The Ken Smith Club

[DONZI97]

Yep, I always have a Smith in the stable and for some reason I prefer bolt ons.
Here's a clip of a gig I had last week, the Smith sounded so good...

Wow, thats a real fat tone, just curious, do you have series/parallel switches on that bass? I have 92 CR5 Bolt on, and don't get anywhere close to that fatness. Was that recorded through the board?

Edit, I read back a couple of posts and noticed you do have the S/P Switches. So were they in P mode for those clips?

 

[b-for-beatles]

Yep, I always have a Smith in the stable and for some reason I prefer bolt ons.
Here's a clip of a gig I had last week, the Smith sounded so good...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeYfTlVLlGU

Sounds great Danny. That's the tone I've been searching for. So fat and solid.

 

[Danny R.]

Thanks guys!
I used the DI on my Genz Benz Streamliner (flat) to the board, the bridge switch in the "up" position and the neck switch in the "down" position. I always boost the bass and treble at around 5/8 and cut the mids at around 3/8, the balance is right in the middle.

The video was recorded with my Canon Vixia HFS21, I got a line from the board and plugged it straight to the mic input.

 

[DONZI97]

That tone makes me want to retrofit mine with the switches, I have the old 2 band eq on it.

 

[Whatisbass]

I want the switches on mine to.I don't know how much $$$ would it take that do it on my bass. Hmmm any ideas guys?

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Generally retrofits are not cheap... Though I'm sure it can be done...

I got my BMT6EG WITHOUT exposed pole pieces in the pickups, and now I want them... Impossible to be done Mr Ken Smith says... Says the body needs to be thicker or something, I don't remember the exact reason...

Oh well It actually makes me want to trade my bass for a 6er w/ exposed poles!

 

[carlis]

Generally retrofits are not cheap... Though I'm sure it can be done...

I got my BMT6EG WITHOUT exposed pole pieces in the pickups, and now I want them... Impossible to be done Mr Ken Smith says... Says the body needs to be thicker or something, I don't remember the exact reason...

Oh well It actually makes me want to trade my bass for a 6er w/ exposed poles!

Why is that...

My 5EG has poles in the pickups and I find my fingers stuck (or dragged by?) in those holes from time to time...

I will go for a 6er with flat top pickups by any chance, but they seem to be very rare.

 

[DONZI97]

I didn't know there was a difference....

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

I find my sixer with the exposed poles is more balanced dynamically between strings.

I'll go back and revisit my emails where I talked with Ken Smith about the swap.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Yeah the inside needs to be re-carved to accommodate the exposed pole piece pickups.

It's been a long time since I have made adjustments to the BMT, maybe ill explore it again.try to get a more balanced tone out of it.

I wonder if you can go the other way though, exposed to non.

 

[DONZI97]

Question for ya, since you are the string master, and owner of Smiths, what strings do you recommend? I use mine for Classic to modern rock, funk and jazz, and am looking for a good all around sting for my Smith. I don't slap, pretty much Fingerstyle, and have the nickel Burners on it now(purchased from you of course). Should I try the steels or no?

 

[JimS]

Yep, I always have a Smith in the stable and for some reason I prefer bolt ons.
Here's a clip of a gig I had last week, the Smith sounded so good...

You're band is fantastic!!!!!!!!

 

[Danny R.]

Thanks!!
I've been playing on and off with them for the past 3 years. Their bass player passed away a few weeks ago so they asked me to join the band full time..........

You're band is fantastic!!!!!!!!

 

[Whatisbass]

Rip for a fellow bass player

 

[Whatisbass]

Generally retrofits are not cheap... Though I'm sure it can be done...

I got my BMT6EG WITHOUT exposed pole pieces in the pickups, and now I want them... Impossible to be done Mr Ken Smith says... Says the body needs to be thicker or something, I don't remember the exact reason...

Oh well It actually makes me want to trade my bass for a 6er w/ exposed poles!

I'm sure it would not be cheap. But it's something I would like to do in the future. Also would like to get the dots on the fret board.

 

[Whatisbass]

so im think of getting custom wooden knobs that go with my 6 string ks, should i get 3/4 or 7/8. What size do you think is best ?

 

[bottomzone]

Question for ya, since you are the string master, and owner of Smiths, what strings do you recommend? I use mine for Classic to modern rock, funk and jazz, and am looking for a good all around sting for my Smith. I don't slap, pretty much Fingerstyle, and have the nickel Burners on it now(purchased from you of course). Should I try the steels or no?

I was a die hard Ken Smith string user-until I tried Sadowsky Blue Label stainless steels. They last a whole lot longer and sound and feel amazing!

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

 

[carlis]

I was a die hard Ken Smith string user-until I tried Sadowsky Blue Label stainless steels. They last a whole lot longer and sound and feel amazing!

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

Same thing here.

I was using Ken Smith strings almost exclusively until I found Sadowsky Blue Label nickels. I'm considering a try on their SS.

Anyway, they're both good strings.... I may alter between them for aesthetic considerations (purple and blue silk to match different headstocks)

 

[Danny R.]

 

[carlis]

Miserably I took a look at my Ken Smith's fingerboard today and found it riddle with "grains"...

Please someone come up and tell me that's normal/acceptable...