Show your Smith bass!
 

How could this forum be complete without a place to show off our beautiful instruments?

Let us see those Smith basses!!

Mine is a 2001 BSR4EG fretless and can be found on Ken's BSR Elite G page. It's the quilted maple BSR4EG fretless right in the middle of that row.

Direct link:
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...ss_quilmap.htm

And a more recent picture:

http://www.delusionalmind.com/equip/...seup072306.jpg

I love looking at Smith basses so show em off!

Wow Bob!
I've only seen one KS bass down here... it was a 6 string and made my mouth water.
Mind you, I've just put strings on my '78 fretted jazz bass and it's really honking!

I was originally going to get a Jackson custom fretless bass but they "lost my order" after 5 months of a projected 9 went by, even though I had a printed copy of the order and a fax copy of the design. They refused to budge and said I would have to reorder and look at another 9 months for delivery so I told em to forget it (hind sight being 20/20 I'm very happy this happened). When I was in Guitar Center that day they had a used Smith 5 string (forget the exact model) there and I played it for about an hour. It was an incredible instrument. I still can't fathom what someone traded it in for. Anyway, I went home and did some research on Smith basses and the 2 days later was on a conference call with Guitar Center and Ken discussing the details of my custom bass order.


He projected 7 months if I recall and delivered it in 5. When I went to pick it up there were a lot of salivating people standing around admiring it when I walked in.

And Ken, I see you edited my post to add Smith to the title. I assumed people would know I meant show your Smith Bass. And how about showing us some of your personal favorite basses you have produced or currently still play?

My favorites?
 

Well, that's a tough one. I play every Bass that goes out and once in awhile, a Bass hits me like real personally. It could be the feel, the sound, the looks or all of it.

I changed your title so there would be zero confusion about what we wanna see up here.

On the GC thing, just a friendly note, as we no longer do business with GC. Anyone wishing to buy a Smith, contact us directly so we can either steer you to a Smith dealer in your normal direct shopping area (your town) or sell you directly which we often do now as we have cut many of our dead-beat dealers in place of servicing our customers better.

Beautiful bass you have there by the way...:cool:

Hey Bob, I have to wonder myself when I hear of people getting rid of their Smith ... especially someone like Andrew Gouche, who recently sold his (older body style) 6 string on - believe it or not - his MYSPACE site ! On top of that, he endorses Tobias basses, and has about 5 or 6 of them.
I think I'm gonna throw up ...
I thank Ken for actually selling these things after finishing laboring for six months - hell, I would just keep them all for myself ! Which is exactly what I will do with this one ... Shame on you Andrew.

pictures please!

An old KS
 

This is my 92´ Burner, having good results from it.

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/3769/img4om.th.jpg

Nice. It looks brand new! Hard to believe that thing is 17 years old!

My Smiths!

'96 BMT Elite G 6 String Fretted

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1020066.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1020079.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1040760.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1040762.jpg

'98 BSR Elite G 6 Frettless
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1040753.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1040754.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1040756.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...6/P1040758.jpg

Wow.. Those are some beautiful basses man. The grain pattern on that BSR is incredible!

Thanks I love it too! Was really pleased when I got it for the first time!

I like your 4 string... Ive been thinking of getting a lesser stringed smith :D

Gotta be brazilian lace wood, eh?

I think the reason it looks different is since the wood is cut crossing the grain rather then along with it like on tobias basses and other lacewood tops ive seen...

Beautiful quilted top you got there!

The 5 strings feel great! Would love to add that one to my collection :D

I have a new smith on the way... a KSD... :D

By the way, do any of you guys have problem with heavy heads? I mean, my 92´ burner´s got a huge head and when it comes to play this bass standing up, OMG, the neck goes all the way down.
If this ever happened to you how did you manage to control it?

Balancing..
 

On the Basses with our original BT shape, most players rest their arm on the Body when playing.:cool:

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/artist...ckMurdock1.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/artist...ickMurdock.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/artist...hotos/kch9.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/artist...s/KCHunter.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/artist...s/jimmyAli.jpg

And Stanley here; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/artist...istsbanner.jpg

Players shown above; Derrick Murdock, KC Hunter and Jimmy Ali.

Finally!! A Smith Forum!!!
 

Man, am I glad to see this!

Thanks for setting this kind of thing up, Mr. Smith.

I am a loyal Smith player. I've had MANY basses and yours are the ones I keep coming back to... I shall never stray from the fold again.

Here's my baby, It's a BSR-6 Elite G with a Morado top & back.

I'm not the original owener... I think I'm the 3rd. But in it's history, the finish is not perfect. I'm wondering if you do refinshes to give it back that "like new" appearance and feel?

Oh, and by the way...
I call dibs on the first
BSR7EG / MD7 or BB7FE25 that gets posed for sale on this (or any) website!!

http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/2784/dcao02424ho.jpg
http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/1818/dcao02451vi.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6442/dcao02510mg.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6084/dcao02556es.jpg
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/8749/dcao02575sd.jpg

Re-fins..
 

