NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

General discussion of all things left hand bass.
Post Reply
User avatar
belinmad
Posts: 523
Joined: February 21st, 2011, 10:51 am
Location: London, UK

NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by belinmad »

In the continuous quest to find perfect specimens, I ran into this baby on reverb.

I had been looking for a Ken Smith with J bars for about 5 years now, since the time I played a righty friend's model and was blown away by the sound. I would run a search every couple of months and come up empty handed. Until a couple of weeks ago, when this baby popped up.

I just took delivery, the bass is super comfortable and has killer looks. Will see about the sound once I get home and can plug it to the amp.

Apparently its a 2004, with a swamp ash body and a maple finish. The controls I believe are balance, low/mid/treble, vol, with a push/pull passive option. I've emailed KS to see if I can get more info

Image
Image
Top
User avatar
tim
Posts: 2978
Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by tim »

Congratulations!
Top
User avatar
paulo
Posts: 3612
Joined: December 9th, 2014, 5:27 pm
Location: Beantown

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by paulo »

Nice grain
Congrats!
Top
User avatar
gravesbass
Posts: 1695
Joined: May 27th, 2008, 6:15 pm
Location: S.F. Bay Area, CA
Contact:
Contact gravesbass

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by gravesbass »

Nice belinmad... I was watching and communicating with the seller for near a year. I really wanted that bass but had to pay off 2 incoming basses at the time. great score. Hope its a good one. Did you get in under 2k Euro's? That can also be upgraded with Ken's newer 18v electronic package with switches.
Top
User avatar
fivebass52
Posts: 3628
Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
Contact:
Contact fivebass52

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by fivebass52 »

Very nice! :o
R&B Stretch Bass, Walter Woods 1000w Green-Light Stereo Amp, AccuGroove El Whappo and TR112, assorted axes, amps, cabs...
http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii
Top
ezstep
Posts: 179
Joined: February 11th, 2010, 3:12 pm
Location: north Louisiana

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by ezstep »

Looks great! I have always wanted to play a KS, and fretless is even better.
Top
User avatar
belinmad
Posts: 523
Joined: February 21st, 2011, 10:51 am
Location: London, UK

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by belinmad »

gravesbass wrote:Nice belinmad... I was watching and communicating with the seller for near a year. I really wanted that bass but had to pay off 2 incoming basses at the time. great score. Hope its a good one. Did you get in under 2k Euro's? That can also be upgraded with Ken's newer 18v electronic package with switches.
Thanks! It did come a bit under 2k, yes, so pretty happy about that as well. I'm on my way home and I hope to test it during the weekend, so I'll report back.
What is the 18v package w switches? I briefly opened the back (I emailed Ken to get some more info on the bass so I needed the serial number), and I noticed its 18v.
Top
User avatar
AzWhoFan
Posts: 2866
Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:57 am

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by AzWhoFan »

Congrats!!
And unless someone has messed with the electronics, you are correct, they should be MV, blend, bass, mid, treble.
Top
User avatar
gravesbass
Posts: 1695
Joined: May 27th, 2008, 6:15 pm
Location: S.F. Bay Area, CA
Contact:
Contact gravesbass

Re: NOBD: 2004 Fretless 5-string Ken Smith BSR5J

Post by gravesbass »

You have 18v. Great! Ken's MIDs are killer. actually the switches were for the series/parallel switching of the soap bars. That might not work with singles. Your good :)
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Basses”