Favorite Top woods and why?

[Adam Linz]

I use to have a Koa winged 5string bolt on burner when I was doing more electric playing. Ever since I was a kid flipping thru bass player magazine and seeing all these incredible bassists playing KSBs. Yes young ones there were magazines before everyone and their dog had the Internet. I got my bass in my mid twenties and sold it to a student who was going to surpass me as an electric player. Now I see that the Koa is no longer available as I have the itch for another KSB. I feel very lucky to have spent uncountable hours on that bass and to know what a professional instrument both felt like and how it could elevate my playing to unexpected levels. Thank you Ken for inspiring the bass players of generation X with your instruments and for helping us realize our highest potential. Best, Adam Linz

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Adam Linz

I use to have a Koa winged 5string bolt on burner when I was doing more electric playing. Ever since I was a kid flipping thru bass player magazine and seeing all these incredible bassists playing KSBs. Yes young ones there were magazines before everyone and their dog had the Internet. I got my bass in my mid twenties and sold it to a student who was going to surpass me as an electric player. Now I see that the Koa is no longer available as I have the itch for another KSB. I feel very lucky to have spent uncountable hours on that bass and to know what a professional instrument both felt like and how it could elevate my playing to unexpected levels. Thank you Ken for inspiring the bass players of generation X with your instruments and for helping us realize our highest potential. Best, Adam Linz

A Koa winged 5-string bolt-on burner? Really? Either it is NOT a Burner or the wood is NOT Koa. We never made Burners in Koa.

>> If you get me pictures of the bass or even the serial number, I can ID it for you so you know what bass or wood you actually have.

As far as Koa being available, in my book, it's no better than maple or walnut. It just costs 5-times as much not to mention the shipping from Hawaii. If we needed Koa, we would have it. Of all the woods we have used over the years, it was one of the least requested woods for our basses. When we made a Koa bass, it was either a hard sell or someone took it so as not to have to wait. It's pretty wood when highly figured but it doesn't beat beautifully figured maple or walnut in looks but in tone, Koa doesn't sound as good as it looks either if you ask me.

[Ronen Tat]

Visually I prefer dark woods for the top but my BSR6EG Q.maple/mahogany/Q.maple literally sings like no other bass I've tried. Maybe its the top, maybe the core, maybe the neck's mass or all together...

[Keir Riggs]

I myself prefer the zebrawood & mahogany combo. It just yields so much in tone when you need to cut through the mix w/o drastically adjusting your preamp. I also like the redwood tops too.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Keir Riggs

I myself prefer the zebrawood & mahogany combo. It just yields so much in tone when you need to cut through the mix w/o drastically adjusting your preamp. I also like the redwood tops too.

On Smith basses you mean? It takes the whole Bass to make the sound. The Top is only one part of many but an important one.

Different brands of basses will get different results in sound depending on the exact woods, construction and finish.

[Keir Riggs]

Of course Sir!!! This is the Smith forum. The bass that Don Boyette has is totally awesome in tone. I'm not sure of the neck woods, but just from looking at the body it appears to be zebra & mahogany, if I'm incorrect please let me know the correct wood combinations. I would love that bass in a 6 string version.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Keir Riggs

Of course Sir!!! This is the Smith forum. The bass that Don Boyette has is totally awesome in tone. I'm not sure of the neck woods, but just from looking at the body it appears to be zebra & mahogany, if I'm incorrect please let me know the correct wood combinations. I would love that bass in a 6 string version.

Ok, and yes, it probably was Zebra and Mahogany. One has to play the various basses in the same room, same amp and same day to judge the differences between them. Neck woods were probably Maple/Morado like they have been for decades.

We can easily make you a 6-string version of that bass. Of course, we have made 2 circuit revisions since Don's bass was made. Tonally, the circuits have the same and more than they did back then. It just looks different now with its current layout that came out around 1993.