KEN SMITH BURNER ARTIST 89/93 - *SOLD* £3300 Valencia

[1966powers]

Ken Smith Burner, Artist model, manufactured between 89 and 93.

Made 100% by hand in Japan. Wood from Ken Smith's workshop.

5 pieces on the neck (purple and maple) and 5 pieces on the body (walnut and maple).

Original electronics.  

Scale 34".

Separation between strings 17 mm. 
Ideal for playing chords.
Tuning: BEADG/EADGC
Allows for high-speed playing.

4000€.

Ken Smith comments on this model in his forum:

"The head maker could make Violins, Acoustic Guitars and even Banjos by hand. He was a real Luthier. He said in Japanese that HE must handmake the Artist Model himself and the other models Custom, Deluxe and Standard can be thru normal production. He was clear about that in not such a nice way BUT, he wanted the credit at home for being the Luthier he was. The bass that Hadrien Feraud plays is the Artist model Burner!"

 

 

The email Ken Smith sent me about this bass when I sent him the pictures:

"In the first few years, the Factory some some direct within Japan. We never saw these basses. About 300 were made and sole in Japan. This is one of them and the Artist model."

 " 89-93?  Builders.. We supplied the body wood.. A great factory in Nagano, Morris Guitars. I knew the owner personally."

 

Comes with a Smith soft case from the period.

Shipping costs not included.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 21:30 by 1966powers

[MrT-Bass]

This is beautiful...do you have any sound samples? What is the weight?

[1966powers]

7 hours ago, MrT-Bass said:

This is beautiful...do you have any sound samples? What is the weight?

I don't have a recording with the bass, nor a sample of the sound. I'm really sorry. But I assure you that it has a very very defined sound and a lot of punch. Very comfortable. 
Weighs 9.2 lbs. (4.1kg)

[xanbass]

available? 

[1966powers]

pm sent

[thebassist]

Amazing bass - if this was a 6, I'd be all over it.

[1966powers]

It's a great bass.
What Ken Smith did 35 years ago strikes me as very interesting: sending the wood to Japan and overseeing the construction of this model. He did it with the same meticulousness as in his workshop. All by hand and by a single person he completely trusts.

[1966powers]

When people say it's a lower-value bass because it's made in Japan, I find it ridiculous. It's superior to some US-made models, and the quality of the woods is identical to the woods used in the basses in Ken's shop.

[1966powers]

What varies is the electronics of these early models. This one has the original Japanese electronics. Is it of worse quality? Hehe, I think the Japanese electronics are just as good as the others. Even much better.