Best PJ Pickups for 5 String Fender P?

[faulknersj]

I have a stock 2012 American Fender P V and am interested in adding a J pickup. I love the way my Fender Elite P (+J) sounds with the 3rd gen Noiseless Jazz pup on the 60’s position…what might you recommend?

I am also thinking volume, blend, tone for the control setup?

Would love some advice here!

 

[gwangi]

In all honesty I wouldn't modify this AWESOME!!!! instrument.

 

[P. Aaron]

I've enjoyed my 2010 Precision V with just a PG change.

If you want something btw a 5'er Jazz & Precision, get a USA made 5-string Dimension.

 

[faulknersj]

In all honesty I wouldn't modify this AWESOME!!!! instrument.

it can still do what it does now with the mod though lol!

 

[faulknersj]

I've enjoyed my 2010 Precision V with just a PG change.

If you want something btw a 5'er Jazz & Precision, get a USA made 5-string Dimension.

I like how this plays and sounds and would like the versatility of adding a J pup in the bridge location.

I have Jazz basses and a MM 5’er as well.

if I add a J pup…it can still do what it does now…

 

[stingray69]

If you dig the Noiseless jazz, you might want to stick with that. For other options, Howard Ulyate builds some great pickups. I've also had good luck with DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups in a P/J config.

In general, I'd suggest looking at J pickups that have a healthy output, volume-wise, so that it can keep up with the fatter coil P pickup. Best of luck deciding!

 

[r_bnks]

Active EMG P5 & 5 J5.

 

[Andre678]

I really really like the P/J pickups on my 2014 fender hot rod 60's p.

They are the

American Vintage 63 for the precision

American Vintage 64 for the jazz bridge.


They sound amazing together full on, have this great himbucker like sound. Best matched p/j I have heard out of the 5 I have owned. Also the only bridge pickup I have ever liked that wasn't a stingray.

The precision has a great sound on its own as well.

Good luck with whatever set you go with.

 

[faulknersj]

I really really like the P/J pickups on my 2014 fender hot rod 60's p.

They are the

American Vintage 63 for the precision

American Vintage 64 for the jazz bridge.


They sound amazing together full on, have this great himbucker like sound. Best matched p/j I have heard out of the 5 I have owned. Also the only bridge pickup I have ever liked that wasn't a stingray.

The precision has a great sound on its own as well.

Good luck with whatever set you go with.

Right on...this sounds like a great match to explore!

 

[Altitude]

Lindy Fralin does a great PJ set, and you can get the J pickup overwound to give it a bit more voice in the combination. IIRC they have 5% and 10% overwound options? Could be wrong.

I used them on a St Blues P/J bass to great outcome.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I have a stock 2012 American Fender P V and am interested in adding a J pickup. I love the way my Fender Elite P (+J) sounds with the 3rd gen Noiseless Jazz pup on the 60’s position…what might you recommend?

I am also thinking volume, blend, tone for the control setup?

Would love some advice here!

View attachment 5321687

+1 on conversion to PJ. I have no clue about which pickup (s) would fit your needs/taste. IMO, some thought about your controls should be equally important.

I have a PJ with VVT controls and personally have no objections to it, but if was going to mod a PB to PJ, I would opt for two concentric knobs (VT) one for each pickup for more tonal flexibility.

 

[SunByrne]

There is no "best for everyone" there's only "best for you." I love the Dimarzio Model Js I put on my jazz bass--very growly, but maybe that's not what you're looking for. Also I'm not sure how well it'd blend with that P. Of course, if you're going to replace the P as well, then I'd just get the set. I like Fralins, too, or at least what I've heard of them on other basses--haven't tried them myself.

VBT controls are definitely how I'd go. I much prefer volume/blend to volume/volume, but to each their own.

 

[Derek Kay]

Whatever PU you choose for the J, make sure it's humbucking eg a stack PU.

i personally would consider repositioning the P PU since the bass is in for alteration anyway. The 'reverse P' orientation will still give the typical Precision sound but with a flatter low end. Leo F acknowledged that, but some don't like the look. I don't listen with my eyes. Lee Sklar's famous double reversed P, with EMGs, did 80% of his recording work so we've all heard it. You will need another pickguard, and some more routing.

I have a reverse PJ 4 string and benefit enormously from the different geometry. The neck soapbar on my 5 string is not as good.

