1998 Burner???

[Chuck Cheesman]

Hi all,

I just introduced myself over in the intro.

I'm not a bass player but may be soon. Someone offered me a possible trade of a Burner for a 12-string guitar I have listed FS/FT in another forum. I'm looking for a good bass for recording.

I was told this is a 1998 Standard Burner. My old edition of the Blue Book makes me think this is actually a Custom.

http://s734.photobucket.com/albums/ww349/flagstaffcharli/bodie/

Assuming I make this trade, what might I expect from this bass. How does the tone compare to Fenders or Ernie Ball MM? And what might I need to use this in my home studio? DI or Amp? I'm a singer/songwriter... mostly acoustic.

Thanks so much for your help!

Chuck
Flagstaff, AZ

[Ken Smith]

Hi all,

I just introduced myself over in the intro.

I'm not a bass player but may be soon. Someone offered me a possible trade of a Burner for a 12-string guitar I have listed FS/FT in another forum. I'm looking for a good bass for recording.

I was told this is a 1998 Standard Burner. My old edition of the Blue Book makes me think this is actually a Custom.

http://s734.photobucket.com/albums/ww349/flagstaffcharli/bodie/

Assuming I make this trade, what might I expect from this bass. How does the tone compare to Fenders or Ernie Ball MM? And what might I need to use this in my home studio? DI or Amp? I'm a singer/songwriter... mostly acoustic.

Thanks so much for your help!

Chuck
Flagstaff, AZ

That is a BSR 'B' model Burner, Custom Maple 4-string. Not at all a Standard which was only made in solid black then. Get the serial # so I can confirm the year for you. We shipped only about 10 of this exact model in late 1998, the year we introduced the BSR 'B' model.

[Chuck Cheesman]

Thank you! I have a digital photo of the fretboard:

The numbers read 981605CM... the last number is obscured by a string. I'll try to get it from the seller. Here's the photo:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3250658371_70876c1e50_o.jpg

OK. I can see I'll need to learn to post photos here.

[Tim Bishop]

This is not a standard Burner. This is a BSR-B: Custom Burner.

If the bass is in original excellent condition, I don't think you will be disappointed. My first Ken Smith Bass was a new Burner 6-String Standard (onyx black). It also happened to be THE LAST 6-String Burner to leave Ken's shop before they were discontinued. I still have that bass. It is because of this bass (i.e. quality, feel, sound, etc.) I stayed with Smith basses.

Depending on the condition of this bass, you should see a value in the neighborhood of $800.00 to a $1,000.00.

[Ken Smith]

Thank you! I have a digital photo of the fretboard:

The numbers read 981605CM... the last number is obscured by a string. I'll try to get it from the seller. Here's the photo:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3250658371_70876c1e50_o.jpg

OK. I can see I'll need to learn to post photos here.

The last # is a 4, =4-string but, the first #/Ltr. is a 'B' for BSR 'B'. Under the 'B' under the E-string and not shown either.

The serial number, date of completion and my signature are hand written on the inside of the back plate over the shielding foil. It should read as B981605CM4.

[Chuck Cheesman]

Ken,

Thank you very much for the information regarding this instrument.

The fellow trading this bass was curious about what I'd learned about his bass, but even after seeing this thread and the fact that his bass is a different model he has agreed to the exchange. I probably still won't see the bass for at least a week.

I thought I was looking for a Music Man or a Fender bass. Obviously, I've got to try this thing out, but it looks much more interesting. I can't afford high end "boutique" instruments, but I've always managed to find affordable alternatives - like my Bourgeois JRA guitar - that retain some of the unique "mojo" of higher end instruments.

So I expect this will be fun!

And I'll be back back here after my new, old bass arrives. :)

[Chuck Cheesman]

Oh... Thanks Tim as well! I don't know how accurate those numbers are, but they are just right for making our trade seem reasonable!

[Tim Bishop]

Oh... Thanks Tim as well! I don't know how accurate those numbers are, but they are just right for making our trade seem reasonable!
You're welcome!

"Accurate"?.....

If you're talking about $ value accuracy, the "numbers" I gave you, ($800. -$1,000.) for this model bass in original/excellent condition, are accurate. ;)

[Chuck Cheesman]

Thanks Tim! I believe you. :)

Hopefully the $ value will not matter. Hopefully, I'll like it enough to keep it for a long, long time.

