FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge by KSM Guitars

KSM Guitars Video Contest Winner

2010-02-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

Lucas Pickford is the winner of the 2009 KSM Guitars video contest. Lucas' performance on his bass guitar won him the Foundation™ bass bridge endorsement package that he will enjoy over the next year. Lucas' video can be viewed on the KSM Guitars website in the Contest Gallery as well as the videos of the other contestants in this years contest.

New Web Design

2010-02-02T22:38:00.000-08:00

So, the KSM Guitars website has gotten a bit of a makeover and some really cool stuff has been added for all you guitarist and bass players who like to keep on top of what's going on in the music world. One highlight is the Electronic Press Kit (EPK) that we added to the home page of the site that gives those of you interested in KSM Guitars some insight to our company and the process of making electric guitars and the other products we manufacture. The video focuses on the KSM Model 358™ Guitar and the Foundation™ Bass Bridge. So, be sure to visit and check out all the cool new stuff. Oh yeah, the KSM Guitars Video Contest ended on Jan. 31, 2010 at midnight and the winner is going to be announced on Friday. You can get all the details on the site, or simply follow us on Myspace, Twitter, and Facebook. Also, be sure to join our Mailing List to get all the up to date info on our products, players, and passions!!! See you at KSM Guitars!!

Winter NAMM 2010

2010-01-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

So, KSM Guitars is back from Winter NAMM and after being there is beginning to wonder if anything new will ever happen in this industry.

Aside from the revolutionary Foundation™ bass bridge, there were only a handful of other smaller custom builders who were actually doing something innovative, as far as guitars are concerned, at this years show. The larger manufacturers were all copying one another as usual, and the only innovation that they could speak of was a bunch of new paint jobs. Really? Is that all the large manufactures have to offer?

Now, I know when they go to the drawing board they can't reinvent the wheel but come on. With all of the resources available to them they should at least be able to move the industry forward rather than simply remain stagnant perpetuating the status quo. But they aren't and they won't. Why you ask? Because they have built the industry on telling their customers that what they are offering is the only thing worth their while. They have told them by cornering distribution, paying large artist a lot of money to play and endorse their products, and because they were the first to do it - just because someone is the first does not always mean they are the best.

KSM Guitars has introduced their Foundation™ Bass Bridge which is unlike anything else on the market. The Foundation™ bass bridge utilizes the highest grade material, Aircraft Anodized 7075 Aluminum, which gives it unmatched durability, it utilizes two patented designs with the ramp and saddle design and the locking design which give the bridge unmatched tonal clarity and sustain. These are all things that any guitar manufacturer should be incredibly interested in. However, most of the manufacturers that are out their don't seem to care at all about the sound of their instruments; they only care about the bottom line. So, what do they do? They take the cheapest parts that they have been using since they began and just keep on pumping them out. They must figure that if it worked in the past then they'll just keep on doing it until it doesn't because they are too big to fail.

Well, revolution does not come without its battles and these battles are ones that KSM Guitars is winning. With the revolutionary design and superior tone quality of the Foundation™ bass bridge KSM Guitars is making progress in the guitar industry that soon the others will have to follow. Unlike anything else on the market, the groundbreaking Foundation™ bass bridge will not follow the pack...it will lead the pack.

Video Contest Deadline Extended!!!!

2010-01-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

The deadline for video submissions to the KSM Guitars Foundation™ Bass Bridge Video Contest has been extended to January 31, 2010.

So, bass players be sure to get those videos in by the new deadline to be considered for the Foundation™ bass bridge endorsement package. Also, don't miss out on this opportunity to take advantage of valuable exposure, to have fun, and to be a part of the musical community.

Visit: KSM Guitars Video Contest for info on how to enter and to watch other submissions to the contest.

Find KSM Guitars on:
Myspace
Facebook
Twitter

Revitalize Your Bass Guitar For The New Year!!!

2009-12-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

The New Year is here and it's time to take that bass you love so much, you know...that bass that has been gigging with you for so long it is almost as well known as you are, and give it a makeover!

