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I have a J, wanting P tone
- Thread starter CallMeAl
- Start date
Very interesting. I’ve owned numerous Jazz and Precision basses (including two Road Word Precsions), and I was fairly sure Bass #1 was the Precision. However, this only confirms what I’ve been saying for a long time: a Jazz can be made to sound like a Precision but not the other way around.
The only P sound I really like is the model P.
Yeah, I really dug 80's Motley Crue, early BC Rich basses, that type of thing.
I have a GZR set in my Spector, it's close but doesn't have the Dimarzio bite so I don't play it much.
Buy or build something that fits the sound in your head and be done with it.
If you want a P tone... get a P, or install a P pickup (there are Jazz pickguards around with a route for P types so it should be a painless operation). A pickup change will not be expensive, if you're happy to enlarge the body route yourself (it's under the pickguard so it does not need to look beautiful) and solder etc.
If you don't want that...
Install a J-Retro preamp. It has a semiparametric mids module, which allos you to boost/cut anything between 100Hz to 2000Hz, depending how you set it. You can definitely get fat, warm, deep and rich with that.
You can also try the series wiring mod. It's a cool sound and totally reversible. Not as versatile as a J-Retro, but the cost is negligible. Personally I did not love that sound, it was a bit too 'big' sounding, but maybe that's exactly what you want?
Save up for a P bass and enjoy what each does.
You can get close with a J neck pickup soloed and EQing.
But, it's just not the same. The P has that pickup in that spot. Save up for a P bass.
But, it's just not the same. The P has that pickup in that spot. Save up for a P bass.
Get a P. Nothing beats the real deal. And who doesn’t like having another bass?
This ^ P-basses are a dime a dozen. For the cost of new pickups and a pre you could probably find a good used mexican or squire p-bass that really speaks to you. I had a black label p ages ago that I got for $100 on craiglist. It was one of the most resonant and punchiest basses I've ever had. Don't discount cheap basses
When I owned my AVRI Jazz, I did the series wiring and was much happier with it after that. It's a super simple mod, easily reversed. A more complicated mod is adding a switch like on the S1 models from a few years back, that way you get both sounds.
Why not get a P? Because I owned three already at the time and I loved the neck on my J.
Why not get a P? Because I owned three already at the time and I loved the neck on my J.
I said wire in series because that is cheap and will get you close. Then, save for a p and put flats on it. With those two basses, you’ll have your basses covered.
Put in a P-PUP right between the J-set.. I did that to a J-bass many years ago. Close to a P-bass tone. Not exact, but really close.
Solo the neck pickup. Preamp with sweepable mid frequency helps, passive might need EQ adjusting on the amp.
Or you can buy a P. I get close enough (for me) with an active jazz.
I put the Jazz's bridge pu and tone at 50% instead of all the way off. And flatwounds. That sounds like the Jazz's best impression of a P Bass to my ears. I'm in a similar conundrum. I love the P tone but for the life of me I just cannot feel comfortable on a P neck, no matter how many times I try. Thinking about picking up a Jaguar or other PJ.
