This is the Carving Room where all Smith Basses are hand-carved into a work of art. Each Smith Bass is a one-of-a-kind. No two are exactly alike.
Neck-thru Basses ready for Hand Carving.
(6GN Tiger Maple & 5GN Bubinga)
The Figured Exotic Woods of our bodies must be shaped and sanded smooth. Everything must look and feel right.
Hand squaring the Bolt area of the Neck.
Every bolt-on neck is individually hand-fit to the body.
Blending the Neck into the Headstock by Hand.
The final shaping of the neck is done “The Old Fashioned Way, by Hand!”
Hand fitting Maple strips for a Lined Fretless
Gluing them in.
Fitting the Pearl dot inlays in the fingerboard.
The fingerboard is leveled and radiused in preparation for fretting.
Installing Frets with an Arbor Press.
Blending the Body Wings to the neck “A Delicate Operation.”
The Mother of Pearl “S” inlay being fitted into the headstock.
Hand shaping the Headstock.
Final oil sanding a 7-String Bass before lacquer finishing.
After all the carving is done, the hand rubbed finish begins.
Then each Bass gets several coats of Smith Dutch Varnish or Catalized Laquer over Stradivari Gold oil. All Smith Basses are hand buffed when completed.
Hand polishing the catalyzed lacquer finish.
Cleaning the fret edges after being lacquered.
Hand polishing the frets during final rub out.