The Foundation™ Bass Bridge by KSM Guitars is an excellent way to get that old bass guitar sounding "Good As New" for the New Year!! Once you retrofit your bass guitar with the Foundation™ Bass Bridge you will notice increased brightness, clearer, and more refined tone in your bass. Also, being made out of aircraft aluminum, the Foundation™ bass bridge is extremely resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it last longer than other bridges on the market!

So, get more bang for your buck and start the New Year off right with a Foundation™ Bass Bridge that will have your bass guitar sounding Good As New!!!

Order your Foundation™ Bass Bridge online at:

Ebay

$149.00

Player Spotlight - Foundation Bass Bridge by KSM Guitars

2009-12-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

John "BigPocket" Hart is a multi-talented master musician, producer, songwriter, arranger and teacher, Philadelphia-native John Hart’s list of credits reads like a who’s who in the world of contemporary music. Names like smooth jazz artist Norman Brown, gospel great Yolanda Adams, renowned guitarist Pat Martino, famed musician Ronnie Laws, neo-soul star Jon B and music legend Gladys Knight are among the literally dozens of artists who have called on John to supply his inimitable and distinctive style as a premier bass player, a style he describes as "BigPocket!" It’s no surprise that he named his own Los Angeles-based company - providing music production, studio consulting and Logic Pro customer support and training - BigPocket Music™. John "Big Pocket" Harts' Website: bigpocketmusic.com

Find out more about players of the KSM Model 358™ Guitar and the Foundation™ bass bridge by KSM Guitars.

Why Is the Foundation™ Bass Bridge Better Than Other Bridges On The Market?

2009-11-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

I have been getting a lot of questions from people asking why the Foundation™ bass bridge by KSM Guitars is better than other bridges that are out there on the market. So, I decided that I would put this information into a document that people could read, and then take it and conduct their own research to validate these claims. Well, here it is.

The Foundation™ bass bridge is designed to function as one solid unit. It achieves this by using two patented designs that, in essence, tie the separate parts of the bridge together to create what is by function one solid unit while remaining fully adjustable. The “Clamp Plate” and the “Pinch Plate” are one way that the Foundation™ bass bridge is able to accomplish this unification of parts.

The Clamp Plate locks down intonation adjustments by preventing the intonation screws from turning, keeps the ramps locked into place, and keeps the intonation screws from vibrating loose. Also, the locking system, when working in tandem with the ramp system of the Foundation™ bass bridge, allows the Foundation™ bass bridge to eliminate the use of springs on the intonation screws which can cause unwanted artifacts in the sound of a bass guitar through unwanted vibrations.  The Foundation™ bass bridge further eliminates movement of the ramps by using the patented Pinch Plate. The Pinch Plate locks the ramps into place by eliminating space between the individual ramps and by nestling each of the ramps into a solid housing designed to eliminate lateral movement. The effect of these systems is a joining of all moving parts on the bridge which causes the bridge to act as though it is one solid piece. This joining occurs since the locking systems tie each moving piece together with the foundation of the bridge (i.e. Base Plate) through several points of contact. The fusion of moving parts that occurs as the result of these locking systems compliments the superior design of the Foundation™ bass bridge’s patented “Ramp” system.

KSM Guitar’s patented Ramp system eliminates air under the strings and maximizes the transfer of string-to-body vibrations. The benefit of these qualities is understood by first understanding the function of a solid body guitar. So, I will give a brief description of how a solid body guitar works.

A solid body guitar produces sound by using pickups that utilize electromagnetic fields in order to convert the vibrations of the strings into electrical energy. This energy is then transferred via an instrument cable to an amplifier which then produces the sound at a level that is usable. 

The system of the solid body guitar benefits from a solid bass bridge because of the relationship between string-to-body vibrations and the vibration of the instrument’s strings. Every solid object has an inherent resonance frequency which, when sound energy equal to the resonant frequency or any other frequency within the resulting frequency spectra comes into contact with the solid object, cause the solid object to resonate and therefore create sound vibrations. The resulting sound energy can be transferred to other mediums causing other mediums to vibrate in the same way. It is this fundamental property of sound physics that the Foundation™ bass bridge exploits in order to maximize the transfer of string-to-body sound transfer.

