I just got home after spending the entire day working on the new website layout, bass model listings and descriptions with my son Mike. After spending several hours making up a new price list with new codes and modifying some of the model descriptions on an off-line work copy of the 'site I came to the conclusion that it would NOT be such a good idea to change the names of the Models that everyone already knows.
The website will be a totally new look as I mentioned before and a zillion times easier to navigate. I just feel that doing a 360 with the model names probably wont be in my best interest. So, I went back over the new price list and every model page that I made the changes to and re-coded every bass back to where it was.
What aint broke don't need no fixin'!
Ok, so the changes as I mentioned on the Neck-thrus are mainly the Maple/Walnut bodywing combos that will all fall into one of the 3 ranges of Black Tigers or the new White Tiger models. Actually, we have probably made 100s or more basses that would classify as a White Tiger over the years but it was always something else like an MW or GN or BT or EG model. Something with Tiger Top and Back over Walnut core, 3, 5, or 7pc lamination. Now, this combo will have a name of its own within the Tiger Series models.
One model that has not done well from the start has been the MS model. Why? I have no clue at all. This Neck-thru in 3-pc with graphite inlaid and a Morado FB plays and sounds great. I see it as in-between an M, MW or P model bolt-on (depending on the body) and a GN model neck-thru. I see it personally as the answer to a Bolt-on lovers bridge to a neck-thru. It has a mix of both in its feel between the two build styles.
I plan on doing more to promote this model in the coming months. Last year we started offering the MS models with 3-pc laminated wings in figured Walnut mainly from the stock we made for the MW and GN models so in essence, an MS/MW. The figure on them was more like a GN grade rather than a plainer bolt-on body. This is one of the models I will work on and slide it into the Tiger Series models. A Black Tiger Standard model, or White Tiger for the Tiger Maple lovers.
The other model that has been trailing in the last few years are the Custom Bolt-ons we make. There is a history as to how and why we started making them in the first place back in 1990/91 which might be interesting reading. First off, I refer to them as 'Custom' bolt-ons because they are NOT production basses and with then exception of the first batch we made, they have never been.
In 1990, a good year and change into the Burner basses we were importing from Japan (made with some our own woods no doubt), the workers in the shop voiced their opinion that they felt threatened as far as employment goes. I told them this was a lower priced line that we could NOT make here ourselfs and would act as door-opener sales to our handmade basses. We were only making 4s and 5s at the time. Japan was afraid to make the 6s because the necks would be so wide. I assured them that we were making 6s for years with 18mm spacing as opposed to the 16mm Burner spec and without incident. I also assured them that if they followed my design, all would be ok. My foreman of the shop then suggested that WE try and make the 6s here in Pennsylvania in place of Japan so I agreed to try one run of them. The Foreman and I did not see 100% eye to eye and made entirely new body wings instead of using what we had in-stock and used a straight non-tapered hard maple center block that was off-fall from neck production wood. With a tapered center block, the other wings would have worked even better. There were 28 of them and I was going to call them BTBO or BT Bolt-on. While they were in progress I received a call from the wife of Chuck Rainey who had a bass of mine already if not two and asked if I would make a model dedicated to him. I mentioned that I had this bolt-on group in progress and to date was un-named so I would do something. The initials 'CR' became attached to them from which I made a back-up name for the initials, '
Crunch
Resonator'. This was incase we started promoting them and Chuck changed his mind. His wife did call me without him knowing and the surprise was not as happy as I would have hoped. Chuck did agree shortly after and did get one of the basses from that first batch of 28.
Shortly after I took over production in the PA shop and made plans to move there eventually. There was so much extra work put into these 28 basses that just didn't have to be. They were 100% the same body wing woods as used on the BT models then which was an Elite of its time. A few necks were done in 5pc but we settled on 3-pc and they all had Graphite bars inlaid as well. The wings were 5pc laminated with good to high figured exotic tops with a lacquer finish as well. I think we did some in gold and some in chrome for cost.
Soon after, I started making 5s and then 4s in the Bolt-ons as well as a simpler solid wing models with an oil finish. This was the easiest to make. The first 28 were done separately between making the necks and the bodies but the tooling was good and so were the neck-to-body joints. I went around personally and fit all 28 to their best mate as far as the fit. They were as tight as they could be.
After that first run we started fitting ONE neck to ONE body regardless of how many were being made. Today our run groups are usually 6 pieces which is good for the time and how many clamps we have as far as doing all for the machining and glue up work. The carving and fitting are one at a time and have been since day one. These are totally hand made basses, one at a time with the exception of glue-ups of the billets and made just as our neck thru models are.
Now that you read all of that (not done just yet), around 10 years ago we reached a peak in our production with 4 people at the benchs carving alone. Half of them on Neck-thrus and half on Bolt-ons. Many of the bolt models made were solid body and took less time to complete over a multi-lam NT. We were averaging 40 basses a month on average and at least 20-30 were bolt-ons at our busiest time then. Since then we have shrunk with the economy and have down sized considerably to cope with the rest of the world in business. This has put nearly a stop in our affordability to make bolt-ons and only do so to order. With overhead much higher in the same building with a greatly reduced staff, our hourly cost is only suitable to make the high end of our line and stay profitable or in business at all. We don't have a 2nd crew doing the lower end models so there goes the savings that we were able to pass along some 10 years ago. All set-up were done the same then regardless of the cost of the bass and I still picked all the body woods so an hour is/was an hour regardless of what we make.
To make an effort to continue the ability to offer bolt-ons with all of what I just laid out here, I have decided to make a model and menu that would work for all those still in love with the sound and feel of a Smith Bolt-on bass. I will offer ONE model BUT it will be a HUGE menu of items. Starting with the M model, solid bodywings/Chrome/3-pc neck, etc. you can al-a-carte that model all the way up to a P or PE if you like. I just shipped a P-Elite to Japan with JJ pickups and as we have to consider costs, it's the same amount of work making one-offs as making a neck-thru. As a matter of fact, the neck-thru models are actually easier. We have it down now after 30 years. Making a center block and routing the neck pocket and making it fit like a glove is no easy task. After a bass is finished, we have to go and fit the neck again as they can swell a little as well. With a Neck-thru we have some extra carving in the back but once glued up, it's a done deal.
So, there will be a Custom Series Bolt-on menu with prices staring with the 'M' series.
To summarize the changes;
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1-All Walnut/Maple sandwiches are in the Tiger Series models forthcoming.
2-The MS with this M/W combination is the now new Standard Tiger model.
3-All of the Bolt-ons will be grouped into one menu for al-a-carte custom ordering. You can even order an 'M' model and have the graphite inlaid if you like. I just finished one for personal use but play mostly double bass so it may hit the inventory list before long. The lacquer model is the same as an Elite neck-thru so becareful in your option choosing. Lacquer is not an option except for an Elite model (They are all handrubbed after finishing and takes well over a day to get the finish lever and that gloss shine.)
Question? Don't be shy. Even I get confused with this stuff.. lol
