School me on P basses - Page 2

Smallmouth_Bass · #21 01-02-2013, 11:31 AM

Oh, you were talking about the J pickup placement on a P/J! As I understand it, 70's J pickup placing has the rear (bridge) pickup closer to the bridge.

bassike · #22 01-02-2013, 11:42 AM

Oh ok it only applies to j, I taught it was the same case with p basses but know I see that p basses have not really changed.
I see now how my question sounded stupor to some but I just had no idea about p basses

Cheers

**TimWatson** · #23 01-02-2013, 11:47 AM

I have found "home" on a 57 AVRI. Everything about it speaks to me. More than any other P I have played from any country of origin.

bassike · #24 01-02-2013, 11:56 AM

Any pictures ?

NML1986 · #25 01-02-2013, 12:01 PM

Which is the best P bass for metal?

No, but seriously a P bass is the dogs danglies.
I play in a metal band and I use my Precision as my main bass, tuned BEAD, I just love that P sound.
I've also installed some Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups (not pictured).
My second bass is a Jazz bass, also with Seymour Duncans.

Bongolation · #26 01-02-2013, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassike

I think a pj would be the right for me.

If you get a Tony Franklin, maybe. Off the top of my head, it's the only P/J I can think of with controls configured to work properly.

P/Js are usually wired V/V/T, and that's a configuration that rarely works well (and usually works badly) due to several electronic gross faults with the concept.

Gaolee · #27 01-02-2013, 12:26 PM

A P really is the Chevy of bass guitars. It can sound like an unmuffled big block V8 at full throttle if you want it to, or you can make it sound more like it has glass packs. You just can't make it sound like a Honda.

bassike · #28 01-02-2013, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bongolation

If you get a Tony Franklin, maybe. Off the top of my head, it's the only P/J I can think of with controls configured to work properly.

P/Js are usually wired V/V/T, and that's a configuration that rarely works well (and usually works badly) due to several electronic gross faults with the concept.

could you explain what is the diffenrence between the tony F and a regular PJ?

NightTripper · #29 01-02-2013, 12:53 PM

I like P/J basses. You get the P sound plus a little more variety. I think the J pickup on my Squier VM Jaguar gives the sound a nice balance. The P pickup is low and bassy, but can be muddy and indistinct, and the J pickup brings it clarity and bite. IMHO, YMMV, etc. If I ever get another bass with a P pickup, I would much rather it have a J as well.

ksandvik · #30 01-02-2013, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassike

could you explain what is the diffenrence between the tony F and a regular PJ?

I don't have one but supposedly the tone between the P and J pickups are properly balanced so when you switch between the pickups you have the same volume.

You could of course do it with two volume pots but it takes some effort to maintain the volume differences. What I do with a PJ is to stick to one basic sound and use that across the whole set. Said that, I prefer my P-Bass as it has the right mojo. A PJ is imho not a P (due to this pickup imbalance), but it's a good bass anyway.

**BFunk** · #31 01-02-2013, 01:00 PM

For a first P, I would not be concerned about anything other than a precision pickup in the standard location. As I have read from many others on this list, and from my personal experience, you will seldom use the non-p pickup. The p alone just sounds so good.

pie_man_25 · #32 01-02-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassike

Thank you for sharing your extent knowledge
I think I would apply this wisdom to my other basses.
You forgot to let me know what was the best P for metal.

The reason why I asked is because I have a few basses 4, 5 strings Jazz pups, soap bars, MM, and fretless basses.
I’m aware of the tone of p basses and I have played 1 or 2 but like I said it would be a nice addition to my collection since one of the bands that I play is a cover band and I find my basses to be too modern for a few songs.

Also I wanted to know if the placement of the pup is the same between a p and a pj?

