P-Bass vs PJ-Bass; do you lose anything with the PJ?

[Bassbubble11]

[quote=Road Bull;13680328]

Originally Posted by Bassbubble11

That's why I bought these. Actually I wanted that "P" thump in my jazz basses.
Both these basses not only have an extra J pup but both have J necks.




Nice!! What year is your Fender Precision Bass Special? I picked one up this year used. I cleaned it up and was about to sell it, but started really digging the way it sounds. Since I bought it used, I have no idea what pickups are in it. They look like DiMarzios, but I can't be sure. I was thinking about picking up some Fender Custom shop P and Jazz pickups to swap out, but after I reset the pickups with new backing, they sound alright on their own.

I wouldn't mind finding one with a maple neck someday. I have even thought about buying a Fender deluxe body and installing passive electronics instead of active. But for now, I am really digging what I have.

I got mine in the late '90's. It has passive PUPS that came stock. The newer ones have active PUPS. The PUPS in mine are nothing to right home about but they sound ok though.

[SoVeryTired]

[quote=Bassbubble11;13680688]

Originally Posted by Road Bull

I got mine in the late '90's. It has passive PUPS that came stock. The newer ones have active PUPS. The PUPS in mine are nothing to right home about but they sound ok though.

Minor technical point - the newer ones have active preamps and passive pickups.

[Road Bull]

[quote=SoVeryTired;13680715]

Originally Posted by Bassbubble11

Minor technical point - the newer ones have active preamps and passive pickups.

I know the new ones come with active pickups and have four controls compared to the V-V-T of the passive variety. I just don't know for certain, what pickups are in my particular bass. The style looks like DiMarzio, but there are no markings in the P/U covers or the back of the pickup. I prefer passive electronics anyway over the newer Deluxe Active P Bass Specials.

[SoVeryTired]

[quote=Road Bull;13681394]

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

I know the new ones come with active pickups and have four controls compared to the V-V-T of the passive variety. I just don't know for certain, what pickups are in my particular bass. The style looks like DiMarzio, but there are no markings in the P/U covers or the back of the pickup. I prefer passive electronics anyway over the newer Deluxe Active P Bass Specials.

Nope - passive pickups, active preamp. Unless Fender have started installing unmarked EMGs or suchlike.

[georgiagoodie]

[Road Bull]

Sorry. Thats what I meant to say. Passive pickups without preamp.

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by jimc

Thanks!either 100% P and 90% J or 90% P and 100% J nearly all the time, sounds great to me!

P 80% and J full is a great tone I use a lot. I also love the P soloed. But I want the P/J to sound like a P when you turn the J down. This takes some conditions.

1. You need an actual P-bass pickup not the kind that are underwound to balance the P and J on a P/J bass (P pickups have higher output than J pickups especially hum cancelling ones needed to match the humbucking P-bass pickup. But this means that a proper balance between P and J requires the P reduced some from max when the J is max. No biggie, but real. I'm not big on just J soloed though.

2. If you've got passive Vol/vol/tone you need to change pots to 500k. that would be because if a P bass has a 250k pot, when it's made P/J you now have TWO pots in parallel even when the J is turned off! So going with 500k brings the load on your soloed P pickup back up where it should be and since as above it is an ACTUAL P-bass pickup it then sounds like a P-bass when soloed.

[Engine207]

Originally Posted by bassbenj

P 80% and J full is a great tone I use a lot. I also love the P soloed. But I want the P/J to sound like a P when you turn the J down. This takes some conditions.

1. You need an actual P-bass pickup not the kind that are underwound to balance the P and J on a P/J bass (P pickups have higher output than J pickups especially hum cancelling ones needed to match the humbucking P-bass pickup. But this means that a proper balance between P and J requires the P reduced some from max when the J is max. No biggie, but real. I'm not big on just J soloed though.

2. If you've got passive Vol/vol/tone you need to change pots to 500k. that would be because if a P bass has a 250k pot, when it's made P/J you now have TWO pots in parallel even when the J is turned off! So going with 500k brings the load on your soloed P pickup back up where it should be and since as above it is an ACTUAL P-bass pickup it then sounds like a P-bass when soloed.

I've got mine VBT, because I like to be able to adjust my volume with a single knob. My blend seems to cut when it's in the 50/50 detent, but just out of that (51P/49J or 51J/49P) sound full. Also, my tone knob just seems to be a tonesuck device.

What's the best way to wire VBT, and what's the rule about output matching?

[zortation]

Originally Posted by Engine207

I've got mine VBT, because I like to be able to adjust my volume with a single knob. My blend seems to cut when it's in the 50/50 detent, but just out of that (51P/49J or 51J/49P) sound full. Also, my tone knob just seems to be a tonesuck device.

What's the best way to wire VBT, and what's the rule about output matching?

A buffered blend would solve the output drop problem. EMG makes a kit that apparently works with any passive pickups.