New Product in the Wings!
 

For the past few years we have been toying with an idea that I'm going to share with you now. Although it is not yet ready for Market, it IS in the final stages of Design.

The Product is an outboard B.M.T. Preamp with a Practice Amp feature built in as well.

It is the exact same Preamp as used on our Basses but has been physically re-designed to fit in a small Box that can be clicked on and off with a foot switch.

With so many passive Fender type Basses on the market today, this will give you a Smith Preamp without needing any modifications to the Bass. Currently when a person installs a new preamp (ours or some other) it is IN the Bass. When you sell that Bass for whatever reason, taking it out might not be a good thing to do especially if it leaves unused holes that were added for the modification. In addition, the Bass you sell may not fetch any higher higher price due to the modification done to the instrument. With the Preamp outboard, you can sell the Bass and KEEP the Preamp to use with any other Bass you like.

With the D.I.P. switches inside the Box, this can also be used for the Double Bass that has a Pickup on it or even a Guitar. Actually, you can probably play Trumpet thru it as well as anything else you like since the EQ frequencies span such a broad range.

Taking a trip by Car, on a Bus or Train somewhere? Sit in the back seat (of the Car, recommended ;)) and plug your instrument in, hook up your head phones, use the PreAmp/Practice Amp on batteries or plug it into the DC charger (normally used for phone, GPS or lighter.. 'don't smoke':o) and practice while the other person Drives... Even with a Smith Bass, you can use this product if for nothing else but to practice with on a trip or late at night at home, in your Dorm room or even back stage on your Gig Breaks because it has the headphone feature.

So, do you guys think this is something you can find a use for?

Your thoughts? Questions?

The name of the Product? Well, it has a name but you will see it printed on the box when it comes out..:cool:

Excellent Idea Ken!
 

Genius again Ken. I don't believe there is anything comparable on the market. Any thoughts on weight, dimension, and cost that you would be willing to share with us? I realize that it is only in the planing stages, but if you did design such a wonderful tool, I'm sure the other manufactures would scurry to follow suit, as usual. It sounds too good to be true for all the Fender owners dying to achieve your trademark sound!

well..
 

Weight? .. Haven't completed one in the actual box yet but normal/average 'stomp box' weight if there is such a thing.

Dimension? .. Stomp Box on the medium to smaller size. It has a few knobs and stuff so it's not tiny but can be held in your hand. A belt-clip feature is on the table as well but not sure on that yet.

Cost? .. It will probably cost more than our 18V B.M.T. Preamp in Bulk that we sell now due to the fact is is that plus a Practice Amp and it's in a box so it's just more stuff.

I can say this, I think it looks pretty as far as the color I chose and the name is or will be 'catchy' to say the least.

Copied? Well, the market is not that huge for high end 'boxes' but we do expect some copy-cat action to occur.

I think this would be a hot seller, my dad for one would probably buy one for recording as he loves the sound of my smith over his jazz bass.
as for running it from the mains would it be possible to have a voltage selector switch on it Ken?

Stomp Box
 

Bravo Ken!!! I would buy the 1st proto type for my other non-Smith bass. This is great............

Mike

You mention this will have dip switches. It would be much more convenient if the features they provide were available without having to open the box. Are you planning on putting external switches in place of the dip switches so the user can easily adjust the settings on the fly?

Would a rack mountable version be possible?

Voltage..
 

Currently it has a 110v adapter to charge or run it thru the wall or as an 18v unit without line power. Adding a 110/220 converter internally would raise the production cost.

extras..
 

The switches are inside and intended for discrete changes and not as an 'on the fly' mixer.

Rack mount is not on the menu for this.

This is a stomp box 3-band preamp/practice amp!.. To keep this affordable and for the main purpose intended, these suggested additions would put it way of the current price point and the extras only usable to a small percentage of consumers. There are many possible features than can be added including making coffee but that idea as well has been scraped..:p

The rack mount option is the biggie for me as I plan on ditching my bass head in favor of a discrete preamp/poweramp setup with a rack mount power amp in the 1.5KW range. It's hard to find a good yet simple rack mount preamp these days.

Hard to find?
 

Hard to find??? It's simple to create your own rack mounted set-up. You just have to step out and decided to do it. In the end, you get what you pay for. ;)

Testing completed..
 

I just finished the last basic test with the headphones. Everything up to that point had been tested and approved.

I hope to have a working proto-type to show in early June at the upcoming Double Bass convention (ISB) being held at Penn State (June 8-13) which is only about 3 hours drive from my shop.

Those of you that are attending the show are welcome to come by, say hello, try whatever we have on display (DBs for DB players only, lol) and even visit the shop the following week if you are still in the area.

After the first few units are completed, I will post some pictures as well as a full listing of all the features and specs.

Although I have had a few requests or suggestion as to what to put in this box, we will have to stay with our original plan to keep the board designs and box size originally planned as well as to keep the cost down.

aux input?
 

