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PJ Appreciation Thread!

My other PJ, which has rotated into my current number 1 spot with my band. G&L tribute SB2. Has a stacked volume and master tone set up. Also the tone knob was replaced with one I happened to have on hand (it’s from a Fender Toronado guitar). This was taken at rehearsal last night.
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I'm kind of surprised that, despite being a very common pup configuration, a lot of people here and on other bassist circles seem to heavily dislike PJ Basses? So I thought it would be a good idea to have an all round positive thread about all things PJ!

What's your favorite PJ? What drew you to them? Or simply post a picture of your bass for us to see, I don't know. As long as it has a split coil near the neck and a single coil near the bridge, anything goes

(I'm not sure if I'm posting in the correct forum, please help me move it to the appropriate one if that's the case)
This should be a good one :
SBO nutty PJ. Modified parts build
 
A couple PJ faves you may not see very often...

The elusive St. Blues with their well-matched Kent Armstrong pickups. The Fiesta Red one sounds distinctly brighter. Luck o' the draw?...or maple vs Pau fretboards? High mass bridge vs bent plate?

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Wymore custom. Looks blue here, but is actually Seafoam Green.

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Personally, I would see better a P/P bass, than a P/J and do not understand why it is not in the regular Fender or other catalogue. Ok, ok: there was the Elite in the eighties and other very veeery rare examples by other manufacturers...
Let's not forget the (in my opinion) underrated Fender Blacktop Jazz from 2011 to 2013. As for why they didn't do well enough to become a catalog mainstay? I'd hazard a guess that it was a little bit because it's very aggressive sound (understandable…after all, it's a BEAST!) and a lot because it's non-traditional specs (purists will be purists…ya can't convince nor argue with them).

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I'm quite biased towards P/J's, but that shouldn't be surprising, what with a Fender Aerodyne being my first-ever bass. :cool:

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But for me, the "One P/J to rule them all" in my collection has to be my "Projekt Blue" parts-bass. Using the same pickup placement as a Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz bass was the best modification I've ever had done to one of my Projekts. :thumbsup:

h9WE9sI.jpg
 
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But for me, the "One P/J to rule them all" in my collection has to be my "Projekt Blue" parts-bass. Using the same pickup placement as a Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz bass was the best modification I've ever had done to one of my Projekts. :thumbsup:

h9WE9sI.jpg

'Projekt Blue" is a beauty!! I'm just letting my imagination explore something similar with a fretless ebony 'blank-plank' with the 24-stop extension. Unfortunately the Warmoth neck spec is coming in at around $757, so it will need to remain a figment for the time being.
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'Projekt Blue" is a beauty!! I'm just letting my imagination explore something similar with a fretless ebony 'blank-plank' with the 24-stop extension. Unfortunately the Warmoth neck spec is coming in at around $757, so it will need to remain a figment for the time being.
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Try Freestoneguitars.com
Really nice work.
 
Let's not forget the (in my opinion) underrated Fender Blacktop Jazz from 2011 to 2013. As for why they didn't do well enough to become a catalog mainstay? I'd hazard a guess that it was a little bit because it's very aggressive sound (understandable…after all, it's a BEAST!) and a lot because it's non-traditional specs (purists will be purists…ya can't convince nor argue with them).

W8ybXXW.jpg

And... what about this beauty? :)

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About the "(purists will be purists…ya can't convince nor argue with them)." part, well... the P/J configuration has surely its appeal, to lots of players. But it's certainly not anything like pure. It was some sort of experiment that lots of bassplayers wanted to try during the seventies (as far as I could remember). Mind you: I don't see any "hate" about a P/J configuration. Simply, it is a compromise solution that has (as everything else) its own pros and cons. Pro: welcomed added versatility to the single P configuration. Con: the P pickup (talking about a standard P pickup) is a powerful tool, it is humbucker and robust, well "round" in tone. While the J (talking about a standard J pickup) is a single coil, a generally weaker component vs. the P. So, to make the two pickups even in output, either: you increase the J strength (more coils) or try to tame the P (less coils?). Or you add a pre that equalizes the signals in input or other yada yada etc. Another con could be that the standard Precison tone is NOT exactly the same in a P/J axe when you put the J volume at zero. Ok, just talking... :)
 
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A couple PJ faves you may not see very often...

The elusive St. Blues with their well-matched Kent Armstrong pickups. The Fiesta Red one sounds distinctly brighter. Luck o' the draw?...or maple vs Pau fretboards? High mass bridge vs bent plate?

View attachment 4765367

View attachment 4765364

Wymore custom. Looks blue here, but is actually Seafoam Green.

View attachment 4765365
Those St. Blues are sweet. They still make 'em or they truly as elusive as you say?
Nice basses.
 
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Mind you: I don't see any "hate" about a P/J configuration. Simply, it is a compromise solution that has (as everything else) its own pros and cons.
Nowadays, I don't see much either, but when I first joined TalkBass back in 2012, there were some vocal P/J haters. One guy was particularly fervent about it…so much so it was as if any appreciation of that pickup configuration was a grave insult to him and his sensibilities…and whoo-boy would he let you know it! I mean, yikes! o_O
 
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But it's certainly not anything like pure.
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Another con could be that the standard Precison tone is NOT exactly the same in a P/J
...

What is this supposed to mean? Like the P is some kind of holy grail? That the standard Precision tone - whatever that might be -imparts some kind of genetic marker without which a bass (or player) is somehow deficient? It was the very deficiencies of the single P that drove the experiments you mentioned. It all sounds like something from 'Mien Kampf', IMHO.
 
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What is this supposed to mean? Like the P is some kind of holy grail? That the standard Precision tone - whatever that might be -imparts some kind of genetic marker without which a bass (or player) is somehow deficient? It was the very deficiencies of the single P that drove the experiments you mentioned. It all sounds like something from 'Mien Kampf', IMHO.

:) I played a '75 Fender American P up to 2000[first failed retirement] then an American Fender 2001 P they didn't feel nor sound the Same. Also played half dozen other 'P' Basses from other Manufactures non of them felt nor sounded the Same BUT All could be considered 'P' Tone[ish] but I guess not Pure

So what is the definitive P Tone specs, wood, pickup, tone cap/pots, bridge, tuners etc. and or year that make all others not Pure? [not just P/J's]
 
What is this supposed to mean? Like the P is some kind of holy grail? That the standard Precision tone - whatever that might be -imparts some kind of genetic marker without which a bass (or player) is somehow deficient? It was the very deficiencies of the single P that drove the experiments you mentioned. It all sounds like something from 'Mien Kampf', IMHO.
Easy, man: "pure" is something... sacred and proven efficient so to become a standard thru years, as a simple P or standard J configuration. The two humbuckers of a Les Paul or the three single coils of a strat. Not going to arguing with you, anyway.
 
:) I played a '75 Fender American P up to 2000[first failed retirement] then an American Fender 2001 P they didn't feel nor sound the Same. Also played half dozen other 'P' Basses from other Manufactures non of them felt nor sounded the Same BUT All could be considered 'P' Tone[ish] but I guess not Pure

So what is the definitive P Tone specs, wood, pickup, tone cap/pots, bridge, tuners etc. and or year that make all others not Pure? [not just P/J's]
Pure is what a purist would choose off the wall, knowing that he will find an instrument that will serve his purposes and that will feel like an old pair of jeans. Not talking about anything that could be considered above or below. Duck Dunn was a purist, to me: he played basically always the same instrument thru years. Steve Cropper, Clapton etc. But also here: there is nothing to really argue (caps, tuners...). If you compare two axes both just out of the production line, even there you will find subtleties that will bring you to select one vs. the other.
 
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