burner neck dive

[Adrian Bartol]

hello,

i've recently purchased a ken smith burner 5 here in spain and i have a couple of questions about it...

its serial number is 971500 DA6, so i guess it's from 1997, but it's a standard one? custom? deluxe? i haven't any photo here, but it looks like this one: http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models/bsrb/cm5.html

i have to say that i'm really in love with this bass... it sounds amazing, and the string spacing (16mm) it's perfect for my small hands, and playing style. anyway, i've noticed a problem when i play it stand up: the headstock falls a little bit towards the floor if i don't hold the fingerboard with my left hand... it seems the fingerboard's weighs more than the body what makes it a little bit unstable.

is there any solution? what can i do?

thanks for your time!

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Adrian Bartol

hello,

....anyway, i've noticed a problem when i play it stand up: the headstock falls a little bit towards the floor if i don't hold the fingerboard with my left hand... it seems the fingerboard's weighs more than the body what makes it a little bit unstable.

is there any solution? what can i do?

thanks for your time!

This is not a problem but perfectly normal with that body cut (similar to the Smith BT body cuts). Because the upper horn is shorter is the reason why you are getting the "neck dive", not because the fingerboard "weighs more" than the body.

What you can do to help balance it out is simple. Assuming you are a right handed player, just use the forearm of your right arm and rest it on or near the upper rear part of the upper body wing. The rear part of the upper body wing would be under your right forearm anyway. It would just be a matter of learning how to apply whatever needed pressure/weight from your right forearm to balance out the overall bass to your liking.

I have a Burner 6-String and a few BT model Smiths with similar body cuts, so this is something I easily adapted to without any complaint.

FYI: The Smith BSR body cuts have a longer upper horn. Because of this, the BSR balances perfectly on a strap.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Adrian Bartol

....its serial number is 971500 DA6, so i guess it's from 1997....

Yes, the bass was made in 1997 and based on the serial number you provided, you have a 6 String Burner. Your profile indicates you have a 5 string Burner. Are you sure the serial number is correct? Does it say DA6 or DA5?

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Adrian Bartol

....
its serial number is 971500 DA6, so i guess it's from 1997, but it's a standard one? custom? deluxe?....

Not sure what the "DA" in the serial number would indicatate. I have a "SK" in my serial number and am not sure what that indicates either. I do know mine is a Standard so maybe that's what the "S" indicates from my serial number? If so, I would suspect that the "D" in your SN would indicate Deluxe. If I'm right, we just need to know what the "A" and the "K" indicate. Maybe Ken can help us out with this?

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Adrian Bartol

....
its serial number is 971500 DA6, so i guess it's from 1997, but it's a standard one? custom? deluxe? i haven't any photo here, but it looks like this one: http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models/bsrb/cm5.html
....

Well, there are only 3 Burner models and if it "looks like" the one in the link, it would be a Custom. However, the serial number you provided should give you the answer you're looking for. Ken would have that answer.

[Ken Smith]

That's the Deluxe Ash 6. 6 string, natural blond ash.

[Tim Bishop]

Ok, so what would the "K" in SK6 indicate?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Ok, so what would the "K" in SK6 indicate?

Black. K=Black, L=Blue

Both start with 'B' so I did it that way.

[Adrian Bartol]

thanks for the replies!

my burner is a 5 string one, and yes, the end of serial number is DA5

about the neck diving, yes, i've used my forearm to balance the bass, but this is a little bit uncomfortable. ken, is there anything else i can do to deal with this? maybe changing the back strap button to another position?

anyway, if it can't be solved i don't care, i love it so much!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Adrian Bartol

hello,

i've recently purchased a ken smith burner 5 here in spain and i have a couple of questions about it...

its serial number is 971500 DA6, so i guess it's from 1997, but it's a standard one? custom? deluxe? i haven't any photo here, but it looks like this one: http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models/bsrb/cm5.html

Ok, I looked it up. You made a Typo. It's DA 5 at the end, not 6.