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If I remember correctly, it was Bill Lawrence idea to start toying with an impedance changing switch. I need to check, but I'm quite sure I have some schematics somewhere...

There’s nothing wrong with MIJ/CIJ Fender instruments. In general they are top notch for consistency. The 62 Jazz reissues are more common and therefore maybe more prone to modding than some models that are less common in Europe…..like the PB-70US. Remember that Japanese Fenders have various grades - typically denoted by a second double digit. Say, JB-62-75 where the first number refers to the model year of the reissue and the second set of numbers denotes the price (in 00’s Yen) when it first sold. The lower priced versions came with a smaller headstock and small footprint tuners, as well as locally specified PUP’s. The body wood may be Basswood (Linden), which is light but dings easily. Higher valued instruments have larger tuners (similar to US) on a typical Fender headstock. The body wood is typically alder or sen (ash). The PUP’s may be wound to US spec or imported US PUP’s. Hence the term US in PB-70US. Basically you will have to look far and wide for a bad MIJ Fender.

I don't use a plectrum for the different tone, I use it because the metacarpal of my right forefinger was broken when I was in my early 20s and it set with the knuckle perceptibly lower than the rest of my hand, so alternating between first and middle fingers is awkward and can get uneven - for some things I simply can't manage it with alternating fingers but can with a plectrum.

Oversized Luggage - Meyhem Lauren

Just wanted to check in these super-sensitive days - that's not the same as blackface, is it?

Yeah they look decent thanks I've actually found a nice Sandberg 6 string hopefully be collecting next week I'll post some pics 👍

Great video Dan, certainly gives a good run through of the sounds available from those pickups 🙌

I can't even get the pickup out of its cover to see, and if it is it'll probably be lead-free solder which I'm not set up for.

Very cool. I’ve had my eye on this for a while. Will be keen to hear how you get on! Congrats.

Man In A Suitcase - The Police

A band I was the co-founder of somewhere in the early 90s played a few gigs. The guitarist/vocalist got rather sweary between numbers at the last one, and the drummer (who could well have been given an offer by another band so there could have been an ulterior motive) said he was leaving because Steve was too sweary. Our viola player was leaving anyway. Steve then rang me and asked me if he was too sweary, and I was rather non-committal. I went to the rehearsal studio soon afterwards and saw a notice from him saying he was looking for a drummer and bassist who had to realise that there was ONLY ONE BAND LEADER and it was him (we both wrote songs for the band, it was about 2:1 him to me). He did get another set of personnel together and they're still going. Their website has biographies of each member, and in his it says he did the folk clubs as a solo act. Rather a lie, as he and I did them as a duo. At least it was the inspiration for a song I wrote called "Revisionist"...

Why? Pardon my ignorance, I'm a newby, so are 62 reissues not that good?

