Sire vs KSD proto J

[lovethegrowl]

I would consider getting a Squier neck & attaching it to my body. If the TR doesn't stay stable soon I will demand a refund & bring those mofos to small claims court if I have to. I just bought it in July!

 

[lovethegrowl]

Also I do not like p basses. My Ibanez has two mighty mite style (cort factory) split coils on it & my luthier will defrett it for $75 bucks. So if I want a 6 string p style fretless that is it. I definitely need a jazz fretless to complement the Marcus Miller fretted bass & 6 string jazz.

 

[Eilif]

Also I do not like p basses. My Ibanez has two mighty mite style (cort factory) split coils on it & my luthier will defrett it for $75 bucks. So if I want a 6 string p style fretless that is it. I definitely need a jazz fretless to complement the Marcus Miller fretted bass & 6 string jazz.

Fair enough.

To be fair though, I don't think an Ibanez 406 with Mighty mite split coils is going to be anything like a P-bass with a J in the neck. With my 214 I can cop the neck-J-soloed thing, the P-bass thing and mix to taste.

However, a defrett for $75 is absolutely amazing. Does that include inlaying the fretlines with plastic and planing the board or is that the price for putty-in-the-slots and as-is?

If he'll do a quality de-fretless for $75, then just buy the J-style bass of your choosing and give it to your luthier. There are dozens of cheap J-basses, especially on the used market..

 

[lovethegrowl]

Fair enough.

To be fair though, I don't think an Ibanez 406 with Mighty mite split coils is going to be anything like a P-bass with a J in the neck. With my 214 I can cop the neck-J-soloed thing, the P-bass thing and mix to taste.

However, a defrett for $75 is absolutely amazing. Does that include inlaying the fretlines with plastic and planing the board or is that the price for putty-in-the-slots and as-is?

If he'll do a quality de-fretless for $75, then just buy the J-style bass of your choosing and give it to your luthier. There are dozens of cheap J-basses, especially on the used market..

I looked up the text on my from last Summer. He actually quoted $85. He will do whatever it takes to get it right! As evidensed by the fact tgst he charged me $35 for the set up, & nithing for 2 additional attempts. He did charge me $20 to bevel the sharp ebanol sides. This guy is a competant hobbyist & seemes to find luthier work relaxing, & he is retired from Hus day job, but dies painting & drywall stuff on the side. He quoted me $35 to redress the ebanol fingerboard if it was bumpy (it wasn't!) The only question in my mind is will the filling material be white, contraste against the dark brown stained rosewood

Please do keep in mind those DX6 cavities can be filled with Carvin J99As then covered with dummy plastic soap bars. This I tried before with poor results, only to find later that what made that sound so intolerably smooth was those damn Ibanez (overdesigned active electronics!). I HATE SMOOTH!! Later I went passive with the original pickups. (I have a 10 band MXR 108 & prefer to "outboard" anyway!)

Also please keep in mind that getting any 4-5 string jazz bass & defretting it isn't as goid as having a 6 string Jazz style bass. Not easy to get those! My fretted Jazz bass is a heavily modded wide necked Squire DJAV converted to a 6 string via Wammi bridge. It is 15mm @ bridge, & ideal for me! 15mm not conducive to elaborate slap (still learning, but little time) so for slap I got that Marcus Miller bass 19mm @ bridge. For a fretless I don't wanna slap. Sonically & stylistically,here are my needs for a fretless:

The Marcus Miller fretless sound. Listen to Miller play ballads such as 'I loves you Porgy' or Brazilian Weffinv song'. That! And I do get it w/the KSD using the active preamp.

2) Jaco sound. Mostly bridge pickup & treble way down. That I get!

3) Faux upright: soft contoured mute cut out of soft used kitchen sponge, mosltly neck pickup, treble down & proper technique with reverb. In a live environment it adequately appropriates the visceral effect of an upright, although recorded it would be less convincing.

The Ibanez would gimme the added range & narrow spacing. Had my luthier quoted me that $85 in June, I'd not have purchased this KSD. If that neck doesn't stabilize rel soon I sm getting my $500 back anyway.

 

[lovethegrowl]

The KSD neck seems to have stabilized, but I am not too happy with the 14.75" radius. Yeah, I wrote earlier in this thread that flat is good, but for a 6 stringer, not for a skinny necked 4 string Jazz bass. For that the Fender standard of 7.5-9.5" is ideal. (My 7.5"Marcus Millee bass sold me on a substantial radius)

Also the weight of the alder body is a negative factor. It feels like Maple
Yes I wrote I don't mind it, but it is without doubt my heaviest bass.

