Hotter signal?

[Jim Gorman]

I have an '87 BT5, 3 knobber with lots of miles on it. It plays like a Smith should, all 'buttery' and such. It's made a better player out of me and I love it. Finger runs, slapping and tapping are a breeze but I want a hotter, more 'responsive to touch' kind of signal. Could this be age- related electronics and/or pickups? Any suggestions?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Jim Gorman

I have an '86 BT5, 3 knobber with lots of miles on it. It plays like a Smith should, all 'buttery' and such. It's made a better player out of me and I love it. Finger runs, slapping and tapping are a breeze but I want a hotter, more 'responsive to touch' kind of signal. Could this be age- related electronics and/or pickups? Any suggestions?

Smith set-up with TCRMs will help if that's not already done. But a volume pedal if you want more. The Pickups are passive and are what they are. The Circuit has bs/tr controls only, not separate active volume boost. More boost can = more noise as well.

The guys playing with these basses for 20 years and making a living doing so have never asked for anything volume wise. I guess they do that on the amp or in the board in the studio.

[Tim Bishop]

Need some clarity. Unless I am misunderstanding you here Ken, I did not know you made a 'passive' bass . You stated above "The Circuit has bs/tr controls only, not separate active volume boost". Did you make any or many basses without the 'active' circuit or were there just a select few and which models (if model specific)?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Need some clarity. Unless I am misunderstanding you here Ken, I did not know you made a 'passive' bass . You stated above "The Circuit has bs/tr controls only, not separate active volume boost". Did you make any or many basses without the 'active' circuit or were there just a select few and which models (if model specific)?

The Smith Soapbar Pickups are always and have always been passive, period. The Volume control is always passive regardless of the Circuit in the bass. A passive bass means no battery at all which we made quite a few in the early 1980s. The active section of a Smith bass is the Bass and Treble on the older ones and later the added Midrange controls. The volume control is still passive. Basses made later with 4 and or 5 knobs have a trim pot inside to raise the active level output overall. We set this so that the flat EQ'd volume is the same as when the Bass is in passive mode. The Volume control is still passive.

The active by-pass (push/pull volume) can only work if the volume control and the pickups are passive. The Balance control are basically the pickup mix control and passive as well. When you lift the volume knob, everything still works but the tone +/- controls (bs/md/tr). This is why the Bass will work when the batteries go dead.

[Tim Bishop]

I understand the p/u's, passive/active circuit, controls, etc. used in your basses. What I did not know was that you made basses without the active circuit. So, in Jim's case, he has a bass that does not have the active circuit, correct? If yes, trying to explain to him that he could adjust the 'gain trim pot' would be a waste of time.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Jim Gorman

I have an '86 BT5, 3 knobber with lots of miles on it. It plays like a Smith should, all 'buttery' and such. It's made a better player out of me and I love it. Finger runs, slapping and tapping are a breeze but I want a hotter, more 'responsive to touch' kind of signal. Could this be age- related electronics and/or pickups? Any suggestions?

Jim, if that bass in fact does have a "mid-sweep" as you stated in another post, a modification occurred to your bass. Do you know if the pre-amp is the original Smith pre-amp? Does it have a battery? If it does have a battery, you have the active circuit. If it does have a battery, make sure it is fresh.

Also, whether the bass is active or passive, I would suggest to ensure your strings are fresh (I would use Smith TCRM's), set-up is correct for you, then adjust your individual string pole pieces on each p/u such that you are getting the maximum pull from the p/u's without getting distortion. If you are not sure how to do this, find someone who is. It's not hard, you just need to know what you are doing. Or, send it in to Ken and have him look at it for you.

[Ken Smith]

The 1986 BTs had an Active 2-band concentric bs/tr circuit. No mid, no trim pot. Nothing to adjust other than to have the bass in its best possible condition.

We had also made some passive Basses from 1980 to '86 or so with a passive circuit, no battery in side. We made these in both NY and PA. Most were made in NY. These had one large knob and two small ones and one or two switches. Stand-by at the end and Phase in the middle. Some might be without the phase and some might not have a switch at all. I can't remember all the versions. The Stand-by was great for doublers, putting the Smith down to play the upright bass with out touching any controls and leaving it plugged in, no battery to drain.

Unless I see the Bass in question, I am at a loss to comment further in this particular Bass.

[Ken Smith]

The Bass is pictured with him playing it.. My Bad.. That is the BT concentric..

Never mind...

[Bill Bernhard]

Not to derail this thread, but i was just going to comment.
I had a '85 BT4 set neck with the passive set up. That standby was very cool indeed. Even the phase was useful as an effect, with the blend rolled off center. At times i wish i could have kept it, but i really wanted a 5 and active so i traded for a BSR5 that i love more every day. One note that suprises me is that the BSR 5 set flat sounds very similar to the BT 4 even though one is active and one is passive.
Bill

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Bill Bernhard

One note that suprises me is that the BSR 5 set flat sounds very similar to the BT 4 even though one is active and one is passive.

That's because when you have your BSR5 set flat, you're not really using the benefits of the active circuit. So, what you are stating would stand to reason. Good observation though.

[Jim Gorman]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I should also state that I play with a high 'C' rather the a low 'B'. Like I said, I've got a lot of playing time on this bass. I am enclosing some close-up shots that might help tell my story better.

P.S. It's an'87 BT5, sorry for the mistake.

Thanks again, Jim

[Bob Faulkner]

Man you weren't kidding when you said that bass has had some miles put on it.. Have you had it since new? There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in that finish!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Jim Gorman

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I should also state that I play with a high 'C' rather the a low 'B'. Like I said, I've got a lot of playing time on this bass. I am enclosing some close-up shots that might help tell my story better.

P.S. It's an'87 BT5, sorry for the mistake.

Thanks again, Jim

Ahh... The Snow Flake years... I remember them well..

[Tim Bishop]

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But my Smith is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Play it Bro! Play it Bro! Play it Bro!...

Ah yes, lol, I am bored....

[Christopher Rhodes]

Any Chance those snowflakes can return in the 30th Anniversary Model?

[Tim Bishop]

June 2009: Doesn't look like there's going to be a 30th. Ann. Model. Ken?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

June 2009: Doesn't look like there's going to be a 30th. Ann. Model. Ken?

I think the 25th says it all for the moment. If I think of something, I will let you all know..

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I think the 25th says it all for the moment.

Works for me.

[Christopher Rhodes]

Ken,

I remember there was a 20th anniversary model in 1999, and then there was a 25th Anniversary model; so maybe there might be a 30th anniversary model?