loss of brilliance

[Axel Weiss]

Hello everybody,
after listening John Patitucci's first CD and Al Jarreau's "Hearts Horizon" in 1988 I was totally convinced and overwhelmed by the Smith tone. Immediately I bought a BT6 (3 knobber, mahagony core, Koa top), the only available in Germany at that time and I'm still playing that instrument.
In particular I love that brilliant "click" in the higher frequency range while striking the strings of Smith basses.
However, I've got a notion that brilliance of the bass has decreased advanced in years ?! Any idea what could be the cause ? Meanwhile the polepieces are rusted a little, have been adjusted for several times and are not in factory setting anymore. Apart from that the bass is in good condition.

[Ken Smith]

Hello everybody,
after listening John Patitucci's first CD and Al Jarreau's "Hearts Horizon" in 1988 I was totally convinced and overwhelmed by the Smith tone. Immediately I bought a BT6 (3 knobber, mahagony core, Koa top), the only available in Germany at that time and I'm still playing that instrument.
In particular I love that brilliant "click" in the higher frequency range while striking the strings of Smith basses.
However, I've got a notion that brilliance of the bass has decreased advanced in years ?! Any idea what could be the cause ? Meanwhile the polepieces are rusted a little, have been adjusted for several times and are not in factory setting anymore. Apart from that the bass is in good condition.

If that bass came in for repair, we would clean it up, re-adjust everything to the way we ship them out new and put our Smith TCRM strings on it. Usually that does the trick. We just got an old BT6 in with the same problem. A few hours later, it sounded like new BUT, the aged wood does mellow out the sound and smoothness over time. The brilliance is still there but matured. That's all we can do or say from reading your post. Only with the bass in my hands can I really do anything about it.

Hearing JP on a 1985 Smith on a recording is not the same as playing the same bass in your house.

[Christopher Rhodes]

I recently put a set of Burners, Light gauge, on my 1993 BMT. It totally came to life. The bass sounds better than it did when I purchased it. I started noticing the better tone output about 5 years ago. I am convinced, as it ages - the tone is getting better.

I read that neck thru basses have a stronger fundamentally lows than bolt-on necks. So a did some tests between my Smith neck-thru basses vs. the bolt-on necks - guess what - it is true. The Smith had a much stronger low end response and compared to the others.

So if you plug your neck-thru smith in amp that has EQ settings for a bolt-on bass - the Smith could sound muddy.

Additionally if you plug a bolt on bass in an amp with EQ settings for a neck-thru Smith - the bolt-on "most likely" will have very little to no low end response.

These are my observations...

And I could be wrong ;)

[Anton Hasias]

If that bass came in for repair, we would clean it up, re-adjust everything to the way we ship them out new and put our Smith TCRM strings on it. Usually that does the trick. We just got an old BT6 in with the same problem. A few hours later, it sounded like new BUT, the aged wood does mellow out the sound and smoothness over time. The brilliance is still there but matured. That's all we can do or say from reading your post. Only with the bass in my hands can I really do anything about it.

Hearing JP on a 1985 Smith on a recording is not the same as playing the same bass in your house.

Hello Mr.Smith,

Having the Smith bass serviced and fixed to Ken Smith LTD is a great idea.
However, when you live in Europe all things came very uncertain and cloudy considering that only the two ways shipment cost about 700$, the bass must pass two times the border from Europe to USA, etc.
So, my question now: Is it any procedure (some agreed carrier for shipment, custom declaratios, etc) we have to follow here in Europe in order to send the bass to you, have it serviced and receiving it back?
I am asking you because I suppose you have experienced this kind of problem during your long relationship with european musicians or dealers.

Thank you and best regards

[David Wolliston]

I recently put a set of Burners, Light gauge, on my 1993 BMT. It totally came to life. The bass sounds better than it did when I purchased it. I started noticing the better tone output about 5 years ago. I am convinced, as it ages - the tone is getting better.

I read that neck thru basses have a stronger fundamentally lows than bolt-on necks. So a did some tests between my Smith neck-thru basses vs. the bolt-on necks - guess what - it is true. The Smith had a much stronger low end response and compared to the others.

So if you plug your neck-thru smith in amp that has EQ settings for a bolt-on bass - the Smith could sound muddy.

Additionally if you plug a bolt on bass in an amp with EQ settings for a neck-thru Smith - the bolt-on "most likely" will have very little to no low end response.

These are my observations...

And I could be wrong ;)


Hiya Christopher,

Are there such amp settings that are specifically for Bolt-ons and neck-thru's? If so which one's?

[Ken Smith]

Unless the BO you tested and the NT you tested were the exact same model and woods and ALL features, there is no way to make a comparison. Even two basses of the same model or either design in the same woods might vary in tone.

The two comparable features between the BO and NT that cannot be altered are the neck construction joint and pitch angle. All else can be 100% identical with the 3rd exception of the center Neck wood or Center block in the BO. All else in the body and neck can be the same. The difference in the joint angles will matter as much or more than wood combinations. The neck construction, 3, 5, or 7 piece changes as well. Also the woods used to make up the neck.

The humidity in the air or room you play in will alter your EQ as much as anything else.

Go in to every gig or rehearsal with open ears. Start with the EQ you know and adjust it from there. No hokus pokus about it whatsoever..

[Christopher Rhodes]

Ken is right. There is no exact way to measure this. All types of variables come into play when dialing in "your" tone.

There are no specific amp settings - it is all subjective to your desired tone.

My experience has been to set my Smith bass flat, then EQ the amp to the point I like it. Next I use the EQ controls on the bass to "fine EQ" the tone if needed.

Again, these are just my observations - no scientific ****ysis of sound waves and such :D.

BTW: New strings seem to help a lot - I prefer Smith Burners on all my axes :D.

[Saul Hurtado]

Ken is right. There is no exact way to measure this. All types of variables come into play when dialing in "your" tone.

There are no specific amp settings - it is all subjective to your desired tone.

My experience has been to set my Smith bass flat, then EQ the amp to the point I like it. Next I use the EQ controls on the bass to "fine EQ" the tone if needed.

Again, these are just my observations - no scientific ****ysis of sound waves and such :D.

BTW: New strings seem to help a lot - I prefer Smith Burners on all my axes :D.

Christopher you hit right on the money! I like to do the same, set my KS flat, so it will give a neutral EQ on the electronics and let the wood do the work. Then I make adjustments to my amp's EQ, for the preferred sound of the style of music I'm playing.

I learned this technique about 12 years ago with a great bass player, he had a KS bolt on. He told me he likes to set his KS flat, let the wood work and EQ hte amp according to his taste. I've played with 2 KS basses in the past and I currently own one. Very Happy by the way! On all 3 KS basses this has worked for me.

Like you said no scientific method, I guess it just goes according to your ear and what you like.