1966powers

✌️

☝️

39 years !!

24 frets, very comfortable neck,  .... very versatile equalization, which provides a wide range of sounds.

 SOLD 

Ken Smith's personal bass.

 Made, owned and played by Ken Smith.

KEN SMITH 4 STRING     Only two were built, with these characteristics.

Model: PAS-II

Serial number:#35

Date: 16/5/1981

Natural Gloss.

Neck: maple & mahogany (5-pc)

NUT: 36 mm !!!!!  (52 mm Width at 12F); impeccable neck; maximum comfort. Perfect and functional truss road

Body: Flamed maple & mahogany

Originals pickups: The bass was transformed active / passive in 1986, keeping the originals pickups. Smith Concentric BT Circuit with a DIP panel switch .....recently installed.

Made in NY: At that time, Fodera built the basses for Smith.......read article: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/336065-ken-smith-and-the-6-string-basses/ 

This is the email Ken Smith wrote to his former owner ...

" I was a very active studio musician back then and my personal records show ME using this bass on several recording back then, Jingles/Commercials for Radio and TV.
I played on about 2,000 recordings like those. Some of the dates were 2 3, 4 or 5 spots on them, not just one. Most were done for Ted Bates Advertising, Arnold Eidus director, Virtuoso violinist and the arranger was Al Datz. Much of the bass parts said "Kenny" in the upper left corner and not "Bass" as you would expect because by the morning of the session, he knew I was playing on it. Also, I took a lot of those parts home, with and without my name on it and used them with my students for lessons I gave then as well.

This bass has a 5-pc neck with figured maple and I mahogany. We made only a couple like this 5-pc neck.

A piece of my history here!

Thank you "

Ken Smith
 President/Owner
 Ken Smith Basses, Ltd.
 
 

12 hours ago, spacecowboy said:

Wow. Thanks for sharing this with us! Good luck with the sale.

Thanks spacecowboy..!! it is already sold.

Bump!!

I accept a Fender American (4 strings) as part of the payment.

New pics / new details.

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Thanks for sharing this interesting article. Being a 6 strings bass player and at some time a bass "historian", I knew most of it, but not all of it, which is very important. In fact, I knew the story through Anthony Jackson's interviews, but the funny thing is to see the part these guys played in the 6 strings bass history : Carl Thompson, Ken Smith, Vinnie Fodera and even Stuart Spector, all four in New York at the same time catching and understanding the vibe in the air.

What is the most edifying is that the name Contra Bass is from Ken Smith himself and that the best concept of the instrument (here the 6 strings bass) is by the same guy... 👍

Being a huge fan of Anthony Jackson, I now have other parts of the sound puzzle, thanks to you !

Thanks Hellzero!

Thanks Hellzero!!

43 minutes ago, ped said:

I posted some other clips showing what are to my mind the best examples of the ‘smith sound’ here

 

In 1991, Smith moved the entire company to Pennsylvania ... he no longer had to travel loaded with instruments to N.Y.

The bodies and the necks of the instruments of 1986, 1987 and 1988 were cut and pasted in New York. But the instrument was built in Pennsylvania.

19 minutes ago, ped said:

I posted some other clips showing what are to my mind the best examples of the ‘smith sound’ here

 

Ped: there is a data in your posted, which is not exact.

Smith builds his basses in New York until 1985; The 1986 instruments are already manufactured in Pennsylvania. It is true that Smith continues to maintain the company in N.Y. But at the legal level, this is: for the commercialization of the instruments. In fact, he talks about trips from Pennsylvania to N.Y, in his car, loaded with the instruments to prepare them for sale.

When I say that this instrument is historical and unique, I am not exaggerating. It really is a rare opportunity to acquire an exclusive piece, of great value and with a sound that has defined an era.

To learn the history of this bass, I invite you to read this article: Ken Smith contrasts and verifies all the information.

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/336065-ken-smith-and-the-6-string-basses/

Ken Smith was the first to develop a 6-string bass suitable for playing ... Before, Carl Thompson tried it with little success. Then the others came ... Here is the story ......

ARTICLE-SMITH-BASS-by-José-Luis-Porras.pdf

One of the first bass of 6 strings in the history of electric basses.

Manufactured entirely by Fodera and reviewed by Ken Smith in 1985 in New York.

A special and unique bass!  In fact, Ken Smith only built 3 basses like this one ......(One of them was acquired by Patitucci, and he recorded with Chick Corea in the first days with the Electric Band)

This bass was presented at the NAMM Show in Louisiana (New Orleans) between 22 and 25 June, 1985.

Scale: 34"

The separation between strings: 19 mm.

The circuit : BT (bass/ treble) with 4 knobs and 2 switches (a phase switch and the preamp’s on/off switch).

Weight:  5,5 kg. (12lb. 2oz.)

Body: flamed maple top and back and a mahogany center piece

Neck:  five-piece, made of maple and morado; two truss rods; reinforced with a graphite rod.

All information and history of the bass is documented and authenticated by Ken Smith.

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/336065-ken-smith-and-the-6-string-basses/

SOLD

If you want, I'm interested in buying it. Of course I pay the shipping to Spain.

I think I'm late, but well ... the bass is already sold, right?

Regards!!

UP

I consider possible changes adjusting price differences (Fender , Ken Smith )

For sale  CR5M-DB in excellent condition!!  Manufactured in 2017.

With additional EMG magnet pickup system and polar brigde pickup system.

Maple body, ebony fingerboard, (106 cm); height-adjustable brigde. Active 18 V preamp.

Includes tripod and bag.

Is located in Valencia (Spain).... Shipping in UE without problem.
Price: £2000 or 2250€ + shipping.

I would consider a 70's Fender Precision as part of the payment

Xavier is a very attentive person. Always answer any questions. He cares to make everything right.
The bass came with spectacular packaging.
He is a totally recommendable seller.

He has sold me a wonderful bass. With a very important story in the Extended-range bass.

Thank you Xavier for your attention.

Hi, is your bass still for sale?

Thanks

[size=6][b]SOLD......!![/b][/size]