Yes, we do all sorts of restorations on our Basses unless it's been run over by a truck and then burned at the stake. If a Smith Bass can be restored, we will take the job.

On the 7-string, we had 2 of them in stock for quite a while and then in one week out of the blue, we get two separate calls and see them both..
Go figure..:confused:

Yeah sorta...
 

But I'm partial to darker tops and ever since ebay changed their policy to hide the names of bidders when the price exceeds a certain amount, I don't even participate.... too easy to get taken advantage of...ebay is for sellers... NOT buyers. Plus, at that price, I will save for a new one instead of a 2 year old one.

However, that IS a really nice looking one. I bet it plays like BUTTA!! I've been saving for 6 months, by the end of this year, I should be ready to place my order. Hopefully, there'll be a stoopid curly piece of cocobolo laying around!!

Ken Smith Refurbs
 

Mr. Smith,

I think that your instruments are awesome and I am glad that you offer the refurbishing services. I shipped my CR5GMW to you today. It is outstanding that in this day and age you can pick up the phone and speak to the craftsman himself about your instrument.

Thank you,

Bill Doss :D

i almost had an orgasm looking at that 7 string

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...bass/00019.jpg
Here is one of mine that I miss dearly.:(

I had a chance to get a smith just like this one... I regret not picking it up when I had the chance...

The Smith Collection
 

Here's a shot of my treasures, it took me a little while to collect them, but well worth the wait. I have a CR4MW 4 string, a
BT EG 5 string and my latest addition that's currently being repaired by Ken Smith a CR6 6 string all different woods from Tiger Maple to Walnut. They are all great basses and serve me well. I currently play for The MT. Carmel Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir, The Associated Praise Team and a youth group by the name of Unified Souls.

Al Smith:D
My Group
http://www.mtcbcyonkers.org/Ministries.htm

Are you sure that's a BSR5EG? It looks like a BT5EG to me..

Beautiful basses!

Thanks your right a type-o on my part

Round 2?
 

Well, I think that is something we can do. You also must understand how we slot the fingerboards which is the same for fretted or lined fretless. The accuracy must be 100% with no guess work in the spacing. This is our slotting machine here that we made years ago.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/ft/sho...es/cut_fbd.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/ft/sho...n/gangsaw.html

I guess we could modify the Jig to cut only the sides like your photo suggests.

A lot of people seem to like those side markers. I personally like the lined look though.

Lined Look..
 

Here's the lined look;
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...4EG-FL-5AT.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...%28body%29.jpg

Should have used my own bass to demonstrate! :D

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...ilmap_body.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...p_fullshot.JPG

spotless?
 

Spotless like this?
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...ubingabody.JPGhttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...essbubinga.jpg

These only have side dots, 3mm pearl.

In 3-d
 

The craftmanship that went into creating that piece of art is simply breath taking. The wood on that axe is so stunning it almost looks as though its in 3-D. :eek:

Frettless with lines confuses me... I always play just behind the line as if it were a frett....

I posted my unlined frettless 6 on the first page of this thread :D

You must learn to ignore the lines!

Dog Meat?
 

The wood used would depend on the model as far as we are concerned. Our Ebony has some stripes but not always visible. This is a Top Wood and not a solid wing material. Ebony is best finished in Lacquer as the Oil does not look as good being that Ebony is an oily wood in itself. Walnut is another choice and the shade of darkness varies but never as dark as Ebony. Some of our Imbuia is dark as well as Cocobolo. With Cocobolo, we get into the Finish process again. Woods like Ebony and Cocobolo are standard on the Elite models but available up-charged on lower cost models with the Oil/Varnish finish.

By the way what kind of sound does dog meat have? Never made a bass with it so I am asking..:confused:

Headstock
 

Most Basses especially the Elites have a matching headcap, bookmatched. In Ebony, you can;t see the match so well but it's there.

My first post, so hello all!

At the moment I have just one Smith, a BMT Elite G from 1994. It is, hands down, the best bass I have ever owned (and I've owned a lot).

I bought it a few years back, and it was originally fretless and had seen some wear. The guy I bought it from said it had been owned by Reba McIntire's bassist, but I can't confirm if that is true or not.

Anyway, I returned it to Ken to be refinished and have the sp switches fitted. It was given a general overhaul and a few other bits tidied up.

Now it plays like a dream and has the most amazing tone. The fingerboard is one thick slab of ebony that gives the bass massive sustain and presence in the mix. I love it!

Here it is hanging out with my Epi rig...

http://www.btinternet.com/~garethand...ulworthrig.JPG

Cheers

Gareth

Doc, that is a beat. I want to post pictures of mine, but i still dont know how to put a picture on here.

this is Tigris my Black Tiger 5
 

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/2...ksb3tx5jl2.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/9105/desksb7th8.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6915/desksb2xp7.jpg

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/6169/desksb1tl6.jpg

Hello Desmund, awsome axe and rig, question though? what peice of gear is that seated underneath your Epi head?