Thread: 35 years..
View Single Post
  #8  
Old 03-29-2014, 09:19 AM
Eric Swanson's Avatar
Eric Swanson Eric Swanson is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 11-12-2007
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 199
Eric Swanson is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
Today after 35 years I stamped and packed up Smith Bass #6400 (plus model letters and date numbers). It was a 6 string Black Tiger Elite in high figure flamed walnut (22 year old stock.) Yesterday I shipped another of the same model, #6399 but in high figure crotch walnut (16 year old stock.) A few more basses will go out next week and so on. I remember when the first few basses in Pennsylvania were done and I stamped #201 on the first bass of that group. I never knew then how we would do with making basses in the future out in Pennsylvania, but 6200 basses later (and a few in the rack and production nearly completed), I can say it was a good move getting out of NYC and into the fresh air out here. Doing the same thing over and over maintaining the quality and goals day after day and year after year I think is the true test to commitment. It took 35 years to get to this point and I don't see an end. With my small crew and I, 'we do what we are' and with pride! I would like to thank all the Smith Bass & String customers and supporters as we work through our 4th decade of making great basses and bass products. Ken Smith..
Congratulations, Ken and crew!

Many years ago, I was at a party/jam session, a late night/early morning thing that I went to after playing some gig. I had my DB. Another bassist (I can't remember his name, but he played beautifully) showed up after his gig, with a walnut-bodied bass that he said was an early model made by some guy, Ken Smith, whom I had never heard of. We ended up both playing, with two basses, enjoying ourselves. We switched instruments after awhile, as he also played DB. It was the nicest EB I had played up to that point, a revelation, really.

It was fretless, as I remember, and played/sounded like a very pleasant and exciting dream. It was the first EB I played (and I was playing a 68 Jazz Bass at the time, which was pretty nice) that struck me as being really, really fun to play. It was happening on another level than I had been used to with my Jazz bass.

Thanks for all that you do, for bassists and basses/bows. I am so grateful to you and your multi-faceted efforts and accomplishments. This is a better world for all of us, thanks to you.
__________________


Last edited by Eric Swanson; 03-31-2014 at 05:55 PM.
Reply With Quote