I've been on a mission the past couple years to sort out my guitars so that each one is a keeper. I don't collect them. But if I can find a reason to regularly play it, it sticks around. I've got my two main acoustic six string guitars, a keeper twelve-string, and a Fender Srat that has become part of the family. I thought once those were in place I'd be over GAS. But I keep discovering other things I need. Like a bass. Or a mandolin. Or a mandola.

At least I haven't started thinking about a banjo yet! :eek:

[Tim Bishop]

Thanks Tim! I believe you. :)
I thought once those were in place I'd be over GAS. But I keep discovering other things I need. Like a bass. Or a mandolin. Or a mandola.
At least I haven't started thinking about a banjo yet! :eek:

Believe me when I tell ya; I understand about the "GAS" thing! :D

[Chuck Cheesman]

...supposed to be here today! :)

[Tim Bishop]

Great! Looking forward to hearing back from you once you get the bass. Remember, set-up is everything! ;) Make sure strings are fresh and action is set-up for YOU! ;) :)

[Chuck Cheesman]

It's a beauty, and it looks much better in person.

I don't have a proper amp so I'm playing it through a little Roland Cube monitor. I can find my way around it from years of guitar, but I have no real bass skills. :o I really don't deserve a nice bass like this.

The "A" buzzes pretty good if I play it even medium hard. Minor adjustment I'm thinking. Sending any instrument up to 7000 feet in the dead of winter is going to mess with it I think.

I'll get some proper photos soon.

I've been thinking about a small combo. I've no need for anything big, but I might try accompanying another local acoustic songwriter at a coffee shop for fun. Carvin has something called a BR-15 for what seems a very reasonable price. Any ideas if that would be a reasonable first amp? I will likely record direct, but I don't like practicing with headphones.

Ken, I'm sure you know this, but you make nice instruments! :)

Cheers,
Chuck

[Tim Bishop]

Sounds like you need a good set-up on your bass. It's always best to keep the bass in the case when not playing. It's also good to store your guitars in a climate controlled room: Monitored humidity level at 47% and you'll be good. ;)

Not sure what you want to spend on an amp, however, here's what I believe to be the best bass combo amp on the market ;).

http://www.eden-electronics.com/products/combos/indiv/dc210xlt.asp

Keep your eyes open on eBay for one of these. I've seen them go in the $850. range which is absolutely a steal :eek:. If you find one at this price, grab it! It will most likely be the last bass amp you will ever need. ;):)

[Chuck Cheesman]

Sounds like you need a good set-up on your bass. It's always best to keep the bass in the case when not playing. It's also good to store your guitars in a climate controlled room: Monitored humidity level at 47% and you'll be good. ;)

Not sure what you want to spend on an amp, however, here's what I believe to be the best bass combo amp on the market ;).

http://www.eden-electronics.com/products/combos/indiv/dc210xlt.asp

Keep your eyes open on eBay for one of these. I've seen them go in the $850. range which is absolutely a steal :eek:. If you find one at this price, grab it! It will most likely be the last bass amp you will ever need. ;):)


Well... the amp is a little out of my range at the moment. I also bought an old Guild 12-string guitar and some recording gear recently. Now I need to behave. ;) I just need something to get me playing. :)

I understand about the humidity. My guitars are kept 45-50% at all times. But that Bass has been riding in UPS trucks since Monday. It's cold out there. And there is something about living at 7000 feet above sea level. Every instrument I've ever brought up here needed a set-up almost immediately. So yep, this bass is going to need one.

Thanks for all the help Tim! I have a feeling this bass is a keeper!

[Bob Faulkner]

Enjoy, and welcome to the bassist brotherhood! In time you will understand the folly of that puny guitar and become one with the bass!

[Chuck Cheesman]

Thanks Bob!

OK. Dumb question: Which knob is which? Obviously the one closest the strings is the volume, and that's the one to pull for passive. Which reminds me... the battery is dead. Do I open up the back to repalce the battery?

Below the volume knob and next to it appear to control tone? Which is which? The bottom one appears to effect the treble more? I'm not used to messing with bass tone.

Diagonal from volume (closest to the jack) I can't quite figure out. Does it blend the pick-ups? Which way for neck? Which way for bridge.

