P-J pups.. Worth it?

[Microbass]

Hi guys.

OK, it's seemingly becoming rapid that I'm not getting a G3.. so..
I think my next choice would be a MIM Pbass, but I don't know if I should get that J-pup installed or not, so this is where you guys come in...!

OK, as far as I know, the J pup eliminate's hum? Correct? What else would it do for me? I'd be using stock pickups, so what kinda of sound would I get out over the standard p-bass setup?

Thanks all

[J. from Samsara]

I would get one with it installed. You will have a lot more tone with it. I don't think it cancels hum though. The single P pu will give you that warm standard bass sound, but with the J it should give some added brights and mids which would help with slapping and popping and picking. Play some both ways before you buy one thats the best way to go.

[Microbass]

I'll need to try 'n' find one, becuase I don't the shop would be very happy if I ordered it, then didnt want it

[Bonafide]

Originally posted by Microbass
Hi guys.

OK, as far as I know, the J pup eliminate's hum? Correct? What else would it do for me? I'd be using stock pickups, so what kinda of sound would I get out over the standard p-bass setup?

Thanks all

Hey MB,
The P-Bass is already hum-cancelling. The J-bass PU alone will add buzz (60 cycle hum) even used with the P-Bass you'll get hum from the J-bass.You can't ever get hum-cancelling from 3 coils.

I had a fender P-J bass for a couple of years. It was an OK bass, the P-Bass sound was a little fatter and less defined because it was located closer to the neck than a regular P-Bass pickup. A little too much string vibration in my opinion which led to a mushier sound. Overall it was a usuable bass but I (personally) would get alot more mileage out of a regular P or J.

[1964]

You could add a noiseless J pup, like a Bill Lawrence J-45, or get a P-Bass pup with the characteristics of both (BL P-46).

[l0calh05t]

there are two general kinds of noiseless Js stacked and split, split is pretty much the same as a p pickup but the coils are inline

[1964]

...I have both, and neither sounds like a P. There are component, and not least circuit design differences. Same config, does not equal same voice. If it did, there would be a *very very very* small aftermarket pups industry.

[l0calh05t]

If you are referring to my post I meant of course that split-coil J pups have a similar construction to P-Bass pickups

[1964]

...That's not even right...unless your definition of "similar" greatly differs from mine. Too many variables for successful comparisons, IMO.

[l0calh05t]

similar construction (in this case) means to me: Both have two separate coils one for the E-A string pair and another for the D and G strings and these are reverse wound to each other as to cancel hum. The only real difference is that for the p pup the coils are in separate housings which are not in line


PS: I wasn't saying a word about similar sound

[bgavin]

No. Leave the Precision as a pure P-Bass.



Unless you have a switching device that will completely isolate the J pickup, it will influence the tone from the P pickup. The Fender HotRod P is an example. Almost a P, but not quite.

Keeping your Precision as a pure bass also opens the door to acquiring another bass. It is much more fun to have a P, a J fretless, and an L-1500/Stingray, than to have one bass.

This way you can run TI Flats on the P-bass, skinny rounds on the fretless (TI Jazz Rounds) for mwah, and gnarly stainless rounds on the L1500/Stingray for grind and slap.

[Bongolation]

What homeboy Gavin says.

Passive P/J mixes are a difficult concept to pull off well. The output from a pair of Precision pickups (which are two pickups wired in noise-cancelling mode like a humbucker) is substantially hotter than a single Jazz pickup, so there is an inherent imbalance.

Fender's pricey and now-discontinued MIA "Hot Rodded" Precision Bass used a special set of Jazz & Precision pickups that were output-matched to overcome this somewhat, but many people do not care for the resulting Jazz sound or Precision sound. These pickups were used on no other Fender bass.

I have one of these beautiful HRPBs, which I enjoy for its other features, irrespective of the P/J pickups. I find that the Precision sound is pretty much like my other Precisions, and maybe the added Jazz pickup will come in handy someday for something, I don't know.

All in all, the P/J concept seems more like a gimmick than anything else, and I would never consider modifying an otherwise serviceable instrument.

[l0calh05t]

Using an active system will reduce mixing problems

If you want a passive bass you could also wire it in stereo and run it into two different amps or into a real mixer (almost the same as using an active system, probably even better)