• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

P or PJ Bass?

The only down side to a PJ is when the j pup is not noise cancelling. Since the p pup is already noise cancelling, you will always get hum when you bring in the bridge pup unless it is a noise cancelling design. Like others have said, with the p solo'd you get a true p tone. But, (IMHO) adding the j bridge pup, just sucks the tone out of the p pup and ends up producing a (meh) sound
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bob E
P/J...all day! Reversed P even better!
s-l1600 (1).jpg
 
My first bass (a gift) was a PJ, and I really just didn't like it very much. Even just the P pickup by itself didn't sound as good as some of the similar Precision basses I'd check out in music shops. I suspect it may have been wound differently to play nice with the J.
The issue for me is that I really just don't want more top end on a P sound. If I'm gonna add anything to the P, it'd be a neck pickup, not a bridge pickup.
Dude. I love the thought process here... I think you have just conceived a new market... Instead of the PJ... A "JP' design...
I know there are JJ and soapbars out there... I cant say I've seen a JP though.
What about a "JPJ"?
Wait... I think I've seen one of those.
Maybe it was a mudbucker on a mutant PJ or... Nevermind... (You know who you are. @M.R. Ogle @craigb )
Frankenbass-1.jpg

Note: reused photo without permission... Which will amuse him I am sure... How many years ago did you post this anyway? A decade? More? We remember... We always remember...
 
  • Like
Reactions: M.R. Ogle
Dude. I love the thought process here... I think you have just conceived a new market... Instead of the PJ... A "JP' design...
I know there are JJ and soapbars out there... I cant say I've seen a JP though.
What about a "JPJ"?
Wait... I think I've seen one of those.
Maybe it was a mudbucker on a mutant PJ or... Nevermind... (You know who you are. @M.R. Ogle @craigb )
View attachment 4520332
Note: reused photo without permission... Which will amuse him I am sure... How many years ago did you post this anyway? A decade? More? We remember... We always remember...
detail.jpg

Billy Sheehan signature model did it (as he did on his original Precision). I'd think of getting one, but it's really kinda oriented towards bass shredders and it'd probably be cheaper for me to build a normal Precision with the neck pickup without the fret scalloping and stereo output and weird neck...
 
I prefer the round tone of a P-bass. I've tried out many PJ's but the problem with mixing a humbucker and single coil is they don't blend well together IMHO. Get a P-bass and a Jazz bass, or save up a little more and get a G&L L2000 with the K-switch (single-coil option) and you get all that plus a lot of other tone options out of one bass.

The L2000 is a total beast. Glad to see it's getting some mentions.
 
redtribsb2-angle2.jpg


I'm not sure who has my old modded Tribute SB2 these days -- it's a good bass and lots of good tonal options on it.

I also tried one of the non-Attitude Yamahas with a neck humbucker - the BB-714BS. I loved the tone from that bass, just not the neck.

Red_f157df86198d061c459bd665e611d605.jpg


Although they were reasonably priced back when they came out ($499.99 from MF back in 2010) it looks like they go for more these days. And the one I had was apparently 10 lbs - my shoulder aches just thinking about it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesDeGrandis
Recommend 2012 to 2016 Fender American Standard Precision Bass with no mods. Great basses in the $900 - $1000 range.

As of April 19, 2012 the American Standard Precision Basses were loaded with the Custom Shop '60s Precision Bass split single-coil pick-ups, a 20-fret graphite-reinforced maple neck with compound rosewood or maple fingerboard with white or black pearloid dot markers and a high-mass vintage bridges.
 
Coming from the opposite direction (two P's) I just got a J. The PJ is cool though ... I think thought that for me the pure simplicity of a full on P bass is part of the experience. Tone knob at 50-70%, volume knob down a tweak = heaven ... at least in my practice room with my current amp/settings. Good luck. Let us know what you end up doing!
 
PartsBass.jpg
Note: reused photo without permission... Which will amuse him I am sure... How many years ago did you post this anyway? A decade? More? We remember... We always remember...

LOL!!! That bass was a collection of spare parts, I think i built it about 2009 or 2010. It had two or three owners since, but I did get it back to do some repairs on it a couple years ago. Still the most wide-range passive bass I've ever owned. Lots of fun.
 
Last edited:
View attachment 4520728

LOL!!! That bass was a collection of spare parts, I think i built it about 2009 or 2010. It had two or three owners since, but I did get it back to do some repairs on it a couple years ago. Still the most wide-range passive bass I've ever owned. Lots of fun.
Frankenbass needed repair work?!?!
I don't believe it... (I completely believe it.)
Most wide range passive I have is a Mikro with the Geezer PJ set... But I have a Warrior with Barts and an 18 v active system that goes from sloppy joe to piano clean and everything in between...
That being said... The Mikro is fun... And with the Gotoh tuners and DR Sunbeams (yeah I know - maybe hibeams next time) it even stays in tune and intonates without having to swap the bridge or cut the screws down.
 
I'm considering getting a new bass. I only have jazz basses in my collection, but I play various genres. Pop, rock, funk, soul, country, jazz.

And since I'm not owning a P bass at all I was wondering about a PJ bass to... What's the advantages and disadvantages of these type of basses in general or are they any major differences?

Is really a PJ bass right in the middle of a P bass and J Bass soundwise?
I think it's a gimmick. A humbucker connected to a single coil bridge pickup. If the thing's going to work make the bridge pickup a humbucker too. Who ordered that? I'm heading over to Kent, Ohio to try some basses at Woodies. Will report later.
 
View attachment 4520356

I'm not sure who has my old modded Tribute SB2 these days -- it's a good bass and lots of good tonal options on it.

I also tried one of the non-Attitude Yamahas with a neck humbucker - the BB-714BS. I loved the tone from that bass, just not the neck.

View attachment 4520365

Although they were reasonably priced back when they came out ($499.99 from MF back in 2010) it looks like they go for more these days. And the one I had was apparently 10 lbs - my shoulder aches just thinking about it.
I wish they made thos yamaha in left hand.
 
I think it's a gimmick. A humbucker connected to a single coil bridge pickup. If the thing's going to work make the bridge pickup a humbucker too. Who ordered that? I'm heading over to Kent, Ohio to try some basses at Woodies. Will report later.

Where did he mention a single-coil J pickup? Lot's of P/Js have a humbucker J. It's not a gimmick, it adds value for thousands of players out there, including me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: johnnynitro