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  #81  
Old 05-29-2011, 12:14 AM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Diza View Post
Of all the builders, who of them would you respect the most, both professionally and personally?
Who ever shows respect, gets respect. I don't believe in most of the ideas builders are using today (or yesterday) to either try something different to be fashionable or to copy those that do. Anyone can glue pieces of wood together. Not all of them can make real professional working musical instruments and even less make them comfortable.

Having worked 20 years as a professional bassist freelancing in NYC (is there a tougher 'nut' to crack?) before and during the start of my business, I know what feels good and does the job. My goal was and still is to make real instruments, not toys or gimmicks. If they look pretty, that's a plus. If not, close your eyes and use your ears. Like when you listen to music!

I am sorry to say that this is not a question I can answer in a jovial manner patting every other person on the back making things with strings or kiss any butts. There is so much garbage in this business (and every other business) that it gets harder each day to look in a magazine or pictures on line of what people are making these days. I hope they are having fun doing it because many of them are and will be in the long run their own biggest fans.

Remember the movie with (Harrison Ford) the 'Holy Grail' cup? It was the plain one, not any of the fancy ones.

Also, listen to a thousand great bass recordings. Now go make a bass that can be used to duplicate that. The unemployment line has more bassists doing tricks then those that can just play the bass. My goal again is making working instruments, not circus attractions. .. Be true to your art, or get a day job.. lol
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  #82  
Old 05-29-2011, 11:41 AM
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Well said, Ken. The history of your basses is very fascinating. Could you enlighten us on this early piece? You guys probably recognize it as being listed currently on one of those auction sites. It's also missing a big chunk of wood in the control area, which looks to be a very involved expensive repair job. I do apologize for the tiny pics. I tried my best to have them larger to no avail:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
.. Be true to your art, or get a day job.. lol

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Last edited by Roy Diza; 05-29-2011 at 11:52 AM.
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  #83  
Old 05-29-2011, 12:33 PM
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Tim Bishop Tim Bishop is offline
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Thumbs up Lol!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
...."The unemployment line has more bassists doing tricks then those that can just play the bass".....
Lol! I wish I could've thought of and claim that line as my own: So true.
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  #84  
Old 05-29-2011, 01:04 PM
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Cool ok..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Diza View Post
Could you enlighten us on this early piece? You guys probably recognize it as being listed currently on one of those auction sites. It's also missing a big chunk of wood in the control area, which looks to be a very involved expensive repair job. I do apologize for the tiny pics. I tried my best to have them larger to no avail:
Looks like the first bass we made for Anthony Jackson. It seems as if it was used to smash a wall down. That was no accident. The Ebay seller claims it's an easy repair. Well, I can't see a way to repair splintered wood. It needs a new pair of body wings made so they will match. Then after all is done, the bass would have to be re-finished so the finish all matches as well. No easy repair there. You can save the neck, machines, pickups and bridge. Did I miss anything?

That bass was actually re-made 2 or 3 times. That body had semi-hollow cavities in it to reduce weight. The first body didn't. The first make of the bass had the old Circuit with the big control plate and then that was re-done with special made pots. Then, we put I believe a simple bass/treble circuit in the bass in the end. The bass was first made in 1981 and then fully completed in its unbroken state in 1982 with all the modifications. I am not sure when we put the BT circuit in it. Could have been a year later, I can't remember.

Then someone had to go and smash it. A shame. We made two basses like that. Bill Dickens got the 2nd one. We also made another Bass for Anthony a few years later with a completely different design. Some of the things requested by Anthony were against my better judgment but he insisted.

The Next 6's we made were the BT line and they have held their place in history. John Patitucci got one of the rack meaning, the one he tried was sold before he could send money and agreed in advance he would take the other bass if the first one sold before, which it did.

Musicians often have ideas of their own. Unfortunately, not all ideas are worth cutting up wood for. Anthony's 2nd bass was beautiful but I would have never made anything like it, body or head in design. He also wanted the bass to be his own one-of-a-kind that no one else would ever have.
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  #85  
Old 05-31-2011, 08:24 PM
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How was the 7 string developed? How much did you collaborate with Melvin Davis on his signature model? Is there any difference between BSR7EG and MD Signature model?
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  #86  
Old 06-01-2011, 12:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Rory Lane View Post
How was the 7 string developed? How much did you collaborate with Melvin Davis on his signature model? Is there any difference between BSR7EG and MD Signature model?
The 7 was Melvin's request and we had to use Bubinga for the fingerboards to have something wide enough without cutting up ebony top wood sets.

