Inexpensive PJ recommendations

[BassHole1]

Probably can find a decent used PJ on GC.com or MGR.com for sub $200 shipped, then you can customize it.

 

[tris66]

Get a Squier Sonic P then add overwound hum cancelling or split J bridge pickup on 60s position.

A500K Volume/volume pot only and a set of bright sounding bass string.

Play PJ , play hot ,attack and aggressive

Thanks, my Carvin has aggressive humbuckers and I run DR high beams which are very bright and aggressive, IMO. I'm wanting something subdued, yet fat and full more like late 1960s & early 1970s tones. Off the top of my head I'm thinking some of the stuff Carol Kay did, Gary Glitter stuff that Mike Leander played like Rock and Roll parts 1&2 where the bass girth is part of what makes those massive beats work, and something like Crazy Elephant Gimme Good Lovin where you have a loud, aggressive bass line in the chorus that would be distracting if it had a bright tonality to it. I'm thinking flatwounds with a vintage wound P bass pickup... and maybe some felt picks. I want the added J pickup because I don't like one trick ponies.

 

[Fender_Bender]

Try a piece of sponge underneath the strings at the bridge first.

 

[getBAK]

Believe it or not, Cort is quite good for the money

Cort Guitars

Cort Guitars is the largest producer of guitars in the world and we understand the needs of todays players.

www.cortguitars.com

Their Cortex factory makes most of the Squire, PRS and Ibanez instruments
MAP on a new one is $250, you can find coupons
Here's a used one for $171
https://reverb.com/item/91926791-co...9.xUrKq2EKqhLGPb7E1zQzQwhZL7J266COyz66PWcSQc8

 

[Yahboy]

Thanks, my Carvin has aggressive humbuckers and I run DR high beams which are very bright and aggressive, IMO. I'm wanting something subdued, yet fat and full more like late 1960s & early 1970s tones. Off the top of my head I'm thinking some of the stuff Carol Kay did, Gary Glitter stuff that Mike Leander played like Rock and Roll parts 1&2 where the bass girth is part of what makes those massive beats work, and something like Crazy Elephant Gimme Good Lovin where you have a loud, aggressive bass line in the chorus that would be distracting if it had a bright tonality to it. I'm thinking flatwounds with a vintage wound P bass pickup... and maybe some felt picks. I want the added J pickup because I don't like one trick ponies.

I been try different P pickup and use A500K and 1M pot myself, the solo neck pickup on PJ bass never sound like real P. I believe it could be unless a 3 way switch add, like boxer and JP90 did.

Here is my mod Squier Vintage Modified PJ 500K Volume/volume only with Matt Freeman neck add. 10.8K Alnico V P pup and Model J bridge pup.







I have a Charvel Pro Mod PJ mod to fully passive ( A500K Volume / MN250K Blend only ) with EB Cobalt flat , the reverse P vibe give me another kind of P tone , but the blend pickup sound just make me smile and completely replace my lovely Bacchus J .

 

[HelpImaRock]

maybe something like this?

 

[tris66]

Try a piece of sponge underneath the strings at the bridge first.

Thanks. That is great advice. I am a veteran of the foam/sponge trick. I have my crazy mind set on having another bass with flatwounds. To my ears the sponge can't take out enough of the character of roundwounds. If I'm hallucinating please tell me.

maybe something like this?

View attachment 7419866

You caught me. I lack any sense of fashion. If there is another joke with your post you might have to explain it. I'm not the brightest bulb.

 

[tris66]

Believe it or not, Cort is quite good for the money

Cort Guitars

Cort Guitars is the largest producer of guitars in the world and we understand the needs of todays players.

www.cortguitars.com

Their Cortex factory makes most of the Squire, PRS and Ibanez instruments
MAP on a new one is $250, you can find coupons
Here's a used one for $171
https://reverb.com/item/91926791-co...9.xUrKq2EKqhLGPb7E1zQzQwhZL7J266COyz66PWcSQc8

Thank you. I remember there were some high end Corts people were raving about a couple decades ago, but I was never aware that they were doing manufacturing for other companies. I bookmarked the listing you shared and I will read more on the Cort basses.

 

[HelpImaRock]

You caught me. I lack any sense of fashion. If there is another joke with your post you might have to explain it. I'm not the brightest bulb.

You're looking for inexpensive PJs. These look nice.

 

[tris66]

You're looking for inexpensive PJs. These look nice.

LMAO! I completely missed it!

 

[telejojo5]

I bought a Squire Affinity PJ on sale for 249 at GC last summer...................................

 

[DavidEdenAria]

The BB was a good bass. It was a single P pickup that I couldn't get what I needed out of it at the time, so it found a new home. I have looked at the current BBs. I will look again, thank you.

I stupidly passed on a Yamaha BB series in a pawn but it was medium scale and under like $120...it was a P style but it seemed heavy so I passed....Guitar Center used is worth looking at btw.

