Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonathan Stefaniak
I am pretty new to Ken Smith basses, and high end bass guitars in general. I have been shopping around for about 2 weeks now. The first KSB I tried was this http://www.kurosawagakki.com/items/detail/142648.html. It is a BSR5EGF with a gorgeous walnut top, and cherry Core. I was immediately struck by the sweetness of the tone-especially in the low notes. I later tried three more Ken Smiths (maple core) - a comparably priced neck thru, a much cheaper bolt on model and a four string neck thru. These were all very good instruments as well. I was surprised to discover that these instruments all had prominent overtones in the sound. If I played a low B-flat on the A string, the sustain lasts very long and the body of the bass brings out the D two octaves and a third higher. I am not sure if it was the same on all of Ken Smiths I tried, but it sold me on the importance of tone woods and care in the construction of a bass guitar. The latter 3 instruments I tried all fell short when it came to the lows. None of them had the thick satisfying fundamental on the E and B strings. I know it is hard to describe in words what a mean - the other basses had a harder tone with less fundamental in the lows, and this first bass I tried. I had a couple questions that I was hoping Ken might answer
Is this difference typical for cherry wood or is it just this bass?
Do you make any extra long scale basses-35, 36" I also tested a Carl Thompson with a 36" scale and really liked the extra tension in the strings. I guess you don't, but just thought I'd ask.
Lastly, I just wanted to see if you remember this particular bass in the link- 2008, 7 piece top with a cherry Core, ebony lined fretless fingerboard. It is a fantastic bass and I am really close to buying it. I want to know if is a particularly unusual instrument? Do you feel it is a fair price for this bass?
Thanks! |
I don't remember that bass specifically. The Bass you liked had more than one kind of wood that creates the tone. The core is just one of them. The Cherry might help round out the brighter sounding walnut but we used only a small amount of Cherry of the years. I prefer the western maple personally as a core wood over the cherry. 34" scale is what we make since the beginning, sorry. I have no idea what basses sell for in Japan. I sell to the distributor there (Sleek Elite) and he sells to the shops.