Club Sadowsky!!!

[BluesyCat]

+1

drool....

 

[Chasarms]

Thanks! It has the universal route, and I also have a mint pickguard with the regular P/J cutout.

Funny thing is, I've never used that other guard...

I think the reversed config is secret sauce for the PJ. I know my sample size is small, but I thought it was the bomb!

 

[Nitkin]

had to post it...)) Two Sads, myself with four-stringer, my lovely NYC JJ-5 in a hands of friend om mine. Quite bad timing but...we had some champagne, beer and whysky before. So, don't judge strictly

 

[P. Bass]

Thanks! It has the universal route, and I also have a mint pickguard with the regular P/J cutout.

Funny thing is, I've never used that other guard...

Give us a treat Tom. ( Did I just hear a shutter click? )
I'm having the mint installed on mine but getting the tort backup.
B.

 

[Vic]

I think the reversed config is secret sauce for the PJ. I know my sample size is small, but I thought it was the bomb!

I've actually played both, and it's just two different flavors of good. I totally dig my normal PJ5 just as much. Even if I had the chance to reverse it, I'm really not sure I would.

 

[Dave W]

Thanks! It has the universal route, and I also have a mint pickguard with the regular P/J cutout.

Funny thing is, I've never used that other guard...

How much difference is there with the reversed P? Could be describe the differences from the regular P? I've got a universal route in mine as well and I keep going back and fourth about reversing it or getting a set of the single coil J's.

The only thing holding me back is getting the pickguards. I think that $75 is pretty steep for a piece of plastic, and getting 2 of them to accommodate both of these options (on top of getting the set of J's) just puts it out of my budget. I may try to cut them myself...

 

[Vic]

How much difference is there with the reversed P? Could be describe the differences from the regular P? I've got a universal route in mine as well and I keep going back and fourth about reversing it or getting a set of the single coil J's.

The idea behind a reverse P is to fatten up the thin strings and thin out the fat strings. To "even out" the bass response part of the tone. By moving the lower part of the pickup towards the nut, you get more bass response from the thinner higher strings. By moving the top part of the pickup back towards the bridge, you take out some of the big round bottom, and tighten it up with a bit more focus and bite.

It's a cool sound for sure, but I personally wouldn't characterize it as a categorical improvement. It also moves away from the traditional P tone most of us are used to.

 

[P. Bass]

The idea behind a reverse P is to fatten up the thin strings and thin out the fat strings. To "even out" the bass response part of the tone. By moving the lower part of the pickup towards the nut, you get more bass response from the thinner higher strings. By moving the top part of the pickup back towards the bridge, you take out some of the big round bottom, and tighten it up with a bit more focus and bite.

It's a cool sound for sure, but I personally wouldn't characterize it as a categorical improvement. It also moves away from the traditional P tone most of us are used to.

Stuart Spector even moved to that reverse P on his NS2 4string as I recall.
B.
EDIT: Sting used one of those on the Police farewell tour.

 

[Dave W]

The idea behind a reverse P is to fatten up the thin strings and thin out the fat strings. To "even out" the bass response part of the tone. By moving the lower part of the pickup towards the nut, you get more bass response from the thinner higher strings. By moving the top part of the pickup back towards the bridge, you take out some of the big round bottom, and tighten it up with a bit more focus and bite.

It's a cool sound for sure, but I personally wouldn't characterize it as a categorical improvement. It also moves away from the traditional P tone most of us are used to.

Thanks! That's about what I figured. I'm more of a metal/hard rock type of player, so having a nice tight low end is a very good thing. A lot of guys (Rex Brown, Mike Inez, etc.) use or have used a P/J with the P reversed with great success.

I really think I might go for a set of single coil J's though. From what I gather through all of the "club" threads is that they are a little more aggressive sounding than the hum canceling?

 

[Vic]

Stuart Spector even moved to that reverse P on his NS2 4string as I recall.
B.
EDIT: Sting used one of those on the Police farewell tour.

That's right. In fact, I THINK he was the first to ever do the reverse P.

 

[Vic]

I really think I might go for a set of single coil J's though. From what I gather through all of the "club" threads is that they are a little more aggressive sounding than the hum canceling?

Don't do it on a PJ.

Remember, the P is hum canceling, which means ANY time you use the J... blended or solo'd... it doesn't have anything to hum cancel against, so you'll always get full out single coil hum.

 

[Sadowsky]

The only thing holding me back is getting the pickguards. I think that $75 is pretty steep for a piece of plastic, and getting 2 of them to accommodate both of these options (on top of getting the set of J's) just puts it out of my budget. I may try to cut them myself...

Let me know if you still think $75 is steep after you try to do it yourself! I always lose money making pickguards!

