I'm getting ready to add a 'P' pickup between the jazz pickups on my SX / VM Jaguar Mutant. I can't decide if I want to go standard or reverse with the 'P' pickup. What do the Talkbass masses think? I like my basses to sound pretty bright and punchy so I was thinking that the reverse 'P' would be great for that, but the 'P' pickup will already be a fair bit closer to the bridge to begin with. It will be closer to the Music Man position and I've heard recordings of 'P' pickups in the MM position and they sound killer! I'll be wiring this up v/v/v and straight out to the jack. I keep my tone wide open on all my basses so I figured I would just do without on this one. Here is the victim.......... {}
I say look over this thread first to find out what 50 people said http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/reverse-p-pickups-p-j-basses-741507/ I like rev-p units
I've read that thread before. I'm asking because the P pickup won't be in the traditional location. I've owned reverse and standard P basses and even a Peavey t20 that I modded with a J pickup at the bridge, reverse P in the standard location and a P pickup in traditional orientation but closer to the neck. I am also a reverse P fan {}
Bear in mind that I'll be keeping both Jazz pickups in their current locations. The 'P' pickup will find a home evenly spaced between them. The centerline of the split coils will be dead center of the open space.
Not sure how much difference you'll see on a 4 string, but it was very noticable on my 5 string. It really improved the clarity and punch on the E and B strings.
i rearranged the coils and wired up the nordstrand MM4.4 in my jazzmaster bass to enable having both a split p and a reverse p setting, and i can hear a big difference between the two. i personally prefer the standard p mode most of the time, but the reverse p mode is an awesome sound too, especially for songs that you want a fatter sound on the D & G strings. here's a pic of the controls: {}
For neck postion I prefer the E&A side closer to the neck. For bridge position I prefer the reverse. For mid position it depends on the body wood used. For darker toned like mahogany and throaty midrange like basswood I'd go with same as neck position. For woods like alder, ash, & maple Id more go for the E&A side closer to the bridge with D&G side closer to neck.
i like the reverse P the way lee put it... you leave the coil of E and A string but move the D and G coil up the neck... now that's a bass sound!!!
Totally agree. The problem with my first bass was that there was too much low on the E and A strings, and the D and G, while otherwise sounding fine, sounded twangy when jumping to them from the low strings. This was the main reason I modded it.
I made some paper doll pickups last night.......... Reverse 'P'. The D-G coil is in the exact location it would be on a standard P bass. I measured against my P bass. Really starting to lean towards this one. {} Standard 'P'. Had to kind of find a happy place for it where it wouldn't get in the way of the control plate. {} Is there such a thing as too much!!!!!!!!!!???????? Boom Stick mod!!!! Imagine it wired single volume for the jazz pickups with a 3-way switch for neck/both/bridge, and separate volumes for the 'P' pickups...... No tone control. Hmmmmmm...... {}
Its pretty tempting. The bass would be Swiss Army knife of tone. hahahaha! Just waiting on the 'P' pickup that I got from a fellow TB'r to show up and then the chips will start to fly.
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