Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB)

Go Back   Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB) > Electric Basses > Music [BG] > Jazz and R&B Corner

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-06-2011, 10:44 PM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Thumbs up 'Fame' (BSR Burner Deluxe 4)

I am doing the show 'Fame' next week and playing Electric Bass on the gig. It will be the first 'Electric' specific bass Gig I've had since the late 1980's. I have played some Electric here and there but on Gigs, I was always able to either Play the DB, bring a BG by choice or double on both basses.

So, I call me son who has 'borrowed' my 5er and ask, "what bass can I use?" He tells me to use my younger Son's trans black BSR Burner Deluxe made slightly over 10 years ago. Because the color was off from the factory (charcoal black) I brought it home for my son Mike when he was in 5th grade or so. Now he's in 2nd year of college so you can do the math. He no longer plays bass so we have it at home as a practice bass.

I brought it into the shop today and set-up up for my double bass chops on electric and started shedding on the music. Some good R&B lines in this music and 99.8% written out. Reading syncopated 8ths and 16ths a must. Way different than playing in the orchestra.

It kind of feels like my old NY freelancing days playing what's on the stand with different music almost every day and sometimes 2 or 3 times a day.

I also have a doubling job this Saturday playing a concert and was asked to bring both Basses. Before looking over the music which I got by PDF I called and said I can do it all on the DB. After practicing half the 'Fame' book earlier this evening, I think bringing the Burner for a few pieces would be wise. Switching basses between tunes is no fun but playing fast 8th note lines on the lower strings of a DB is way more work for a Tune than taking a minute to switch basses and play an easier instrument for the music written.

So, I will show up Saturday most likely with 2 basses even though I have carte blanch to do as I see fit. Back to the old days for this week only, maybe not!

I just wanted to make it clear that with all the basses we have produced from simple to exotic I will bring out just about the lowest price bass we have ever produced with was an import and still put forth the sound and performance expected from a professional.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-07-2011, 12:27 AM
Tim Bishop's Avatar
Tim Bishop Tim Bishop is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 02-25-2007
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,274
Tim Bishop is on a distinguished road
Question But why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
....I just wanted to make it clear that with all the basses we have produced from simple to exotic I will bring out just about the lowest price bass we have ever produced with was an import and still put forth the sound and performance expected from a professional.
I'm curious, Ken, with the options/choices you have at your fingertips, why would you choose the lower-end of your product?
__________________
Tim Bishop

Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-07-2011, 04:21 AM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Cool why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Bishop View Post
I'm curious, Ken, with the options/choices you have at your fingertips, why would you choose the lower-end of your product?
Well for one, that's all that I have available that is not company stock for one and second, it works! Usually, this stuff would be played with a Fender or similar bass. The Burner is in my opinion, miles above to start with.

The point I was making was that I can get by and do the job with ease playing the Burner. More luxury would be better but for a pit gig, I will have less of a liability than if I pulled a brand new elite from stock. One scratch or ding and I will have to re-finish it to sell as new. I do not want to take YOUR new potential bass out on a gig and take that kind of a chance.

If I was playing more full time on the electric, I still might just play a bolt-on. I remember taking a BT4G out to play 'Cats' on Broadway in NYC in the late '80s. It was Bubinga T/B with Mahogany core. While warming up the house engineer runs back stage to the Pit area and says to me "what bass is that?". I tell him and he replies, "that's what a bass should sound like". I was just subbing that night as I was the 1st sub by conductors choice. The regular played a '65 Fender that "I" used to own and sold to him years back.

The Burner was originally copied from a BT5G with the same woods as that 4, Bubinga/Mahogany I had sent over to Japan. After we started the Burner project, I got the name of the Maple supplier from them as the wood was so 'clean', I just had to have that stock for my own basses. That was back in early 1989.

Like I said, the Burner works. The Smith basses we make are better but the 4s on the Burner are the same spacing as the Smith models. The 5s and 6s were 16mm as opposed to the 18mm we use. The 4s get the job done but if I had more work on the outside, I would prefer something at least like the 5M Walnut my son sort of 'permanently borrowed', lol.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-07-2011, 09:08 AM
Tim Bishop's Avatar
Tim Bishop Tim Bishop is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 02-25-2007
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,274
Tim Bishop is on a distinguished road
Thumbs up Yep.

Makes perfect sense.
__________________
Tim Bishop

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-07-2011, 11:00 AM
Ken McKay Ken McKay is offline
Posting Member
 
Join Date: 02-04-2007
Location: Traverse City Michigan
Posts: 169
Ken McKay is on a distinguished road
Default

Your gunna live forever...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-07-2011, 11:24 AM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Thumbs up lol..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken McKay View Post
Your gunna live forever...
Thanks Ken, but that's not very encouraging to those who have asked to be in my Will..
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:01 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2007 - Ken Smith Basses, LTD. (All Rights Reserved)