishes available, etc., and click sound samples to hear what different wood combinations sound like! Or at least click on a "wood theory" link that describes what the different woods do to the tone of the model.

Please don't anyone cling to an impression that I don't think the world of Ken Smith basses, because I do and they are on my very short list to buy.

And please don't think my website suggestions are picking on Ken. There certainly are far worse bass websites than Ken's. The only reason this discussion has moved in this direction is because Ken joined it.

Ken has the good sense and vision to participate in Talkbass and thus benefit from our feedback in ways his competitors don't. If we don't give our opinions though, he doesn't benefit.

 

[Pneuma]

I would like to know what makes "Smith" wood different and so special than the wood in lets say a Cirrus? If they both are maple for example what makes the tone so different? Isn't wood just 'wood'? What makes one wood better than the other wood? Is wood smith uses marinated in something over time?

*Discalimer- I own a cirrus, I've never even got to hold a Smith... they don't exactly grow on trees around here*

My first question is, why do you think the difference in the Smith sound and the Cirrus sound is due to the wood?

If two basses are using different bridges, nuts, pickups, eqs, strings, and construction methods, why would they sound the same? Even if the pickups were the same style, and the construction seemed similar, there is still a ton of room for variance there.

Besides, some people say that a Cirrus can sound similar to a Smith. I don't know about that; I'm ignorant to the subject. But I'm not sure that the differences are primarily in the wood, excluding the natural variance from piece to piece in EVERY chunk of wood, Smith or otherwise.

P.

 

[waytoodeep03]

How great would it be to go to a site and see a model bass, say a BSR 6 string, and on one page see what the string spacing is, the neck length, finishes available, etc., and click sound samples to hear what different wood combinations sound like! Or at least click on a "wood theory" link that describes what the different woods do to the tone of the model.

I totally agree which brings me to the first post that I made. I would like to know the theory behind the different wood selections and combinations, also the difference in the tons of different bass models that Ken Smith offers. Make the site more user friendly

 

[waytoodeep03]

Keep in mind that each piece of wood, even of the same species is different. Tighter grain will result in a different sound than a loose grained maple, and the overall construction will add to the tone, and overall, a good portion of the Smith sound comes from electronics, I'd say.

Is the difference in the tone of each type of grain more of an 80% difference or a hardly noticable 5-10% difference.

Also would this % difference be the case in aged, air dried wood (Smith) compared to wood used by any other luthier (Roscoe, Dingwall, Elrick etc)?

 

[Tom7]

Thx for the suggestion.. By the way, we get about 100 compliments from customers for each complaint about the website and that's usually from someone trying to trade services.

I hope this wasn't a sideways jab at me. I am a 44 year old millionaire, very happily retired -- well, as retired as a full-time dad of 6 children can be -- and I am definitely NOT looking to trade my time away to go back to doing web services for a guitar I can easily buy if I wanted.

If we get any more traffic than we have now, I will need extra help just to field the calls and emails.

It's not about generating more traffic, it is about giving the customer what they want. A well designed site would actually LESSEN the number of emails you receive, because people would find what they want on the site and not have to bug you. And perhaps one of the reasons your pages get so many hits is because we have to wander around to find what we are looking for!

We are not in the website Business.

No, and neither is Fodera, but they recently redesigned their website anyway.

We are in the Bass business and the web is just one of the tools we use to 'promote' our products. A completed Bass in the field speaks for itself. Feeling the Strings on your Bass tells you more than we can in our website other than the basic specs.

I couldn't agree more; you are spot on!

Thx anyway guys n gals for your concerns about us. You know what they say? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". She's running just fine...

But then again, while we are slinging cliches, "You don't have to be sick to get better."

They were just suggestions, Ken; I hope you took them in the spirit I intended them.

Cheers
Tom

 

[Tom7]

P.S. I just strung my brand new Fodera with your Slap Master strings, and my kids went nuts! We feel they vastly improved the tone and I can't wait to get out with the guys and show it off. I love you, man!

