Ken Smith vs Fender vs Fodera- which one do you prefer?

Andreas Buchmann
Bassist
Jazz Funk Soul Fusion

[@Michael.Sinclair]

The Smith’s tone, punch, and growl make it the clear standout but your playing technique really makes them all sound good.

[@sonofmogh]

Ken Smith. Somehow, the brand isn't "fashionable" nowadays, but the sound speaks for itself.

[@eugenechek7288]

Ken Smith

[@stcezaire06]

1)Ken Smith 2)Fender Précision 3)others

[@oscarsantos2608]

The Smith is the bass!

[@KeithCopeland778]

The Ken Smith!!! The amazing tone is very addicting and never gets's old.

[@daleonov]

P bass takes the crown for me!

[@thomasebel1533]

Ken Smith. Absolutely.

[@kevgamble]

The Ken Smith has just about the perfect "modern" tone - consistent, articulate, every note clear and distinct, but it also has just enough earthiness and roundness to create a horn-like quality. The Fenders sound the most organic - personally I've always preferred the "variability" of passive guitars as they seem to allow for the most expression through playing style. Foderas are gorgeous but sound nondescript here. I thought the fretless one sounded great, but the Jazz that followed it sounded better to my ear.

[@pwokaren]

The Ken Smith

[@maurilleretory3242]

Ken smith ,ken smith all the Time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@buchibass1]

😁

[@bobasquid3339]

Ken Smith and Fender Jazz. 💯

[@jazzbass321]

Fender jazz all day

[@Sonic-sh2vh]

The whole exercise proved one point, If you're a great player you can make anything sound good.

[@redachraibi5993]

Fender precision is the best imo. The Ken Smith also sounds great. Almost a tie IMO

[@G5Hohn]

Definitely the Smith.

[@leelauder4411]

They ALL sound amazing! Just depends on the song and or the groove you need!! Great chops brother!! PEACE

[@buchibass1]

🙏🤘

[@tt55k]

Ken Smith , Fender Jaco , Fodera fretless, my top 3 respectively.

[@buchibass1]

👍👍👍

[@nosblack7126]

KEN SMITH siempre!

[@haneyhanes]

No joke, all of these basses are seriously awesome! mostly because, you sir are awesome! Ken/Fodera are equal to me.

[@buchibass1]

🙏🤘

[@stevecrozet306]

you make all those basses sound great. But that Smith!

[@buchibass1]

🙏🤘

[@jokokelpaa]

Ken Smith and Fender Jaco Fretless.

[@ingemar-christopheschubnel4206]

The ken smith without a doubt!

[@paulnicolosi4792]

I like the old school tone of the Fenders… You can’t go wrong. Show up with a Fender to the gig and everything works…

[@marcoslima5359]

Fender Jazz Bass

[@paoloalcantara2465]

The Smith for me..

[@paulcoverdale8312]

For me, Ken Smith all the way Paul 20.40 gmt Uk cheers

[@NelsonMontana1234]

I had a Fodera and never bonded with it. The Smith sounds great but they tend to be neck heavy. Fender's for the win.

[@KingPorter]

Ken Smith was definitely the best sound

[@silviosarunic3234]

Fodera is modern version of Jazz-bass Ken Smith is in its own league....

[@JuanFranciscoCueto]

Precision!!

[@fernandoroza6061]

Ken Smith by far...

[@Michael-kx2bn]

I think I like the Smith sound best but the Jazz is right up with it and a few thousand dollars less. I also have to admit that I'm not too crazy about the Precision. I'd like to see a Pedulla or Alembic added to the mix. Of course, your playing makes them all sound pretty good!

[@Cam-ic8ot]

It’s the fender all the way for me, always has been always will be lol even though I love fodera

[@Findleguard]

All Great, Fender for the mix however 👍🏽

[@lukasschwengeler8094]

The first the Smith's winns for me

[@germancorona6308]

They all sound insane. I go for KS and Fretless Fodera

[@mirkomarkovic3438]

Jazz Bass still nr1

[@michaelanthony9068]

And I want that shirt !

[@seppoinnanen5577]

All the basses sounded good but that Ken Smith, though 🤘 Great demo, great playing, thanks ... aand I do love my Spector Euro lx5 with Emgs and Tone pump

[@BassMan2727]

Ken

[@stefano21022]

Honestly on a tune like this nothing beats… the ole’ P!

