let's compare EQ settings

[Bob Faulkner]

Originally Posted by Ronson Hall

Now guys, keep me straight here: On all the knobs on the Smith, you're considering the indentation to be "12 o'clock" position, correct?

The "notch" should be pointing straight up if you're looking at the face of the bass. Imagine looking at someone who is sitting down playing the bass. You're looking at the front of the bass, right side up, neck pointing to the right (3:00). The notch should be pointing at the ceiling, or 12:00 on a clock face.



As an aside, Ken, do you use different pots on lefty basses or do they operate on the same clockwise=up idea as the righty basses?

[Ronson Hall]

Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner

The "notch" should be pointing straight up if you're looking at the face of the bass. Imagine looking at someone who is sitting down playing the bass. You're looking at the front of the bass, right side up, neck pointing to the right (3:00). The notch should be pointing at the ceiling, or 12:00 on a clock face.



As an aside, Ken, do you use different pots on lefty basses or do they operate on the same clockwise=up idea as the righty basses?

Thanks, Tim & Bob.

Incidentally, I'm also gettting used to having a "mid pot" as I have been a lifetime bass & treble pot guy. I've started off like Tim Pruitt: Mids, flat!

[Dennis Michaels]

This one for me is easy. First of all I play/endorse Eden amplification. I use a WT550/WT400/WT1000 with ant combination of 210XST 4ohm/ dual 212XLT 4ohms and a 112XLT. My head are usually set flat.


My 5M tiger maple fretted has "no" extra switches just 3 band tone. I use it %95 of the time with the eq disengaged (by-passed). If I slap I do engage the eq with the mid control at about 2 O'clock. This adds just enough body to keep a slap tone fat.

My Fretless walnut 5M is also run with the eq by pass and no extra switches, just the stock tone controls. It is huge and growly with NO eq. so I don't use it. If I am doing more of a fusion thing I do run %75 bridge with a slight ( bass at about 1 o"clock and mids about 1:30-2 O'clock) for a little more growly gut to the bridge pickup. Ken was amazed when he built my fretless when I dod not opt for the extra switches. He asked on 4 occassions if I wanted them. He is a master in every way when it comes to this whole building thing. He asked what kind of tome I wanted and I told him I want it to sound like my tiger maple 5 but with a little darker sound. He said walnut is the way. I like lighter colored woods but I trusted him and the outcome still blows my mind.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Dennis Michaels

This one for me is easy. First of all I play/endorse Eden amplification. I use a WT550/WT400/WT1000 with ant combination of 210XST 4ohm/ dual 212XLT 4ohms and a 112XLT. My head are usually set flat.


My 5M tiger maple fretted has "no" extra switches just 3 band tone. I use it %95 of the time with the eq disengaged (by-passed). If I slap I do engage the eq with the mid control at about 2 O'clock. This adds just enough body to keep a slap tone fat.

My Fretless walnut 5M is also run with the eq by pass and no extra switches, just the stock tone controls. It is huge and growly with NO eq. so I don't use it. If I am doing more of a fusion thing I do run %75 bridge with a slight ( bass at about 1 o"clock and mids about 1:30-2 O'clock) for a little more growly gut to the bridge pickup. Ken was amazed when he built my fretless when I dod not opt for the extra switches. He asked on 4 occassions if I wanted them. He is a master in every way when it comes to this whole building thing. He asked what kind of tome I wanted and I told him I want it to sound like my tiger maple 5 but with a little darker sound. He said walnut is the way. I like lighter colored woods but I trusted him and the outcome still blows my mind.

Dennis, just makin sure I am clear; when you say "eq by pass", you are saying that you play with the Smith in Passive Mode (i.e. volume knob pulled up)?

[Dennis Michaels]

Yes that is what I am saying. I know Ken designed that circuit as an emergency by pass in the event that your battery dies and I believe the owners manual says to only use it for that. However, they are so perfectly built eq'ing isn't needed for me to get my tone.

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Dennis, just makin sure I am clear; when you say "eq by pass", you are saying that you play with the Smith in Passive Mode (i.e. volume knob pulled up)?

[Bob Faulkner]

Originally Posted by Dennis Michaels

I know Ken designed that circuit as an emergency by pass in the event that your battery dies and I believe the owners manual says to only use it for that.

Actually it just warns against frequent switching of the push/pull switch as they typically don't last for a great number of cycles. I'm pretty sure you can leave it in passive mode with no issues at all. Just so long as you're not popping in and out of passive mode 12 times a day.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner

Actually it just warns against frequent switching of the push/pull switch as they typically don't last for a great number of cycles. I'm pretty sure you can leave it in passive mode with no issues at all. Just so long as you're not popping in and out of passive mode 12 times a day.

The Volume Push/Pull Pots we use today ate way way stronger that the original ones we had back in 1979-1993. We worked hard to get these improvements made as we had to have the Pots custom built in the beginning and even paid tooling charges as these were not on the market to the specs we needed. The Pot we use now as before is still intended as a Pot and not a switch but we still keep that warning in the info to cover over use as a Toggle switch is still considered to be stronger for this purpose.