Don't like PJ's?

[ThudThudThud]

All these bass pics are turning me into Droolius Ceaser..... I wish I could post pics, but I have a Fender American Jaguar made a few years ago. It's got more switches and knobs than Darth Vader's toilet seat but I love that thing and yes.. It's good for metal or anything really.

See my earlier post. Tone monster.
Off topic: Mine was a 50th birthday present from my wife. How cool is that?

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I can't argue against the P/J!

 

[darwin-bass]

The reason I DON'T like P/J bass is because I love P tone. When I played a J, I always played just the neck PU. Never blended, never the bridge. So for me, why have a bridge J that isn't going to ever get used. Adds weight, cost & wiring complexity for no benefit.

The only exception is my fretless. It is currently a P but I sort of wish it had a J or MM nestled right up against the pickguard.

 

[vinlander]

Love my PJ Godin Passion RG-4, all 4 positions: P, P-J, P//J and J.
It offers great possibilities, but most of the time I play P//J
Contrary to many, I don't mind the look of PJ on a P body

 

[2F/2F]

Here's mine: I don't like the way they look, and I never use the J pickup.

Looks are important to me. Far more important than tone. Tone is easy to manipulate. Changing looks requires major work, often. So I try to get basses that look like I want them to look, or that don't need major work to be cosmetically modified to my liking.

So, I don't prefer them, for the reason of looks...but sometimes I am stuck with them because the extra J pickup is the only part of the bass that I don't like, and it isn't available any other way...or the bass is a great instrument...and/or for a great deal. I just say, "Oh well; no big deal," and compromise in those situations. E.g. my several Mustang PJ Basses, my American Performer Mustang Bass, or the Squier VM short scale Jaguar Bass I used to own...or any of my L2Ks or SB-2/Lynxes...or my Sabre Bass...or my Starfire II Bass.

And yes, a PJ on the P pickup only sounds and acts just like a P, IME. Adding the J pickup in no way detracts from the bass sonically – just aesthetically.

 

[WillyW]

My only PJ, is one of the first double J’s ever made.

it didn’t seem to catch on….

no matter how many pickups I have, I heavily favor the neck pickup, maybe I’ll blend the bridge in a little.

View attachment 4356769

We speak double P’s around here too… PP?

 

[devnulljp]

Don't like PJs? Don't wear em.

 

[Relayer71]

Here's mine: I don't like the way they look, and I never use the J pickup.

Looks are important to me. Far more important than tone. Tone is easy to manipulate. Changing looks requires major work, often. So I try to get basses that look like I want them to look, or that don't need major work to be cosmetically modified to my liking.

So, I don't prefer them, for the reason of looks...but sometimes I am stuck with them because the extra J pickup is the only part of the bass that I don't like, and it isn't available any other way...or the bass is a great instrument...and/or for a great deal. I just say, "Oh well; no big deal," and compromise in those situations. E.g. my several Mustang PJ Basses, my American Performer Mustang Bass, or the Squier VM short scale Jaguar Bass I used to own...or any of my L2Ks or SB-2/Lynxes...or my Sabre Bass...or my Starfire II Bass.

And yes, a PJ on the P pickup only sounds and acts just like a P, IME. Adding the J pickup in no way detracts from the bass sonically – just aesthetically.

I don't get this. You don't like the look, you don't use the J pickup, and from that last statement I take it you don't think there is any change to the P sound with the addition of the J...

...so why not just get a P bass?

 

[MegaSwing]

Just not my kind of mutant. Sorry.

 

[80jazz]

But since we’re all here - how do we feel about P/MM basses? Pros and cons versus P/Js?

All pro and no con IMO.

The single J adds a certain honk to the P I am not entirely fond of. The MM pickup seems to do what the single J wants/tries to much better.

 

[2F/2F]

I don't get this. You don't like the look, you don't use the J pickup, and from that last statement I take it you don't think there is any change to the P sound with the addition of the J...

...so why not just get a P bass?

What about what I posted makes you think that I only have one bass, or that my preferred bass type isn't a P? I imply my preferred aesthetics (no bridge pickup). I later mention exceptions that I have made, and reasons why I made those exceptions (If I am speaking of exceptions, then there is obviously a norm that is different from that being mentioned). I later say that the sonic differences are nil (so I must have some solid baseline for comparison with the exceptions in my collection, that are being discussed in the post).