I bought a Yorkville Bassmaster 100 for 300 bucks. Seemed like a really good deal - the local guitar shop matched an online price - and it was what I could afford. I did some playing today. Fun stuff. I haven't quite discovered the tone I'm looking for yet, but I've got to get a new set of strings on it. And, well... :o I have a lot of practicing and experimenting to do! LOL I'll bet I'm the least bass-wise guy on this forum at the moment.

[Chuck Cheesman]

Enjoy, and welcome to the bassist brotherhood! In time you will understand the folly of that puny guitar and become one with the bass!


Well.... the bass is quite a bit longer. But my Guild F212 has more girth, three times as many strings, and if the power goes out it is about 100 times louder! :p

Somehow, I can't picture myself doing a two-hour set of my originals with only a bass as accompaniment! :eek: These coffee shops can be pretty lonely gigs as it is.

[Jason Mendelson]

much better than a fender or music man!

great catch!

[Tim Bishop]

Thanks Bob!

OK. Dumb question: Which knob is which? Obviously the one closest the strings is the volume, and that's the one to pull for passive. Which reminds me... the battery is dead. Do I open up the back to repalce the battery?

Yes, the Volume and Passive/Active Control is closest to strings and Neck P/U. Yes, open the back and replace the battery: Sounds like it's dead if you can't discern between Passive/Active and/or Tone Controls.

Below the volume knob and next to it appear to control tone? Which is which? The bottom one appears to effect the treble more? I'm not used to messing with bass tone.

The Control below and closest to the Volume Control is the P/U Pan/Blend: Clock-wise for neck P/U; counter-clock-wise for Bridge P/U; center detent for both Neck and Bridge P/U.

Diagonal from volume (closest to the jack) I can't quite figure out. Does it blend the pick-ups? Which way for neck? Which way for bridge.

The Control closest to the Input Jack is your Bass Tone Control. The Control above you Bass Tone Control and next to the Volume Control, is your Treble Tone Control.



Hope this helps if you haven't figured it all out by now.

[Ken Smith]

One special note I would like to add about the BSR B Custom models are the wood.

On these Basses wit 2-pc bodies and not the earlier 3-pc ones as seen on the Burners, the wood was from our shop that was not only cut and dried by us but I personally picked out each board from the Mill myself. I would drive to an upstate Pa. Lumber mill and go thru the piles of Curly Maple (tiger') and select the boards that met my personal grading specs. The wood was freshly cut and needed to be dried. I would personally drive the rented truck up and back to the mill to buy the wood. The following day we would cut a small piece off the end of each board and apply a sealing wax and then stack the lumber with spacers for natural air drying. The wood would sit for about a 2 year minimum inside the heated building before usage to ensure proper acclimation. For basses made with wood cut before 1998/9 we would use maple that had been purchased many years earlier that was already kiln dried but still was stacked to acclimate in our building.

We would then cut the body woods selecting 2 matched pieces that were consecutive from the boards and then wax them once again and store them for future use on the Burner Basses. When we stopped the production of the Burner Basses, we continued to use all of the Body sets we had cut earlier on the J and M model. All of the 2-pc Js and Ms that were made since about the year 2000 (maybe some earlier) were made from these very same sets of wood.

Here are some interesting photos o f the shop showing the lumber and sets used for the 'B' model.

The pile closest to my left hand is 2" (8/4) Tiger/Curly Maple dried and stacked, acclimating in the shop until it needs to be cut into body parts;
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/ft/lumbersection/images/lumber1.jpg

Here is some fresh Maple (at that time), prepared with waxed ends and stacked for drying just after a trip from the lumber Mill;
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/ft/lumbersection/images/dated.jpg

Here is a pic of some Walnut sets getting end-waxed to be put into stock for further acclimation. This wood has already been dried but each time we cut a fresh edge, waxing it helps to prevent end splits until the set is made into a Bass body;
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/ft/lumbersection/images/woodwax.jpg

Here is the world renown Bassist Melvin Davis visiting the shop to pick out some wood for his 'then' next Bass and pointing to a shelf full of Figured Maple and Walnut body sets freshly cut with waxed ends for acclimation until which time we ship them to Japan for Burner production. Many of these sets later became J and M models when the Burners were discontinued;
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/md/md04.JPG