P/J pickup suggestion PLEASE!

[davidchampoux]

Just messing with the bass right now... Installed back the original single coil... Same feeling. The E and A strings sounds good... My problem is with the D and G strings... Something is really thin there. I don't like it...

I'll try the ultra J. Not that expensive and I'm curious to see if this can match better with the stock P pu.

Thanks all for your time and suggestions!

[davidchampoux]

Here's an audio example! Please, don't mind the playing, it's only for tone reference. You'll be able to hear the 4 strings...

Fender Custom Shop Precision Bass Pro 2012, stock pickups. Original controls modified to: master vol, blend, master tone. The blend pot is a no load 500k (with ground connected). Volume is 250k. Total resistance = 125 Kohms. Recorded NO eq or compression. Tone on bass fully open. Strings are nicely broken in d'Addario XL 45-100.

Let me know what you think about it...

0:00 - 0:18 both PUs
0:18 - 0:30 Neck
0:30 - 0:43 bridge
0:43 - 1:05 both
1:05 - 1:16 neck

[walterw]

sounds like a normal P/J to me.

tell me about this "no load 500k blend pot with ground connected"; how is that wired?

[walterw]

Originally Posted by davidchampoux

I just want a bridge pickup that will match nicely with the P, providing a deep sound rather than some thin/harsh tone like I experience now, both with the stock single coil OR the Super 55...

I'm seriously wondering if the P/J combo is for me...

i don't care for it, for just this reason.

the P by itself will always be fatter and "deeper"; the J just scoops out mids and adds treble as it's brought in.

[JimmyM]

I've found that backing off the J pickup slightly works better with PJ's. Won't quite get that scooped Jazz-y tone but it's close enough and you don't get volume loss.

[davidchampoux]

Originally Posted by walterw

sounds like a normal P/J to me.

tell me about this "no load 500k blend pot with ground connected"; how is that wired?

Hey Walter, thanks for the follow up!

pot (500k): http://www.amplifiedparts.com/products/R-VBM2-SS.

See attachement for schematic I used.

I did try with and without the ground on the blend pot. Result was brighter without (pickups only see the 250kohm resistance), so now it's connected. I fell it's a little more mellow, though the tone pot is not interacting the same way. Level is also a little lower.

There was no difference when I compared with the original configuration (2 vol), but I prefer to have 1 master volume; easier for fade-in/out during live performances...

I'm waiting for a 4 position rotary switch though, I'll wire it P/PJ series/PJ parallel/J.

I ordered the SUPER J pickup. Will let you know my impressions when installed/tested. BTW, I could not find this info: does the Super J has the A and D poles a little raised, to follow the radius?

[walterw]

"super J"?

do you mean "ultra J"? if so, no, it's flat all the way across. (dimarzio won't do these with staggered magnets, i've asked; i think they keep that for their proprietary sadowsky OEM versions.)

also, that bourns blend pot is not "no load" unless you don't run the grounds.

[davidchampoux]

Sorry Walter, I meant Ultra J. I hope the A and D will still sound even.....

About the pot, it's a real balance pot, center position = 0 ohm... That's why I said 'no load'... I'll replace it by the 4 position switch anyway...

Thanks,
David

[walterw]

that's not "no-load"; the term is "M/N" for the good blend/balance pots where both pots are at 100% in the center.

the trick with flat jazz pickups is to keep them a little further away, so that the difference in average string distance is decreased.

[korybaugus]

The Fralin P/J is my favorite to date. Always seems to work for whatever I'm doing.
I'm really curious to hear the Nordstrand and Aguilar PJ's.

[davidchampoux]

Originally Posted by walterw

that's not "no-load"; the term is "M/N" for the good blend/balance pots where both pots are at 100% in the center.

the trick with flat jazz pickups is to keep them a little further away, so that the difference in average string distance is decreased.

Oh, thanks for this Walter, I'll try that when the pickup arrives!

I did try the 4 positions selector today and I didn't really like it. The series configuration is not very usefull tonewise and it's way louder, so I'm back to the blend pot. Would you recommend to connect it to ground or leave it open? 250K or 500K? I assume there's no big difference if connected without the ground?

[davidchampoux]

Originally Posted by korybaugus

The Fralin P/J is my favorite to date. Always seems to work for whatever I'm doing.
I'm really curious to hear the Nordstrand and Aguilar PJ's.

In 60's or 70's position?

[walterw]

Originally Posted by davidchampoux

Oh, thanks for this Walter, I'll try that when the pickup arrives!

I did try the 4 positions selector today and I didn't really like it. The series configuration is not very usefull tonewise and it's way louder, so I'm back to the blend pot. Would you recommend to connect it to ground or leave it open? 250K or 500K? I assume there's no big difference if connected without the ground?

yeah, series is indeed out of balance with everything else, and kinda weird with dissimilar pickups anyway.

ungrounded, a 250k M/N will have a slightly smoother sweep (it's what i like for that). grounded, you'd want the 500k for the least loading.

my own fave is 250k blend ungrounded.

that takes the blend pot out of the tone equation (like a switch), so if that's too bright, go with a 250k or 300k volume and/or tone.

[davidchampoux]

Originally Posted by walterw

yeah, series is indeed out of balance with everything else, and kinda weird with dissimilar pickups anyway.

ungrounded, a 250k M/N will have a slightly smoother sweep (it's what i like for that). grounded, you'd want the 500k for the least loading.

my own fave is 250k blend ungrounded.

that takes the blend pot out of the tone equation (like a switch), so if that's too bright, go with a 250k or 300k volume and/or tone.

Will go your way Walter... Now I hope the Ultra J will match the P....

Thanks for all!

David