P/J or J/J+series?

I love the sound of a P bass, but I don't want only P, so I was thinking P/J.

Now I'm listening to the sounds of J/J with series switches and I am liking what I'm hearing, even though I'm not a huge fan of regular J/J.

So what's the word? Need a real P p'up or J/J series is close enough?

Leaning J/J+series right now, but that is likely to change at a moments notice.

 

Well, since I don't have the bass yet, it's kind of a mute point. If I want P/J, I'll just get a bass routed for P/J.

Also, you sound suspiciously like a spam bot.

 

Ah. Makes sense.

 

On further examination, I think I misunderstood your original post. I thought you were suggesting a J p'up with that was voiced like a P p'up. But now I realize that it's just a humbucking J that sounds like J, which is great. It's good to actually read the words. Thanks for the tip. I'll see how I like the stock p'ups and then think about replacing them later (I will almost certainly replace them eventually. I always do). More thinking about running the two separate Jazz p'ups in series in this thread. I do that on my Tele, and it causes grown men to weep.

 

I want to believe. Please use some additional adjectives to make my brain washing complete.

Better yet, how would you compare the sound of JJ series to a traditional P sound?

 

You can get the stuff for a fairly cheap price at Radio Shack. You may want to upgrade to a serious soldering iron eventually, but the ones they sell are more than enough for a few simple mods to a passive bass. Just be sure you get an iron that can go up to at least 40W. Trying to solder with low heat is for the birds. Going fast with a hotter iron is better for the parts... most parts... the parts that you would be dealing with.

Here's a nice video about how to solder. If you plan to solder, you should watch it. You're first instinct about soldering probably will not be correct. Solder is not glue for metal, and if you treat it like that, you will get cold joints, which is bad. Soldering is a form of welding. The video is putting components on a PCB, but most of it applies to guitar/bass electronics. Also, since you're not soldering components to a board, you will want clips to hold them. I don't have enough working clips at the moment, and it has lead to many burns and some damaged components because I couldn't do what I was trying to do quickly enough without them. Get clips.

http://www.byocelectronics.com/soldervid.html

 

to add slightly more nuance to the question:

The thing I love about a good P is not the tone unto itself; I love what it accomplishes with a band. It punches through, rather than cuts through... if that makes sense. I feel like JJ series might be able to do the same thing in a mix... Is this a correct feeling?

 

When you say that, it makes me think I should get a P instead.

 

Indeed. You have put your finger squarely on my conundrum. Do I need a P p'up for happiness in my life, or will JJ series also bring inner peace.