The Ken Smith Era for Phil Lesh
By: Jason Scheuner
The Ken Smith Era goes from 12-27-89 thru 9-9-91 (approx. 119 shows) and consists of three different Ken Smith BT-6 model Basses. Additionally, there was a notable and memorable on stage appearance of the Ken Smith #3 on 4-1-93 with Barney the Purple Dinosaur. Phil also played a Modulus Q6 widebody prototype with a bolt-on neck from 6-23-90 thru 7-23-90.
#1.) Ken Smith Custom BT-6, SR#89608 played 12-27-89 through 6-17-90 exclusively
Materials:
5A Grade Western Tiger Maple top. Macassar Ebony back, Mahogany body core, 5 piece Aged Hardrock Maple and Morado neck thru bookended by Walnut Laminate. (5 piece body wings)Walnut laminate between Flame Maple top and Mahogany core. Maple laminate between the Mahogany core and the Ebony back. Quartersawn Macassar Ebony fingerboard. Scalloped Brass nut, Ken Smith 24K gold plated solid Brass bridge, Mother of Pearl top and side dot Inlays and Headstock logo. Black Phenolic plastic Headstock overlay. 34” scale length. 11 pounds. 24 frets, Ken Smith custom tuning gears. Dunlop Straploks, (always played with tan locking Ken Smith strap)
Additional Notes:
– One of a Kind Custom instrument with 5A Western Tiger Maple Top and Macassar Ebony Back( only Macassar ebony back ever done by Ken Smith at that time)
– This instrument featured a much wider fingerboard and string spacing than anything Phil played previously, and he continued to play the wider fingerboard/wider spacing to this day. This Instrument led Modulus to have Rich Hoeg design and build the Q6 widebody style modulus basses, the first prototype for which Phil played 6-23-90 thru 7-23-90.
– Still has original Ken Smith case, and tan leather locking strap (used by Lesh each time the bass was played on stage) and a few “case candy” items including original paperwork from Ken Smith and Grateful Dead business card.
– Still has the strings on it from the last time it was played by Lesh
– Played by Phil on his 50th Birthday
– Ken Smith Basses is one of the very finest and most respected bass builders in the world.
– This instrument was NEVER STOLEN! It was moved from equipment storage at the Front Street Studio in 1995 (after Garcia’s death) by a Grateful Dead road crew member into storage in a building in Healdsburg, CA. Storage fees were never paid, and contact never made again by the road crew member with the building owner. When the building was sold in 2012ish, the owner, after attempting unsuccessfully to contact the road crew member, had the contents (including large red SnapOn tool boxes, and other gear) sold.
Confirmed Dates Played:
12-27-89 w/Clarence Clemons
12-28-89 w/Willie Green
12-30-89 w/ Airto Moreira
12-31-89 w/Bonnie Raitt, Taro Hart, Airto Moreira *Big Boss Man, *Midnight Hour
2-25-90+ *The Last Time
2-26-90
2-27-90 w/Michael Doucet and Beausoleil
3-14-90+ *Loose Lucy
3-15-90+ Phil Lesh’s 50th Birthday , *Revolution, *Easy to Love You
3-16-90+ *Black Throated Wind
3-18-90+
3-19-90+
3-21-90+
3-22-90+ *Hey Jude, *Believe It
3-24-90+ *Mind Left Body Jam
3-25-90+
3-26-90+ *Dupree’s Diamond Blues, *Big Railroad Blues
3-28-90+ *High Time, *The Weight
3-29-90+ w/Branford Marsalis
4-1-90+
4-2-90+
4-3-90+
5-5-90 *The Race is On
5-6-90
6-8-90
6-9-90
6-10-90
6-15-90
6-16-90+
6-17-90 (Brent’s daughter on stage for I Will Take You Home)
w/Guest = sit in appearances with other artists
*Break Outs of songs not played before or in a long time
+ = Entire show or portion of show on a commercial release
Discography:
Feb 25, 1990 1 live song Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 14, 1990 1 live song Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 14, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
