First time showing off your bass in public

[Albert Smith]

Originally Posted by Martin Duarte

Hi,
I just bought a BSR Elite 6 string, and haven't been able to play it. I'm going to study at Berklee, and I'll be arriving on Monday, and I have the bass there waiting for me!!!! I'll tell you what people think once they see my bass!!! But for everyone out there, congrats on your axes, and long live Ken Smith Basses!!!

Martin

As my brother Tim has previously stated I too mainly desired a Ken Smith Bass on the strength of the sound it produces. Its overall beauty is just icing on the cake. Ken is a world renown Luther and he pours his heart and soul into each and every Bass he creates, not produces, but creates, their is a resounding difference.

[Martin Duarte]

Albert,

I totally agree, specially after seeing the factory tour video, you realize that for Ken building basses is not just business: it's a work of a lifetime that shows dedication and passion.

By the way, how does your BSR sound? I haven't been able to play mine yet.

Take care,

Martin

[Dennis Michaels]

When I bought my 5M in Indy the strings were dead. I bought it at around 5 o'clock in the evening. I bought strings and changed them. A few minor tweaks of the bridge to correct the action after string change and the tiger maple 5 made it's debut that night in the pit of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". I didn't tell the F.O.H. sound man of the change before the show. I set up my Eden preamp gain to be at the same level so I figured it really wouldn't matter to him anyway because he was seeing the same feed. He found me at intermission and said "What the F*** did you change down there. The focus and tightness of the change is astounding". I figured I would have to play with it for a week or so before it saw duty. You know, the tweaking and getting comfortable with a new bass and all that. Fresh strings and boogie baby. It was an old friend immediately. I can not imagine my career without Ken Smith basses.

[Desmund Nichols]

Any more stories?

[Joshua Phelps]

Does anyone else ever feel like when you pull out a bass like a smith that people expect a certain something from you? Like some crazy slap/tap solo with a 1000 notes? Kinda sketches me out when people (non bass players) approach me about a bass especially if i have the butterflies & have just arrived at the gig.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Joshua Phelps

Does anyone else ever feel like when you pull out a bass like a smith that people expect a certain something from you? Like some crazy slap/tap solo with a 1000 notes? Kinda sketches me out when people (non bass players) approach me about a bass especially if i have the butterflies & have just arrived at the gig.

In the beginning (KSB), I was still gigging for a living. I had this small amp on stage for this gig and a Smith bass in hand. One of the guys in the band came over and said "wow, that sounds great. What amp is that?" .. I said, "it's not the amp, it's the bass". He looked at me like I was crazy. This is what I went thru in the beginning. Clueless people around me that had no idea a bass itself could be made and sound better.

[Joshua Phelps]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

In the beginning (KSB), I was still gigging for a living. I had this small amp on stage for this gig and a Smith bass in hand. One of the guys in the band came over and said "wow, that sounds great. What amp is that?" .. I said, "it's not the amp, it's the bass". He looked at me like I was crazy. This is what I went thru in the beginning. Clueless people around me that had no idea a bass itself could be made and sound better.

I agree 100%. Smith basses are works of art in every way even to sit & look at but just like our uprights at the end of the day these are the tools for our trade & the best ones in the business in my opinion & I bring these basses because they sound the best & that's what matters. I'm sure some guys do buy certain basses to wow people but I will never understand that. The beautiful presentation of smith basses is just a bonus to me. Having a smith as a collectors piece is ok I guess but it seems like putting a tiger in a cage (no pun intended) & these basses are built to be played.