Show your Smith bass!

[Saul Hurtado]

Originally Posted by Hector Corrales Campos

Hi everybody! this is my baby, my 2001 BSR6EG Figured Avodire (Black Hardware), i think is the same on the web page:

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...egavodire.html

Hector that's a beautiful bass.

Back in 96 I think, I went to a Yuri concert in Tijuana, I was part of the team that set up the stage and all the instruments. I had a chance to see the Smith of the bass player. I talked to him before they did a sound check and he said that Smith was not his, it was actually Hector Hermosillo's (former guitar player of Luis Miguel) Ken Smith bass. The Smith looked exactly like this:
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...a_avodire.html
but it was the CR version with 5 strings. That Smith had an agressive growl in your face that I really like. I even had a chance to play with it

I currently own a BSR6GN walnut top/back with tiger maple core, really love the sound of the walnut. I'm saving for a second Smith, and the wife just gave me permission to buy one . So that said I want a CR5M with flamed avodire wings and walnut center block with black hardware. My question to you is, how would you describe the sound of your bass?

[Chris Fox]

Bought this beautiful lady last year (1995 CR-5 in zebra with mahogany core), and finally got around to calling the shop for the $5 volume knob to bring her back to spec. A big improvement, wouldn't you say?

BEFORE

[IMG][/IMG]

AFTER

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Chris Fox

....A big improvement, wouldn't you say?

Yes. As it should be.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Chris Fox

...However, who did the mod on the pre-amp and body? It looks like someone replaced the mid control with a 1/4 jack.

[Chris Fox]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

...However, who did the mod on the pre-amp and body? It looks like someone replaced the mid control with a 1/4 jack.

If the seller is to be believed, all mods came straight from the shop. He claimed to have worked at KSB in the 1990's, and told me he had this bass built while employed there. His name is Scott He_ _ _ _d. It was sold without a case, btw.

The pics are interesting. First one is the lower bout: no jack plug hole ever drilled as far as I can tell.



Next is the control cavity. Yes, jack plug goes through the rout usually designated for tone pot. Looks like pretty good work to me! And if anyone would like to chime in, I'd like to know whether this is the old 9v BT circuit, or if it's the BMT minus the mid.



And finally, here's the maker's mark.



So there you have it. I'd be interested to hear anything that Ken might recollect or have to say about the bass or the story that came with it. And I appreciate your eyes, Tim: I haven't spent enough time with enough different KS basses to be able to quickly discern something as noticeable as a jack plug where a tone pot should be!

[Ken Smith]

I don't remember the exact order other then he wanted the Mahogany Core thicker for the sound and I guess from these pictures, the bass drilled for the BMT (5 holes) but only the BT section (4 holes) of it so the Top jack could go it its place.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Chris Fox

If the seller is to be believed, all mods came straight from the shop. He claimed to have worked at KSB in the 1990's, and told me he had this bass built while employed there. His name is Scott He_ _ _ _d. It was sold without a case, btw.

The pics are interesting. First one is the lower bout: no jack plug hole ever drilled as far as I can tell.



Next is the control cavity. Yes, jack plug goes through the rout usually designated for tone pot. Looks like pretty good work to me! And if anyone would like to chime in, I'd like to know whether this is the old 9v BT circuit, or if it's the BMT minus the mid.



And finally, here's the maker's mark.



So there you have it. I'd be interested to hear anything that Ken might recollect or have to say about the bass or the story that came with it. And I appreciate your eyes, Tim: I haven't spent enough time with enough different KS basses to be able to quickly discern something as noticeable as a jack plug where a tone pot should be!

Well, looks like this bass was ordered this way. Nice bass, very clean. I have a '92 BT5G Zebra. Looks similar to this one, except a neck-thru with same woods, however, 3 band pre. I LOVE it!

[Tim Bishop]

BTW- Looks like the original 2-band BT pre to me.

[Chris Fox]

Ken, Tim--wow. Thanks so much for the backstory and assessment. While conducting the transaction with Scott, he said repeatedly this was a special bass, and he couldn't have been more right. So glad it's mine.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

BTW- Looks like the original 2-band BT pre to me.

Tim/Chris, this was the 9v BT/BMT 4 or 5 knob circuit that came out in late 1992.