[@luthandoheshu984]

Your playing is good having a difficult time deciding!!

[@buchibass1]

🙏

[@pattyboy1233]

Yes please

[@mobass48]

The Ken Smith is my choice!

[@kkkkkk-ys3xq]

jazz bass forever

[@yang_bass]

nice~ jaco model ^^b

[@brunodomingos2295]

Chouuuuu de bola

[@kuyaferds8715]

KENSMITH ALL DAY

[@edesan88demarchi98]

Gostei do Fender jazz Bass

[@johnglynhughes4239]

Smith all day every day.

[@JerryAyon-jo4ts]

Ken Smith All Day Long.....

[@jaex9617]

Bit surprised that I chose the Jaco, but TBH the playing makes them all sound great. 👩🏻‍🍳💋

[@willobst2772]

Ken Smith ... by far the best sound from those three basses.

[@carpediemarts705]

Was 4 fretted basses + 3 fretless =7 basses.

[@ernestolopez85]

Ken smith perfect punch and articulation But fender precision unique sound

[@streamerlx4927]

I prefer Sandberg!

[@WTHFX]

The Smith had the most balance, articulation and evenness throughout the range. The Fenders generally fit into the mix the best.

[@Gravyea]

Jaco bass Nice

[@thierryminssieux9655]

Le son de la Ken Smith est terrible . J’adore ton jeu , ça Groove ❤ . Bravo.

[@buchibass1]

🙏🤘

[@bloophero]

Gah! I needs a Ken Smith I tells thee!

[@buchibass1]

🤘👌

[@andysmith7338]

A bit surprised at myself, but I really liked the Ken Smith!

[@delfinoprime6532]

I want them all🤣🤣🤣

[@andrejvukelic6546]

Smith is my favourite by far but I like all 3.

[@powerforward1955]

The tone, and power w/ balance of the Ken smith is unmistakeable. My preferences are: 1) KS; 2) Fender Jazz; (I kept trying to hear just a little more bottom on the Jazz); 3) Fodera (fretted). IMHO, the P-Bass didn't have a chance for this kind of music. Also, I was wondering if the "P" had flats on it. But, the real winner is your articulation. Peace.

[@Bassplayingypsy]

Fender jazz all day.

[@farmerlister3863]

No question Foderas are outstanding instruments. I've never owned one, for the record. But I do own KS, Xotics, Sadowsky and some others. To me I was able to get close to Fodera tone with other bases. But I was never able to mimic the KS with anything other than KS. That said Smith is not for everything and these days I use Xotic PB/JB the most, sometimes Vlcek for heavy stuff. In your video I prefer KS for the specific tune.

[@yvesbailey]

P bass sounds best 👌

[@someonesomewhere8805]

The Smith. And I love my Fodera but the Smith tone is what I’m really after.

[@innocentoctave]

Ken Smith, Fender Jazz. As I prefer a four string bass and could never afford a Ken Smith, the Fender Jazz would be my choice: Leo just got it right. The Fender Precision is a great bass in its own right, but doesn't really show its best with this material. The Foderas made little impression on me, which I didn't expect. These head-to-head comparisons are genuinely useful.

[@samkeen]

💯

[@mjmason75]

Ken Smith first, then the Fender Jazz basses, but your finger style and tone make them all sound good!

[@calmlikeabomb7078]

Fodera monarch custom. Und ein mega cooles Shirt!

[@buchibass1]

Das Shirt ist von einem mega coolen Typen👌👌👌muss ich das nächste mal noch besser präsentieren😎

[@gigi.belluardo]

The Fodera Monarch std fretless is No.1!

[@eaf27]

I think I prefer the one you play... Yep the one you're playing.

[@buchibass1]

🙏🤘

[@sampowellmusic]

smith baby! great playing

[@buchibass1]

🙏🤘

[@alexdelgadograjales]

Which is better ? All of them are amazing basses ! 😁

[@flamulated]

As strung and dialed in this comparison I thought the Smith had the strongest and most compelling voice and the P had the most personality. The Jaco j was especially tight and strong on the lowest fretted notes which is not always a given with Fender recipe. The fretless Fodera was sweet and is probably lovely on a ballad. Others were more generic to my ears here. I am sure all wonderful in person and could be "made to work". Lol. Thanks for the fun listen

[@kowalczykpeter]

Both 😀. All are like a bugatti veyron on musician road. Too expensive for the common bass player. Just a wonderful dream.