March 15, 1990 Live Terrapin Station (Limited Edition), Grateful Dead, 1997
March 15, 1990 1 live song Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 16, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
March 18, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
March 19, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
March 21, 1990 2 live songs Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 21, 1990 1 live song Weir Here: The Best Of Bob Weir, Bob Weir, 2004
March 21, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
March 22, 1990 2 live tracks So Many Roads (1965-1995), Grateful Dead, 1999
March 22, 1990 1 song Garcia Plays Dylan, Jerry Garcia Band / Grateful Dead, 2005
March 22, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
March 24, 1990 1 live song Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 24, 1990 13 live songs Dozin’ At The Knick, Grateful Dead, 1996
March 24, 1990 1 live song Postcards Of The Hanging, Grateful Dead, March 2002
March 24, 1990 6 live songs Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
March 25, 1990 8 live songs Dozin’ At The Knick, Grateful Dead, 1996
March 25, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
March 26, 1990 6 live songs Dozin’ At The Knick, Grateful Dead, 1996
March 26, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
March 28, 1990 1 live song Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 28, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
March 29, 1990 1 live song Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 29, 1990 1 live track So Many Roads (1965-1995), Grateful Dead, 1999
March 29, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
March 29, 1990 Live Wake Up To Find Out: Nassau Coliseum, 3/29/90, Grateful Dead, 2014
March 30, 1990 3 live songs Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
March 30, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
April 1, 1990 3 live songs Without A Net, Grateful Dead, 1990
April 1, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
April 2, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (box set), Grateful Dead, 2012
April 3, 1990 Live Spring 1990 (The Other One), Grateful Dead, 2014
June 16, 1990 Live View From The Vault III (CD), Grateful Dead, 2002
June 16, 1990 Live View From The Vault III (DVD), Grateful Dead, 2002
#2.) Ken Smith BT-6, SR#88790 Quilted Maple top purchased “off the rack” (with 24K gold plated brass bridge and wide spread dots at octave changes on fingerboard.) played on 9-7-90,(9-8-90 and 9-10-90 assumed, but undetermined) 9-11-90, 9-12-90, and the first song (Miss ½ Step) of 5-11-91 and possibly a couple more shows. (always played with black Ken Smith locking strap)
Materials:
Quilted Maple top, Maple back, Mahogany core, 5 piece Aged Hardrock Maple and Morado neck thru book ended by Walnut laminates,(5 piece body wings) Walnut laminates between top, back, and core. Mother of Pearl top and side dot inlays on Quartersawn Macassar Ebony fingerboard and Headstock logo. Scalloped Brass nut, Ken Smith 24K gold plated solid Brass bridge. Black Phenolic plastic Headstock overlay. 34” scale length. Estimated weight 11 pounds. 24 frets, Ken Smith custom tuning gears. Dunlop Straploks. (always played with black Ken Smith locking strap)
Additional notes:
-The bass was sold at auction by Julien’s for $117,000.00 including fees and taxes on 6-19-20.
-The bass was given to Julien’s Auction House in a Ritter Bass gig bag with no strap, no strings, and an enormous amount of tape covering the neck from just below the headstock well onto the body portion of the guitar on the neck thru portion, with tape residue also showing on the fingerboard.