The updates are coming thick and fast at the moment. This is the third in the last three weeks - and it's a big one with no less than 48 charts uploaded to the site, including 29 brand new ones, taking the site total to 1640. https://tomreadbass.co.uk That's 1,640 accurate bass transcriptions, written by experienced bassist and arranger Tom Read, and every single one of them completely free for you to download, print-off, add to your iPad and use for your own personal gigs or study. No sign-up, no registration, no limit. Just go and help yourself! Lots more Elvis Presley charts in there! In nearly 40 years of gigging, I'd done hardly any Elvis shows, but in 2025 I've worked on three of them! The charts on my site are NOT the ones used in any of those shows, but my own transcriptions from the original recordings - that's my first step in my personal gig preparation before I then go on to customise them for the specific show arrangements. But that first step, I share that work on my website. Anyway, here's the direct links for the newly added or updated Elvis charts: '68 Comeback Special Medley https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_84e261d203184394806012860496f6f1.pdf 2001 into C.C. Rider (show opener) https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_1cf7c3e09c8a49a8ad4504de054f39fa.pdf A Big Hunk O' Love https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_214654f194ee43a595f0ecf1a19a22c6.pdf A Little Less Conversation https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_ace79488f12e4fffa7780b3d387a86c6.pdf Always On My Mind https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_5731162014934339af116ce558f41926.pdf Always On My Mind (with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_d8a5c2f7803f4a6496984db0c3c9b603.pdf An American Trilogy (Hawaii '73 version) https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_5320231f4fbb41ba9a1672a786fc52d5.pdf Are You Lonesome Tonight? https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_79dd6188293442dfaa02b93b17c3a329.pdf Baby I Don't Care https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_9f8ad45645ad46e0b9aa46ac9703456b.pdf Baby What You Want Me To Do? https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_0de0b0f271324f40aa6341b97bcdbdb5.pdf Blue Suede Shoes https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_df0847b1b0a846d5a6aa475770ff246f.pdf Burning Love https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_fb808b619a3a40c5bd85ce1fe971de5e.pdf Crying In The Chapel https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_93e8ad86ed1d4b1cb5680a515784ece0.pdf Devil In Disguise https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_c98f11792e9d4fa99d89695ab3a7399d.pdf Don't Be Cruel https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_9d4d1553ada04b1fa64614aba01da8e8.pdf Fame And Fortune https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_a45725f455d64f369ac197dd5b22642c.pdf G.I. Blues https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_aa2615f9ce224b4b94239796c4d8a92e.pdf His Latest Flame https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_34cf36116b5b4f578eb1d27edff51135.pdf How Great Thou Art https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_f99e57d27bb745f79b352cfe4def5a39.pdf I Can't Help Falling In Love With You https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_d6d033106fdf4a41805dd1390f553f09.pdf I Can't Stop Loving You https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_228f964852ee4294abefbe2c17189382.pdf I Just Can't Help Believing https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_45d353c0a8ee4b6ebde9d09d696e6f55.pdf If I Can Dream https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_01bf08a5e12c4adab54b07c7487b88f7.pdf It's Now Or Never https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_bd1814e9e78a4c288a852bc687dfd5ab.pdf Jailhouse Rock '68 Comeback Special version https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_896ad453d29547e6afa6458a5792c161.pdf Johnny B. Goode https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_a998afab1bdf411384d03b62b576c52c.pdf King Creole https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_7177bd3a973e4709a1d37ee38120f9eb.pdf Mean Woman Blues https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_7e931076337e4b01a918afb9773258e2.pdf Memories https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_ab00d04beb7a4cc19afc135cb4d130d6.pdf My Way https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_1669e3e2b2274e4fb41f83572db82914.pdf One Night https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_cf575cdeb65844e894b4de912310910a.pdf Peace In The Valley https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_b45ad8073b5e4c70812608e2e6bd2c24.pdf Polk Salad Annie https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_eaf4afd969e7463688b230dbae082ce8.pdf Return To Sender https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_c710f8cc2cf74c68b40590bb1ca05966.pdf Rock-A-Hula Baby https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_68c69b7486ad4bf88045160cec1c51f7.pdf Shake, Rattle & Roll https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_de78b66037fa46bbb33d76800792c41b.pdf Suspicious Minds https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_42407d37c32a4f23a71b957719516ce9.pdf Sweet Caroline https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_47e0e0dd0993414cb85893d7a1eff2b1.pdf Treat Me Nice https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_533290937fee4833b0d691350dbbb376.pdf Trouble https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_d5f895dd4c57490fae08ade7e5c27ef3.pdf Viva Las Vegas https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_de3208e91dc24d19afb371b9af090c00.pdf Way Down https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_449a7375d0614025a2cc7486c47a14ac.pdf Wooden Heart https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_9db53ec47a7346e2b96abb7ec601ec9e.pdf You Gave Me A Mountain https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_ff425e11e8f9498cb65fa06fd00f1e5e.pdf Then in the "not Elvis" section, we have... Soul Man - Sam & Dave (this was already on the site, but in a gig key of F; it is now in the original key of G) https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_d60861aa100542beb67e69ba7146a201.pdf Voodoo - Patrick Paige II (this was a recent bespoke transcription order for a customer who agreed for it to be shared on the website - cool tune with even cooler bassline!) https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_a77c3806209647fca065d3705480679c.pdf You're My Best Friend - Queen (John Deacon's virtuoso bassline with loads of triplet figures and "dusty end" work - not new to the site, but the chart on there, inexplicably, had a top Ab that theoretically should have been a G# - so action had to be taken!!) https://www.tomreadbass.co.uk/_files/ugd/238d8f_92847dc05ecd4a8f84f43db2d00902cd.pdf Hope this is of some use. Please feel free to share with fellow bass players, students, and online bass communities that you are in. If you are a tutor, you are welcome to use the resource freely in your lessons, and for student study material. Cheers, Tom

I was going to (and BDDI), but i think those things change the sound more rather than just adding warmth. I guess it depends on why the OP is looking for. A warm sound, or a warmer version of his sound. Sansamp stuff certaily does the first, and ive used one for about 20+ years, but its not the same to my ears as warming up whats already there.

Having used my XR18 for a good few gigs now, and having slightly struggled with the Android version of XR Edit, I have switched to Mixing Station. The customisation is a bit bewildering, but the visual is consistent across operating systems and it's more intuitive. I hadn't had any problems with Edit but Mixing Station has the reputation of being more stable also.

how thoughtless, he could've waited till after the gig

After downsizing my office to make room for the offspring Im finding myself extremely short on space. My Hercules 6 guitar tree just isn't practical for the space any more so need a more compact, preferably integrated solution. Ive got a 3x4 kallax on the back wall, the plan is to get a sheet of 25mm hardwood ply to build some integrated shelving with build in space for 5-6 basses/guitars to stack vertically. Just finishing up a sketch but wondered if anyone else had done similar?