Gospel Players Corner

[Jonathan Roberts]

Hello all, my name is Jonathan and I play gospel primarily. I will share a little of my experiences with Smith basses. The first time I saw a smith I was sitting in on a friends lesson. His teacher at the time was Keith Taylor who at that time played for Kirk Franklin. He was teaching my friend "Love off the Gods property album. Man talk about an Amazing tone I instantly knew I had to get one. He let me play it for a min and it just felt Right!!! It took a few years but I finally landed my first Smith which is a BSrB 6 and my main bass which I recently got from Craigslist is a 6 string Pro Elite. I curently play for Fisrst SDA church in Huntsville Al primarily but I am moving to Atlanta next month to study bass at AIM. I have added a few pics and I hope to get some live shots up soon too. Take care

[Bob Faulkner]

I'm not a big fan of bolt on's but man.. That is one beautiful bass!!

[Ronson Hall]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Roberts

Hello all, my name is Jonathan and I play gospel primarily. I will share a little of my experiences with Smith basses. The first time I saw a smith I was sitting in on a friends lesson. His teacher at the time was Keith Taylor who at that time played for Kirk Franklin. He was teaching my friend "Love off the Gods property album. Man talk about an Amazing tone I instantly knew I had to get one. He let me play it for a min and it just felt Right!!! It took a few years but I finally landed my first Smith which is a BSrB 6 and my main bass which I recently got from Craigslist is a 6 string Pro Elite. I curently play for Fisrst SDA church in Huntsville Al primarily but I am moving to Atlanta next month to study bass at AIM. I have added a few pics and I hope to get some live shots up soon too. Take care

Jonathan, I must agree with Bob. the only difference is, I AM a big fan of bolt-ons, as I recently received a BSR5MW a couple of months ago.

You certainly got some beautiful wood! Great looking basses!

[Jonathan Roberts]

Thanks Ronson and Bob for the compliments its truly a great instrument. I have not had the pleasure of playing a neck thru yet but that may be my next venture after I finish school. If I may ask what do you guys think is the difference between the bolt on and the neckthru tone wise and as far as playability?

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Roberts

Thanks Ronson and Bob for the compliments its truly a great instrument. I have not had the pleasure of playing a neck thru yet but that may be my next venture after I finish school. If I may ask what do you guys think is the difference between the bolt on and the neckthru tone wise and as far as playability?

Jonathan, check out the following thread from this Forum:

http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=181

[Ronson Hall]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Jonathan, check out the following thread from this Forum:

http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=181

I remember that thread, Tim. Very informative, and a valuable point of reference. I'm keeping your commentary in mind when I ready myself for my next Smith (yep, there will definitely be a "next!")

[Jonathan Roberts]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Jonathan, check out the following thread from this Forum:

http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=181

Thanks Tim excellent information. I will definately give the neckthru a test run as soon as I can.

[Albert Smith]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Roberts

Hello all, my name is Jonathan and I play gospel primarily. I will share a little of my experiences with Smith basses. The first time I saw a smith I was sitting in on a friends lesson. His teacher at the time was Keith Taylor who at that time played for Kirk Franklin. He was teaching my friend "Love off the Gods property album. Man talk about an Amazing tone I instantly knew I had to get one. He let me play it for a min and it just felt Right!!! It took a few years but I finally landed my first Smith which is a BSrB 6 and my main bass which I recently got from Craigslist is a 6 string Pro Elite. I curently play for Fisrst SDA church in Huntsville Al primarily but I am moving to Atlanta next month to study bass at AIM. I have added a few pics and I hope to get some live shots up soon too. Take care

Welcome Jonathan, and as you stated their is nothing that sounds like a "Smith Bass". Congrats on continuing your studies at AIM great school and God knows their are some outstanding bass playters in GA. Please when ever you get a chance share with all of us your experiences. Until then keep grooving.
Al

[Bob Faulkner]

For me the difference is mostly feel. With a neck thru, the bass feels much more like a single entity. When you run your hand up to the higher registers and feel that heelless joint it's a beautiful thing. From 1st fret to 24th they just don't fight or impede you. The action on my neck thru is awesome, but I'm not going to stress that too much because you can get awesome action on a bolt-on as well.. I will say I can get some incredible sustain as well.

[Albert Smith]

Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner

For me the difference is mostly feel. With a neck thru, the bass feels much more like a single entity. When you run your hand up to the higher registers and feel that heelless joint it's a beautiful thing. From 1st fret to 24th they just don't fight or impede you. The action on my neck thru is awesome, but I'm not going to stress that too much because you can get awesome action on a bolt-on as well.. I will say I can get some incredible sustain as well.