It isn't an either/or situation. A P is my main, go-to type of bass. I have Ps and other single-pickup basses (e.g. SB-1s and L-1000s), and many basses other than Ps, some of which have bridge pickups. As mentioned, I found other purchase-worthy characteristics about the latter set, to overwhelm my dislike of their bridge pickup aesthetics. Many cool bass designs come only in the PJ orientation, and sometimes a great quality bass, or a bass that has a great price, happens to have a bridge pickup.

 

[NobodyImportant]

Not entirely sure what you're looking for, but maybe I can help.

With the switch in the down position, the coils are in series with each other. This gives you the highest output, most ballsy sound. Very thick and in your face.

With the switch in the middle position, the pickups are single coil, like a Jazz bass.

With the switch in the top position, the coils are in parallel. This is a humbucking setup with less output and bite than if the pickups were in series. The output level is similar to the single coil setting, but without any single coil hum and a little darker tone.

Something fun to do is to try and cop the one of other basses, which the $$ does pretty well.

Precision bass - neck pickup soloed, three-way switch down (series) It helps to roll off a tad of the treble.
Jazz bass - pan at center, three way switches in the middle (single coil)
Musicman - bridge pickup soloed, three-way switch down (series)
Lakland (J/MM)- pan at center, bridge pickup down position (series) neck pickup middle (single coil)
P/J - pan at center, bridge position in middle or up (single coil or parallel), neck pickup down (series)
Big and beefy - pan at center, both pickup switches down (series)

It's a fun bass to experiment with. There's a lot of tones in there! The examples above should get you started.

I was going through different pickup configurations when purchasing my newest addition. I wanted either something "growly" or a Precision, so I settled on two choices, either a Warwick or a Fender P. After weeks and weeks of specs and reviews I came across the above post from 4-20-08.

This post helped me make that decision, and then got a smokin' deal on a used '06 German made Corvette $$ for way less than a higher end used P.

Now, I get all the different pickup configurations and tones I want with very slight EQ changes. And I get the "growl" that I was longing for!

 

[u2brothr]

My first bass was a PJ. I did love that bass. I don't slam those who love the PJ combo. Naw. I'm not a hater like that. Personally... I prefer a P bass on its own... or a J bass on its own. Thus, I will never jump at another PJ bass. Which means more consumer choices for someone else. Keep on grooving y'all....

 

[JimmyM]

Jimmy, since you're an endorser:

I'm as big a fan of EMG as they come, but WHY oh WHY do they have such a blind spot vis-a-vis 5 or 6 sting pickups that aren't in a soapbar shell ? I know Rob Turner and crew can build anything (look at those crazy systems on the Steinberger uprights, or God Help Us, the banjo pickup), but I can't tell you how often with this or that five-string I've stared at EMG's spec pages to 'see if this would fit' and just gotten a headache.

Any insight?

J, all I can tell you is what my buddy Chrys told me and what I've seen about Rob Turner, EMG's head. And all decisions go thru Rob since he still designs their new products. If he decides to do it, he will, and if he doesn't see a future in it, he won't. And he doesn't seem to be interested in running a custom shop.

 

[Snowglo]

Awesome P/J, however it does not sound even close to a traditional P/J (in series, or parallel). The P solo’d and the J solo’d kill……

 

[Clark W]

My #1 is a P/J
2019 Satin Lake Placid Blue Am Performer Precision P/J
I upgraded the pups to Aggies HC P/J set.
Replaced the control set/greasebucket circuit with a control set made for me, then installed by me.
Replaced the pickguard with a 4ply that I had cut at a wider 30 degree bevel from WD
Replaced the nickel pickguard screws with black ones.
Currently strung with D'Addario black tapewounds.

 

[WillyW]

Jaco didn’t need a PJ

 

[richwag]

Love PJs. Especially my G&L SB-2.

 

[BlueTalon]

...there is no reason every bass in the world can't have PJ's that sound the same as a regular P when the P's soloed. I used to have sonic proof of this, but it got lost in a computer crash a few years ago.

...I prefer hum-cancelling pickups for both the P and the J, but to say that it can't work because the P's a humbucker and the J is single coil is myth.

It shouldn't be too hard to get more sonic proof, if indeed the P pickup sounds the same whether there is a J pickup on the bass or not. And I happen to agree with you about that. There may in fact be a slight difference, but I doubt the human ear could tell -- and I doubt anyone claiming they could tell would be able to actually tell in a blind test which was which.

I'm a big fan of hum cancelling J pickups. The single coil J is really my only gripe about the PJ arrangement. (Well, that, and the fact that there aren't two J pickups on most PJ basses. There's lots of real estate under those strings, plenty of room for a PJJ or a JPJ. But I like three pickups, and am fully aware that I'm a bit unusual in that regard.)

 

[Doner Designs]