Wood Etc. as it relates to Smith Basses..

[Mattijs De Graeve]

Hi Ken, (and other wood enthousiasts)

I have a question about the top and back woods on my '89 bt5eg.
Does Morado (which is the top wood i think) have grades like the walnut and maples have?

Because i haven't seen alot of Smith basses with a morado top.
And all the other morado tops have this dark yellow colour with a dark brown black grain.

Mine however has this very bright orange colour (as seen on this picture).


Does that mean i am blessed with a good grade of morado or am i less lucky and have a lesser grade? (The answer won't change my oppinion of this amazing bass and even better sound).

The back of my bass is walnut and i was wondering is this a lower grade of walnut because it is a back, because there are thes dots and knots in it?


i'd like to learn more about woods and as it relates to sound, i had the pleasure of playing 4 NT ken smith basses with 5p wings and 5p necks.
And they all have this great organic sound and that smith character.
but i played a tiger maple top and back 6 string and a quilted maple(lower grade) 6 string is there a big difference in tone between these 2 maples (i don't think i could compare because the quilted had a morado fingerboard) and does the grade affect tone or is it for cosmetic reasons mostly?

Thx in advance for the answer, (sorry for the amount of questions in 1 post)

Mattijs De Graeve

[Ken Smith]

Humm.. depending on who you ask the answers will differ. I have never graded my Morado Top woods or the Fingerboards for that matter. It either works or it doesn't. Not being a figured species by nature we just use Morado where and when we use it and not by grade. The wood itself comes from Bolivia and Brazil, has about 3 varieties that make it what it is (like similar maples etc) and varies in color as well.

On the Walnut Back, if it had a few more of what you call 'knots' it would be considered 'Birdseye' Walnut. Now, you have a rare piece of wood on the Back.

On the sounds you experienced between two varieties of Maple, let me say that a Smith Bass is an organic and personal type of instrument by design. It reacts to the type and density of the various woods it is made from. The Pickups just amplify the wood. The Circuit just EQs the pickups. First comes the Bass, then comes the Parts.. That's how this came about from the get go when I started as far as my concept goes.

[Mattijs De Graeve]

Thx for the quick answer ken!

Mattijs

[Michael Wilson]

Keith,

I just got a BT6EG 96, Bubinga Top/Back/w Mah core and let me tell you that the sound is totally un-real. Tone for days. I also heard The Pace Sisters bass stuff and the sound has nothing on this Monster BT6. If you do get the funds to get a Smith, try to get the older 90 to 96 BT. ITS CRAZY!!!

Mike