P sound in J format

If you want a P bass sound, you are best off getting a P bass. Simple as that. Putting it very simply, a P gives you more, a J doesn't.

 

You can get a set of humbucking J pickups. Most are split coils wired in series just like a P Bass pickup. This kind of pickup will get you closest to a true P sound without modifying the body of the bass.

 

Buy Mark Hopus Signature bass

 

Use just the neck pickup. Depending on the type of pickup, a jazz bass can do a very convincing imitation of a precision style bass.

 

I’d put a DiMarzio model J in the neck and leave the single coil jazz bridge alone. The model j does a “not exactly but pretty close” p bass tone; the single coil will give you the tone and bite (and hum) just like in a PJ

 

I'm not really tracking what you mean.

If you mean even closer to a split single coil tone out of a jazz shaped pickup, there are split coil jazz pickups. They are mostly for canceling hum, but do change the tone a little to give it a darker P style tone.

 

This ^^
The Dimarzio model J is a beefy, noise cancelling pickup with a nice vintage tone.

 

Without replacing pickups, there are two main approaches to getting a P-ish sound. One, as mentioned, is to favor the neck pickup. The second is to wire the two pickups in series (or install a series-parallel switch, if you want both options). There are a number of threads on this, including this large one: Jazz bass wired in series

 

You might like this video, comparing the P pickup to the J neck pickup:

 

Add a series / parallel switch to your jazz and run it in series when you want a P like sound

 

What you’re looking for doesn’t exist. If it did, it would probably be the most popular bass pickup ever. This subject has been discussed many times on this forum. The consensus seems to be that the Dimarzio Model J is as close as you’re going to get.

 

You could use split J pickups. It's "pretty" close. Fralin and some others make split J pickups that are drop in retrofits for a standard J type pickup. Like the Man says, they're a little fatter than a typical single coil J.

 

Try this:

• Max volume on neck pickup
• 80% on bridge pickup

By backing off the bridge pickup, you will remove the typical Jazz Bass mid scoop and you will get some mids back.

See how that goes.

 

In line split is the closest you'll get. It'll have a lot more mids than the single coil, with a different high end frequency. Not quite a P, seeing as how it actually straddles the sweet spot instead of sitting in it, but almost un noticeably different.

 

Ain’t gonna happen, you might get close but not close enough, you want a P sound get a P...if you try to do all these modding suggestions your gonna spend a lot of money that could go towards a Pbass...

 

Well, I will concede that a P-bass gives you the P-bass sound far better than a Jazz Bass trying to emulate a P-bass sound. But the Precision-Bass is a one trick pony. It can't give you more than a Jazz can. What it can do is give you the P-Bass sound you are looking for and truly the only way to really get that...is to get a P-bass. Bear in mind, it can't give you nearly the plethora of sounds your Jazz bass can.

A Jazz Bass can make a passable imitation of a P-bass. A P-bass has no chance of sounding like a Jazz Bass without that second pickup - thus the popularity of P/J basses.

Takes a bit of experimenting to get something close to a P-bass out of a Jazz. First make sure your neck pickup volume and your tone knobs are set all the way up. Then turn the bridge volume down to 1/2 way. Now play a bit and see what you think.

If that didn't do it, then drop the tone down to half-way also. And try again. If that still doesn't do it for you, drop the tone all the way down, which effectively cuts all the treble out of the tone. That usually doesn't sound right on most Jazz Basses, but once in a while it does. And be aware, although you can get close, it's not going to be the same as the sound that P-Bass makes...or as the saying goes, "Close, but no cigar!"

 

Add mids to your EQ (bass and amp as needed)
Favor playing over the neck pickup
Like mentioned already back off on the volume of the bridge pickup
No instrument will sound 100% like another
A 4001 cannot duplicate a 500/1
And they are not intended to
You can get close though
Try the stuff people here are stating that does not cost anything first
Modify with new pickups or wiring next if you are comfortable with that

Best of luck to you