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Coming from my experience with smiths owning 4 currently and 1 that sold today. They all sound very familiar. You can’t go wrong.
Can only speak to (for) my '95 CR5MA. Absolutely love it, but that's
a common response from any Smith owner. I've used it in two prog
country outfits and a corporate show band as we were doing a couple
Steely Dan tunes and it nailed the "Peg" tone. Understandably.
Instrumental Jeff Beck and RTF. Flat radius neck and Pau Ferro
fretboard w low action so it slaps easily and very fluid. Rounded
edges makes it very comfortable. I've gotten a good piano attack
and sustain out of it with an Ashley BP41/ Crown setup.
Not the "best bass for metal". Push pull preamp allows passive.
"Versatile" is subjective and more dependent on the player. IMO.
It'll bring out the best in your abilities. $3K back in '98. Worth it.
PauFerro! Thank you very much for your response ! I will listen to your opinion!
You gave me valuable insight!
Yup I noticed it too. I kinda wonder if ken will ever retire along with mike Tobias, vinny,Joey and all those other luthiers that set custom building to where it is now.
I get that feeling too. The difference is that Fodera have a team trained that would continue to build the basses exactly the same and MTD his son will continue the legacy so the basses would be build the same. I just feel that even Brubaker will continue with the production, the KS basses they are not the same as attention to detail to match the previous basses goes.
In addition the value of the used KS has increased. Several years back, you could get a used KS from $3000-$3500 average and now they cost $4500 average.
Agreed. Not having a succession plan is a problem. Fodera, MTD and Sadowsky all got ahead of it so, hopefully, those brands will live on for another generation.
It will be sad if brands like KD and Pedulla fade away.
Funny how some are saying they don't think the new basses will be as good. As far as I know KS has had a team of people from day one and the 'old' basses actually can come from a variety of places/makers.
Either way, these things always happen - for example there's a real sense that the early/pre 90s basses are the 'golden era' based on what I'm not sure (though I do prefer the old headstock). More often than not these are myths built up in the minds of some fans that build expectations beyond what's reasonable.
Either way, these things always happen - for example there's a real sense that the early/pre 90s basses are the 'golden era' based on what I'm not sure (though I do prefer the old headstock). More often than not these are myths built up in the minds of some fans that build expectations beyond what's reasonable.
Yes, although Ken often finished the basses I believe the bodies have been outsourced at various times. I read it somewhere where Ken was saying how he’d travel to pick up the bodies to finish in his shop.
Here you go, from Ken himself. And during what people say are the best years for his instruments. So, in all respects, the basses won’t be any different. The only reason there was no fuss about it back then was because it’s before everything got argumentative on the internet
Attachments
I see what you mean. He does talk about the eighties though, his first decade. Since then it was all made in his shop and there had never been such an announcement released. The current change is way more significant than ever before. No way you could say 'business as usual'...
Yes it’s not business as usual but I bet nobody could tell the difference, it’s just unfortunate that there’s likely to be a ‘pre Brubaker’ moniker appearing shortly.
I’m sure Ken did his homework and we won’t be able to tell the difference just like we can’t currently tell which employee carved our particular Smiths.
I’m sure Ken did his homework and we won’t be able to tell the difference just like we can’t currently tell which employee carved our particular Smiths.
Quadzilla
Supporting Member
Have to disagree with you here. Have you ever laid your hands on a U.S. made Brubacker (all of which Kevin makes himself)? I've laid my hands on several Brubakers, Foderas, pre-Gibson Tobias, Smiths, etc, etc and I can assure you that Kevin's attention to detail is as good as any, including the "pre-Brubaker Smiths". I have been to Kevin's shop since taking on the Smith builds. He walked me through the process and I saw several Smiths in various stages of build and left in-awe what he was doing. He's dead-set on building them at the same level (or even better if that's possible)....
Actually there is indeed a visual difference that implies a different body curving. So for now, you could tell just by looking. Besides that I agree with everything else you said.