 

[sikamikanico]

Thanks. That is great advice. I am a veteran of the foam/sponge trick. I have my crazy mind set on having another bass with flatwounds. To my ears the sponge can't take out enough of the character of roundwounds. If I'm hallucinating please tell me.

To get a flats tone with rounds, one thing that helps me is to use foam + a loading cap. Caps shift the resonant frequency, darkening the tone. Unlike using the tone knob (mostly effect of resistance), the tone stays relatively clear, especially with smaller caps. Caps are cheap, you should try some - I'd go 330-3300 pF for this, maybe a little higher if you also try the pickup in parallel (see below). If it's too nasal/honky, you can fine-tune it with a small resistor (or close down the tone control some).

Overall, the best inexpensive PJs (of the bass guitar variety) I have played were Squier Affinity, Ibanez Talman, and Yamaha BB (TRBX 174 is nice too). In the process, I discovered I don't really like the blended sound of the PJ, particularly on the DG string side (tho the Squier stood out in that regard). While reverse P works better,* I ultimately settled on a clean and clear P pickup (Wilde P46), wired in parallel, and loaded to taste with caps (see above; I have many caps on a rotary switch, like Tonestyler/decade control). The parallel wiring is key - it extends the treble range of the P pickup, which you can then gradually bring back down with the caps. In some settings, I get the sound I was chasing with the PJ idea.

Neck dive should not be a problem with these basses (maybe for Talman?), tho you can always try ultralight tuners, or a heavier bridge. On a budget, just adding a weight can help, as close to the back of the body as possible - on the strap might be best (works for Lee Sklar), but I imagine inside the control cavity would fine too. Just depends on how much weight, I suppose...

*dual reverse P works even better, but IMO the best blended "PJ" sound comes from two fat in-line split coils, like two BigSplits (most P sounding soapbar I found)

 

[tris66]

To get a flats tone with rounds, one thing that helps me is to use foam + a loading cap. Caps shift the resonant frequency, darkening the tone. Unlike using the tone knob (mostly effect of resistance), the tone stays relatively clear, especially with smaller caps. Caps are cheap, you should try some - I'd go 330-3300 pF for this, maybe a little higher if you also try the pickup in parallel (see below). If it's too nasal/honky, you can fine-tune it with a small resistor (or close down the tone control some).

Overall, the best inexpensive PJs (of the bass guitar variety) I have played were Squier Affinity, Ibanez Talman, and Yamaha BB (TRBX 174 is nice too). In the process, I discovered I don't really like the blended sound of the PJ, particularly on the DG string side (tho the Squier stood out in that regard). While reverse P works better,* I ultimately settled on a clean and clear P pickup (Wilde P46), wired in parallel, and loaded to taste with caps (see above; I have many caps on a rotary switch, like Tonestyler/decade control). The parallel wiring is key - it extends the treble range of the P pickup, which you can then gradually bring back down with the caps. In some settings, I get the sound I was chasing with the PJ idea.

Neck dive should not be a problem with these basses (maybe for Talman?), tho you can always try ultralight tuners, or a heavier bridge. On a budget, just adding a weight can help, as close to the back of the body as possible - on the strap might be best (works for Lee Sklar), but I imagine inside the control cavity would fine too. Just depends on how much weight, I suppose...

*dual reverse P works even better, but IMO the best blended "PJ" sound comes from two fat in-line split coils, like two BigSplits (most P sounding soapbar I found)

Thanks. Lots of good things to think about in what you wrote.

 

[ElectricBass72]

Ibanez Talman for the win. Severely underrated basses.

 

[WashburnBasser]

Another vote for the Yamaha BB234 if you can swing $350 - or find one used.

 

[maxmerx]

If you find a second hand Harley Benton mv-4pj in the US get it. Great specs, I have one of this.

New should be around 220usd + shipping + Tarifs.

MV-4PJ Seafoam Green - Harley Benton

Deluxe Series | Body: Alder | Bolt-on neck: Caramelised Canadian sycamore maple with Roseacer skunk stripe | Fingerboard: Laurel | Pearloid Block fingerboard | Neck profile: D | Matching headstock | Fluorescent neck markings | Cream-coloured neck binding | Double action truss rod with adjustment...

harleybenton.com

 

[Prodigus Filius]

I like these kind of threads coz I like to count how many times Squier gets the Squire treatment he he.

 

[tris66]

Update. I accepted an offer I got from my Reverb watch list. Thanks everyone. I read and considered everyone's input. I will post a pic when the beast arrives.

 

[JimmyM]

The BB was a good bass. It was a single P pickup that I couldn't get what I needed out of it at the time, so it found a new home. I have looked at the current BBs. I will look again, thank you.

I have a 5 string BB235 that has a great feeling neck, and I would imagine the BB234 would as well. Don't know about neck width at the nut, though.