PJ vs P vs J….please advise!

[ToneMonkey]

I played either Js or Stingrays for years (decades really). I've owned a couple of P/Js along the way but never bonded with them. For me, a P/J is neither fish nor fowl. I now play a P. It's the only bass I own. I haven't found the situation yet where a P doesn't get it done. YMMV

 

[57pbass]

Someone onboard explained a P/J perfectly to me saying
“ The P pickup is the star of the show with the J pickup added when you need some additional byte “.

 

[chadds]

G&L can get you the tones you are focusing on plus incredible tonal variety. Outstanding quality, neck and balance.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

you have a Nash so I assume budget isn't an issue.....
Honestly P or J or P/J you opinions on this may change over time.
I'm not a fan of single pickup basses not in it has to be a P Bass with flats crowd.
The main concern about moving to 5 string bass is finding a neck that is comfortable.
Also some vendors make their 5's in 35" scale might be an issue might not but just be aware of that.
If possible go try out as many 5's as possible once you find a neck that feels like home then worry about P or J or P/J.
That said if you love P Bass but want to give yourself different tonal possibilities then go with PJ or to have a completely different option than you already have get a J with noiseless pickups.
Things I've learned on my 5 string journey thus far The Fender 5's scale width wasn't comfortable for me at all.
Ibanez & Music Man Stingray Specials necks very comfortable in my hands based on this I know Yamaha's will work well.

Brands to consider Modern Vintage, Sire, Mayones, Sanberg, and build your own try Mauruszczyk!

 

[JRA]

i like Ps and Js, but i gotta go with "PJ" as a recommendation......it's just who i am.

 

[shirojiro]

That Yamaha BB pro video is not helping my GAS at all. What a cool bass.

 

[Reid-O]

This thread is really making me consider getting a p bass again. Laklands and Sadowskys (and the like) are phenomenal instruments, but they can be pretty steep, price-wise, if you're buying USA-made. To me, there's nothing like a good 'ol passive Fender American Precision. Two control knobs, no hum, slam the action as low as physics will allow, throw on some flat-wounds, and it's on!

I wasn't kidding...

 

[GIBrat51]

I’m on the hunt for a 5 string bass. I already own a 4 string Nash P bass, and I like it a lot. I have been wanting a 5 string and decided to take the plunge.

At first I was set on a jazz style v, now I’m also considering a pj.

I don’t slap, so that “both pickups” sound a traditional j bass offers is not much use to me. Does a j style neck pickup sound good on its own, or wi having a p style pickup sound better in this case?

I will use this bass mostly for finger style funk.

just wondering the pros and cons of a pj v vs a jv?

Does the p bass pickup fart out and rumble, or does it sound good on a v?

I can get either p style neck/body or a j style…..How does the string spacing feel on a J style v vs p style v?

Well, first of all... you lost me at "5 -string". For a variety of reasons, I don't own one - and never have. Mainly, it's because I simply don't need one, and nothing I play would sound one whit better if I did. But, that's just me. However, I think I can sorta answer your questions from a 4-string player's perspective. So...
1. P-Bass. I've owned my A-necked '78 Fender P-Bass for 35 years, now. Out of all 22 basses I own, it's probably the least versatile bass - but that's only because I deliberately set it up to be a narrowly focused, specialist bass. With the right strings; the right playing technique; and without the foam mute in the bridge cover? I'm sure you already know that a P-Bass can cover a lot of musical ground. Because my poor back is 72, and my P-Bass weighs over 11 lbs., it doesn't get all the playing time I'd like to give it. But, it's certainly not going anywhere, any time soon. That aside? I can't imagine a 5-string P-Bass would be any different than the 4-string one you already have...
2. Jazz Bass. To be perfectly honest? I've played, but never owned, a Jazz Bass - of any make. The offset body on those things, just feels... weird... to me; they don't hang well on my shoulder, and... well, they're just not for me. That said, I do have several basses with 2 single-coil pickups (can you say... Rickenbacker?), as well as a couple of basses whose dual humbuckers can both be split. My Carvin LB-20, and my EBMM 4HH Stingray Special, for example. So, I don't feel at all deprived by not owning a Jazz Bass... If you're willing to put up with a JB's electronic... foibles, you could call them? Then, by all means...
3. P-J Bass. Technically, I don't own one of these, either. But, I do own an '88 MIJ Kramer Forum III, with Spector pickups in this configuration; and a couple others whose dual humbuckers I can split like that. Personally? I never saw any... benefit... to this pickup arrangement. I find it hard to set up to my satisfaction, since the humbucker - to my ear - tends to drown the single-coil out, unless I turn one waay up, and the other one waay down. Which I don't think sounds all that good, anyway... Still; like anything else, lots of people seem to think they're the cat's ass, so... please yourself, I guess. So...
Bottom line? Yes, a 5-string P will definitely "rumble" - given the right strings, and your playing technique. IMO, "farting out" is more the inability of some rig's speakers to cleanly reproduce the B-string's signal, than anything else. Which bass it's on, doesn't really matter... And, if what you want to play, is mainly "finger style Funk"? Well, one of the things that my P-Bass specializes in, and that I think is the cat's ass for, is Motown... AFAIC, the real question is - why don't you have a good 5-string P-Bass already?!?