Ken, will your headphone amp also have an aux input? Such as practicing with an external source like a metronome, CD player, etc.? :cool:

ahh..
 

No.. I can make it fry Bacon as well but that will inflate the price to the other 99.99% buyers..

Don't metronomes have silent lights as well?

There is an input for a headphone (1/8th") for practicing. You can however use the 'phones as a monitor and still play thru the Amp like in the studio to heard yourself better. Both the Amp input and H'phones work at the same time.

Hey sounds really neat! I would get one!

I would think price range would have to be in the $89 - $129 range for a foot pedal...

I remember back in the day, I had a little jam box thing that you plugged your bass into and you listend to it through head phones... I cant remember what its called, its in a drawer in my parents house in florida though...

As far as a name, keep it simple...

Ken Smith BMT Pre-Amp Foot Switch

Label on the thing would be:

Ken Smith
BMT Pre

how much??
 

I have seen preamps going from the $200-$400 range on the Market. This one IS the BMT unit currently in our Bass plus other features and it's in a Box. The Preamp currently goes for much more than that figure and that's just in a bag in bulk!

yeah thinking about it more... it is a pre-amp... not an effects box...

My BBE Sonic Maximizer (which I bought like 12 years ago), was a few hundred dollars... and its a rackmount...

A rack mount / studio option would be killer with XLR out ;)

rack?
 

This is a portable version, not a rack mount. Can you practice with a rack mount in the back of a car? Can you throw a rack mound unit in your gig bag and use it easily with any bass or amp, setting it up in seconds?

This is the current version of the Smith 18V BMT circuit that can be used active or passive and has the internal DIP switches as well. Also, you can use it for practice with head phones or use the headphones while you play thru an amp or studio board as a monitor in your ears directly without turning up the amp volume. The Practice amp/headphone function has its own volume control as well.

You can use this for Bass Guitar, Double Bass, elec/acc Guitar.. and just about anything that has a pickup, even horns I guess as well as keyboards. The EQ range with the DIPs is just about endless in range.

Do you know of another product on the market yet as versatile and as portable as this one?

For those of you with non-Smith Basses that have thought about upgrading your circuit, why bother. Get the Box. Use it as long as you keep your non-'S' Bass and when you sell that Bass and get another non-'S' bass, keep the Box for the new bass. If you had spent money to buy a Smith circuit or any other circuit plus the labor to modify and install it, when you sell that bass, there goes your investment along with a possibly de-valued altered xyz brand bass that might have fetched a better price if left original.

This Box has been in the works for years now. We were just too busy to get it completed. The recent slower economy has freed up the time to get it done. I just might have a working unit on display at the ISB show next month. Currently, I just have the test unit in a box about 3x the size it will be when all done.

This will be the unit to get a EQ Smith sound without doing the work to modify your non-Smith bass. We are talking about a size that is less than 4"x5"x2" deep. Less than those numbers.

Yes, there can be many other features added and custom versions made but at what price to the consumer? What percentage of the buyers would want all those extras verses the more portable/transferable unit I have described?

Personally, I am quite excited about it. This is the most versatile user-friendly product we have ever produced.

I know exactly what it is you are making.... and think its gonna be grreat I agree with that too! I know its portable and not a rackmount... just saying in the future that would be cool too...

Is it going to have a seperate headphone out as well as a line level 1/4 out?

2 outs..
 

I thought I just mentioned that above, 2nd paragraph.. no?
The answer is yes. Both the 1/4" out to the Amp and the 1/8" headphone outs work at the same time if you wish. I tested this last week and it was like I was in the studio. The Amp for the room and the Bass in my head.

Ken, I want one. My current rig doesn't have a headphoe jack and this would be perfect for my use.

I can't wait to see some sexy pictures and specs of it.

Im no good at reading things on my cell phone... sorry I missed that...

Either way, I am going to want one...

curious to see how it will come out and actually really look forward to using it...

I do wonder how marketing it to others than the bass playing crowd.... there are many bass players out there that know and respect the ken smith name... but getting it to guitarists etc is going to be the challenge...

Just let us know when we can start buying!

Latest?
 

Ken, what's the latest on availability of these units?

well..
 

The first sample batch are still in progress. When I have them in my hands, I will announce it.

Done>>
 

The Smith P.A.P.A. Is done.:cool: I have the first two units on my desk. I have a small sample batch coming in a few more days and then we will start producing them for the market.

The unit is $449. list. The Street price which is a discounted price will be published shortly. It will be a similar net price to just the Smith 18v circuit with Jack and Knobs but this Unit had much much more.;)

Pic?
 

Ken, do you have a picture of the unit you can share with us at this time?

a what??
 

Tim, if I had a Picture, it would be here in the Thread and on my Website. I need my Son Mike to build the Webpage on it and help me get this promoted.