I personally modified the neck taper jig to cut the wider 7 string neck and keeping it uniform. The body then was a bit like the BMT.

Both Melvin Davis and Al Turner had ordered custom basses around the same time and these body designs later became the BMT and then the BSR.

If not for Melvin's 'strong' request back then, we may have never made a 7-string. On his, we used an old jig for fret slotting and made them with more frets, 28 or 30 maybe? I don't remember. I will have to ask Melvin to count them.

After those two 7s, we didn't make any for awhile. I might have used Morado for a few fingerboards but again, I don't remember. I had asked my ebony fb supplier to cut a quantity of boards to make 7s but in a length for my slotting saw of only 24 frets.

To date, my records show that we made 50 Elite 7-strings. Two of them first for Melvin of his design and the other 48, the current BSR model. There may have been a Black Tiger in there or Fusion cut but the model was basically the same. We still make 7s when ordered and I we just made two of them, one for an order and one for stock.

The difference between the first two were mainly the body wings and number of frets. Also, the pickups were in design at that time which we since have standardized and settled on the flattop design after the first few basses were made. The ones we make now are the best work we have ever produced. But, I have said that for years and years now so what we make now is the best of what we have made if not the same.
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  #87  
Old 06-09-2011, 12:36 AM
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Many of your innovations are well documented through the history of Ken Smith Basses, but of all the ones you implemented, which ones are you most proud of?
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  #88  
Old 08-22-2011, 08:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Diza View Post
Many of your innovations are well documented through the history of Ken Smith Basses, but of all the ones you implemented, which ones are you most proud of?
Sorry I'm late. I missed this question.

I would say that each new model once all ironed out, I was proud of it coming to be. I have never been stuck on a single model because they all worked and they still work. Just different ideas and versions of similar ideas. Adding strings is not necessarily a new model in my eyes. Just a modification or addition to its 'parent' model if we can use that description.

Moving forward I think the BSR was my favorite model as it had a bit of everything in it. It has half of the BT in it and some of the BMT as well. I usually sit when I play and almost always did. My playing tastes as far as body styles might not be the same as yours. When the BMT came, I put a few ideas that had been in the drawer into one bass. Then, perfecting it was the BSR which looks good with the point or the curve like the Fusion model we make.

As far as other 'little' things on the bass, from a players viewpoint of having worked with bass in hand 5-7 days a week on average I do listen to players requests but must be realistic and compare them to my own thoughts as far as practicality goes. Making a bass with custom features is an expensive task but changing a model by adding something may not be a smart move in the long run for all players.

Keeping the basses affordable within reason is a big concern of mine.
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  #89  
Old 09-18-2011, 05:11 PM
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Lightbulb TalkBass History Errors Posted on KS/KSB

I Thought it would be time to post this here since I can't go there and make the corrections. Anyone here is welcomed to go on TB and copy/paste my corrections. Just a few here, nothing major but the facts are just wrong. I will post the phrase, correction and a link to that Post/Thread on TB so you can see and respond there (or here) if you like.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From; http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f31/da...l#post11493393
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Higdon
Dare I point this out? One former TB member was right in the thick of things, playing jazz on DB and switching to BG back when it was getting off the ground: Ken Smith.

"I remember that Ken was apprenticing for Carl Thompson back in the 70's. Carl had a shop (and still does) on Court street at his house in Brooklyn. Carl's musical heros are Jim Hall, Johnny Smith and Jackie Paris. Carl was a jazz guitarist who made the switch to electric bass late. When you say in the thick of things, is this what you mean, Don? His apprenticeship with Carl Thompson?"

Ah, I was never an apprentice of Carl Thompson or anyone else for that matter. I knew Carl, been to both the shops he had (NYC and Brooklyn) and even played a Duo gig with him once. I also borrowed his Band-saw once to make Spool Clamps cutting Pine Circles out for the clamps. I hung out at the shop socially as well in the early '70s in NYC when he started the shop but was NEVER his apprentice. I can see how one might think that shooting in the dark but with this lights on, we were just friends.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From my buddy Don Higdon's mention of me being an early Doubler; http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f31/da...l#post11493827
Quote:
Originally Posted by salcott
Ken was active in the early 50s?