The solid construction of the Foundation™ bass bridge allows the bridge to function as one solid unit. Since it functions as one solid unit the excitation of the bridge by sound energy and through sound energy transfer is maximized because each point of contact is working together as one unit. Therefore, the excitation that the bridge undergoes as a result of this energy transfer is transferred through the entire bridge rather than through minimal contact points similar to that of other bridges on the market. In addition, since the bridge functions as one solid unit rather than several units that are all subject to vibration at their own respective frequencies it is able to eliminate unwanted vibrations in loose parts that can cause unwanted interference with the desired frequency or frequencies that are being transferred. This heightened ability to transfer accurate sound energy from the strings into the body through the excitation of the bridge is made possible because the bridge functions as one solid unit and because the bridge is made of aircraft grade Anodized Aluminum 7075.

The use of Aluminum in the Foundation™ bass bridge increases the transfer of sound energy into the body because of its ability to transfer sound at a higher velocity than other commonly used materials in bass bridge construction (i.e. brass, zinc, stainless steel). Aluminum has a speed of sound of 6420 m/s whereas brass has a speed of sound of 4700 m/s, stainless steel has a speed of sound of 5790 m/s, and zinc has a speed of sound of 3.7×103 m/s. See http://physics.info/sound/ and http://www.periodictable.com/Elements/013/data.html. Due to the higher velocity of sound that is inherent in Aluminum, the fact that the Foundation™ bass bridge is made from this medium allows for maximized transfer of sound energy from the bridge into the wood of the bass guitar’s wooden body since the higher velocity of sound being transferred allows the sound energy to be transferred at a lower level of loss due to the impedance of the guitars wooden design. Therefore, when combined with the solidity of the bridge, this superior ability of Aluminum to transfer sound into the body of the guitar enables the bass guitar to function more efficiently as a unified whole from which sound is more accurately and efficiently produced. The Foundation™ bass bridge therefore facilitates the solid construction of a solid-body guitar by functioning the most efficiently with its construction.

Some other benefits of the Foundation™ bass bridge’s construction that set it apart from other bridges on the market are:

The use of Anodized 7075 Aluminum in its construction eliminates corrosion

It eliminates the round edges at the witness area allowing the string to vibrate unimpeded

There is no unwanted lateral movement in the strings

The Foundation™ bass bridge retrofits the Fender Jazz and P bass with ease and is excellent as an OEM install

It is competitively priced given its superior quality to other bridges on the market

Intonation

2009-11-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

Intonation
by Adam Moore - Guitar Tech for KSM Gutiars

Most people do not even know what intonation is or how it effects the playability of a guitar/fretted instrument. On every fretted instrument ever made there are two spots where there are breaking points. One breaking point is at the top of the instrument with a part called the "nut" (part on the instrument where the string rests in grooves) the other breaking point is at the bottom of the instrument with a part called the "bridge" (part on the instrument where the string rests in saddles). Usually, the bridge has an adjustable action where the strings can be raised or lowered and the intonation can can be adjusted.

The intonation is usually adjusted by turning a screw located in various places depending upon the model. The Foundation™ Bass Bridge allows for intonation adjustments by turning the intonation screws located parallel to the base of the bridge beneath the saddles. The Foundation™ Bass Bridge utilizes a patented design to lock in these adjustments once they have been made preventing any part from vibrating loose after extended use.

Intonation is an instruments true pitch, say for example that you tuned your instrument to exactly the note it is supposed to be and you move up the neck and hit another note and but the note you moved up to was a little flat or sharp this would mean that the your intonation is off. The best way to adjust your intonation is to buy a an electronic tuner and then tune the the open note to precisely the correct pitch. Once you have tuned the open note, hit its octave note on the twelfth (12th) fret and if the octave note is flat then that means the length of the string needs to be shortened and that is done by moving the saddle toward the top of the instrument (toward the nut or tuning keys). If the octave note reads sharp, then the you would adjust the intonation in by doing the opposite and moving the saddle toward the bottom of the instrument (toward the rear of the bridge). The reason I use the twelfth (12th) fret to adjust the intonation is because it is exactly half the length of the string. This helps because I can get the full range of notes, and I know right away if the intonation is off since a pitch exactly one octave above my original pitch should be, when tuned properly, exactly twice the frequency as the original note. Also, it is important to make sure that you have a chromatic tuner because a standard guitar or bass tuner will not work since they only focus on the standard pitches fro the open notes on a guitar or bass. I recommend using a "strobe tuner" when making intonation adjustment since they are the most accurate tuners on the market however they are more expensive tuners.