 

[retslock]

The American Deluxe 5 string Precision I had sounded great but the neck was quite wide and I wasn’t happy with it. I play other 5 string basses that have tighter string spacing that suit me better. Only one is a name brand - Ibanez SR655 with 16.5mm spacing. It is so easy to play and sounds great with Nordstrand CND P/J pickups.

 

[TonyP-]

I think reversing the P pickup gets a bit more fullness out of the D and G strings. But many players who are better than me also swear by them.

I’m also a big fan of the reverse PJ and prefer the tightness of the B E and A closer to the bridge.

 

[bobyoung53]

I own a 1996 Fender Jazz and two Fender P/J's, 2013 Vintage Hot Rod P/J and a 2016 TF fretless, I like all three, I'm not saying I'll never buy a single split Precision again but I don't feel the need, turn off the J pickups on both of these and they are Precisions, pickups balance well on both of them, I rarely use both pickups on full, I use the J pickups if I want more mids and treble, it gives them more presence, in fact I had another volume control put in the TF and as far as I'm concerned they are Precisions with a bridge pickup. I did just buy a Vintage II 1954 Precision but haven't tried it yet. The Jazz is a great sounding bass too, it's a different animal though but I like both equally.

 

[wiscoaster]

Hard to beat a PJ - it pretty much covers all bases, unless maybe you're into Rics.

 

[Al Rivera]

I use a active Sire and a passive American precision v, both great choices. I even slap on the 5 string passive precision!

 

[Btone]

Here's my two cents on this, and I'm sure it's been covered before: A PJ isn't a PJ. Depends how it's wired. A pickup blend wiring won't give you a true precision tone whatever you do, and not a true jazz tone either. And that's ok. However - a three-way switch will give you a true precision tone (when you select the P pickup), an extra bite if you go both pups - if your jazz pup is hot enough. Bridge pup only will give you a tone identical to a soloed bridge pup on a jazz. This is how the Tony Franklin is wired, and to me it's the way to go with a PJ. You've got the Precision tone when you need it (60% of the time), you've got the extra bite with both pups engaged (35%, slap stuff, rock), and you've got a soloed bridge pup (5%) for the rare occation. AND you've got the better ergonomics of a P and the slightly beefier neck of a P. This is the attraction of a PJ to me.

 

[PWolverine]

I've been messing around with my Fender Deluxe Active PJ a little. I have it mostly set in active mode with the blend rolled off the P slightly towards the J, it balances the pickups out, I find, then to compensate for the P, I boost the bass a bit to level it out, and mids a little too to cut through, with the treble rolled off a tad. Sounds amazing. The thing I like about it is when I feel like it, you flick the Passive/Active switch, move to passive and roll the blend all the way to the P pickup, and you basically have a pure Passive P bass sound at the flick of a switch - as the active EQ isn't on when it is in passive mode, then just flick it back to Active and roll the blend back to where I want it, and the EQ is back to how I like it, as I don't have to mess with it much anymore.

 

[petermwright]

…AND you've got the better ergonomics of a P…

How so?

 

[Btone]

How so?

Well, as I said - this just my opinion. I just find the P more comfortable, especially sitting down.

 

[vinylphile]

To me, a PJ is basically a P with an option of a little extra growl when the J pickup is dialled in. I’ve never been a HUGE fan of a bridge J pickup solo so that sound isn’t all that useful for me. So…a PJ just doesn’t can’t sound like a J - TO ME. It can sound like a P or a slightly sharper / brighter P.