Ken Smith Basses Tone Making!!

[SongJinYoung]

Originally Posted by Keiichi Miyamoto

Dear SongJinYoung.
I'm Keiichi Miyamoto from Japan.

At first, I think your English is very very better than mine. (**)

Regarding Slap sound, I have just talking about this in Talk Bass Forum.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...=328189&page=4

And my sound sample is;
http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~amurita/bass1.html
How do you think about it?

I think the PU balance between Front and Rear gives hints me to obtain better (I mean generic or popular(FenderLike?)) slap sound with Ken Smith Bass.

;==
My Ken Smith BSR6TNE is, Black Tiger Elite 6 strings.
Crotch Walnut Top&Back with Tiger Maple core.
5pc Thru Neck with Ebony Fingereboard.

Recorded with;
Onboard EQ is All flat.
PU Balancer is on its center detent position.
PU Para/Seri select sw is both parallel.

Just one thing.
I set the rear PU height a little bit lower than default.
So, front PU sound is bigger than rear's even if the balancer is positioned center.
This setting gives me fatter sound, growl thumb and puncy pull.

It's just the example.

Keiichi Miyamoto from Japan.

Oh Hi Keiichi Miyamoto!!

Thank you very much for the tips
(And Thanks for the great performance)

Are You in Japan??

My brother (26 years old) lives in Kobe, Japan.
So I can buy some stuff in digimart
I'm very glad to meet you!!

I will try your tips today

I have played BSR TNE
It's best!!!

But I love My MW so I will try and try again

Your recourd was only BSR TNE and DI BOX??

or adding Amp head, another preamp, dinamic outboard(like dbx160, CL1B)

So growl, So Punch!!

and I think to order ESP Navigater Jazz 300LTD in Japan

If I make sound like this, I can't order.

Thanks Keiichi Miyamoto

SongJinYoung from Korea

[Keiichi Miyamoto]

Originally Posted by SongJinYoung

Oh Hi Keiichi Miyamoto!!

Thank you very much for the tips
(And Thanks for the great performance)

Are You in Japan??

My brother (26 years old) lives in Kobe, Japan.
So I can buy some stuff in digimart
I'm very glad to meet you!!

I will try your tips today

I have played BSR TNE
It's best!!!

But I love My MW so I will try and try again

Your recourd was only BSR TNE and DI BOX??

or adding Amp head, another preamp, dinamic outboard(like dbx160, CL1B)

So growl, So Punch!!

and I think to order ESP Navigater Jazz 300LTD in Japan

If I make sound like this, I can't order.

Thanks Keiichi Miyamoto

SongJinYoung from Korea

Hi SongJinYoung.
I am living in Sagamihara, its near Yokohama.
It is about 600Km from Kobe to Yokohama. (**)

>Your recourd was only BSR TNE and DI BOX??

I pluged the BSR6TNE to Hi-Z input of mini mixer (TAPCO).
Then the ****og output of the mixier is connected to "RME maltiface" Audio I/F to PC.
No bass dedicated pre-amp here.
I have only used mastering maximizer (total comp.) to adjust the total sound to appropriate level.
So, I think this sound is its own voice.

I recommend you to use balance control first to see the best point to your favor.
Then, adjust the height of PU.
Result is simmilar but not just the same. I feel.

The lowered PU sound its-self gets weaker than using balance control. (difficult to express, sorry)
Sometimes this gives good result.
But please note that Rear-Only tone is now unsable, along to this method.

One more thing, if rear PU height(or balance) is too low, the tone loose deepness and clearness, necessary for finger style (for me!).

Thank you for your patience to my poor English.
Keiichi Miyamoto.

[Dennis Michaels]

That can be a hard one to get people to listen with their ears instead of their eyes. I played a 1965 P bass for 23 years before finding Ken Smith... I have worked many sessions with the P bass and the first time I showed up with the Smith (at a studio that I have recoded about 10 albums in the past) the engineer said "where's your P bass?". I said it's in the bag. He siad "Oh really". My answer was "Can we just try this one before you wig out?" We did the album with the Smith. He informed me that there was nothing to eq or compress, the instrument was obviously made for recording because it is perfect. Now he loves the Smith's as much as I do. Give it time and forgive them for pre judging your tone. They will come around.

[ed hauser]

i understand what is being said here. but, and maybe im the only one that does this...there are times that i will change basses 4 times in a set. some songs call for some sounds, and some sounds call for some feels, and some feels can only be obtained with certain basses. hence i change when i feel i need to. for instance the alembic as good as it is i will never use for slap n pop. the jazz set slightly to the rear pick up and the treb rolled back a bit slaps great. the smith rolled mostly to the back pickup and the treb almost off has such great attack and is so sharp and snappy for finger runs with the emulator for a fretless style playing (melissa ehteridge, come to my window). so i change the basses for the feel of the song and the tone that generates therof.

[Dave Longenecker]

Originally Posted by Dennis Michaels

That can be a hard one to get people to listen with their ears instead of their eyes. I played a 1965 P bass for 23 years before finding Ken Smith... I have worked many sessions with the P bass and the first time I showed up with the Smith (at a studio that I have recoded about 10 albums in the past) the engineer said "where's your P bass?". I said it's in the bag. He siad "Oh really". My answer was "Can we just try this one before you wig out?" We did the album with the Smith. He informed me that there was nothing to eq or compress, the instrument was obviously made for recording because it is perfect. Now he loves the Smith's as much as I do. Give it time and forgive them for pre judging your tone. They will come around.

So Dennis - I know you're a passive mode fan - how much of your recordings is done in passive, and how much in active mode?

Also - what about "Live" playing situations.

Thanks for the reply!

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Dave Longenecker

So Dennis - I know you're a passive mode fan - how much of your recordings is done in passive, and how much in active mode?

Also - what about "Live" playing situations.

Thanks for the reply!

Dave, you'll probably be more successful locating Dennis on Facebook these days. He hasn't been on this Forum well over two years now.