'51 P bass vs. Jazz neck solo'd?

[T-Mac]

Hey folks,

Well, I've been a Precision guy all my life and I can't believe I've never thought about this.

A '51 P bass PUP is a single coil, correct? If so, how would the tone/output compare to a Jazz neck PUP solo'd?

I realize that there all are kinds of overwound, hot, vintage, etc PUPs out there. For the sake of this comparison, let's say vintage 51 P bass vs. vintage Jazz.

Thanks for any info!

~Mac

 

[countrybass007]

My '51 P-bass seems to produce a little more defined tone than my Jazz. Both have about equal output and produce a good sound, but the Jazz just doesn't sound like the Precision.

 

[mongo2]

To me the '51 RI P with the OEM pickup sounds wider in frequency response and more lively than a stock J on the neck pickup.

 

[mcm]

imo, they sound similar.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

P-bass pups are single-coil, but there are two of them. One is wired out of phase with the other (and magnetically flipped). The result is hum cancellation.

The split pup is not the same as a single-coil J-style pup, so it won't sound the same.

 

[jonathanhughes]

The split pup is not the same as a single-coil J-style pup, so it won't sound the same.

A 51 P doesn't use a split pickup:

http://www.rocknrollvintage.com/proddetail.asp?prod=2003fender51pbassri0

 

[pumatheman]

it's the same question I'm thinking about...
Anyone else experience?

 

[johnk_10]

i have multiples of single coil p basses (and tele basses) and jazz basses. IMO, the p's have a more open and brighter tone than the jazz basses, as well as a slightly faster attack due to having a single magnet pole centered under the string as opposed to a j bass's dual magnet with the string going in between them (slightly softer attack).

 

[Ben Clarke]

are they even in the same position? My 51 RI feels like its pickup is a little further away from the bridge than Js I've played.

I can say that the attack seems similar to the only other bass with single pole-per-string pickup, which is a friend's G&L 5 string with a 3+2 Z-style split pickup (can't recall the mode #) that I played pretty regularly years ago. There's a quick but slightly hollow pop to the attack that is unique. I didn't take to it 20 years ago but it works better for me now.

 

[pumatheman]

Is there any "saint soul" (brute italian-english traduction...) who could make us two little samples?
(possibly finger style with open and closed tone?!? Oh yes my apolgises I know I'askimg too much... =)

do you think that we have a more similar sound with jazz neck soloed or with p split?

 

[Stradivarius]

Here:

 

[Stradivarius]

Here:

 

[walterw]

are they even in the same position? My 51 RI feels like its pickup is a little further away from the bridge than Js I've played.

yeah, the '51 P is a little closer to the neck.

to my ear the '51 P pickup is kind of spiky and attacky while the neck J is a little more even, because of the polepiece thing like @johnk_10 mentioned. these differences really show up with a brighter tone and a more aggressive playing style.