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Smith Bass Design and its History (The on-line Book in the making)
Smith Bass Design and its History..
Who here is interested in discussing this and learning how it came to be? |
#2
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Who?
Count me in.
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Tim Bishop |
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well..
You know, I could write a book on the subject but what I was thinking is letting the 'book' write itself by answering questions and see where these answers lead. It wont be in any kind of exact order of events but we can compile that later.
I did a workshop earlier this year at Gerald Veasley's Boot Camp (Reading, Pa) and polled the audience for questions and then answered them in order. I have another workshop to do next month at UArts in Philly. I did the first one there a few years ago but that was on set-up and maintenance of instruments for the most part. Just about all of the Bass students as well as some of the Bass teachers attended as well. This year I will do some more of the Q&A like I did at Gerald's Camp plus a few other things like buying tip for Double Basses and what to look out for. I might also be asked back to the Boot Camp this coming year as well. So, ask just about anything you like about me and the Bass from when I first touched one up until now. I will add some earlier 'related' history as needed as well as 'color it in' a bit to keep it interesting. |
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Questions 1 and 2
At what age did you realize you had a musical gifting and with what instrument(s)?
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Tim Bishop |
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lol..
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2) The String Bass/Double Bass was my first instrument. The Electric Bass/Bass Guitar came a few years later because a kid in my High School said I should get one and his friend was selling his Bass. It was a 'Hagstrom II' and was my first ever Electric Bass. My first Double Bass was purchased directly from Metropolitan Music in NYC from the Juzek family. It was a 3/4 German made plywood/laminated Bass aka 'crack-proof'. It was the lowest price Bass they sold. The Hagstrom was $80. in 1966/67?. The Juzek DB was $150. plus tax in 1966 but I also bought a bow, cover, music stand, floor stop and tuning fork totaling just under $200. |
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Next ?
Did you have any formal musical training or were you an ear player or both?
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Tim Bishop Last edited by Tim Bishop; 11-22-2008 at 12:24 PM. |
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Richard H. Multi-instrumentalist Monterey, CA I like playing bass - git dare! |
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History of Ken Smith Basses
Ken
There are many of us in the bass world who would love to know the real history of Ken Smith basses. What we would like to know is how you started making basses, when and where you started. What inspired you to start making KS basses? I recently read a link that was posted on e-bays sellers listing who was trying to sell and older model Ken Smith bass. The link was rather confusing involving the one of your past employees Vinny Fodera. Many of us including my self would like you to elaborate on what was posted on this e-bay link. Again we would love to know an accurate history of Ken Smith basses. There are so many Ken Smith bass players and lovers of Ken Smith basses. I feel the information you could provide all of your fans and bass player would be invaluable and very educational. Thanks Lou Laurenti |
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Book?
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Perhaps you will be my ghost and work on a percentage? I hate typing. |
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I think that can be arranged let's talk about it. Lets not forget you should be in the bass history books Lou |
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history books?
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So Lou, besides doing MY History, do a Bass History Book so I can get included in there as well.. |
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LOL |
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Quote:
Lou |
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+1 for a wonderfull book with lot of pics and history to our favori brand
I order one copy frédéric : 1 |
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ok, ok..
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Where do I order them? Who's writing this book?? |
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If you can speak to us the story of the john patitucci collaboration ken. I remember the first time i saw a Ken Smith bass... It's on John Patitucci eponyme album, it was in 1988 What a sound ! terrific ! |
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ok..
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John came over shortly after and tried a Maple 6-string with gold hardware. He was still on the road with Dave Sanborn and had to finish that tour up before starting with Chick. He said if this one sells he would get the next one which I had in production. It was Walnut and maple with Chrome Hardware. We made so few 6s back then and had only that one bridge for a 6 in stock put aside for the 2nd bass, the walnut. Both with our Oil finish we used then. Shortly after, he called and the first maple bass was sold so he bought the 2nd one, the walnut, sight unseen. The rest is history I guess. People tell me he never sounded better than when he played his Smith 6. The model was a BT back then like today's oil finished neck thrus, GN/BT and Black Tiger models. I think these basses then sold for under $3k. He paid the regular asking price but did get to reserve the bass while he was out on the road. |
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conception of the burner series
Hi Ken,
Not sure if this quite fits in this History of KSB forum but i think it would be interesting to hear about it and it does seem like a pretty significant part of the KSB past. Can you talk about what lead up to the conception and development of the original Burner Series and how the process unfolded? How were you able to maintain such excellent quality control with a large part of the building process happening half way around the world - it seems like other instrument manufacturer's can't duplicate what you were able to do when they cross the water. Thanks! Larry Elwood |
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ok..
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I asked Toshio (I played golf with both these guys, Jim and Toshio) to walk with me to look at some basses from Japanese companies. One of them offered to make basses for me but then Toshio told me "they are not factory, only trading company". It was that walk on the show floor that opened my eyes as to how things are done. He then became my mentor instantly. He offered to make basses for me as his factory could do the job. A week later when back in New York I sent them a BT neck thru to copy as a bolt-on. The following month in April I flew to 'Frisco to meet with him at his Cali' house and play a little golf with him and Dunlop of course and then off to Japan for business. They were not quite done with the sample when I arrived but we finished it there at the Morris plant in or near Nagano. The head maker could make Violins, Acoustic Guitars and even Banjos by hand. He was a real Luthier. He said in Japanese that HE must handmake the Artist Model himself and the other models Custom, Deluxe and Standard can be thru normal production. He was clear about that in not such a nice way BUT, he wanted the credit at home for being the Luthier he was. The bass that Hadrien Feraud plays is the Artist model Burner! This was the start. That sample was an Artist model and we still own it. My son Jon had been playing that same bass since he was 4 years old. He is turning 22 this year. They made 6 more basses for the June Summer NAMM that year in 1989 as samples and then we made the first 3 runs of 40 basses, 40 basses and then 80 basses the third run and finally caught up with the orders from that first show. We had 5 left in stock after producing 166 basses. Being a personal friend of the owner helps. One day in Tokyo on that trip he walked me around town to some stores. We walked into a Guitar store and the sales girl greeted us like customers, took a second look at Toshio and HIT THE FLOOR bowing to him as if God had just walked in. No Joke. I once saw a head of one of the most famous Japanese brand Guitar companies do almost the same thing in the lobby of the Nashville Convention Center one evening just after 6pm as we were all leaving. This guy (a famous Japanese CEO) was bowing and bowing and bowing as if asking for forgiveness.. My contact in Japan is a Powerful person in this business. I have nothing but respect for him as he started with nothing and built an empire in his own life time. While touring his factory he showed me his old office, now empty. He said "Ken San, (that's what he calls me) if you move to Japan, this can be your office". Staying at his house with him and his wife and later meeting all 3 of his grown children (2 sons and a daughter) as well as being invited to his Daughters wedding Reception at a Namm show private party tells me he respects me as well. So, it's not all business. It's people too. Gotta have people. We can't do without them. He taught me about business "first you give trust, and then you get trust". I taught him something we say when asked how things are.. "so far, so good". He loves that saying. He taught me a few words in Japanese as well while I was there. |
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Changes
Ken,
Can you comment on how much the Internet and technology advances changed your business and the bass making process itself over the past years? Thank you. |
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