The Video Contest Is Here!!!

2009-11-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

Bass Players!!!! Video Contest Begins Oct. 31, 2009!!!

2009-10-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

KSM Guitars and its affiliates is sponsoring a video contest for bass players to show of their stuff, promote themselves, and win a sponsorship from KSM Guitars, FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge, and its affiliates. To view the contest rules and find out how to enter check out KSM Guitars Video Contest Rules and Agreement

So break out your cameras and show us your chops!!!!

Here is an example of what we are looking for:

OuTfiT's Video

OuTfiT | MySpace Video

KSM Guitars Video Contest Coming Soon!!

2009-10-12T00:36:00.000-07:00

KSM Guitars will be sponsoring a video contest for bass players to show off their stuff and win a KSM FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge. The contest will begin very soon so keep watching here for details!!

Also, check out the KSM FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge at www.ksmguitars.com/bridge.htm or buy it on eBay.

Don't forget to add us as a friend on facebook and Myspace, and follow us here and on Twitter.

Feed A Starving Musician!!

2009-10-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

In today's economy one almost has to pay to be even remotely associated with the music industry, and when I say the music industry I don't just mean performers, I mean anyone who is in any way associated with music.

Music stores are feeling the pain of a bad economy finding that musicians just don't have the disposable income necessary to make those high dollar purchases for musical instruments and accessories. Music magazines are going out of business finding that online ventures attract wider audiences and are more cost effective to the consumer and consumers right now need to save money any way they can. Musicians are finding it hard to get out there and perform for audiences and market their music since cost to do so are skyrocketing. Things are bad right now in this economy, and perhaps the people who are feeling it the most are musicians.

That's why KSM Guitars is committed to providing musicians with a product that helps them remain competitive despite the challenges of a poor economy.

KSM's FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge is not only a revolutionary product, it can revolutionize the way a musician views their instrument. The FOUNDATION™ bass bridge can turn any bass guitar into a fine tuned music machine. The patented ramp system allows for precise adjustments and maximizes the transfer of string-to-body vibrations. This improved string-to-body contact gives the instrument exceptional brightness and clarity. The patented locking system eliminates vibration, and the Anodized 7075 aluminum the bridge is made of is light weight, durable, and increases tonal integrity.

This bridge is far superior to other comparably priced bridges and its revolutionary design is completely unique and can not be compared to other bridges on the market. KSM's FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge is revolutionary and gives more to the musician than any other product in its class by offering musicians a valuable upgrade at a price that beats inferior products on the market.

Tighten Up Your Bass, Tighten Up Your Sound, Tighten Up With Foundation Revolutionary Bass Bridge!!

2009-10-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

The Revolutionary KSM FOUNDATION™ Bridge

The KSM FOUNDATION™ Bridge was designed to achieve the benefits of a single solid piece, but also to be fully adjustable for each individual player. Kevin S. Moore has utilized a patented ramp system that allows for precise adjustments and maximizes the transfer of string-to-body vibrations. This improved string-to-body contact gives the instrument exceptional brightness and clarity.

The KSM FOUNDATION™ Bridge is perfect for independent bass builders looking to set themselves apart and for bass bridge upgrades. An instrument that is retrofitted with the KSM FOUNDATION™ Bass Bridge will have enhanced characteristics; such as if the instrument tends to sound low and punchy, those characteristic tones will sound clearer and more refine.

All moving components lock into position with a clamping system after final adjustments are made to prevent any part from vibrating loose after extended use. Because the entire bridge is made of high-grade aircraft aluminum, the light, durable and very resonant material resists all corrosion and rust, while continually maintaining tonal integrity.

This bridge is far superior to other comparably priced bridges. The revolutionary design is completely unique and can not be compared to other bridges on the market.

Learn more about this revolutionary product: www.ksmguitars.com/bridge.htm

Buy Online at eBay or Amazon.................................Questions? Email