Another Recording of my TK Smith Special

[omphalopsychos]

I originally posted this in the transcriptions subforum, but I felt like it belongs here so people can get a sense of how awesome this guitar and these pickups sound. These pickups are so thick but also super clear and crisp. Played through a 1964 Deluxe Reverb.

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YouTube link if Instagram doesn’t work for you: https://youtube.com/shorts/_DmqecMTmjU

[Jim Soloway]

That just sounds so great. TK has a sound vision all his own. He had it already fully formed when I met him almost 30 years ago and I still hear the same thing today: remarkable clarity but with great depth.

[pcjazz]

Is it possible to listen to this without an Instagram account? When I click on the image it loads Instagram and the video plays, only silently.

[Danny W.]

Is it possible to listen to this without an Instagram account? When I click on the image it loads Instagram and the video plays, only silently.

There’s speaker icon in the lower right corner—click/tap on it to unmute.

Danny W.

[mr. beaumont]

Great playing, great tone!

[omphalopsychos]

Sorry guys didn’t realize you need an account!

I don’t know why I just do - to smith guitar (Peter Bernstein transcription) - YouTube

[Bobby Timmons]

Great playing, great tone!

2nd, very nice. Yes, that is quite a pickup!

[Flat]

That pickup is just so sweet...and distinctive. Thanks for posting! Really nice to hear.

Is that the C.A.R. pickup? I've been thinking of putting one in the neck position of a telecaster, but TK's website has been saying it is Sold Out for a few months. I wonder if he will ever make more?

TK Smith | TK Smith

[omphalopsychos]

It’s the “open top” version of the CAR, they’re a bit brighter than the regular CAR pickups, which I prefer. Send him an email. He will take custom orders all the time but you gotta reach out. I know he’s a crazy busy guy. [email protected]

[gitman]

That sounds so much better IMHO than the usual clips of his guitars where the guys play with overdrive and slapback echo ...
But I also wonder to what extend the aluminum bridge adds to the overall clarity of this guitar. Is it the same type of pickup he offers as a floater, like Tim Lerch showed in one of his demos ?

[ruger9]

You & the guitar both sound great! Gorgeous instrument!

[omphalopsychos]

That sounds so much better IMHO than the usual clips of his guitars where the guys play with overdrive and slapback echo ...
But I also wonder to what extend the aluminum bridge adds to the overall clarity of this guitar. Is it the same type of pickup he offers as a floater, like Tim Lerch showed in one of his demos ?

Thanks. TK is very popular in the rockabilly scene, but I think his stuff is so versatile. I’ve never played rockabilly and probably never will. I got into TK’s stuff when I was digging swing music and some of the 40s and 50s “westernized” or “countrified” or “Kentucky fried” versions of that music. When I first heard his pickups I knew I had to try them and I’m so happy I did because they’re just my favorite pickups of any modern production ones out there. The aluminum bridge helps a bit with the brightness, compared to a rosewood or brass bridge.

As for his other pickup models, I’ve tried a bunch of them. I had an Epiphone deluxe with his floating pickup. It was also wonderful but not quite as full sounding. I think part of that is the nature of some floating pickups. The open top CAR is definitely my favorite of his pickups that I’ve tried. The regular CAR is also excellent but requires a good amount of adjustment of your amp to get the treble response back because it’s a pretty dark pickup. His “CC” pickup is also excellent and I have one in a tele.

[Doug B]

If you don't mind my asking could you tell us the price of the TK Smith guitar? What woods does he use?

Thanks

Doug

[marcwhy]

Sorry guys didn’t realize you need an account!

I don’t know why I just do - to smith guitar (Peter Bernstein transcription) - YouTube

Thanks for posting this link!
As others said, great sound/playing! The color pics of that guitar are amazing!

[Stringswinger]

That Lemon burst R-9 looks pretty damn good. How does she sound for jazz?

[omphalopsychos]

For those curious the guitar is hollow laminate construction with some inner bracing based on Paul Bigsby’s guitar design. TK actually x rayed some bigsbys while doing the research. He also makes all the hardware by hand (except for the tuners); I think he might contract out the knobs but he spends a lot of time on getting the best materials. The pickguard material that he used on mine is the best stuff out there, genuine celluloid acetate (hope it lasts me many years). As for the flamey maple laminate, it’s from some sheets he had in the shop that were too small for his usual guitar shape, but perfect for a tele. I think it’s the most beautiful figure I’ve seen on maple. The neck is thru-body construction and the fretboard is rosewood.

When we were designing the guitar you can tell there were a lot of influences, including the pickguard and the inlays. The neck shape is based on my 1954 L7 but with more curvature of the fretboard (9.5” radius). It’s absolutely perfect.

SS, the R9 is also amazing! I’ve got it set up with 11s so it can do double duty in a funk band as well as jazz. You helped talk me into getting one and I’m eternally grateful. Killer ax.