#1
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Got to play a very special Smith....
I would first like to say hello to all Smith owners and to the Smith crew.
A good friend of mine has number 032 (yes he is the origional owner), and I was able to play it for a couple of days. No pictures for certain reasons, but WOW! Obviously it is a piece of history, but this thing blew my mind! It weighs a ton for obvious reasons only a vintage smith afficianado would know,but man..this thing is killer! Im sold on the Smith bass. ken, if you read these at all, 032 was built in 1984??? Ahead of your time....way ahead of your time. |
#2
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032?
Isn't #032 a 6-string? If so, the original owner is Bill Dickens. I will look up the # next week.
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#3
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Ken,
It is in fact Billy's Smith! This thing is awesome! Its a piece of history and man, it plays great too. Makes me want to buya few smiths myself. |
#4
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Buy a few......
Quote:
Well, if you want to buy a few, you are just a few threads away from temptation!
__________________
Tim Bishop |
#5
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Tell me about it
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#6
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Tell me about it...
It's best just to give in to the temptation and splurge. You only live once on this big ball of mud!
__________________
Tim Bishop |
#7
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Here's some pics of #28 to give you an idea of the level of craftsmanship.
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#8
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"My Bass"
That was MY personal Bass until someone from I believe Venezuela convinced me to part with it. I have seen it listed for sale at least once in the last 10 years.
That was a great Bass with a few personal touches. |
#9
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Hey Ken!! Someone told me that KS was made by S.Spector #001~#032 Is it true?? |
#10
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True??
Quote:
Most of the History written about me is accurate. Some of it is other peoples point of View. NO SMITH BASS was EVER made without me, ever! I personally worked on every Bass and still do so saying that someone MADE my Bass is an INACCURATE statement! On those first 32, all the Maple for the Body and neck parts were personally picked and purchased by me and shipped to the Shop from the Lumber company. I was involved to the point that I turned down jobs as a Bassist when ever I was needed in the Shop or at a trade show. |
#11
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After electric bass was invented, Many basses and luthiers have been an enterance and closed!! Though it was expensive high-end model, KS basses is one of the company which has loved for long time!! Every loved thing has the resson be loved!! Thanks ken for the great basses!! |
#12
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Ken,
Can you fill me in on the control panel. That is a lot of knobs and switches.
__________________
Dennis Michaels www.myspace.com/dennismichaelsbass www.dennismichaels.com www.kensmithbasses.com www.eden-electronics.com Tone matters so play the best through the best. |
#13
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If memory serves :
theres obviously volume and tone, I think theres a filter sweep style tone control..similar to a tonal balance...maybe like a fender tone stack? Theres a mutron inside it too. Its funny. you plug it in and it lights up..wich is cool, but Ramsey Lewis who Billy played with at the time, didnt like the lights..got in the way of his stage importance , so I think either ken or someone ended up making a box for it to shut the lled's off. Another silly side not, in Billy's first vidoes featuring the 6, youll hear the filter kick in during a solo or 2, its by accident..when he goes, he goes and anything in the way gets knocked over Hey Bob, are those the origional pups? Do you know if Bill Lawrence did those? billys bass has Barts in it. Last edited by Michael Stram; 08-24-2007 at 10:03 AM. Reason: asking a new question |
#14
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Bill's Bass
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#15
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Hi Ken,
When Billy showed me the bass, I didnt ask about the box's origination. but right now it has bartolinis in it and the box wich looks kinda like an old radio shack project box would kick off the leds. Eh, if it works, it works.. Have you ever thought of doing a limited run of the origionals or is that something you dont really want to touch? Just wondering. I really dug the brass(?) back plate for the electronics. That was unheard of back then. Thank you for making the basses that you do. No other bass plays like a Smith and no other bass sounds like a smith. |
#16
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limited run?
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Thanks but no thanks on the re-issue plan! |
#17
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YEOW! Yeah keep those limited ones limited and very special.
did you do any other relief carving or is the 4 string pictured in this thread the only one? Its really nice.
__________________
If everybodies thinking the same thing, nobody's thinking. |
#18
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relief carving?
First off, Vinne Fodera was working for me at that time (1980-1983) and he did all the Pearl work and that relief carving. I don't recall any others with carvings but it's possible. It was only 4-strings we made back then with the exception of the two 6s we made. One for Anthony and the second one found its home with Bill Dickens.
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#19
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Sorry about the confusion. How did you meet Billy? Was it a trade show or was he playing somewhere?
I apologize if my questions are trite or bothersome. I've always been interested in how and where things start.
__________________
If everybodies thinking the same thing, nobody's thinking. |
#20
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Met Billy?
I don't recall exactly but I think he called me and was playing at the BlueNote or FatTuesdays. I saw him at both places there with Ramsey Lewis. I forget which was first.
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