R

 

[Sadowsky]

The idea behind a reverse P is to fatten up the thin strings and thin out the fat strings. To "even out" the bass response part of the tone. By moving the lower part of the pickup towards the nut, you get more bass response from the thinner higher strings. By moving the top part of the pickup back towards the bridge, you take out some of the big round bottom, and tighten it up with a bit more focus and bite.

It's a cool sound for sure, but I personally wouldn't characterize it as a categorical improvement. It also moves away from the traditional P tone most of us are used to.

Thats not the feedback I get from most of my clients. First of all, I would not say it "thins out" the bass strings.....It "tightens up" the bass strings, as you later said. Most of my reverse P clients say the bass still sounds like a "P" when they are just on the P pickup. But when combined with the J, the treble coil on the P pickup is now where a J pickup would be, so the sound of the "popped" G string sounds much better. The only thing I think that suffers a bit on a PJ, regardless of the P being standard or reverse, is the "slap" sound.

Also, a lot of players who play P basses are used to putting their thumb on the end of the pickup. Many have trouble getting used to the reverse P for that reason as well.

R

 

[Dave W]

Don't do it on a PJ.

Remember, the P is hum canceling, which means ANY time you use the J... blended or solo'd... it doesn't have anything to hum cancel against, so you'll always get full out single coil hum.

I was actually planning on turning it into a straight up J bass and remove the P altogether.

I'd wire it up with quick disconnects, so it's easy to swap pickups between the single coil J's and the PJ setup depending on the gig. Not that I want to be changing electronics out all the time, but it's cheaper than buying another bass right now.

Let me know if you still think $75 is steep after you try to do it yourself! I always lose money making pickguards!

R

I have feeling that I'll be buying from you anyways! I need to get a portabag and the singles anyways...

Something about a custom cut guard that fits my bass perfectly is pretty appealing. Obviously it would be custom cut if I do it myself, but it's probably not going to look anywhere near as good. I've got the tools and the template, so we'll see how it goes.

 

[P. Bass]

Thats not the feedback I get from most of my clients. First of all, I would not say it "thins out" the bass strings.....It "tightens up" the bass strings, as you later said. Most of my reverse P clients say the bass still sounds like a "P" when they are just on the P pickup. But when combined with the J, the treble coil on the P pickup is now where a J pickup would be, so the sound of the "popped" G string sounds much better. The only thing I think that suffers a bit on a PJ, regardless of the P being standard or reverse, is the "slap" sound.

Also, a lot of players who play P basses are used to putting their thumb on the end of the pickup. Many have trouble getting used to the reverse P for that reason as well.

R

I think this is going to be the most difficult adjustment for me in trying to use the J pup on the P/J. My thumb position is indeed on the front corner of the top section of the P pup. For a P-bass player, that's where the pocket is re. the P sound. It's like if I loose that pocket - I've lost the "P-bass". Doesn't mean I don't move around, just that that's where "home" is.
B.

 

[tombowlus]

Also, a lot of players who play P basses are used to putting their thumb on the end of the pickup. Many have trouble getting used to the reverse P for that reason as well.

R

Yeah, I do find myself having to correct my right hand placement a couple of times when I first pick up a reverse P, but normally, after a couple of tunes, I'm used to it.

Tom.

 

[maurilio]

Thats not the feedback I get from most of my clients. First of all, I would not say it "thins out" the bass strings.....It "tightens up" the bass strings, as you later said. Most of my reverse P clients say the bass still sounds like a "P" when they are just on the P pickup. But when combined with the J, the treble coil on the P pickup is now where a J pickup would be, so the sound of the "popped" G string sounds much better. The only thing I think that suffers a bit on a PJ, regardless of the P being standard or reverse, is the "slap" sound.

Also, a lot of players who play P basses are used to putting their thumb on the end of the pickup. Many have trouble getting used to the reverse P for that reason as well.

R

+1

 

[maurilio]

Let me know if you still think $75 is steep after you try to do it yourself! ......

R

+1

 

[Chasarms]

. . . Most of my reverse P clients say the bass still sounds like a "P" when they are just on the P pickup. . . .

I agree. I thought mine was very much a P with the P PUs soloed. In passive mode, it was VERY P-bass like in character.

The only exception I would take is to the slap tone. Of the two Sadowskys, the PJ-R and the SC JJ, I thought the slap tone of the PJ was actually superior. Much superior, actually.

I will buy another Sadowsky when the opportunity is right.
And, the PJ-R is the one I want.

 

[ElMon]

As long as we're still talking Pbasses, here's a comparison I did between my Pre CBS 62' Pbass and my brand new alder/braz rw PJ5, both run passive and strung with D'Addario Chromes:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=705567

Enjoy!!!