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Pea/Jay Basses

BulbousMoses

BulbousMoses

Jun 26, 2008
1,412
142
Ottawa, Canada
#1
Ok...a question....if, like me, you only have one bass at the moment and it is a P/J, how much do you use the J pickup? I've searched a few threads and some people says it's great to have in a single instrument for the flexibility and versatility and other people say they almost never use it. What kind of stuff does one play with a bridge Jazz pickup anyway? Give me a few examples, if you wouldn't mind...
 
#5
i have a yamaha rbx 170 which is a p/j.the j pickup by itself sounds extremely cheesy.that's the only word i can use to explain it,it just sounds really thin like it needs an up grade.
it sounds ok when i turn the p pickup on with it,but by itself..just no...
 
#6
Personally I like to blend if it comes to my "tone", but if the song calls for it, I'll do things like play the harmonics in a song such as Portrait of Tracy above the J, and everything in the lower register above the P. Idk, I'm sure other people do it differently, but that's just me. Please don't shun me for the example in Portrait of Tracy, I think it sounds nice.
 
#7
infamusblkdeath said:
i have a yamaha rbx 170 which is a p/j.the j pickup by itself sounds extremely cheesy.that's the only word i can use to explain it,it just sounds really thin like it needs an up grade.
it sounds ok when i turn the p pickup on with it,but by itself..just no...
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I suppose it will depend on what bass you have, to a certain extent. The RBX170 is an entry level bass. It's a good bass but probably not as good as a mid range to upper end bass with a P/J configuration. (BTW, I have a Yamaha BB414 and it's definitely a step up from the Yamaha RBX170 and RBX270)
 
#11
Jim Carr said:
I nearly always use both the J and P pickups 50/50. Perhaps it is the active/passive issue, too?
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Could be. So far I am enjoying the different tones I'm able to get from my Yamaha BB414 but I haven't gigged it yet so I'm not sure what pickup I'll gravitate towards. I'm hoping that I get to use the J bridge setting because I think it certainly has a place. The trio I'm in will be doing a mix of covers and originals with a mostly acoustic sound (guitar wise)
 
#12
Crunka said:
harmonics sound better through jazz pick ups...
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Mikio said:
not better, just "louder".
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When you factor in that your average P pickup is louder, then it should dwarf the harmonics of the bridge J pickup. In general, the 60's J bridge placement is in a node that really captures the harmonic and the overall tone is favorable for bringing out those frequencies.
 
#19
BulbousMoses said:
So I ask again....what is the J bridge pickup used for...anyone have an example of a recognizable tune played on that setting? Curious!
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well, the pick up alone is mostly used for Jazz, but then again, it deppends... for example, Ryan Martini from Mudvayne used that pickup's sound a lot in songs like Death Blooms, and not only because of the harmonics, but he uses warwick, active and all, still it's that "bridgie sound" from a "J pickup" near the bridge

so it's all up to you, I never use it alone too, but I like the sound of both [Jpickups in my case] together rather tan any of them alone.... sometimes I let the neck pickup alone to get that "P like sound", but I still like a lot better the combination of the p/us...


then again, that's now, maybe someday I will have to play a gig with the other pickup alone, or I will make a song that needs that type of sound....


so it's all up to you xP
 

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