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  #101  
Old 11-01-2012, 12:57 AM
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Joshua Phelps Joshua Phelps is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Desmund Nichols View Post
So all those guys get a free "signature" bass? I never knew that.
Hey desmund,

I have no idea that's just the rumor.
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  #102  
Old 11-01-2012, 01:18 AM
Desmund Nichols Desmund Nichols is offline
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I can't wait 16 months for a bass. A lot can happen in that time period. Have a child, buy a house, relocate, lose interest, go broke, too much can happen.
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  #103  
Old 11-01-2012, 06:37 AM
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Tim Bishop Tim Bishop is offline
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Thumbs up I love it.

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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.
Besides the great basses he makes, the above statement from Ken is one of those things I love: No BS and get it straight. Amazing how one can be offended with truth and facts. Bottom line: If you don't get the answer or hear what you'd expect or want, than go elsewhere to get it. Oh, you'll get it and you won't have to look far. Those folks are a dime-a-dozen. Good luck with that.

And don't even get me started on the 'Endorsement King's and Queen's' out there. Unless they are proven, could not be more unimpressed with "Signature" model instruments or the names tied to them.
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Last edited by Tim Bishop; 11-01-2012 at 06:54 AM.
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