J/P/J done right!

I've been wanting to do a JPJ for years, but found a body already done, I'll I needed to do was get my favorite neck to put on it, it is now wearing a Classic 50's MIM P neck, now all 4 of my players have the same exact neck (still need to load it with Sunbeams).

This bass started as a P, and had 2 Lollar Jazz PUPs professionally installed. The setup is VVV, with no tone, and 2 output jacks, the P on one, the Jazz PUPs on the other.

How does it sound, sadly I won't know until next Friday (good amp is at the practice facility). And for all you Jazz purists, yes I know the neck PUP is closer to the neck than a standard Jazz, but that's the point, I don't care for a standard Jazz tone (I've been playing my '66J since 1983, but like all Jazzes, I find it anemic (I've owned Sadowsky, Nordstrand, Fbass.....only the 55-94 stuck and it isn't a true Jazz)). Hopefully this Jazz will have the girth of tone I like.

So for all of you JPJ fans, what do you like or not like about the setup. For you non-JPJ fans, why aren't you? Why don't more people have one?

 

millsbass, I'm going to keep this passive, it is under 9 lbs, and I'm going to keep it that way (8 3/4 lbs). Ric5, how does the J PUP sound that close to the neck? Nice looking bass, do you use it much? Is there anything you'd change?

 

Thanks all, it's killing me not to hear it, I've had the body 3 weeks and the neck 1 week, and here I am down Vegas way for a long (5 day) weekend.

I use Xwire wireless so it would just be a matter of turning off the transmitter and plug into the other jack. I also run through a Bassbone, so I could always run 2 cords and use the A/B function (for those of you who have never used one, the Bassbone has one clean channel, 1 with 3 band EQ, and a Boost button), and of course, there is a 2 into 1 cord option. This is going to be FUN!

 

I hear you, but I'll spend time with it before I make any changes. I think at some point I may want a rotary selector and maybe a tone knob.

 

Well, for one thing, it has appx. $180 worth of Lollars in it. But seriously, I like the looks with matching PUPs. Nowi f I were to do another, it would have a Humbucker at the J and P position.

Actually, I asked Lakland some ten years back to do the 55-94 PUP at the neck position as well as the bridge, but they declined.

Here's another photo just for grins.

 

Sorry for the confusion, I run Xwire (original version) unless a battery unexpectedly dies, I just meant I could run dual cords into the Bassbone and run the A/B function if I wanted to.

The double jacks were because the original owner had the bass modified for studio work, to have the ability to record either Jazz or P.

As to the preamp comments, the Bassbone has either a clean channel, and a 3 band EQ channel, so I don't need the Sadowsky option. I'm actually not a big fan of the Sadowsky preamp (I know, a big no-no here), remember I've had 2 Sadowsky's and didn't like them well enough to keep (actually I sold the second Sad, which I liked because the country band I was in at the time didn't like the sound). I do have an original version Pope eq stomp box I love, and will use it if the Bassbone ever dies (still liking the clean channel on the Bassbone).

I'm glad Lakland is doing the double option, I'd have one if they would have built it back in the day. Forunately, my 55-94 (loaded with full SIMs LEDs) is one of the "not going anywhere" basses.

Back home and stringing the Sunbeams on the JPJ today!

 

Normally I would use this a couple of weeks before I post a review, but I wanted to briefly gush since practice is cancelled this Friday, so I won't run it through a proper rig for 2 more weeks.

I've played it twice now through my Pignose Hog, and have a few initial impressions. First, I LOVE the tone of the neck Jazz PUP solo'd. It has a round beefy tone, but also a kind of hollow, throaty roar (if that makes sense) that I am loving. I've never heard anything like it, but it is addictive. The neck Jazz PUP is 1 7/8 inches from the end of the neck which probably explains the unique sound (this is 1 3/4 inches closer than my '66J neck PUP).

The strings are new, so they sound very bright, brighter then I remember new Sunbeams sounding, but then the bass has no tone/roll-off control. To compensate I turned off the treble and boosted mids and bass at the amp, but it is still very bright A/B'd with my CS '59 NOS P ('57 PUPs, very worn in Sunbeams).

The P PUP tone isn't anything special, but I'll withhold judgement until the strings mellow and I play it through my good rig. Still, I don't want to go there because I'm enjoying the neck Jazz tone.

One thing I've notice is that the volume drops when both Jazz PUPs are on full volume. Back either one off slightly and the volume increases without a noticeable tone change. Remember this is V/V/V versus my V/V/T '66J which is my standard of reference. Really, I wonder if I'll ever even use the bridge J PUP, since I don't slap, or like trebly bass tones.

If I was inclined to make a change this early, I would think about disconnecting the bridge Jazz PUP and adding a tone control, if it can be done without effecting tone. But again, too early in the process to make any changes.

With the 50's P neck, and the light weight, this bass feels like home to me. So far, I'm quite pleased!