"Yes, he was very active, because that's when he was born.
On the basis of what he's said, he was in the NYC scene in the late 60's. He did start on DB and switch later. I'm sure he played DB when he was with Silver.
Steve Swallow didn't switch until 1970: Cranshaw was playing DB in the 60's, I don't know what year he switched. In any event, there were not that many BG's in jazz for years after the Fender was introduced."


I actually played my Fender 'P' bass with Horace Silver that I had scraped (literally) the Frets down flush with the Fretboard leaving only the Tang (the part that holds the Fret in the wood) showing as lines for the notes/positions.

I thank Don for mentioning that about me even with that minor correction.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From a common error in the Smith/Fodera history; http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f30/yo...l#post11484579

"If I remember well the article in Bass Player mag, AJ said he wanted to go lower and lower while he was doing walking bass and he was struggling when going higher because he had to move up the neck on the G string. Carl Thombson didn't want his name associated with his crazy idea so he made what exacly AJ wanted resulting in a failliure. Ken Smith get what the idea of AJ more but it wasn't until Joey and Vinnie Fodera quit Ken Smith to make Fodera bass that the idea of AJ became really well made."

Ok, Joey (Lauricella) NEVER worked FOR me or for Ken Smith Basses. He was a customer in the first few years we produced basses and had bought about 5 basses from me at my Apartment/Shop on 13th street. He also brought a customer or two over to buy basses as well but not as a salesman either. Just to bring a friend over to buy. Later, he partnered with Fodera when I sold the shop and most of its contents to Vinnie and his two partners, Joey being one of them. We had unfinished basses, necks and body parts started and some orders to fill so I contracted them (mainly thru the 3rd partner of a short while that actually handled the business who is no longer there so I wont mention his name) to finish what was started so I could deliver the orders promised. In that time, I set up shop in PA by 1985 so the contracting phase between Fodera and Smith was less than 3 years. Less than 200 of the first bass carcasses (I finished up all the Basses on 13th street at my place in the City) were made in Brooklyn NY in 3 different shops and one in the City where we made some Neck and Body Billets and brought them to Brooklyn, not all by, with or thru Vinnie but the much of that NY basses were done with Vinnie in some part. All the rest (6,000+) have been made in my shop in PA.

No comment here from me on that authors opinions, just the facts!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

History is history and facts are facts. Not all of history is correct. If you have ever heard the phrase "if it is written, it is true", then you will understand why I prefer to correct errors, mis-truths and outright lies while I am still here on this earth to do so. Many people, products and litterateurs we have read and learned from has not had the same privilege in the lifetime of the named persons, products or claimed occurrences. I feel it is my obligation to set the record straight no matter how big or small.

Your replies and discussions are welcomed here.
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  #90  
Old 09-27-2011, 02:44 PM
Steven Freitas Steven Freitas is offline
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A lot of stuff put up on forums and on the internet in general result
from hearsay, gossip, and second hand interpretations of what someone
else said. By the time the original statement gets to the last recipient, the
whole message changes.

Bottom line, I rather go to the source than rely on someone else's interpretation.

Ken, I understand. Posted up something on that forum the other day, then got
a message that the moderator had to "approve" the statement before it could post. Nothing in my statement met any of the "not approved" criteria, so why
the censorship?

I don't get it.
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  #91  
Old 11-16-2011, 08:47 AM
fernandobicho fernandobicho is offline
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Hello! Great answer. I never liked signature models.
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  #92  
Old 10-31-2012, 07:04 PM
Desmund Nichols Desmund Nichols is offline
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Default Contra bass

I read somewhere (probably Wikipedia) that you are the first Luthier to SUCCESSFULLY build an operating Contrabass. My question is how come you stopped making them?
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  #93  
Old 10-31-2012, 08:05 PM
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Joshua Phelps Joshua Phelps is offline
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Default Smith basses / fodera / Carl Thompson?

Sooooo people are still rehashing these old stories after all these years? Was there even any REAL falling out?
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  #94  
Old 10-31-2012, 10:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Desmund Nichols View Post
I read somewhere (probably Wikipedia) that you are the first Luthier to SUCCESSFULLY build an operating Contrabass. My question is how come you stopped making them?
Contra-Bass is just another name for a 6-string bass. That's what Anthony Jackson calls it. Your bass on order will be a contra-bass as well by his description. It is just a name.