I just ordered a used fretless VM Squier from an Indy GC for $198 out the door & should a done that earlier. My reason for not doing it earlier was the Agathis body & sunburst finish. Agathis can have sound absorptive properties but a fretless bass is ancillary & the comfort of the light body & 9.5" radius is appealing now. As for Sunburst, it will be rectified with a can of Burgundy spray paint & a black pickgaurd. If the basz is in good condition & doesn't do a back dive it is a keeper. The KSD I justddon't want to play. Even the bridge & saddles are flimsy.

 

[bholder]

Since I commented earlier about the possibility of a batch of Sire fretless V7s, they're out now, I have one, very very very nice, and they are now a regularly orderable option (may still have to wait for the next batch, and they're awfully busy, but they are selling a whole lot of basses).

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Well, as it's Christmastime and wife asked to buy me a bass, I was looking at both the KSD's and Sires.
Given the complaints against Ken Smith, the large fretboard and heavy bodies of KSD, I think I'm going to ask for a new Sire.
I called the number on the Sire website and got through to a very nice gentleman. He helped walk me through how to order just what I was looking for.
I have one more bass to look at -- the Schecter Vintage J style sunburst lefty. This is where I'm limited. Most of the basses are left handed. The Schecter J style looks very nice and has a MM pickup on it, which I like a lot.
So, no KSD bass for me...

 

[madbass6]

Not true. Ken Smith is being paid for the use of his name on the product. He does not build nor support the instruments and he will tell you that at the drop of a hat! The photos of him on their website are misleading.

Wow !! So Am I the only one in the world that thinks asociating a name (especially a reputable name)
like "Ken Smith !" But having nothing to do with the production/ sales / parts etc. Of the product would be considered false advertising ?
I mean it says it rite on the head stock ! Ken smith design ! Yet ken smith himself flat out says he has nothing to do with it!! Obviously it's not a ken smith! even Worse ,
how can (ken smith ) agree to that!! Total BS !

 

[gimmeagig]

I still have my KSD 5 string and it's great, but only after spending a whole lot of time and money on it. I like tweaking with my basses. All of them are modified. I did endless modifications on the KSD and for the most part I enjoyed the process. It's strung E to C with a two stage D tuner. I totally love it. But if I were in the market for a relatively inexpensive bass now, then the KSD would not be on my list. Partially because I also have been shut down by Ken Smith when I called him trying to get some info about a faulty truss rod on that bass. So there is not going to be any Ken Smith bass in the future for me.
I would go with the Sire V7 vintage with the 70s placement. I would get rid of the pickups and the preamp replace them with EMGs and their active two band EQ. I would replace the bridge with a Hipshot quick release. Done. If I didn't have 7 really nice basses already I would still want to do a project like that. But I can't justify it.Another great option would be a Carvin SB5000 a bit more money but still a great deal for what you are getting.

 

[madbass6]

From what I've heard and seen here and elsewhere I'd prefer to avoid speaking to him anyways. Not exactly renowned for his friendly disposition.

Sorry but i totally disagree !! Ken Smith is one of the most amazing human beings you'll ever deal with! Trust me, I own three Ken Smith Basses including a top of the line BSR EG6! And From my experience dealing with him his ALWAYS returned calls, talk to me personally ! He's just very down to earth guy! I'm sure others Will agree!

 

[Olaf on the KSD]

"Does anyone have playing time on the Sire and a Proto J to compare?"
I own two KSD proto j fivestring basses and a Sire V7 fivestring. The KSDs are better than my Sire in every respect.

 

[gimmeagig]

I have never heard any stock KSD sound even close as good as the Sire Vintage series which sounds exactly lik the mid 70s Fender Jazz. The neck pickup on the KSD is in the wrong place for that sound . I have a KSD and it's been my favorite bass for the last 12 years. I have bought other great basses in that time but I'll always come back to that one. But I changed absolutely everything on it. Spent a lot of money but I had fun doing it . And the end result is worth the effort. I just sold an Xotic bass and now I bought a Tagima TJB 5 bass. Brazilian company but the bass was made in China.When I got it it was better than the KSD was but still less than impressive. That is my next project. I have a feeling this is going to be a good one.