P bass vs PJ bass

[robert43]

Hi all I was just wondering what are your thoughts for general usage bass for say rock / soft rock type of music what do you prefer a P bass or a PJ bass ?
Is it better to have a P bass and a J bass or have a PJ bass rather than the 2 ?
Thanks

 

[JW56789]

Those are three different things:

A Precision Bass has a single humbucking pickup; a single pickup bass if fine, but you lose the ability to dial-in or build a tone from combining two pickups. The Precision pickup is also a humbucking pickup, which is a big part of that solid PBass tone, which is different than . . . . .

A Jazz Bass, a two-pickup instrument, and generally, both of those are single-coil pickups. Single coils sound different than that PBass pickup, still good, and with two pickups you have a lot of possibilities tone-wise just in the mix of those two pickups, how much you turn one up or down vs. the other. A lot more possibilities than the single pickup PBass, although since they are single-coils, some noise can be an issue in some environments. And generally, the sonic signature of the Jazz pickups are different than the Precision pickup, most would think Jazz pickups are just a bit thinner, or brighter mids vs. a Precision pickup, but this is generally the case when you compare single coil and humbucking pickups.

The PJ setup is preferred by some as you combine that beefier sound of the PBass pickup with the bright sound of the JBass pickup back towards the bridge. It's the ticket for guys who like a PBass but wish they had a little more articulation in the highs and mids, or for JBass guys that wish their Jazz sounded a bit beefier. And again, you have two pickups to blend for lots of tonal variation.

There's way more to it than that (do you prefer a Jazz or Precision body shape, a Precision or Jazz neck, the many pickup choices you can make, etc.), but that's the way they line up to me.

 

[robert43]

I guess I was wondering those with a PJ bass how many just use the P pickups or do you switch between the p and the j

 

[Cardsfan85]

Straight p-bass all the way for me but mostly because of the way it sits in the mix.

 

[Jebberz]

I usually use P-J for my main tone, and sometimes I switch for the P only when I need that sound. It'S good to have options. I rarely use the J soloed though.

 

[robert43]

Hi yes I dint think any 1 used the J by itself as even with a J bass I guess no one really just uses 1 pickup only or do they?

 

[CallMeAl]

Is it better to have a P bass and a J bass or have a PJ bass rather than the 2 ?

I guess I was wondering those with a PJ bass how many just use the P pickups or do you switch between the p and the j

My main bass is a P bass, and my backup is a PJ. I'll play around with the P+J, but honestly I wouldn't really miss the J if it wasn't there. It's subtle IMO, but it adds a little stank that's kinda cool for heavy rock or funk.

I'm not into the solo J bridge sound at all, but a PJ definitely has that if you want it

What a Jazz bass does really well is the classic "scoop" sound (think slap and funk) and the warm, smooth neck pickup-solo sound (great for backing acoustic instruments)

it all comes down to what music you wanna play and what sounds you wanna have on tap. IMHO you can play in any band with a J, P or a PJ- so pick the bass YOU like best

 

[B-Mac]

My first carrots vote!

 

[JRA]

I guess I was wondering those with a PJ bass how many just use the P pickups or do you switch between the p and the j

PJs are my preferred configuration. active or passive = i start at center (both pickups 'on', equal amounts of both) and then adjust slightly toward one pickup or the other, if necessary, to get what i can use in that room, at that moment/gig. my pre-amps are all VBTT. that configuration allows for any/all options between the two pickups.

that said: a lot of players expect the various options to sound radically different from one another, when in practice: the differences are fairly subtle unless you're operating the pickups with 'extreme' tones and volumes. i think a lot of noobs expect wild differences. active instruments will get more extremes, but for most gigs, most of the time, extreme settings are an effect. most players are searching for 'best sound tonight', in this room, with this band, etc.

also: any ax with two competent pickups will allow for more tonal options than an ax with only one competent pickup. duh.

good luck with your 'research'!

 

[pcake]

i prefer PJs myself, and on most of my basses, i prefer to crank both pickups all the way unless i have a different tone in mind, then adjust to taste. for soft rock, i might prefer the P only sound, but to cut through a band just a little more without more volume, a jazz pickup does the job.

 

[Bass V]

as long as I can get a glorious P tonal range then the more PUs and options the merrier

 

[G On Bass]

My main 2 instruments are PJ (5string). 95% of the time I play on full P. The J pickup is used only when I want a little brighter sound. I never, ever even favor the J pickup and it is at most 50/50 and that is rare. But the PJ config has covered me sonically for everything I've ever needed to do, from loud Rock with stainless steel string and overdrive to thumpy Blues, country, Americana and other genres using flats. YMMV

 

[57pbass]

I like a Passive P/J with a P pickup and a dual coil J. This configuration sounds better balanced to me.
With the traditional P/J configuration I always thought the P pickups overpowered the single coil J pickup.

 

[EmuBass]

I switch

 

[REV]

You would think that a PJ setup would be ideal but I've never found the P pickup and the J pickup to play nice with each other. I've always thought it had something to do with the fact that the P pickup is low and wide and the J pickup is tall and narrow.

 

[sonojono]

Hi yes I dint think any 1 used the J by itself as even with a J bass I guess no one really just uses 1 pickup only or do they?

I use the neck pickup as I like the way it sounds soloed.

 

[Kro]

Pure Precision for me. Since picking up my Precision early last year, I haven't yet found myself in a situation where I felt I needed the tone of a pickup more towards the bridge. And I suppose that if I did, I would just pick up my StingRay.

 

[TheArchitect]

I think I must land right in the middle. I use an SR300 with flats that has 2 humbuckers, but I use the selector to kick them down to coil split / coil tap, whatever it is they are doing, that cleans out the lower mids a bit. I suppose that is favoring the J side pretty significantly though.

 

[sedan_dad]

I find questions like this very similar to a mechanic asking "Whats the better wrench, a 1/2" or a 9/16th"? Two different tools.

 

[Altitude]

It's hard to use the J pickup alone on a PJ bass. Bridge J pickups sound pretty thin, the guys who run their basses that way are usually using some EQ to prop up the low end.

You can certainly do that on a PJ, but not in a way where you can switch (between songs for example) from the P to the J without spending some time on the tone. You could, maybe, if you had an effects situation that offered you an easy access EQ setting.

And, PJ basses usually have noticeably higher output levels running both pickups compared to soloing the J.

As somebody said - PJs are their own thing. If you own one, you probably dig the tone with both pickups on and will mostly run it that way - though it sounds different than a jazz bass with both pickups on.

If you don't love the PJ tone or don't care, maybe just get a P bass and be done.