Soon I hope..

Trust me, everyone will love it..

No doubt in my mind. :)

The Smith PAPA (like Papa Johns)... Thats awesome!

Put me down for one...

PM me or email me when one is available and I'll give you a call to order.

ok
 

call me tomorrow,,

Will do... Ill call you in 5 hours (8am) KIDDING!

Im on the east coast rite now (miami fl), Guess your a night owl too...

Talk to you tomorrow... or rather, later today.

and of course when I get it, I will post up a demo of it... That is if you don't mind ;)

Show the difference with my Smiths and Fenders...

sure..
 

Not at all. Please post your findings and some pics as well. I have a few available left from the first batch so don't wait too long. I will only be there in the morning so just leave your info with my assistant.

The list is $449. but I have made up a suggested Street Price up for $359. plus shipping. Dealers can charge what they like. There are only 10 units available in total at the moment and most are sold already. I will have more (the first full production run) in about 2 months or so. Batteries, headphones or power adapters are not included. This is usual from what I have been told.

We might have the 24v/DC adapter and the 12v car adapter available in the future as ad-ons but the headphones you can pick up in a store. You need the smaller input jack, not the 1/4". Some come with both so that's the best to get I guess.

I figure I'll be calling around 10am...

(page coming soon)
 

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/papa/IMG_2499_tn.jpg http://www.kensmithbasses.com/papa/IMG_2512_tn.jpg
P.A.P.A. ™
The Smith Pre-Amp/Practice Amp
For all Amplified Musical Instruments:
Featuring the New Smith 18v 3-Band EQ System powered by 9v batteries or adapter. The Pre-Amp includes our DIP system, Active/Passive By-Pass Foot Switch, separate Volume Controls for Pre-Amp and Practice Amp features and more..

Looks great! Good choice of color...

Can't wait for mine to come... I am camped outside my apartment waiting for UPS...

My review will follow!

Ill demo it with:

BMT6EG
BSR6EG Frettless
73 P-Bass
Jaco Relic Frettless Jazz

camped out?
 

Shipping to Cali by UPS takes about a week. We just shipped it day before yesterday. Stay warm out there on the camp site. I hear it gets chilly at night..;)

Page up..
 

The P.A.P.A. page just went up. It is not yet complete but will be in a few days or so. At least for now, you can see the various applications the unit can do.. http://www.kensmithbasses.com/papa/

It links directly from the Button on the Home page as well as from the 'What's New' section.

I got it in the mail today...



Construction is great! Knobs feel good...

I won't get a chance to play with it till this weekend, so so far, it is a nice piece of desk candy in my editing bay :)

I really like that the headphone jack is mini jack rather than a 1/4" becaise I always loose my adapters!

This makes me wish I still had my sennheiser hd600's... but my hd280's should do just fine...

PAPA in action..
 

Tonight for the first time ever, I used my own PAPA on a gig. It was an outdoor park venue in Philly with a 5-pc combo. The leader emailed me yesterday and said to save schlepping I could leave my amp home and just go through the sound system. I brought the PAPA so I could EQ it to my liking and boost or cut volume or EQ if need be between tunes. I worked out great. I tested it in the office with the bass I was bringing but was surprised how great it sounded live, outdoors and without an amp near me. :cool:

By the way, I left the DIP settings on the normal default which is how they are set in the Smith basses. It works just fine with a 3/4 Czech bass thru a portable sound system. They all said the bass sounded good and there was plenty of it as well. ;)

My fingers don't hurt hardly at all after 2 sets in a park without an amp.. :)

PAPA at Guitar Con
 

At this weeks show in NJ I ran into Jazz Guitarist Frank DiBussolo who was scheduled to do a solo Show each afternoon. When I read on-line that he was scheduled to play I called him before driving down to let him know I would be there with Bass in hand. We had done a few gigs together before getting busy with the local Orchestra work about 5-6 years ago.

Well, there was a sound system set-up on the small stage so I used my PAPA, plugged it into the system (Frank did as well) and EQ'd the bass as needed and just played. The Bass sounded great on stage and according to the audience as well.

Because I had the PAPA and a nice set of head phones, I didn't bother bringing an Amp for the show to demo the Smith basses either. I knew that the PAPA could work just as well if I needed to demo the Basses on display.

The last concert I played I had my 3/4 old Bohemian bass. This time I brought the 7/8 Mittenwald which I have used for some Jazz tunes within a Classical Concert but never thru the PAPA.

I have to tell you that the more I use this PAPA, the more I see how valuable it can be. The EQ is clean and pure sounding.

I had a borrowed AMP in the booth each day but plugged into the sound system direct with the PAPA, the Amp was not missed at all!

When it got loud from all the Guitars blasting their licks, I used the headphones to practice my orchestra music which I had brought along as well. I felt almost like I was in another place..;)