What's the best PJ set?

Bard2dbone · #1 10-16-2007, 01:37 AM

Just for fun I'm going to get everyone stirred up. I've actually already picked the PJ set I'm buying for the bass I'm fixing up, but only because I'm going for a specific tone (no pre at all, passive with DiMarzio's)

BUT, if I hadn't already picked all my electronics to sound like a bass I had in 1982, what would be the absolute monster, can't-live-without-it PJ pair to get?

For purposes of explanation/comparison, this will be my only passive PJ set. I currently have EMG J's, an EMG PJ set, Nordstrand J's, and an old Fender Lace Sensor J set that isn't being used anymore.

Ready? Go!

waseok · #2 10-16-2007, 06:44 AM

Um..what can you say about EMG PJ set? im about to buy one, but thinking to take Bartolini PJ instead..so dunno, what can U say?

Rickett Customs · #3 10-16-2007, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waseok

Um..what can you say about EMG PJ set? im about to buy one, but thinking to take Bartolini PJ instead..so dunno, what can U say?

+1 With the Barts, additionally If it plays into your budget, get the Bart 3 band active electronics w/ an active/Passive switch.

Bard2dbone · #4 10-16-2007, 12:28 PM

I'll go along with that. Bart's are generally warmer than the EMG's.

I actually got my first EMG's because they came with my Spector. (That's the PJ set I mentioned) I went and bought EMG's for my fretless for the predictability of tone.

But a lot of people think that same predictability sounds kind of sterile.

If you are doing studio work, you kind of have to cater to the engineers ears. The engineer I work with most is actually the guitar player from my old band. He generally calls me first any time he needs or thinks he might need a fretless bass. I think he calls me about third for fretted. But he got used to the sound of the Spector and knew how to eq for it. So he asked me to switch the Fender to EMG's and I did.

But now that bass has a Geddy Lee sig neck on it and the fretless neck is on a different body with Nordstrand NJ4SE's and an Audere pre. He hasn't complained.

The Bart's are almost as versatile as the EMG's but with a better basic tone, to my ears. That's the 'warmer' thing you'll hear people say. Just pair them with a good pre and you're golden.

But this in't what I expected for this thread. I wanted a kickin', bitin', scratchin' and hair-pullin' free for all with people yelling about how this p'up rocks and that one sucks.

Come on guys. This civil discourse is coming as a great disappointment.

fullrangebass · #5 10-16-2007, 01:23 PM

I'd go for Villex pickups. Full balanced organic

Bard2dbone · #6 10-16-2007, 01:42 PM

Whoa. I don't think I've even heard of them.

Tell me about them.

bearfoot · #7 10-16-2007, 02:01 PM

http://www.villex.com/pickups.html

The reviews of them are tasty.

alexofc69 · #8 10-16-2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

I'll go along with that. Bart's are generally warmer than the EMG's.

I actually got my first EMG's because they came with my Spector. (That's the PJ set I mentioned) I went and bought EMG's for my fretless for the predictability of tone.

But a lot of people think that same predictability sounds kind of sterile.

If you are doing studio work, you kind of have to cater to the engineers ears. The engineer I work with most is actually the guitar player from my old band. He generally calls me first any time he needs or thinks he might need a fretless bass. I think he calls me about third for fretted. But he got used to the sound of the Spector and knew how to eq for it. So he asked me to switch the Fender to EMG's and I did.

But now that bass has a Geddy Lee sig neck on it and the fretless neck is on a different body with Nordstrand NJ4SE's and an Audere pre. He hasn't complained.

The Bart's are almost as versatile as the EMG's but with a better basic tone, to my ears. That's the 'warmer' thing you'll hear people say. Just pair them with a good pre and you're golden.

But this in't what I expected for this thread. I wanted a kickin', bitin', scratchin' and hair-pullin' free for all with people yelling about how this p'up rocks and that one sucks.

Come on guys. This civil discourse is coming as a great disappointment.

+1 I like Barts and I like EMGs. You can warm up the EMGs with an Aguilar preamp.

Dragonlord · #9 10-16-2007, 03:44 PM

Villex all the way. Once upon a time I thought Bartolini and EMG are the best pickups since they are the most usual... then I played one of fullrange's Dingwalls with barts and then a while later when they were replaced by villex... same bass, a whole different level.

giglawyer · #10 10-17-2007, 06:45 AM

I would go with Stan Hinesley's P/J set. www.has-sound.com. I have his Hot Js in my main bass, and they are awesome.

basswave · #11 10-17-2007, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fullrangebass

I'd go for Villex pickups. Full balanced organic

+1

I have been meaning to do the same thing for months now with the Villex PJ but I keep forgetting actually.

bassman blue · #12 10-17-2007, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giglawyer

I would go with Stan Hinesley's P/J set. www.has-sound.com. I have his Hot Js in my main bass, and they are awesome.

10-4. Hinesley's stuff is amazing. But until you try Hinesley's P/J (hybrid set is the one i particularly like) you'll have fun trying other pickups and you'll get good at soldering too.

chunkstyle · #13 10-17-2007, 11:59 AM

the PJ set that came with my Tony Franklin Fender is exactly what a good PJ set should sound like.

Risen Ashes · #14 10-17-2007, 12:03 PM

Has anybody tried Dimarzio PJ's Model ( P and Model J ) with an Audere or Aguilar premap? What do you guys think? I'm considering getting an SX and putting those in. or Putting in EMGs

4Mal · #15 10-17-2007, 03:49 PM

My two fav set's are ...

The Areo Type 1. Well balanced betwen the P & the J, a little aggressive or raw in an honest 60's kinda way. Extremely punchy - not high output (thank god) - just very sensitive. What they do is the 60's / 70's retro thing incredibly well. Mine are wired up a V/V/T in the traditional passive fashion. The Areo's aren't cheap - but they have a really neat vibe about them.

The Lawrence P-46 & J-45. Quiet, they seem almost colorless or transparent. Again not hot, but quite sensitive which translates into big attack if that's what you're doing. and again - very well balanced between the P&J. Mine are wired up into a stack know setup like the 62 RI Jazz, V/T, V/T. I'm adding in a dark switch and then another to send either the P or the J straight to the jack, but with a little treble bleed. At about $120 a set - the Lawrences are a steal...

I spent a short time with a Lindy Fralin in a Bob Glaub from Lakland. That one was a straight P. Very nice pickup. I would certainly be open to auditioning a set of those in a PJ.

... and now to incite riot 'cause that is in keeping with the spirit of the original post ... my Areo's can beat up your Bart's ... really - I don't like Bart's at all (ecept for the 9J's and only then run through a non-Bartolini on board pre!) Best think I ever did to my old 44-02 was scrap the Bart's. How they were able to combine cold, sterile and compressed all at the same time I'll never fathom ... EMG's - only one's I've heard were in basses aimed at the metal market and - they didn't seem real good sounding but then I'm sort of allergic to pointy, goth style instruments - I'm (on a good day) more like Conrad Lozano then say Nikki Sixx... which probably explains a lot about why I dig the pickups I do and don't the pickups I don't, eh ?