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== Origins ==
== Origins ==
Ken Smith started out as a career Bass player on both [[Upright Bass|Upright]] and [[Bass Guitar|Electric Bass Guitar]].<ref>Meet Your Maker: Ken Smith of Ken Smith Basses. Rod Taylor. http://www.bassplayer.com/article/meet-your-maker-ken-smith-of-ken-smith-basses/148698</ref> Smith's earliest motivations for Bass Building was out of the need for a better bass to play on gigs and in the studio. Using an old Italian [[Double Bass]] as a model, Ken sought out to design a superior bass than what was available in 1978.


After encouragement from fellow players [[Anthony_Jackson_(musician)|Anthony Jackson]] and [[Stanley Clarke]], and a successful showing at the 1979 [[NAMM Show]], Smith produced its first batch of 16 Basses in 1980 in collaboration with [[Spector|Stuart Spector]] and [[Fodera|Vinnie Fodera]].



== Exotic Woods ==
== Exotic Woods ==

Revision as of 07:29, 3 January 2013

Ken Smith Basses, Ltd.
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusical instruments
Founded1987 as Ken Smith Basses, Ltd.
FounderKen Smith
HeadquartersPerkasie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Area served
Global
OwnerKen Smith
Websitewww.kensmithbasses.com

Ken Smith Basses is an American Manufacturer of Electric Bass Guitars.[1]

Origins

Ken Smith started out as a career Bass player on both Upright and Electric Bass Guitar.[2] Smith's earliest motivations for Bass Building was out of the need for a better bass to play on gigs and in the studio. Using an old Italian Double Bass as a model, Ken sought out to design a superior bass than what was available in 1978.

After encouragement from fellow players Anthony Jackson and Stanley Clarke, and a successful showing at the 1979 NAMM Show, Smith produced its first batch of 16 Basses in 1980 in collaboration with Stuart Spector and Vinnie Fodera.

Exotic Woods

Smith basses are well known for their unique selection of exotic woods from around the world, including Indonesia, Nicaragua, Africa, Bolivia, and indigenous woods of the United States.[3] Each instrument's wood selections are hand picked by Smith and his small staff of bass builders. All wood is aged for years at a time, with some aged more than 12 years.

Smith Bass Construction

As a service to its customers, KSB offers factory visits to show the building process first hand.

Models

Bolt-On

Neck-Thru

Strings

Bass Strings

Guitar Strings

Ken Smith Design (KSD) Basses

Designed and licensed by Ken Smith, KSD Basses are a Fender-style Jazz Bass targeting the lower-end market of Electric Basses.

Notable Players

Players of Ken Smith Basses range from the hobbyist to professional studio musicians. Al "The Burner" Turner, Trevor Lindsey, Melvin Lee Davis, Ricky Minor, "Ready" Freddie Washington, John Patitucci[4], Anthony Jackson, KC Hunter, and Phil Lesh[5] have been known to play Smith Basses and Strings over the years.

References

  1. ^ Ken Smith Bass Feature Lineage. http://www.kensmithbasses.com/about.html
  2. ^ Meet Your Maker: Ken Smith of Ken Smith Basses. Rod Taylor. http://www.bassplayer.com/article/meet-your-maker-ken-smith-of-ken-smith-basses/148698
  3. ^ Wood If You Could -- Inside Ken Smith Basses. Bass Player Magazine. May 1, 2003. Leigh, Bill. http://business.highbeam.com/137487/article-1G1-100984182/wood-if-you-could-inside-ken-smith-basses
  4. ^ The Bass Book: An illustrated history of the bass guitar. Tony Bacon, Barry Moorhouse. January, 1995.
  5. ^ Anthem Of The Tone: Phil Lesh & The Modern Electric Bass. Bass Player Magazine. March 2008. Karl Coryat. http://web.archive.org/web/20081025070234/http://www.bassplayer.com/article/anthem-tone-phil/mar-08/34335
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