On my P/J (Ibanez Musician), when I the J is on 100%, you can change the tone by moving further away from the J. More burpy midrand right over the p/up. More bassy, scooped over the nearer you get to the neck. I also cut the bass, add mids, reduce treble with the active EQ. Best to experiment. Maybe adding a programmable EQ pedal will give you the variety of tones you seek.
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Jazz Bass vs PJ Bass
- Thread starter danielfnj96
- Start date
On my P/J (Ibanez Musician), when I the J is on 100%, you can change the tone by moving further away from the J. More burpy midrand right over the p/up. More bassy, scooped over the nearer you get to the neck. I also cut the bass, add mids, reduce treble with the active EQ. Best to experiment. Maybe adding a programmable EQ pedal will give you the variety of tones you seek.
Interesting my thread came back at a time where i was pondering whether i'd want to get a p bass or a p/j... Carry on.
I have a Pedulla MVP with a P/J setup. With the pups equally blended, the tone is low-mid focused--so closer to a P tone than a J tone. You don't get that compressed, mid-cut tone you get with a J.
Also, because the treble coil of the P pup is closer to the J pup, the G string is a little thin sounding with the blend in the middle compared to a J bass.
Also, because the treble coil of the P pup is closer to the J pup, the G string is a little thin sounding with the blend in the middle compared to a J bass.
I don't get the sounds I like from Jazz basses. I get close with Precision basses, but the tone I really appreciate comes when that bridge J is blended in by about 5%.
I have sold off PJ basses to buy stock Precisions only to learn this the hard way. To me the PJ sounds like a sligtly more modern take on a P, it fills in something my ears miss when hearing a P pickup alone.
I have sold off PJ basses to buy stock Precisions only to learn this the hard way. To me the PJ sounds like a sligtly more modern take on a P, it fills in something my ears miss when hearing a P pickup alone.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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OK, I'll play. My '06 Sadowsky P/J is heavenly. Just auditioned with a loud A-list DFW area country artist and got the gig. The (just here from Nashville) band leaders liked my RW Jazz, but were adamant about how much more they dug the Sadowsky P/J.
"Sits in the mix great" is a cliche, but is also a significant observation when it comes from a real pro who is hiring. I used SS Sadowsky black label round wounds, epifani 410 UL1 4 ohm, and a Mesa M9 with the B, M, T knobs at noon, the contour on 3 (flat), no compression, and graphic EQ off. The pups were evenly split, vintage EQ not engaged, and bass rolled up about 1/5th of the way. Definitely its own THANG.
"Sits in the mix great" is a cliche, but is also a significant observation when it comes from a real pro who is hiring. I used SS Sadowsky black label round wounds, epifani 410 UL1 4 ohm, and a Mesa M9 with the B, M, T knobs at noon, the contour on 3 (flat), no compression, and graphic EQ off. The pups were evenly split, vintage EQ not engaged, and bass rolled up about 1/5th of the way. Definitely its own THANG.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,614
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,614
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I agree what someone said earlier. I've never heard a PJ that sounds just like a Jazz.
I play both a P-Bass and a J-Bass. I'll take both to a gig.
I do dig a PJ. Never found the perfect one yet.
Lull, Lakland and the Fender TF are nice.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,614
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I have all 3.
The P is set V full and tone 1/2
The P/J has P V+T full and J V full and T 1/2.
The J has both Vol on full and T about 1/3.
The P is set V full and tone 1/2
The P/J has P V+T full and J V full and T 1/2.
The J has both Vol on full and T about 1/3.
I like the tone, but not the geometry of a P pickup. So I used a Rick humbucker in the D-G position on my custom bass. Getting the pickup a little closer to the bridge gives a little more growl on the E and A strings.
For contrast, my J bridge pickup is routed in closer to the '70's position than the '60's position.
For contrast, my J bridge pickup is routed in closer to the '70's position than the '60's position.
Als the PJ basess with a reverse P sound different. The warwick lx4 is an example.
The bass coil being close to the bridge results in more defined E and A strings. And the treble coil being closer to the neck results in fatter D and G string then a regular PJ.
In any case, it will not sound like a jazz which, in my humble opinion, is the ultimate bass tone
The bass coil being close to the bridge results in more defined E and A strings. And the treble coil being closer to the neck results in fatter D and G string then a regular PJ.
In any case, it will not sound like a jazz which, in my humble opinion, is the ultimate bass tone
PJ basses have an excellent growl to them. But I've been diming the J pickup of late while turning down or blending the P about 5 per cent. The P somehow remains the dominant sound, but that growl the J brings is really an excellent accompaniment to a heavily distorted guitar.
