P/J setup - is it possible to still get that raw P tone?

[Anonymous Guy]

I have two basses at the moment, a J and a P/J. (I started with the P/J to get a taste of both - I ended up liking the Jazz sound a bit more) I know that with a P/J, you're not going to be able to perfectly nail that burpy J tone. Instead, you're adding a bit of mid-range flavor to the P sound when you blend them together.

As of late, I've been in the mood for a P sound, so I've been playing my P/J bass with the P volume dimed with the J volume at zero. However, I've heard from others that even if the J pickup is silent, you're not going to get a pure P tone out of a P/J bass.

One of the things I've heard is that part of the P sound comes from the chunkiness of the neck. Fender-style P/J basses tend to come with Jazz necks, as did mine. A week ago I was able to score a deal on a '09 MIM Fender P neck, which is currently on my P/J bass (After playing two consecutive Jazz style necks, the thickness of the P neck is actually a nice change).

So I've got a P/J bass with a P neck. Should I be able to get a pure P sound, or are there some unforeseen variables that prevent that? It's been a while since I've actually been in possession of a Precision bass, so I'm not exactly sure myself what it should sound like.

 

[Fieldy Snuts]

I think you need to get one of those cut off switches, that way you can eliminate the jazz PU completely from the wiring when you need pure P bass tone, someone can explain this better than I can.

 

[Ryan Mohr]

IMO you should be able to get the classic P bass tone with the neck pickup solo'd and the classic J bass "bridge pickup burp" with the bridge pickup solo'd as long as it is in the right position. The only thing you won't get is the J bass "both pickups wide open" tone, but you already have a J bass so you are set for that tone. I don't think the different in nut width and chunkyness of the neck should affect the tone that much, let alone enough to make it not sound like a P bass.

 

[Anonymous Guy]

Thanks for the input so far, bump for a bit more feedback.

 

[Steve]

My PJ is as P bassy as anything with the PU solo'd.

 

[Fawkes007]

No worries here. I run a Lull PJ4 with the P pup soloed most of the time. Sounds just like a P bass should...

 

[Anonymous Guy]

If you can get a good P sound, I wonder why P/Js aren't more common for versatility's sake?

I guess people aren't too keen on modified Fender designs.

Even if I'm not using the J on a P/J combo, the J pickup does make a good thumbrest.

 

[Polfuste]

Perhaps a change of pickup ?
My P/J has bartolini's onboard in passive set up, and the P pickup provide a full P sound: Invalid Link Removed the "stéjazz barto P" sounclip, with the P pickup full open and the jazz pickup at zero.

 

[René_Julien]

If you can get a good P sound, I wonder why P/Js aren't more common for versatility's sake?

I guess people aren't too keen on modified Fender designs.

Even if I'm not using the J on a P/J combo, the J pickup does make a good thumbrest.

I ditched the J on my Tony Franklin.

Soundwise, there isn't any significal difference between a P/J with the P soloed and a P bass without a J at the bridge.

But there is a different feeling with the J gone. The magnetic pull of the J is gone.
This is slightly noticable, but in reality it makes some difference: output of the P is a tad higher without an extra pickup at the bridge.

I'm missing the J as a thumbrest also.


Why did I bother to remove the J?
I don't use it, I don't need it... and I have OCD.

I haven't regretted it that I removed the pickup.
Plus I think that empty cavity looks cool. YMMV

 

[rodl2005]

I've got a Reggie Hamilton Jazz, which has a PJ set up, & IT sounds as good as ANY P-bass I've played!! Simply rollin OFF the J pup totally is sonically the same as a P bass as far as my ol' ears can tell anyway!

 

[Anonymous Guy]

Soundwise, there isn't any significal difference between a P/J with the P soloed and a P bass without a J at the bridge.

But there is a different feeling with the J gone. The magnetic pull of the J is gone.
This is slightly noticable, but in reality it makes some difference: output of the P is a tad higher without an extra pickup at the bridge.

I'm missing the J as a thumbrest also.


Why did I bother to remove the J?
I don't use it, I don't need it... and I have OCD.

I haven't regretted it that I removed the pickup.
Plus I think that empty cavity looks cool. YMMV

Nice fretless bass you've got there! I've actually got my P/J wired with quarter pounders at both positions. I wonder how the aggressive quarter pounder P sounds with a fretless board...

