• 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 free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

PJ that works

#83
petrus61 said:
There is not a two pickup passive bass currently available that will sound like either of its respective forebears, IME. Get one, the other, or both but don't expect a PJ to be able to fully do what just a J or P can in the tone dept. I have never played an example whose pickups character has not been affected by the presence of another. I'm one of a million voices, so take it with a grain.
Click to expand...

I had several American Fender and assorteted Fender copies with the PJ configuration, and I'm starting to think you're right. I'm about to abandon the whole idea and just go with either or. I prefer the P bass body style, but the Jazz style neck. I had an MIM P Bass special with Bartolini PJs and a Babicz bridge and that may have been the best reasonably priced PJ I've heard...still not great, but not too shabby either.
 
#84
Needenaneden said:
This is a quote I found from an interview with Tony Franklin talking about his P bass.


I added the extra Jazz Bass bridge pick-up in the early ’80s, as I wanted to have the growl and the harmonics like Jaco. I put in a Strat 3-way selector switch, as it seemed like the easiest way to switch sounds. I bought a pair of DiMarzio Jazz Bass pick-ups, as those were the loudest pickups available at the time. One pickup went in the fretless, the other in the fretted! The cool thing was that the volume of the P-Bass and J-Bass pickups matched perfectly, so there was no drop in volume when switching between the two. It was a happy accident!
Click to expand...

Seems like he knows his gear. TF rocks. I love when bassists are gear junkies (like the majority of us), not like McCartney who doesn't even know what kind of strings he uses.
 
#86
I've played several Sadowsky PJ's that impressed me for their P sound and a good pseudo J sound with the rear J pickup blended in. They did P bass real well, J bass pretty good. And I'm more a J guy, that's why they're not on my list.

For someone on a budget the older Yamaha (MIJ) BB series are worth a look. And the Spectors are a pretty good mid-priced option.
 
#88
Never had luck with the PJ myself. It's kinda neither here nor there IMHO. You don't get the growl of the J nor the thump of the P.

The P ends up over powering the J - unless the J is all the way up - and then, the J up full just makes the P sound weak.

And, by the way, that goes for both passive PU's and EMG's too. I had a Modulus with EMG's way back in the 80's.
 
#89
I posted this in another thread but I'll ask here too.

SO I got a 50's Precison Bass in September. Its the Mexican made model. I love that bass so far except that I miss that burpy bridge pickup sound ala Jaco.

SO I'm thinking of going in for a Nordstrand Big Split in the bridge.

If I do go in for this, I am not sure whether I should go VVT or keep the Volume and Tone as they are in the bass and add a pickup selector.

What do you think guys? Will a Big Split work well? Also, I have a Fender 62 Precision Pickup installed.

Thanks
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back