Absolutely Bob, feel-tone-craftsmanship-balance-reliability-structural fortitude the list goes on and on. I've played on Modulus-Ibanez-Fedora-Gibson-Fender-Washburn-Ernie Ball-Ario Pro-OLP-Tune-Specter-Scheter and a few others that I don't care to mention and none of them give me the overall pleasure, and feels as you eluded to in your message as a Ken Smith Bass, I have a neck through model my WBT-5-EG 5 string and a bolt on CR6 6 string. Both give me extreme pleasure and that undeniable Smith tone, of course your bass has to be matched with a compatible amp, that's why I play through a all Ampeg rig.

[Albert Smith]

Well it looks like the New York kid is trading in his season tickets for the Mets to head over o good Ole St. Louis. That's right my family and I are moving. I've accepted a job offer that is relocating my Smith Bass collection out to the Mid-West. So I hope all of the Gospel Smith Bass players out there in St. Louis will welcome the Ole city boy and introduce me to some great churches out there. St. Louis here we come!

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Albert Smith

Well it looks like the New York kid is trading in his season tickets for the Mets to head over o good Ole St. Louis. That's right my family and I are moving. I've accepted a job offer that is relocating my Smith Bass collection out to the Mid-West. So I hope all of the Gospel Smith Bass players out there in St. Louis will welcome the Ole city boy and introduce me to some great churches out there. St. Louis here we come!

Uh oh! Al's getting closer to Tx! Remember Ronson, I'm still the closer beneficiary! LOL!

[Ronson Hall]

Well it looks like the New York kid is trading in his season tickets for the Mets to head over o good Ole St. Louis. That's right my family and I are moving. I've accepted a job offer that is relocating my Smith Bass collection out to the Mid-West. So I hope all of the Gospel Smith Bass players out there in St. Louis will welcome the Ole city boy and introduce me to some great churches out there. St. Louis here we come!

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Uh oh! Al's getting closer to Tx! Remember Ronson, I'm still the closer beneficiary! LOL!

Tim, I said the same thing about "gettting closer to the South & Texas" to Al not long ago, and I have put extra security around my Smith!!

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Ronson Hall

Well it looks like the New York kid is trading in his season tickets for the Mets to head over o good Ole St. Louis. That's right my family and I are moving. I've accepted a job offer that is relocating my Smith Bass collection out to the Mid-West. So I hope all of the Gospel Smith Bass players out there in St. Louis will welcome the Ole city boy and introduce me to some great churches out there. St. Louis here we come!



Tim, I said the same thing about "gettting closer to the South & Texas" to Al not long ago, and I have put extra security around my Smith!!

LOL! You got that right.

[Albert Smith]

Listen I have enough Smith's for now to keep me satisfied, besides neither one of you guys are ready to part with any of your babies. But if you are let a brother have first dibs.
Al

[Albert Smith]

Well here we are from NY to MO, we have finally unpacked the last box, as stated in my other posts I have sold all of my Ampeg equipment and purchased David Eden gear and now my wife and I are in the process of searching for a new spirit filled church home. If any f my fellow board members are aware of a African American Baptist or Pentecostal church that delivers the word unadulterated and also is searching for a Ken Smith Bass player, by all means drop me a line.
Thanks

[Albert Smith]

Well Ronson/Tim My wife and I have found a new Church home here in MO, its taken some time but we finally found one that give us the "Word" and fulfill our other needs as well. And by the way they had a opening for a Bass Player, that position has been filled.
Here is the link to our new Church home:
http://www.firstbccc.org/

[Ronson Hall]

Originally Posted by Albert Smith

Well Ronson/Tim My wife and I have found a new Church home here in MO, its taken some time but we finally found one that give us the "Word" and fulfill our other needs as well. And by the way they had a opening for a Bass Player, that position has been filled.
Here is the link to our new Church home:
http://www.firstbccc.org/

Congrats to you & your wife, Brother Al! Looks like there are a lot of sweet folks there. Here's hoping you've found a church home you can enjoy & grow in for years to come.

And, oh yes...play that Smith in there through that Eden rig and shake the walls for the Kingdom, son!!!

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Albert Smith

Well Ronson/Tim My wife and I have found a new Church home here in MO, its taken some time but we finally found one that give us the "Word" and fulfill our other needs as well. And by the way they had a opening for a Bass Player, that position has been filled.
Here is the link to our new Church home:
http://www.firstbccc.org/

Originally Posted by Ronson Hall

Congrats to you & your wife, Brother Al! Looks like there are a lot of sweet folks there. Here's hoping you've found a church home you can enjoy & grow in for years to come.

And, oh yes...play that Smith in there through that Eden rig and shake the walls for the Kingdom, son!!!

I'm happy for ya Al! And a +1 to your response Ronson......Smith + Eden = Revival!!!

[Albert Smith]

Originally Posted by Ronson Hall

Congrats to you & your wife, Brother Al! Looks like there are a lot of sweet folks there. Here's hoping you've found a church home you can enjoy & grow in for years to come.

And, oh yes...play that Smith in there through that Eden rig and shake the walls for the Kingdom, son!!!

Ronson/Tim Thanks I plan on bringing it NY style in MO (LOL)