 

[mikeswals]

I have heard some amazing Ken Smith basses and I've wanted to own one, but the number of models and wood choices are overwhelming to me. I worry that I'd order a lemon, so I've just admired Smith basses from afar

After badly wanting a Smith for years, I bought a BSR5M back in '02. The solid walnut body was absolutely astonishing, but I bought the wrong wood. The all-walnut body was too light on the attack and sustain, and it made for a terrible slap bass. I was so bummed, I tried justifying hanging on, but after 3 years I had to let it go. Someday there will be another smith for me, but it'll have to be solid maple or ash/maple.

 

[steve4765630]

Ken, please, redesign the site! The beauty of your work deserves better delivery!

That bright quilt maple background is about blinding! Yucky

 

[steve4765630]

A quote from the Ken Smith website - "Multi-String Electric Bass Pioneer Ken Smith has developed or introduced many of the innovations used on today’s basses which are now industry standards."

Last time I checked every bass in the world is a MULTI-STRING BASS. There may be a few single string basses out there, but the term multi-string is used very poorly here. I think he means contra bass guitar meaning more than 4 strings. Picky point, but it kind of drives me crazy. Rant over with

 

[Tom7]

After badly wanting a Smith for years, I bought a BSR5M back in '02. The solid walnut body was absolutely astonishing, but I bought the wrong wood. The all-walnut body was too light on the attack and sustain, and it made for a terrible slap bass. I was so bummed, I tried justifying hanging on, but after 3 years I had to let it go. Someday there will be another smith for me, but it'll have to be solid maple or ash/maple.

It didn't slap well, but what did you think of the finger style tone? Did you tap with it much?

There is a Ken Smith BSR6EG for sale described as "made from outstanding quilted Avodire, with a walnut core and mahogany accent laminations. The neck is maple and bubinga, and is inlayed with graphite stringers for strength and stability."

It is gorgeous to look at, but can anyone tell me how this wood combination would perform? I definitely want to slap, but finger style and tapping would be required as well. What would be its strengths?

 

[mikeswals]

It didn't slap well, but what did you think of the finger style tone? Did you tap with it much?

Tapping was out of the question, it was worse than slapping. The finger tone was okay, but again the light attack from the walnut was less than desireable to me. A more dense wood would have been ideal.
But the feel of the neck in my hands was a dream, and the string spacing and action is as perfect as a bass gets. I miss playing it.

 

[Tom7]

... How great would it be to go to a site and ... click sound samples to hear what different wood combinations sound like!

I just found a site that does that! Check out the Warrior Bass Listening room, it has sound samples for each of the wood combinations.

I don't know who the player is (Adam Nitti?), but some of these samples are way hot!

Cheers!

 

[Hajime]

Adam Nitti is great player, he used to play Pedulla, I think.
My friends in Japan prefer Ken Smith's slap sound. However they prefer these combination mainly:
Tiger Maple Top & Back w/ Walnut Core
Tiger Maple Top & Back w/ Western Maple Core
Claro Walnut Top & Back w/ Walnut Core
Japan is Fender Heaven, thus Fender tone is the mean for slapping. Therefore, they always look for, how they are similar to. Also, some ask me 19mm wide string spacing models.
However, everyone love finger tone at all. No doubt.

 

[DrGroovenstein]

What I mean ..... <snip>

Dude, now that you have said something, and beat it into the ground, he'll never change it. Thanks alot! :scowl:

J/K of course, Ken

 

[DrGroovenstein]

I just found a site that does that! Check out the Warrior Bass Listening room, it has sound samples for each of the wood combinations.

I don't know who the player is (Adam Nitti?), but some of these samples are way hot!

Cheers!

I think that manufacturers posting sound samples is kind of silly. When I have someone play my MTD, they sound nothing like me playing my MTD. Sure, it'll get you in the ball park, maybe, but then a customer is going to expect to sound like that when they receive the bass. I'm sorry, I definitely am not going to sound like Adam Nitti.

Did I mention that I want a Ken Smith bass?? argh.. must...save...fundage...