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Old 12-22-2009, 09:20 PM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
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8. Your instruments are very popular in many different music styles. But they are also very frequently used by gospel players…how it happened? Was it your intention or those great black gospel players just found themselves your superb instruments for their sound? Gospel? I was once told from a guy in Greece.. "YOUR BASS IS THE BEST FOR GREEK MUSIC".. The a Latin guy tells me .. "YOUR BASSES ARE THE BEST FOR LATIN MUSIC".. Now I hear "YOUR BASSES ARE THE BEST FOR GOSPEL MUSIC"... Hey, isn't gospel more like just R&B with different words? Greek, Latin, Gospel, Jazz,, Isn't Bb a Bb regardless of what you are singing about?
I just go for making basses that work, ALL of the notes.. Or, why bother if all of them don't work? All or.. get a different job.. right?
9. Time to time some Luithers come with some new ideas or new constructions. Do you think that these innovations have radical effect for sound? I mean extended B stock, single cut body, semi-hollow body,etc. Do you plan or did you ever try to made instruments with these constructions?.. .. OK.. this is 3 different subjects..
1- Single Cut.. This is old with Guitars.. like 19th to early 20th century. Didn't they stop that for better playability or something?.. Some jazz guitars still use it..
2- Semi hollow.. why if its electric? You cant play it without the amp. Wanna cut out the bad overtones? Then don't look for trouble.. Also, can you see or fix the glue drips inside.. what if u get a buzz in there? how will you fix it? Too heavy so you hollow it out? NO, redesign the shape and use lighter wood.. its not that hard.. after some one buys each model, make a new one to sell more guitars.. better? no.. maybe never.. business? the more colors you make the more you can shove down the dealers throats.. not my game.. sorry
3- Extended B.. I save this for last. This is to some.. hokus pokus or witch doctor thoughts.. to me.. no.. any change has an effect. The B is so thick and the steep angle at the head is sometimes not best. I changed this awhile ago on my 5s but the 6s, the same.. 34" scale, standard stringing and unless you hear with your eyes and read bull pucky ads, its just fine. Tension problems can result from many many things.. the head is only one very minor place. The bridge, neck/fb angle to the body, the wood vibration of the body vs the neck, materials, species and finish.. finish can kill the sound.. bad gunked up bar top finish? then extend the B.. lol
Playing and working with Double Basses has taught me more than I think exists in the theories of solid body making. The Double Bass, the Violin, the Viol d'Gamba, the Violone, the Lute, etc are all the grandfathers of the electric bass and guitar solid bodies.. Want to be a better maker? Learn to respect your elders! If you don't know who they are, then you have one HUGE hole in your instrument making education.. just my opinion.. smiles
10. Some years ago was big „boom“ with instruments neck through body instruments, neck and body laminations. Than years later some Luithers goes back and they make bolt on instruments or they do less layers lamination. Even some of them do one piece of wood for neck, no sandwich style body, just back and top…is that because it’s less work for them and less expenses or it’s just another style in bass guitar design? Also somebody says more glue less sound.. Glue? How about the finishes they use? Those have no tone either. The glue is a mist at best and most squeeze out. Cross grains and wood species affect the tone, not the glue. Why makers go here and then there? Will they tell you the truth if you ask them? Do they even know why they did what the did? I don't know what others do or why they do. I am too busy doing what I think I need to do. What will sell and provide a good working tool is what I want to make but with the quality that I worked decades for to deliver. When the economy is as bad as a few lifetimes like now, we do what we need to get by. Cheapening things is bad. I prefer though to put my labor and the work of my smaller staff now towards our best basses. Time is time so if we make bolt-ons with a smaller crew, they will cost more. Once the rent is paid and the other fixed overhead expenses, it doesn't matter how many people work in the building. The more people the less each hour costs per man. Right now we don't have that luxury so we are making over 90% neck-thrus.

11. Can you introduce to us your KSD Jazz Bass style instruments? These instruments are also very popular for price and quality. Are KSD instruments made only in Korea or you make some of these also in your workshop in USA? maybe just for your company artists?.. KSD is NOT a Ken Smith product. Another company approached me some years ago and I gave my input on the designs. I tested a few of them the first 2 years and that was it. We never made them, never advertised them other than web support and never distributed them to stores. We did BUY a few from Brooklyn Gear to sell locally LIKE a store so they would be available here in town or for visitors. That's all.. NOT my product,, sorry.. A bit like Les Paul and Gibson.. Designer and maker. (The former Koren made KSD's sold by Brooklyn Gear have been replaced with Basses from a new factory in China now sold by D'Andrea Mfg., KS.)
12. Do you think that there is or can exist bass guitar which looks way different than Fender Jazz Bass but it has Fender Jazz Bass sound? .. Looks? yes.. materials? maybe now. Reshape a piece of wood and the sound shifts as well. Change the type of wood and parts and its a different bass, different sound. I think!
13. Is possible to make instrument which will cover both worlds?...I mean instrument with vintage jazz bass sound and modern sound?.. No.. maybe., i don't know.. Depends on what you want to hear. Some people own and use 6 different Fenders. Even all fender, they need a different bass in rain or sunshine, night and day.. lol
14. Do you prepare something new?... some new model or new design? Or maybe some new gear amps etc... The PAPA Preamp is a new product. I also produced a few hundred Bows of my design a few years ago and were made in China. I have some left but the market is slow now so I might not reorder anytime soon. The PAPA Preamp works for Guitar, bass, electric, acoustic/elec, Double Bass.,.. anything with a pickup or mic. I even tested it with my old AKG e160 mic on my DB and it was fantastic.. Headphone control, batteries, ac, dc... active, passive, DIP switch inside.. and. the Color is beautiful.. Maybe the Color is the best.. lol.. This is my new product.. the Smith PAPA..
15. They say life is not just about bass guitars J have you got any other hobbies except them?.. NO?.. You sure?? ahh.. I was never told that.. bummer... LOL... Hey, I have a wife, 2 great kids.. I did play golf when I had the time and was a good fisherman as well.. Golf can tire you out and you stink after fishing.. I rather play bass in an orchestra or go to a cool movie and eat popcorn.. Sundays if they let me.. I sleep in all day and rest my bones.. That's my favorite.. When they ask me Dad, what do you wanna do on your birthday or fathers day? I say.. my day? lol.. NOTHING with any of you.. lol.. Rather do what I like.. Kidding.. Days off with family around can be more work than work itself..
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Since this article is mainly about my various 'Bass related involvements' and not just about Smith Basses, I have posted it here in the main 'Welcome' Forum for all to read.

Comments and discussions are welcome here..
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