[Ken Smith]

First off, the Burner Pickups were made in Japan for those Basses only. They are 100% different than our Soapbar models we use in the handmade Basses we make in USA.

The JJs in the BSR models... They were made here with 9 poles to use in 4 or 5 string Basses named 945s..

The last batch we got took forever and the company had moved from the east to the west coast. We took them without the Logo to just get them.

After this, we switched suppliers for the Js and made them without polepieces, Flattops. A new design that sounded better.

If you get even the 945s from different batches with or without the names that had the 9 polepieces, they chances of them sounding different is likely. They are handmade and vary from batch to batch.

The Basses are also handmade and two Basses looking the same made close to each other time wise can sound different as well even if the pickups are identical. Different ages of Basses and different woods sound even more different. Wood is wood. It is not a consistent material even in the same tree.

Unless I actually see your Bass, I cannot pass judgment. I have no idea what Washington Music did with your Bass. I wasn't there to watch them. For this reason, we tell people to send the Basses to us for the closest possible work to be done to return the Bass to its original state. We made it and we can fix them better then anyone in our opinion. Washington Music is one of the best stores in the world. For a Smith Bass, we are the ones that know best.