In old instruments centuries ago, when the violin family developed and replaced the Viols, the Cello was the bass voice. The Double Bass was pitched an octave lower when it was finally developed as an orchestral instrument.

When you read bass music, you are transposing up from one octave lower. The Tuba reads the music 'written' an octave lower at the regular Pitch. The actual pitch of the C note 2 ledger lines below the staff is the C on your A-string, 3rd fret (if it's fretted). But, when you read that note for bass, it is the second space on the staff. That note read by a piano or tuba would sound an octave higher. The lowest note on the cello is that low C below the staff. We play the exact same note and pitch on the 2nd space. If we play the low C on a B-string, first fret, it sounds an octave lower than the cello, hence, the double bass, or contra-bass.

So, here endith the lesson, for now!
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  #95  
Old 10-31-2012, 11:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joshua Phelps View Post
Sooooo people are still rehashing these old stories after all these years? Was there even any REAL falling out?
My relationship with CT had nothing ever to do with VF. Totally different time periods. I don't know about a falling out with Carl. That is news to me. I did ask him before I started my company if he was interested in my design when we worked together on a personal bass that became my proto-proto-type but he and his partner Joel were not interested. That was the end of that. I brought many people to Carl over the years for repairs and a bass or two. I have nothing against him and never did. I think we were friends to a degree. I have more stories to tell but it serves no purpose on this subject. I was around him quite a bit in the early-mid '70s and he was always nice to me, personally and in business.

On the other person or company mentioned, what was agreed on when I sold him/them(Vinnie, Joey and Alex) the shop contents back in 1983 and what actually happened is not exactly as I expected. When you have a business with partners, what one guy 'says' or promises might not be what actually happens.

Judge the Smith basses for what the are, how they play, how the sound and the various features and details that go into them. Compare the products themselves. Not the advertising or players that use them. Many basses have been given away for free or nearly free at the expense of the general buyer by some companies so would be customers think that is a choice made by the player. If you have a Smith bass and have a visible presence around the world playing one and someone comes and offers you a bass for free, would you take it or play the bass you think is better without being told all the names on the roster they have?

I don't chase after players to sell basses. It's tacky and immature. If that's how they have to survive, then that's their business method, not mine.

Those of you that have called me, emailed me or came for a visit know that I answer all your questions and even go beyond that to explain and even teach why some things are the way they are with Smith basses. The things I read on TB that some say about me are often widely exaggerated or outright false. Talk about the bashing bandwagon. That's one of the main reasons I was banned there. For defending myself and telling the Mods how great a job they were NOT doing. Telling a Mod anything bad is an offense there. So, I had my hands tied, broke loose in a way and told one of the Mods what I thought, in Private. I am not some corporate Billboard. I am a person running a business but most of all, a Person. I play Bass. That is why I am here to begin with in this business. If I was not a professional bassist in NYC, this product would have never come about.

Think for a minute what may have spawned from my models, designs and ideas in basses today around the world. Imagine the bass world if I had never stepped into it!

When you have called here, I took your call if I was near my office and answered all your questions. If you emailed, I gave you all the facts as soon as I could email you back. Sometimes, it's not what one want's to hear. That I can't help. I am not a customer service agent 'yessing' you on everything you say so you the customer is always right. I am the owner and founder of this company and I can only explain what we do and don't do. Sometimes we can bend a little on what we make but in selling a model, or any of the models, to get the results WE expect, I have to be the final word on what we will do or will not do.

I was listening on the news last night just after the storm (Sandy) and NJ Gov. Christie on hearing the Prez.(Obama) was coming to look at the damage, the Gov. said he doesn't care about that or presidential politics now. Something like, 'If you know me, you know I don't give a .....' along those lines about who's coming. "right now (he said), we have to help the people without power and homes and food and shelter etc."

