Wood Etc. as it relates to Smith Basses..

[Keith Copeland]

Although I have not had the pleasure to actually play a Ken Smith, I have listened to enough songs featuring Smiths to convince me that I WANT ONE!!!!!! I have listened extensively to Al Turner's CD and The Annointed Pace Sisters CD featuring Darrell Freeman on bass and am floored by the sound of both!! Al's Black Tiger has amazing clarity and punch while Darrell's BSR bass (bubinga top and back w/ maple core?) seem to have more "growl", which appeals to my ear a little more. Does bubinga really have more "growl" than walnut?

As soon as I am blessed with the funds, I will either buy a new or used Smith 5 NT.


A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by bottomzone

Although I have not had the pleasure to actually play a Ken Smith, I have listened to enough songs featuring Smiths to convince me that I WANT ONE!!!!!! I have listened extensively to Al Turner's CD and The Annointed Pace Sisters CD featuring Darrell Freeman on bass and am floored by the sound of both!! Al's Black Tiger has amazing clarity and punch while Darrell's BSR bass (bubinga top and back w/ maple core?) seem to have more "growl", which appeals to my ear a little more. Does bubinga really have more "growl" than walnut?

As soon as I am blessed with the funds, I will either buy a new or used Smith 5 NT.


A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

Besides Bubinga there is Shedua. We happen to have a nice quantity of it in stock that is well figured. Our Bubinga stock is nearly gone and we will not re-stock until the Shedua has been mostly used up. These are structurally and tonally interchangeable woods. The main difference is the color. I happen to prefer the Shedua and it is also more figured as far as our stock goes.

On Tone, without hearing each Bass in your hands instead of a recording, who can say which Bass or wood has more growl?

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

On Tone, without hearing each Bass in your hands instead of a recording, who can say which Bass or wood has more growl?

Exactly! +1 Ken.

[Keith Copeland]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Exactly! +1 Ken.

I CONCUR!!! THE PROOF IS THE PLAYING-NOT THE HEARING!!!!!!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by bottomzone

I CONCUR!!! THE PROOF IS THE PLAYING-NOT THE HEARING!!!!!!

Not exactly. My point is that the sound of the Bass is not necessarily the recorded sound but rather the unrecorded sound.

[Keith Copeland]

Yes, I get it-you mean live vs memorex, right? Also, is it my understanding that if I want to order a bass made with bubinga top and back, I will have to choose shedua instead due to your low supply of bubinga? I have a Peavey Cirrus with a bubinga top and walnut back as well as a Warwick Thumb bolt-on with a shedua body. I not only prefer the sound of the bubinga/walnut combination, I also prefer the look of bubinga. My other choice would be walnut/walnut.

Thank you for your expertise, Ken.

[Mattijs De Graeve]

Hi Ken, (and other wood enthousiasts)

I have a question about the top and back woods on my '89 bt5eg.
Does Morado (which is the top wood i think) have grades like the walnut and maples have?

Because i haven't seen alot of Smith basses with a morado top.
And all the other morado tops have this dark yellow colour with a dark brown black grain.

Mine however has this very bright orange colour (as seen on this picture).


Does that mean i am blessed with a good grade of morado or am i less lucky and have a lesser grade? (The answer won't change my oppinion of this amazing bass and even better sound).

The back of my bass is walnut and i was wondering is this a lower grade of walnut because it is a back, because there are thes dots and knots in it?


i'd like to learn more about woods and as it relates to sound, i had the pleasure of playing 4 NT ken smith basses with 5p wings and 5p necks.
And they all have this great organic sound and that smith character.
but i played a tiger maple top and back 6 string and a quilted maple(lower grade) 6 string is there a big difference in tone between these 2 maples (i don't think i could compare because the quilted had a morado fingerboard) and does the grade affect tone or is it for cosmetic reasons mostly?

Thx in advance for the answer, (sorry for the amount of questions in 1 post)

Mattijs De Graeve

[Michael Wilson]

Keith,

I just got a BT6EG 96, Bubinga Top/Back/w Mah core and let me tell you that the sound is totally un-real. Tone for days. I also heard The Pace Sisters bass stuff and the sound has nothing on this Monster BT6. If you do get the funds to get a Smith, try to get the older 90 to 96 BT. ITS CRAZY!!!

Mike