Also, yeah I'm sure the magnetic pull affects the P tone ever so slightly, but if I'm close enough to the P sound with the J zeroed, I think I'll be able to live without ripping out the J/buying a P bass anytime soon.

I've also got a bit of OCD too - I have to swap out something (pickguard/electronics/etc) to differentiate it from the stock model. But at the same time, I try to make it look like as much as a factory production as possible - I couldn't live with a gaping cavity like that.

Hey, maybe you could screw in an empty J pickup case to the body and use it as a thumbrest?

 

[René_Julien]

Nice fretless bass you've got there! I've actually got my P/J wired with quarter pounders at both positions. I wonder how the aggressive quarter pounder P sounds with a fretless board...

I placed SPB-3 pickup and it sounds amazing.
No more mellow fretless.
I've also got piano-sounding strings and a BadassII on the way.

You can see what kind of sound I'm going for.

Also, yeah I'm sure the magnetic pull affects the P tone ever so slightly, but if I'm close enough to the P sound with the J zeroed, I think I'll be able to live without ripping out the J/buying a P bass anytime soon.

I've also got a bit of OCD too - I have to swap out something (pickguard/electronics/etc) to differentiate it from the stock model. But at the same time, I try to make it look like as much as a factory production as possible - I couldn't live with a gaping cavity like that.

Well, soundwise there is no difference to my ears, but I think I heard a very slight difference in output.
Maybe that's just because I wanted to hear that.

I think my bass looks more punk now.

Hey, maybe you could screw in an empty J pickup case to the body and use it as a thumbrest?

I tested it with the cover from the J. It has no bottom so that didn't work.
But sure I can make something if I want it filled up.

 

[Anonymous Guy]

I like your idea of an aggressive fretless P-bass - sounds like quite the unique concept plus a bit of DIY punk looks.

Here's what my parts bass (started life as a Squier Std. Precision Special) looks like at the moment:

Now that I see it, the Tony Franklin signature bass concept of wiring the pickups to a three-way switch instead of independent volume controls probably gives you a "purer" P signal over rolling down a J volume knob. Plus it keeps the input jack at the front instead of a side jack.

Eh, I shouldn't get myself too caught up in the schematics side of things...

 

[spade2you]

I believe the TF model had balanced P and J pickups, which made the P pickup quieter than usual (which changed the tone) and a louder J pickup (which changed the tone). The only real drawback with PJ pickups in the passive setting is that the differences in volume is way off. Actively, you can often compensate with the EQ.

 

[René_Julien]

I believe the TF model had balanced P and J pickups, which made the P pickup quieter than usual (which changed the tone) and a louder J pickup (which changed the tone). The only real drawback with PJ pickups in the passive setting is that the differences in volume is way off. Actively, you can often compensate with the EQ.

I most likely don't know as much about the technical aspects of pickups as you.
But this is not what I experienced.

With both pickup selected the P was louder than the J on the TF, even compared to an Aria Pro II that I had years ago with PJ config, on that bass the J was louder than the P.

Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to it. I don't like P and J togheter so that may influence my judgement on it.

 

[spade2you]

I most likely don't know as much about the technical aspects of pickups as you.
But this is not what I experienced.

With both pickup selected the P was louder than the J on the TF, even compared to an Aria Pro II that I had years ago with PJ config, on that bass the J was louder than the P.

Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to it. I don't like P and J togheter so that may influence my judgement on it.

I try not to get too technical, but I'm lucky enough to have the tone I want and a rough idea how to get it. It's hard to get 2 different types of pickups to have the same volume.

On my fretless, I tend to favor the P or J pickups alone. On my fretted Stambaugh with EMGs and a Pope pre, I tend to use all sorts of combos.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Yeah, I've never quite figured out why P-basses are still sold just with the P P'up... I've had several P-basses over the years and I've installed the J by the bridge in every one (save for the ones that came with it installed already). First was on a black '78 I bought in... 1982.

 

[stflbn]

The difference? An additional Tone Pot, and a bit of Wire (or wahrrr as they say here down south). Some say they can tell the difference sound/tone wise.

Me... I prefer the versatility of the P/J. I never use the J solo'd but I frequently like the added glisten that the J pickup can add to the P sound.

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