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5 Strings with a reverse P?
- Thread starter WarmToneWank
- Start date
SR755 (2015–2017)
For other models with the same name, see SR755 (disambiguation). The SR755 is a five string Soundgear series solid body electric bass model introduced by Ibanez for 2008. It was produced in Indonesia as part of the Standard line and replaced another model with the same name. This SR755 features...
IMO all the above examples have the potential to have a flatter output than the "standard" configuration. It seems obvious to some of us.
Some more examples:
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5
Yamaha BB2005b Nick Fyffe custom
There is also an historic example: fender-bass-v from the 70s. Tuned E A D G C with a reduced fingerboard JP Jones had one.
These had a variation from the others: the lower 2 strings used one split whereas the upper 3 strings shared the other split. This would make lumpy B & E strings even easier to equalise. I would probably swap the splits to get this configuration as they're usually the same size.
Some more examples:
Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5
Yamaha BB2005b Nick Fyffe custom
There is also an historic example: fender-bass-v from the 70s. Tuned E A D G C with a reduced fingerboard JP Jones had one.
These had a variation from the others: the lower 2 strings used one split whereas the upper 3 strings shared the other split. This would make lumpy B & E strings even easier to equalise. I would probably swap the splits to get this configuration as they're usually the same size.
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This is one I checked out Friday before last. It is expensive, but very nice.
A bass I'd spec-ed and ordered from Ellis Hahn at LEH - Nordstrand P and Fat Stack in 70's position, and proprietary LEH 3-band pre, built by Nordstrand. Have always questioned the original P placement as a function of uniform timbre across the range. And am a huge fan of the Yamaha BB2000 - the only four-string I own is a factory BB2000 fretless, and it's not going anywhere so long as I'm breathing. And I can report that this LEH is an absolute BEAST!
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That bass is so clear and deep. Every note you play seems to jump out of the speaker.
Any bass with EMG soapbars, you can change it into EMG 35P or 40P which are reversed P pickups inside the soap box.
I’ll throw my Sadowsky Super PJ5’s into the mix. The Super P does regular P, reverse P or all coils. It’s all I now use for shows and I change pickup settings pretty frequently during the course of a show/gig/shift depending on the needs of the song.
I remember those! I got to visit with Sims at NAMM one year (pre-Covid), however their setup was such that they weren’t letting people play basses with their pickups but had someone playing the demo bass for them at the booth and we could only listen.
As I understood those Sims pickups were able to switch between traditional P, J and Soapbar/Humbucker pickup selections. At the time I think they were only able to to traditional P and couldn’t switch to reverse P, but admittedly it’s been several years since I checked them out and am not knowledgeable on their current abilities.
Definitely cool pickups if you need the options they offer but I ended up going to Sadowsky since I wanted to switch between traditional and reverse P (and that’s what Roger, Ellis and the crew worked out for me with Nordstrand). One day I might grab those Sims pickups to put into a project bass though.
That's what their site still says (just checked).
I must look up their patent for the switching one day as I can't see offhand how it would be enforceable (I'm an EE).
Ah gotcha. I’m just going on what I remember from NAMM years ago (like 2017 or so). It’s very possible and maybe even likely that’s changed since I last looked at those pickups years ago to where they do switch between regular and reverse P electronically.
I have zero idea how any kind of switching is done. Many years ago I started to research and learn about pickups so I could build my own, and after an exhaustive three months of study I concluded I have zero business building pickups!
Yup! If you can see the little mini-switched on my basses, the have two: one switches the Super P pickup (neck position) between regular P, reverse P or all coils and the other switches the Super J (bridge position) between 60’s J, 70’s J or all coils.
It’s pretty much the only bass I play these days as it does everything I need on one instrument.
