Smith Bass Design and its History (The on-line Book in the making)

[Roy Diza]

Compliments to Ken for making this thread a thoroughly enjoyable read. You pretty much covered all the facts and myths between yourself and Mr. Fodera. I would like to add that your basses were and still is basses of my dreams.
Having only being able to afford second hand beauties, which are a 1997 BSR6P and a 2002 BSR5EG, I hope to someday own one that would be of my specification with your guidance of course.
You're truly one of the bass building pioneers that has influence many of your contemporary both old school and new. Of all the builders, who of them would you respect the most, both professionally and personally?

I'm much honored to have played your masterpieces through my years of playing bass and I wish you continued success.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Roy Diza

Of all the builders, who of them would you respect the most, both professionally and personally?

Who ever shows respect, gets respect. I don't believe in most of the ideas builders are using today (or yesterday) to either try something different to be fashionable or to copy those that do. Anyone can glue pieces of wood together. Not all of them can make real professional working musical instruments and even less make them comfortable.

Having worked 20 years as a professional bassist freelancing in NYC (is there a tougher 'nut' to crack?) before and during the start of my business, I know what feels good and does the job. My goal was and still is to make real instruments, not toys or gimmicks. If they look pretty, that's a plus. If not, close your eyes and use your ears. Like when you listen to music!

I am sorry to say that this is not a question I can answer in a jovial manner patting every other person on the back making things with strings or kiss any butts. There is so much garbage in this business (and every other business) that it gets harder each day to look in a magazine or pictures on line of what people are making these days. I hope they are having fun doing it because many of them are and will be in the long run their own biggest fans.

Remember the movie with (Harrison Ford) the 'Holy Grail' cup? It was the plain one, not any of the fancy ones.

Also, listen to a thousand great bass recordings. Now go make a bass that can be used to duplicate that. The unemployment line has more bassists doing tricks then those that can just play the bass. My goal again is making working instruments, not circus attractions. .. Be true to your art, or get a day job.. lol

[Roy Diza]

Well said, Ken. The history of your basses is very fascinating. Could you enlighten us on this early piece? You guys probably recognize it as being listed currently on one of those auction sites. It's also missing a big chunk of wood in the control area, which looks to be a very involved expensive repair job. I do apologize for the tiny pics. I tried my best to have them larger to no avail:

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

.. Be true to your art, or get a day job.. lol

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Roy Diza

Could you enlighten us on this early piece? You guys probably recognize it as being listed currently on one of those auction sites. It's also missing a big chunk of wood in the control area, which looks to be a very involved expensive repair job. I do apologize for the tiny pics. I tried my best to have them larger to no avail:

Looks like the first bass we made for Anthony Jackson. It seems as if it was used to smash a wall down. That was no accident. The Ebay seller claims it's an easy repair. Well, I can't see a way to repair splintered wood. It needs a new pair of body wings made so they will match. Then after all is done, the bass would have to be re-finished so the finish all matches as well. No easy repair there. You can save the neck, machines, pickups and bridge. Did I miss anything?

That bass was actually re-made 2 or 3 times. That body had semi-hollow cavities in it to reduce weight. The first body didn't. The first make of the bass had the old Circuit with the big control plate and then that was re-done with special made pots. Then, we put I believe a simple bass/treble circuit in the bass in the end. The bass was first made in 1981 and then fully completed in its unbroken state in 1982 with all the modifications. I am not sure when we put the BT circuit in it. Could have been a year later, I can't remember.

Then someone had to go and smash it. A shame. We made two basses like that. Bill Dickens got the 2nd one. We also made another Bass for Anthony a few years later with a completely different design. Some of the things requested by Anthony were against my better judgment but he insisted.

The Next 6's we made were the BT line and they have held their place in history. John Patitucci got one of the rack meaning, the one he tried was sold before he could send money and agreed in advance he would take the other bass if the first one sold before, which it did.

Musicians often have ideas of their own. Unfortunately, not all ideas are worth cutting up wood for. Anthony's 2nd bass was beautiful but I would have never made anything like it, body or head in design. He also wanted the bass to be his own one-of-a-kind that no one else would ever have.

[Rory Lane]

How was the 7 string developed? How much did you collaborate with Melvin Davis on his signature model? Is there any difference between BSR7EG and MD Signature model?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Rory Lane

How was the 7 string developed? How much did you collaborate with Melvin Davis on his signature model? Is there any difference between BSR7EG and MD Signature model?

The 7 was Melvin's request and we had to use Bubinga for the fingerboards to have something wide enough without cutting up ebony top wood sets.

I personally modified the neck taper jig to cut the wider 7 string neck and keeping it uniform. The body then was a bit like the BMT.

Both Melvin Davis and Al Turner had ordered custom basses around the same time and these body designs later became the BMT and then the BSR.

If not for Melvin's 'strong' request back then, we may have never made a 7-string. On his, we used an old jig for fret slotting and made them with more frets, 28 or 30 maybe? I don't remember. I will have to ask Melvin to count them.

After those two 7s, we didn't make any for awhile. I might have used Morado for a few fingerboards but again, I don't remember. I had asked my ebony fb supplier to cut a quantity of boards to make 7s but in a length for my slotting saw of only 24 frets.

To date, my records show that we made 50 Elite 7-strings. Two of them first for Melvin of his design and the other 48, the current BSR model. There may have been a Black Tiger in there or Fusion cut but the model was basically the same. We still make 7s when ordered and I we just made two of them, one for an order and one for stock.

The difference between the first two were mainly the body wings and number of frets. Also, the pickups were in design at that time which we since have standardized and settled on the flattop design after the first few basses were made. The ones we make now are the best work we have ever produced. But, I have said that for years and years now so what we make now is the best of what we have made if not the same.

[Roy Diza]

Many of your innovations are well documented through the history of Ken Smith Basses, but of all the ones you implemented, which ones are you most proud of?

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

...."The unemployment line has more bassists doing tricks then those that can just play the bass".....

Lol! I wish I could've thought of and claim that line as my own: So true.