Now, I am not trying to compare myself to Gov. Christie in any way other than to point out, when you have things to do, you have to get them done. When I get questions, I answer them. I do NOT sell Dreams or Promises. I don't hold hands either. We make basses and the website shows countless pictured examples of our work with plenty of text to go with it. Youtube has tons of videos of guys with Smith basses as well. That is advertising you just can't buy. Let me say now a BIG Thank You to all those making videos on YT and FB as well. It's a joy for me personally seeing people play and love their Smith basses enough to put themselves on-line playing one and even talking about it on occasion. Thanks Guys AND Gals.. A few Girls I know play them too..

I can easily have a sweet sounding cust. service girl on the phone here that will take your messages (or not) and then explain in her words what I told her to say and how to answer a technical question but after trying that approach for years (with guys too), too much misinformation went out. Wouldn't you rather the first answer be the accurate one? That's why I take all the calls on basses now. It cuts out most of the confusion if not all of it.

I guess you need to think, 'how can I get my work done here talking all day (or night) on the phone or on the computer and get the basses made as well?' Right?

The answer is 'short and sweet', but not always sweet. I want you to get the correct information to your questions but I am not so good at buttering them up. That is something people might say about me, 'short and to the point'. After 50 emails in a day, it doesn't seem short to me.

On people asking for parts for other basses or mods to current Smith basses, old and current models, I tell you all that I know. It's free. You just have to ask.
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  #96  
Old 11-01-2012, 12:18 AM
Bryan L Williams Bryan L Williams is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
In old instruments centuries ago, when the violin family developed and replaced the Viols, the Cello was the bass voice. The Double Bass was pitched an octave lower when it was finally developed as an orchestral instrument.

When you read bass music, you are transposing up from one octave lower. The Tuba reads the music 'written' an octave lower at the regular Pitch. The actual pitch of the C note 2 ledger lines below the staff is the C on your A-string, 3rd fret (if it's fretted). But, when you read that note for bass, it is the second space on the staff. That note read by a piano or tuba would sound an octave higher. The lowest note on the cello is that low C below the staff. We play the exact same note and pitch on the 2nd space. If we play the low C on a B-string, first fret, it sounds an octave lower than the cello, hence, the double bass, or contra-bass.

So, tuning a 4-string "bass" CGDA (one octave below a cello) would seem to be the way to go...a Contracello.
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  #97  
Old 11-01-2012, 12:28 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan L Williams View Post
So, tuning a 4-string "bass" CGDA (one octave below a cello) would seem to be the way to go...a Contracello.
Not unless you wanna stretch your fingers like never before and or pivoting and shifting more than on a regular tuned bass.

EADG from the bottom is the standard now for 100 years or so but in use even longer. Low B on a 5er and low C on an Extension 4'er. That's what 99+% of the bass players in the world use.
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  #98  
Old 11-01-2012, 12:31 AM
Desmund Nichols Desmund Nichols is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
My relationship with CT had nothing ever to do with VF. Totally different time periods. I don't know about a falling out with Carl. That is news to me. I did ask him before I started my company if he was interested in my design when we worked together on a personal bass that became my proto-proto-type but he and his partner Joel were not interested. That was the end of that. I brought many people to Carl over the years for repairs and a bass or two. I have nothing against him and never did. I think we were friends to a degree. I have more stories to tell but it serves no purpose on this subject. I was around him quite a bit in the early-mid '70s and he was always nice to me, personally and in business.

On the other person or company mentioned, what was agreed on when I sold him/them(Vinnie, Joey and Alex) the shop contents back in 1983 and what actually happened is not exactly as I expected. When you have a business with partners, what one guy 'says' or promises might not be what actually happens.

Judge the Smith basses for what the are, how they play, how the sound and the various features and details that go into them. Compare the products themselves. Not the advertising or players that use them. Many basses have been given away for free or nearly free at the expense of the general buyer by some companies so would be customers think that is a choice made by the player. If you have a Smith bass and have a visible presence around the world playing one and someone comes and offers you a bass for free, would you take it or play the bass you think is better without being told all the names on the roster they have?

I don't chase after players to sell basses. It's tacky and immature. If that's how they have to survive, then that's their business method, not mine.

Those of you that have called me, emailed me or came for a visit know that I answer all your questions and even go beyond that to explain and even teach why some things are the way they are with Smith basses. The things I read on TB that some say about me are often widely exaggerated or outright false. Talk about the bashing bandwagon. That's one of the main reasons I was banned there. For defending myself and telling the Mods how great a job they were NOT doing. Telling a Mod anything bad is an offense there. So, I had my hands tied, broke loose in a way and told one of the Mods what I thought, in Private. I am not some corporate Billboard. I am a person running a business but most of all, a Person. I play Bass. That is why I am here to begin with in this business. If I was not a professional bassist in NYC, this product would have never come about.

