Luis Miguel

[Hajime Hirose]

A friend of mine gave me info of great youtubes.
Please check. Luis is amazing, music and musicians are marvelous!!
(The bass player mainly plays KSA6 Flame Redwood Top & Back, I think.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB6K_HOIHps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYBLoZro9oQ&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvl2Qck3e4I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX9WaL3su80

[Saul Hurtado]

Here's an older video of Luis Miguel from the live album El Concierto back in 1994. This video was my introduction to Ken Smith basses. Go to minute 3:05 nice bass solo and great sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pV3u_9JAW4

[Ken Smith]

The Bass player (and I think Musical Director) is Gerardo "Lalo" Carrillo. 'Lalo' acquired his first Smith bass from Melvin Davis. It was the same bass Melvin played in the Eddie Murphy movie 'Coming to America'. The band in that movie was headed up by the movie's co-star Arsenio Hall. This was a BT6G Quilted maple bass. Melvin had about 6 of them when he parted with it. I think they were good friends and there was some begging involved on Lalo's part to pry it from Melvin's hands.

When I saw them in New York at Radio City about 10 years ago or more it looked as if he was leading the Band. Some of the intro's were played on the 6-string Smith Bass in place of the normal Guitar intro's you would normally see and hear.

That was the last of about 3 nights they played in NY and they had a small party back stage after the show. While waiting in a fairly long line with other invitees, some one came to the inside stage door and called out 'Ken Smith'!?!. Many people were saying 'hey say I'm with you' and they escorted us in, my wife and I. No one else holding backstage passes that night were allowed backstage after the show because Luis was sticking around for the party and didn't want any other people than the band in the dressing room where the party was. When we were introduced my wife Claudia and I to him by 'Lalo', Luis said to me "He's nothing without your bass" with a smile and a face to face 'ribbing' to 'Lalo'. It was very funny at the time. I guess you had to be there to share the laugh but, no one was allowed in! I guess you will just have to take my word for it!

I want to thank Hajime, my Japanese distributor and good friend for over a decade now for posting these videos. In the Latin world of music, Luis Miguel is as big as it gets. Adding all of his accomplishments he sits beside Julio Iglesias. I thought I would mention this with the links for those of you that are not so familiar with Latin Popular music. No doubt, these are two of the Kings in Latin music of our time.

[Saul Hurtado]

Ken,

Thanks for sharing that story with us. I'm a big fan of Luis Miguel because he demands perfection when it comes to music. When I was on my younger days as a musician I was well connected with the latin music industry. People who knew Lalo Carrillo, and just as confirmation to your quote, he is the music director of Luis Miguel's band, he's the one that calls the shots for music. I met him once in February of 2004 in Tijuana Mx at the Jai Alai auditorium. It was quick but he's a great guy and loves Ken Smith basses.

Ken, I just received my new BSR6GN walnut top and back, I'm just amazed at the sound. I have played with two different types of Smith basses. My first time I played with a 5 string bolt on, can't remember the exact model but it sounded amazing for slapping. Nice mids, highs and a tight punch, it was a light colored wood. The second time I used a 5 piece neck thru with quilted maple on the body, it was not laminated just wood. It had sparkling highs and sounded well rounded. My new Smith sounds amazing just the sound I was looking for. More of a low end sound with nice mids and highs for slapping. the walnut makes a great choice for that.

As far as Lalo Carrillo you mentioned he uses BT"G" elites which is now the BSR elite. Am I correct? I was looking at the normal BSR and Elite BSR. The only difference that I found was body wings, 5 piece for elite and 3 piece for norma BSR, also the finish on the elite is hand rubbed highly gloss catalyzed lacquer, vises the normal BSR is hand rubbed dutch varnish. Am I missing anything else. Also?

How does the highly gloss catalyzed change the sound of a Ken smith? Or is it just a cosmetic look?

How does the 5 piece body wing different from the 3 piece body wing as far as sound? Again is it just a cosmetic thing?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Saul Hurtado

[1] As far as Lalo Carrillo you mentioned he uses BT"G" elites which is now the BSR elite. Am I correct? I was looking at the normal BSR and Elite BSR. The only difference that I found was body wings, 5 piece for elite and 3 piece for normal BSR, [2] also the finish on the elite is hand rubbed highly gloss catalyzed lacquer, vises the normal BSR is hand rubbed dutch varnish. Am I missing anything else. Also?

[3] How does the highly gloss catalyzed change the sound of a Ken smith? Or is it just a cosmetic look?

[4] How does the 5 piece body wing different from the 3 piece body wing as far as sound? Again is it just a cosmetic thing?

[1] The BT'G' is the shorter upper horn and slightly wider body wing. The BSR has a longer upper horn ans a slightly slimmer body wing.

The bass he got from Melvin was a BT6G. The KSA6, 20th anniv. is a modified BSR model. He has mought many basses of ours over the years and don't recall all of them. I can ID them with pictures if you like.

[2] Elite models have Lacquer finish regardless of the body shape being BT, BMT or BSR. The non-Elite Neck-thrus have the oil/varnish regardless of it being a BT or BSR model.

Bsr and BT are shapes, not models. Lalo's BT 6G WAS the Elite in its day.

[3] The lacquer finish is harder than the oil and brightens up the sound and makes the notes slightly snappier. The Oil being softer warms up the sound, all things being equal!

[4] 5pc vs 3pc ALL things being equal has a slight sound difference. The laminated wood between the Top/Back and the Core is a slight vibration barrier with the grains of the various woods opposing each other to some degree however slight that may be. This stiffens the combined woods and again, brightens up the sound 'ALL things being equal'.

This is my personal audible feelable opinion. I have never conducted and specific scientific tests on these subjects. Just my ears, hands and body feel. My eyes see it before my ears hear or my body feels it.

Don't judge everything by looks alone. Looks are looks.