Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Does anyone else here dislike PJ basses?
- Thread starter Sean775
- Start date
Nope
Really like my 2014 American Deluxe Precision, which is a PJ
I also own an Ibanez Mikro GSRM20B which is a PJ, but that is a different story.
Last edited:
I wouldn't say that I actively dislike them. But I have no use for the rear pickup on a Jazz Bass, so it's just something that cuts into the nice looks of the bass and adds weight (however slight), and a control that I don't use. I'd rather the rear pickup be gone and the third knob be a bass rolloff control. I will accept a Jazz Bass, and just ignore the rear pickup, because how else do they come without custom spec'ing one? But I will not actively seek out a P/J. I would probably accept it if I got the Mustang P/J, just because that's the only way they come. I accepted it on my Squier VM Jaguar SS too, because that's the only way the bass came.
I get the same reaction from engineers, sound guys, and fellow musicians when I use my 92 Precision Plus. Vastly under rated basses. I like the fact that they don't sound exactly like a P or J but can certainly do the P thing when needed.
Exactly. Setup is key when it comes to PJ’s.
I have 2 PJ’s, a Tony Franklin fretted and a modded USA Precision. The Franklin has the beefiest sounding J pickup I’ve ever heard, if it’s set up right it’s a monster. The other bass has Quarter Pounder PJ pickups and yeah, it can sound harsh, but it’s also a really satisfying tone if you like punchy mids.
Unlike most people I actually prefer to have the J full up, with a little bit of the P to thicken it up a bit. Sounds good in the context of the band I play with but I can see how it wouldn’t work for everyone.
With a little blend in of bridge pickup you can add a little attack that a normal PBass may be lacking at times. I really dig PJ's personally.
I had a P bass and now have a PJ, In hindsight I could have kept my P bass and been just as happy, but its not bad, If I keep it I will change the knob config someday though.
I've owned a couple of PJ basses, and my only issue with them was that the P pickup was stronger than the J pickup... they were a little out of balance, and the J pickup sounded weakish on its own. Right now my PJ-like go-to is the Reverend Decision, which I love. For me, the pickups are more even... they sound good together, and isolated.
I never cared for PJs, until I got my Fender Limited Edition American Standard PJ Bass a couple of years ago. I still mostly use straight P-Basses, but I do like the PJ. As others have said, it really functions as a P-Bass with the capability of adding some J for a little extra treble when you want it. It's useful sometimes. I take it as my spare pretty often, but usually use a '79 P-Bass with flats.
My go-to is an Ibanez Talman 600 P/J with Nordstrand pups. The P growls and the J (style) adds teeth. I’ve got quite a palette of tones to choose from. So I certainly don’t dislike a P/J, however there’s also much to be said for a P Bass with a really good p/u and setup. They exude elegance in simplicity.
For whatever reason the basses I had when I was first learning all seemed to be PJ's. To me, they seem to lack a distinct sound or character. My P sounds like a P, the Jazz like a jazz, the pj is neither and ihas it's own thing. However, I may not have encountered a really good one yet, so I am open to it anyway.
IMHO, and personal taste, I am not a fan of PJ basses. Jazz and Precision basses are the gold standard. I have played PJ's and simply don't see an advantage over the originals. The pbass split coils produce an acceptable reproduction of a standard pbass sound. However, the bridge jazz pup doesn't work for me. I know that the bridge jazz pup is where it should be and produces a standard jazz sound when soloed. My issue is blending the pbass pup with the jazz pup. Not my cup of tea.
The only P/J I have is a Hohner fretless. Black with a rosewood board. It sounds fantastic. I never could get comfortable with a J. The only one I own is a fretless with an unlined, undotted maple neck. I like it because it's unique. Bright orange with gold hardware and a gold anodized guard. It sounds okay, but not as good as the Hohner. The purple burst fretless P was made to imitate a DB. Mudbucker in the neck position, ebonal Mighty Mite neck, SD quarter pounder. Bridge mute is a foam paint brush head. No fair comparisons could be drawn under these circumstances. Each of these instruments brings something to the table and none are merely duplicates.
Gigged P/J’s for years (Fender & Schecter). Worked great for the original band I was in. Lots of versatility. Play a P with my current band but still record with a P/J. You will get nothing but love from me.
I love them. It's my favorite pickup arrangement. I tend to go either/or however, I use either 100% P pickup or !00% J pickup.
My main bass is a PJ. I tend to favor the P pickup. I don’t have much use for a J pickup on a Precision, but I wouldn’t say I dislike it. Ambivalent, maybe.