Think for a minute what may have spawned from my models, designs and ideas in basses today around the world. Imagine the bass world if I had never stepped into it!

When you have called here, I took your call if I was near my office and answered all your questions. If you emailed, I gave you all the facts as soon as I could email you back. Sometimes, it's not what one want's to hear. That I can't help. I am not a customer service agent 'yessing' you on everything you say so you the customer is always right. I am the owner and founder of this company and I can only explain what we do and don't do. Sometimes we can bend a little on what we make but in selling a model, or any of the models, to get the results WE expect, I have to be the final word on what we will do or will not do.

I was listening on the news last night just after the storm (Sandy) and NJ Gov. Christie on hearing the Prez.(Obama) was coming to look at the damage, the Gov. said he doesn't care about that or presidential politics now. Something like, 'If you know me, you know I don't give a .....' along those lines about who's coming. "right now (he said), we have to help the people without power and homes and food and shelter etc."

Now, I am not trying to compare myself to Gov. Christie in any way other than to point out, when you have things to do, you have to get them done. When I get questions, I answer them. I do NOT sell Dreams or Promises. I don't hold hands either. We make basses and the website shows countless pictured examples of our work with plenty of text to go with it. Youtube has tons of videos of guys with Smith basses as well. That is advertising you just can't buy. Let me say now a BIG Thank You to all those making videos on YT and FB as well. It's a joy for me personally seeing people play and love their Smith basses enough to put themselves on-line playing one and even talking about it on occasion. Thanks Guys AND Gals.. A few Girls I know play them too..

I can easily have a sweet sounding cust. service girl on the phone here that will take your messages (or not) and then explain in her words what I told her to say and how to answer a technical question but after trying that approach for years (with guys too), too much misinformation went out. Wouldn't you rather the first answer be the accurate one? That's why I take all the calls on basses now. It cuts out most of the confusion if not all of it.

I guess you need to think, 'how can I get my work done here talking all day (or night) on the phone or on the computer and get the basses made as well?' Right?

The answer is 'short and sweet', but not always sweet. I want you to get the correct information to your questions but I am not so good at buttering them up. That is something people might say about me, 'short and to the point'. After 50 emails in a day, it doesn't seem short to me.

On people asking for parts for other basses or mods to current Smith basses, old and current models, I tell you all that I know. It's free. You just have to ask.

Always helped me out. Surprisingly, you are available to chat on the phone and stuff. I been to the shop a couple of times, and it was a good time. I never been on a tour though, I keep forgetting. Sometimes I feel guilty asking all the questions because I figure he isnt building while he is on the phone, or internet, or discussing in person. I must say, Ken does a good job juggling running a business, building, discussing, and answering questions. I always enjoy it. If I lived closer, I would probably go by more often. I drive a Jeep, and have never spoke with the CEO of Daimler Chrysler. I have an iPad and never spoke to Steve Jobs. I play a Smith bass, and I deal directly with Ken Smith, its a good feeling. I look forward to my next visit. My pot (if thats the hole I put the cable in) is acting up again, so I have to make a visit soon.

Not for nothing, its a good thing I don't live that close, because I would want to just make random visits to the shop to check on my bass on order, and we all know how annoying that is.
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Old 11-01-2012, 12:38 AM
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Joshua Phelps Joshua Phelps is offline
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Default Just my opinion

I do strongly dislike when companies give basses away to high profile players then charge much less know players & hobists $10.000 & a 1 year waiting period for a very average bass. That's one thing I've always liked about smith basses is they dont give them away. That & they are great basses for a very reasonable price.
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Old 11-01-2012, 12:40 AM
Desmund Nichols Desmund Nichols is offline
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Originally Posted by Joshua Phelps View Post
I do strongly dislike when companies give basses away to high profile players then charge much less know players & hobists $10.000 & a 1 year waiting period for a very average bass. That's one thing I've always liked about smith basses is they dont give them away. That & they are great basses for a very reasonable price.
So all those guys get a free "signature" bass? I never knew that.
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