Thank you

yeah, sorry man, just being a smartass, but I forgot to mention to plug the thing into an amp, which is also plugged in and turned on. The P-pickup, as far as I know, is in the same place on a P-J/precision special type bass as in a standard p-bass. I personally think of a P-bass the same thing that I think of the les paul special - it's everything you need, and nothing you don't, in a stripped-down, no-nonsense package. In this regard, I love both of them because of their simplicity. The Precision bass can be seen as a very versatile bass in that, while you can't get very many sounds out of it, the few different sounds that it gets are very versatile sounds that tend to sit very well in the mix.

bassike · #33 01-02-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pie_man_25

yeah, sorry man, just being a smartass, but I forgot to mention to plug the thing into an amp, which is also plugged in and turned on. The P-pickup, as far as I know, is in the same place on a P-J/precision special type bass as in a standard p-bass. I personally think of a P-bass the same thing that I think of the les paul special - it's everything you need, and nothing you don't, in a stripped-down, no-nonsense package. In this regard, I love both of them because of their simplicity. The Precision bass can be seen as a very versatile bass in that, while you can't get very many sounds out of it, the few different sounds that it gets. are very versatile sounds that tend to sit very well in the mix.

No worries bro. A bit of humour doesn't kill anyone, you also forgot to mention the wire between the amp and the box that makes sound

JTE · #34 01-02-2013, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bongolation

If you get a Tony Franklin, maybe. Off the top of my head, it's the only P/J I can think of with controls configured to work properly.

P/Js are usually wired V/V/T, and that's a configuration that rarely works well (and usually works badly) due to several electronic gross faults with the concept.

I wouldn't say that the TF is the only one that's "right". Now the TF has a P bass PUP in the standard location, and a Jazz bass pickup modeled after (or maybe it IS one) a DiMarzio Model J. The key difference is that Tony Franklin used a Telecaster guitar style three-way switch instead of wiring his up like a Jazz Bass.

That means there's no mixing of independent pickup levels available other than physically balancing output. It also means there's only the two stock pots loading the electronics so you'll most likely have less high frequency loss compared to having either a V V T or V B T.

But with all the different pickups out there made for exact drop in on both the P and J styles, it's a bit of a stretch to say that there's only one PJ that's balanced.

John

sven kalmar · #35 01-02-2013, 02:26 PM

the p bass first came i 51 with one singlecoil pu a bit closer to the neck than the splitcoil PB that came out in 57. Rosewood necks came in 59...
ive read that the first splitcoil pickups actually were mandolin pickups. these are hum canseling and not so prone to blow up speakes as the old single coil. i have a road worn pb..typical 57..sounds and plays fantastic..

tastybasslines · #36 01-02-2013, 02:31 PM

I'm not sure what exactly it is, but I have seen several times in my years here on TB that there is something about the P/J configuration that doesn't sound right. Perhaps that the pickup combination creates a weird sound. As I recall, it was something to do with the P being a split coil and the jazz bar being a single coil?

ggvicviper · #37 01-02-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

I'm not sure what exactly it is, but I have seen several times in my years here on TB that there is something about the P/J configuration that doesn't sound right. Perhaps that the pickup combination creates a weird sound. As I recall, it was something to do with the P being a split coil and the jazz bar being a single coil?

Well, remember that the P "pickup" is actually a set of two pickups wired in series.

When you add a J into that (as V/V/T anyway) you are now wiring the two series wired pickups on a P into a parallel wiring with the J. Something is bound to change there in the signal.

Bongolation · #38 01-02-2013, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTE

The key difference is that Tony Franklin used a Telecaster guitar style three-way switch instead of wiring his up like a Jazz Bass.

That's my entire point.

Quote:

That means there's no mixing of independent pickup levels available other than physically balancing output. It also means there's only the two stock pots loading the electronics so you'll most likely have less high frequency loss compared to having either a V V T or V B T.

You underestimate the problems inherent to passive V/V/T wiring of P/Js.

"Mixing" is frequently stone, 100% impossible, and never very good.

The "V/V/T Syndrome" has been discussed to death, and it's at its worst in some P/Js.

bassike · #39 01-02-2013, 02:40 PM

Good info guys. Thank u.
Ok this might be another stupid question, but what so special about the 62?

DuShauh · #40 01-02-2013, 02:50 PM

I know that there are some that consider Fender to be the only name in P basses. Understood, however IME the Yamaha P/J basses, especially the new BB series are pretty hard to beat. In that case of P "style" options, the P/J most certainly gives you all of the P and more. Also, they utilize the three-way toggle control, as opposed to the V-V-T configuration.