Discography:
Sept 8, 1990 1 live track So Many Roads (1965-1995), Grateful Dead, 1999
Sept 8, 1990 1 live track So Many Roads (1965-1995) Sampler, Grateful Dead, 1999
#3.) Ken Smith BT-6, SR# ??490 Western Tiger Maple top purchased “off the rack” ,with black bridge and closer spread on octave change dots on fingerboard, (not original Ken Smith fingerboard) Played from 9-19-90(possible a few shows earlier 9-14-90, 9-15-90, 9-16-90 undetermined) to 9-9-91 , and then back to Modulus Q series from 9-10-91 on, this bass was also fitted with some sort of midi pick up between the bridge pick up and the bridge itself. Notably, this bass also made a memorable appearance on stage with Barney the dinosaur for the 2nd set opener, Aiko Aiko on 4-1-93 (April Fools Day)
Materials:
Western Tiger Maple top, Maple back, Mahogany core, 5 piece Aged Hardrock Maple and Morado neck thru book ended by Walnut laminates,(5 piece body wings) Walnut laminates between top, back, and core. (not original Ken Smith fingerboard, modified under direction of Phil Lesh) Mother of Pearl inlay Headstock logo. Scalloped Brass nut, Ken Smith black plated solid Brass bridge. Black Phenolic plastic Headstock overlay. 34” scale length. Estimated weight 11 pounds. 24 frets, Ken Smith custom tuning gears. Dunlop Straploks. (always played with black locking Ken Smith strap).
Quote From Ken Smith 6-15-20 on Ken Smith BT-6 #3
“Ok, Phil or his people had one or 2 of the basses converted in Australia with some Midi thing and those fingerboards were changed so not our Dot work. We didn’t do that. They were altered and maybe re-altered. Maybe that’s why he changed the pickups, maybe. They had to route under the fingerboard so they would replace the board rather than chop it up. We don’t use dots like that. The Ebony back is our work. Unaltered there.”
Discography:
Sept 16, 1990 Live Dick’s Picks, Vol. 9, Grateful Dead, 1997
Sept 18, 1990 1 live track So Many Roads (1965-1995), Grateful Dead, 1999
Sept 18, 1990 1 live track Road Trips: Vol 2, No. 1: MSG, Sept 1990, Grateful Dead, 2008
Sept 18, 1990 7 live tracks Road Trips: Vol 2, No. 1: MSG, Sept 1990 Bonus CD, Grateful Dead, 2008
Sept 19, 1990 1 live song Searching For The Sound Bonus CD, Grateful Dead, 2005
Sept 19, 1990 6 live tracks Road Trips: Vol 2, No. 1: MSG, Sept 1990, Grateful Dead, 2008
Sept 20, 1990 10 live tracks Road Trips: Vol 2, No. 1: MSG, Sept 1990, Grateful Dead, 2008
Sept 26, 1990 Rehearsals Best Of The Grateful Dead Hour, Grateful Dead, 2000
Oct 27, 1990 Live 30 Trips Around The Sun Box Set, Grateful Dead, 2015
1990 Some live material Infrared Roses, Grateful Dead, 1991
1991
March 31, 1991 2 live songs Dick’s Picks, Vol. 17, Grateful Dead, 2000
June 14, 1991 Live View From The Vault II (CD), Grateful Dead, 2001
June 14, 1991 Live View From The Vault II (DVD), Grateful Dead, 2001
June 16, 1991 Live Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991, Grateful Dead, 2019
June 17, 1991 Live Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991, Grateful Dead, 2019
June 17, 1991 Live Saint Of Circumstance: Giants Stadium, 6/17/91, Grateful Dead, 2019
June 19, 1991 5 live songs Download Series, Vol. 11: 6/20/91, Grateful Dead, 2006
June 20, 1991 Live Download Series, Vol. 11: 6/20/91, Grateful Dead, 2006
June 22, 1991 1 live song All The Years Combine: DVD Collection, Grateful Dead, 2012 (bonus song)
-All three were fitted with EMG pick ups at some point along the way.
-In almost every photo of Phil playing these basses, all the knobs appear to be at about 12 O’Clock, sometimes with the outer knobs each with the markers in just slightly toward the center.
Sources: Jason Scheuner, Stu Nixon and Deadbase, Ken Smith (including recorded 80 min conversation with Ken Smith about all three basses and his experience with Phil Lesh and The Grateful Dead from 2014), KenSmithBasses.com, Andy Logan, Rich Hoeg, Geoff Gould, Photos, Pro-Shot Videos, Bootleg Videos.