Just as impotant (also IMHO):

The B & E strings are the most difficult to EQ, and it would make more sense to site the 2 pole PU under them, and use the 3 pole PU for the A, D & G strings which are more similar. Guitar designers need to drop tradition and use more geometry and physics.

While I'm angrily arguing against mindless tradition, let me suggest a stereo wiring (with a mono option naturally). This is NOT for spacial stereo, or biamping. It allows you to mix each PU individually using a 2 channel amp/preamp. This improves the your ability to focus on lows, mids, highs, and gives you combinations onboard at your fingertips. Needs another tone control, and a stereo/mono switch.

And then there's the coiltap option of series/paralell for the neck PU, giving you a useful bass boost for reggae, plectrum etc. A push/push vol pot does the trick.

Passive basses all seem to have rubbish shielding. I won't bore you further but extensive shielding (with your more even fundamental) will allow you to use higher gains for better presence, and cleaner recording/FOH.

Yes I'm a geek, but my sound got me work beyond my ability.
If you want excellence then the Law of Dimishing Returns doesn't apply. Think outside the box.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

You’ll have to make sure the replacement set fits the fender design of 5 string P. Nordstrand would be my rec based on their ability to match those sizes AND make a variety of killer pickups. Call them and tell them what you want, and they’ll be able to recommend something even if it’s custom and not off the shelf.

 

[ComicBass]

I have a Fender PJ. I replaced the pickups and preamp with Aguilar. It sounds awesome.

 

[Yahboy]

Keep and don't mod the bass. Give a look on this.

 

[Yahboy]

If you still wanna mod the bass.

Suggest you reference to your elite PJ pickups placement but reverse the neck pup to BE and ADG. Sure you need route the neck pup cavity and custom pickguard.

PJ pup combination has two kind of voicing. P and 60s bridge pickups placement has more close to Jazz bass thing. Both DG string sound rounder than 70s bridge pickups placement.

To me, if I really care the pj bass has sweet blend tone on both pickups, I will choose 10.6k - 11k p pup mix with 10-15% overwound humcancelling bridge pup in 60s bridge pup placement.

But, I prefer P vibe and wanna add some colour on it, that's why I finally settled with Dimarzio DP126PJ set (A500k volume/ MN 250k blend only )on my mod PJ with 70s bridge pup placement.
Any overwound alnico V P pup from 11.5k - 13k also work well with Dimarzio Model J.

A500k volume pot open up the mid heavy model P pup nicely without adding extra fretting noise.
When both pickups fully blend 50/50, I can get stingray bite character.

I also experienced he PJ in BEAD with reverse neck pup. Result are impressive.

B string sound tight and solid without muddy and the AD string sound full. To me, 50/50 blend tone more close to J bass but tighter low end.

 

[Alivefor5]

Here’s my two. Sb has stock P with HB Nordstrand J pup. Balanced, nice, good in any situation. Red has Nordstrand P pup and Big Split J. In-your-face azz kick with this one. Both have bridges moved back 5/32” for better B string intonation.

 

[iiipopes]

To my ears, a P-pickup is too tubby and middy for a 5-string and a J-pickup is to growly for a 5-string. I would rout out the body for a pair of Bart CBC P2's to get a consistent tone, good presence, low noise, and possibly with the preamp of choice. I do agree with @Alivefor5 that the bridge should be adjusted to make sure the B string intonates correctly. I had to trim the adjustment screw and spring on my 5-er, and add a trimmed string tree between the back of the G string saddle and the plate to retain enough down force over the G string saddle to stabilize it.

 

[MtManiac]

First, to all the detractors, 5-string passive P basses are awesome. They’re almost all I use - an American Pro II (VMod II) and an American Pro (Nordstrand NP5F).

Second, I wouldn’t modify this bass, but I get it if you want/need to. The bridge pickup in the Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas PJ V is very good - it’s a DiMarzio Model J I think. This is the first PJ I’ve owned that I’ve actually wanted to use the bridge pickup. It blends in really well with the split coil (no idea what the split coil is, but I suspect it’s either a Fender or just something Charvel did special for this bass, it’s also very good). In either active or passive mode, I can get a lot of useful tones out of either pickup or both, blended. I expect just adding a Model J to your P would get you something similar to my passive Charvel sound. Together, in passive mode, I can go from a nice metallic clank to a smooth warm vintagey tone, modified by the fact that the split coil is a reverse split coil.