Older instruments sound better, ate this true and why

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ronen Tat

Hi Ken,
1)To your opinion, for the sound to be changed over time, is there a need for strings to be vibrating on a bass?

2)Taking into account the time your neck and body blanks sit aside, waiting for their time, I would expect that by the time a bass is built the woods has already stabilized.

3)How significant would be the change in sound (over time, on a bass) with such woods?

4)Do certain woods tend to change in sound more than others?...

1, yes/no

2, yes but only as single pieces, not as a bass.

3, such woods? which woods?

4, maybe, not sure. Everything changes. Many things to consider.

[Ronen Tat]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

1, yes/no


3, such woods? which woods?

I meant your woods which has been sitting for a while, already cut and glued more or less to their final size (necks & bodies/wings), waiting to be assembled.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ronen Tat

I meant your woods which has been sitting for a while, already cut and glued more or less to their final size (necks & bodies/wings), waiting to be assembled.

Most of the wood here is not glued yet. We do have quite a bot of wood glued up in neck and body parts and some of them do sit a long time but, sitting un-glued is aging as a piece of wood close to size. Glued up, the pieces get to adjust to each other. So, I think wood should age in Lumber, then cut parts and then in billets. Neck woods are much more crucial than body woods as far as stability goes. For tone, the longer the better I feel in all stages.

Here is a new factory Tour photo array done by my friend Lou who visited this past weekend; http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...8027828&type=1

There is a 1980 k. smith #13 on eBay for 7k if anyone wants to try a vintage smith & let us know how it's aged

What type of glue do you guys use on smith basses? Is it similar to the 192 gram hide glue used on double basses?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Joshua phelps

What type of glue do you guys use on smith basses? Is it similar to the 192 gram hide glue used on double basses?

We use Titebond II now. Before 1992 we used Titebond, the only one they had. We tried some Fingerboards glued with Hide Glue in the early 90's but in some climates, that will not be as stable with warm sweaty hands playing up and down the neck as well. The Titebond keeps the bass together just fine. No real magic here, just really good glue joints.