[@fabiomaccatrozzo9243]

Smith all the life And jazz bass of course 😁

[@victorbrumcalaca4958]

I like very much Fodera,but in this video :Fender.Definitly.

[@ChazJazzNY]

I felt other than the P bass the rear Pick Up was favored. I really liked the P bass - Fender.

[@buchibass1]

thats right, only the bridge pickup

[@user-xm2xu4sn2x]

Ken smith

[@orwedon]

Honestly 1) Fender Jazz Bass. 2) Ken Smith. 3) Precision. 4) Fodera.

[@asdfghjkl117]

Imo, Ken Smith basses provide the best, convincing, modern/"Improved" take on Jaco's original, burpy yet buttery, bridge pickup, Jazz Bass sound. I used to sell high end basses including KS basses back in the 90's and played many of them as a result. We used to commonly have 6 to 8 of his USA made basses in stock at all time, most of them 5 string of course. The fact that KS basses can produce one of Jaco's most iconic sound while also able to produce a very distinct sound of their own on demand, the Ken Smith sound, is indeed an enormous achievement. Ken Smith basses do not all sound the same though. Obviously, the tone wood selection for each instrument favors certain overtones, colors and dynamics. That being said, they all somehow consistently present variations on the now very unique and sought after Ken Smith sound. This is largely due to the fact that contrarily to most custom bass manufacturers, KS did not use off-the-shelf pickups that could be found on basses from other makers. KS pickups we developed for KS basses and are found only on KS basses. I can tell a bas player is playing a KS bass with my eyes closed the second they start slapping. Indeed, this is when the Ken Smith sound is most obvious in my opinion. I used to own one and sold it years ago. I have no regrets. They are extraordinary instruments. They are gorgeous, and extremely refined to the smallest detail and supremely easy to play, but the fact that they have a sound of their own, a signature sound, is a double edge sword. A KS does not 100% reproduce the sound of a P bass or some of the other iconic sounds J basses are known for. I play a lot of old school styles such as Motown, Reggae, Rock and Americana music. One can do it on a KS bass for sure. You will be in the ball park but if producing a bass sound that will be perceived as truely authentic is desired, a good P bass or J bass cannot be outdone. They ARE the original sound. The same goes for the sound of a Telecaster, Strat or Les Paul. On the other hand, if playing 90's Gospel or Fusion Jazz or other "experimental" styles is your thing, a KS might exactly be what the doctor ordered. Just don't mistakenly fall into the belief that a good J or P bass would prevent you from developing a sound of your own. They did not prevent Marcus miller, Jaco, James Jameson or Aston Barrett from doing so. They will not stop you either.

[@vodekz1534]

P bass as classic full sound, Fodera modern next

[@anandkamate2308]

Fender jazz

[@csu111]

For this particular piece, I thought the p-bass sounded best.

[@cumasatu8335]

Fender jazz bass

[@darwin_j]

Fodera all the way

[@santaffy4206]

the fenders

[@CarlosGabrielMendez-mz3pg]

Fender

[@geeush]

For this particular groove, the KS and Fodera fretless sound best to me, though the Fender JBs are not too far away. While P-bass is the Mother of all, of course)

[@sebaslap]

Pbass here!

[@earthling273]

the fender p bass is the only bass I can afford 😂 honestly I'd take the fender p bass any day. all of them sounded great though

[@jjones1003]

For this track and the style of playing I’d go with the Fender P. But in terms of the tone and flexibility across genres of music I’d go with the Ken Smith.

[@rickyanthony]

For solo ken smith in a mix any will do

[@KurniadiPrathomo-sp5zd]

After hearing you play, I don't understand why Fedora is so expensive

[@isaachgbeis]

Only KS and Fo, nut Fen

[@romanchekrygin5015]

very groovy playing, good tone in fingers!

[@buchibass1]

Thanks 🙏

[@psychedelicchango]

P Bass for me

[@michaelanthony9068]

What about that super dope riff ? I just subscribed and liked !

[@buchibass1]

Yes please and send me the sheet 😁