PJ configuration question

[JBassJohn]

Good evening ladies and gents,

I recently purchased an Aerodyne Pbass and I've run across an issue with it. When I play it with the P pickup on full and the J pickup off, it sounds like pure Pbass. It's wonderful. If I play it with the J pickup solo it sounds like a J pickup in the bridge position. Not a tone I particularly like but it sounds like it's supposed to. When I have the P pickup on full and I start to bring up the J pickup volume, I notice I start to lose volume on the D and G stings. With both on full, I can't hear any notes played on those strings when playing with the band.
I'm not sure if this an problem inherent to the PJ configuration or if it's specific to this bass. It's my first bass with this configuration. If the J pickup and the upper part of the Pbass pickup are wired out of phase would they not cancel each other out? Maybe a height issue? Maybe I just need to replace the pickups? If I do replace pickups, I prefer passive over active. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

[walterw]

stock pickups?

it's possible that one of the P coils is wired backwards, which wouldn't significantly affect the sound of the P pickup by itself *, since each coil only hears its own two strings. if so, adding in the J would mean those two strings would have out-of-polarity pickups, canceling much of their output.


*it would affect the hum-canceling of the P pickup, though.

[JBassJohn]

Thanks for the response Walter. I purchased the bass used but I believe they are the stock pickups.
I'm guessing this isn't a common issue and is probably uniquie to my bass?

[Arvin]

I don't have that issue with either of my P/J basses, nor have I noticed it with Aerodynes I've played in the store. Something sounds amiss there.