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PJ's do not bring a jazz bass tone. get over it

#61
jellymax said:
you cannot get a burpy jazz bass tone from a pj.
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Which is why I play a PJ. I also never made peace with Jazz bass tones so I found other options. Doesn't mean I'm right or wrong, it's just my preference.

Inara said:
I don't play a PJ to get a jazz tone. I play one to get broader tonal options, with the P pickup as the starting point. I've never liked the "both J pickups on full" sound anyway. If I did want that, though, yeah, I'd get a jazz. I don't think anyone really thinks they can get that scooped, thinner "both J's" sound from a PJ anyway though. A PJ is its own thing, with its own range of sounds. If they are sounds that work for you, cool. If not, cool.
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^^^This^^^
Those looking for J tones from a PJ are misguided, much like those seeking P tones from a J bass. 90% of the time my PJs are dialed in P-Only. Rolling in the J does indeed change the tone to something different and equally useful and killer. Never is the J/bridge pickup favored or soloed on mine as it is not a tone I personally find pleasant or useful.
 
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#62
Has anyone made/tried a JJP configuration before, or did that turn out to be a hodgepodge due to pup placement compromises? Just curious. Split P towards neck of course.
 
#64
jellymax said:
a good set of jazz pickups delivers a burpy tone. a pj cannot deliver it.
i have 1 pj. when i use it, the bridge pick up is off, even though its a good
one it does not improve the sound or clarity. p only is a killer, usefull tone.
but the two are different. you cannot get a burpy jazz bass tone from a pj.

go ahead and bring the heat. i can take it lol
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+1 - I agree ...
 
#65
jellymax said:
a good set of jazz pickups delivers a burpy tone. a pj cannot deliver it.
i have 1 pj. when i use it, the bridge pick up is off, even though its a good
one it does not improve the sound or clarity. p only is a killer, usefull tone.
but the two are different. you cannot get a burpy jazz bass tone from a pj.

go ahead and bring the heat. i can take it lol
Click to expand...

Well, I am shocked to find this out, and I...I just don't know if I can get over it. :crying::crying:

Just yesterday I found out that you can't get charcoal taste from a gas grill. It's been a rough week so far. :crying:

Thank you, Captain Obvious.
 
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#67
a bit of history. in the 1970's a lot of bass dudes routed out their p basses and added a j pickup.
screwing up perfectly good p basses.
then came the 80's. the bulk of basses sold were pj. why? it was the conservative choice
for companies that wanted to sell as many basses as possible.

in the end a bass player either holds up his end or doesn't. no matter to the audience what
his tone is.

i cannot describe a 60's jazz bass tone typing on a puter. much love to all
 
#71
We obsess too much about the minutiae here. Someone asked me the other day which bass I used on an old recording, and I couldn't say without thinking of when it was recorded - the sound wasnt distinctive enough, after mixing & mastering in a full band mix, for me to tell my own bass!

I guarantee if you played a P for half a set, and a PJ for half the set, 99% of the people in the room minimum wouldn't be able to tell the difference. You certainly wouldn't have an audience member telling you about the sound difference with the extra capacitor in the PJ, or the bridge pup magnets pulling on the strings.
 
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#72
jellymax said:
a good set of jazz pickups delivers a burpy tone. a pj cannot deliver it.
i have 1 pj. when i use it, the bridge pick up is off, even though its a good
one it does not improve the sound or clarity. p only is a killer, usefull tone.
but the two are different. you cannot get a burpy jazz bass tone from a pj.

go ahead and bring the heat. i can take it lol
Click to expand...


I totally agree with you!

I used to own a P/J and it should have been the best sounding bass. In theory it should have been the best sounding bass. I was expecting the best sounding bass.

Sadly, it wasn't! I sold it.

There is the Precision Bass and there is the Jazz Bass. The blending of the two is not that impressive. This is just my experience and just my opinion. YMMV.
 
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#74
The two pups evenly matched on a PJ don’t sound like two evenly matched pups on a true jazz, but so what. It’s still a sound I find really useful. I run my Streamer about 75% P / 25% J and it scoops out just a bit of mids to clean up some of the P grunt, and I like that tone a lot. I find it takes EQ better than the straight P.

OP should consider speaking in terms of their own experiences with their basses instead of making crazy blanket statements. Thinking all PJ basses sound the same is as silly as thinking all 112 or 210 speaker cabinets sound the same just because of the speaker diameters.

Frankly I immediately ignore the opinions of people who speak in absolutes like that, it demonstrates a lack of awareness, or a lack of experience, or both. Like the guy in the music store who says you need a 115 with a 410 to “get that low end”. SMDH right there.
 
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#75
JeezyMcNuggles said:
Mine does. Yours just sucks, or you haven't figured out how to play it yet. Play more. You'll figure out how to make it do anything you want it to, in time. I can get a burly "wahy" sound out of it with just the split too. With both on, I can get get a quack burp. Or a bitey boomy scoop. I can also get that in straight P. I can also make it growl like a beast from either pickup. You'll figure it out. It really doesnt matter what you play. It matters how much you play it.
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you are butthurt. i get that. shall we get into a swordfight over who can play their instrument? lol
 
#79
when i play loud or at rehearsal i use the J pup much more than if i were just practicing at home, where the j pup is real low or almost off, and then i use more treble. Guess i dont need as much "punch" just noodling a home
 
#80
I will take a PJ over a P or Jazz any day of the week. If you slap on a P, you get that 1970 Commadors sound. Add the J to the P and you get clarity. If I did not slap a bass, it probably wouldn't matter to me. I prefer to take 1 bass to a gig that is versatile to the styles/techniques I play. Presently, I just take Ken Smith basses to gigs. To each his own.
 
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