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Suggestions for a 5 string PJ bass

#22
Yamaha BB.

Or, if you're really wanting to sound like modern P&W/CMM, just a 4-string Pbass will do the job. And once it goes to FOH, it'll sound like bass.

FWIW, I've been playing in church(es) since I was 12 - 35yrs. I have all kinds of basses and gear, but at the end of the day, it all sounds like bass in the mix - and my church has a fully tuned system and a full time pro sound guy who is amazing. He's no amateur volunteer. That said, there's certainly a difference in the IEMs and most of the people with IEMs can hear the differences and often comment on certain basses, so if it makes you feel better about what you're hearing, then go for it.
 
#25
novaman said:
Wow! A lot of great suggestions. Thanks!

The Yamahas intrigue me because as a sax/flute player I know that Yamaha can make some serious high level instruments (all my saxes are Yamahas)

I had heard that the Sadowsky Metro Express line had some issues with fret ends being poorly finished but maybe that is something they have addressed.
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I have a BB235 that plays like a dream. The pickups are OK but I prefer the ones in the 435 and really should have gotten it instead. I put custom shop Duncan SPB1/Apollo in it and it ended up costing the same as a 435. Had to go CS with the Apollo because it has a very flat fretboard radius (which feels much better than I thought it would at first) and the stock Apollo has a radius and one string is always way too loud and one is too quiet.
 
#26
dbsfgyd1 said:
it's my experience in 23 years of serving as a band leader in a praise and worship band is if you have FOH support, it's isn't going to matter what bass you are using. To the congregation whatever it's going to sound like an electric bass, which is the job of the sound tech.

BTW, I happen to have a Fender MIA PBj, and yes it does the PB thing really well. In fact, it's' the best PB I've ever laid my hands on. However sound techs to a man preferred by a large margin that my PBj VVT controls wide open which makes it sound more like a JB than a PB.

In conclusion, what you are considering is a significant investment to create a sound that more than likely you're the only one that will notice a difference. That said, it's your dollars, your art , your bass, and your ministry. Who am I to tell you what to do?
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have you been talking to my wife !?!😝

In all seriousness you are right- no one can tell the difference. We have 5-6 bass players on rotation at my church. One guy plays a $3-4k Modulus and another guy just picked up a cheap Indonesian made Fender P bass for $139, and they both sound just fine.

Maybe I should just shelve this thought for the time being.
 
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#28
novaman said:
have you been talking to my wife !?!😝

In all seriousness you are right- no one can tell the difference. We have 5-6 bass players on rotation at my church. One guy plays a $3-4k Modulus and another guy just picked up a cheap Indonesian made Fender P bass for $139, and they both sound just fine.

Maybe I should just shelve this thought for the time being.
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I got good chuckle out of your response. My wife and I have had numerous discussions over this very issue as well.

But let me make one thing clear here. Your ministry is your gift back to God, the one that gave you the talent to bless his people. Your instruments are your tools to do that and there is nothing wrong with the desire to provide excellence.

I’d like to know more about about your ministry. If you care to share, send me and PM and we can continue the conversation.

Take care.

DB
 
#31
I’ve got a Sire P7 and a Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod PJV. I changed the bridge and tuners on both the get them lighter. Either can do what the OP is seeking, but for a modern church sound, I’m thinking something like a Ken Smith. Of the two 5 string PJs I have, the Charvel will get closest to that sound. I changed the tuners to Gotoh GB350s and the bridge to an aluminum Hipshot A style, but I think I like the B style better for this bass. The bass is made by Fender Mexico, so hardware lines up. I just wish it had a few more frets. There seems to be lots of Charvels on the used market or at discounted prices when new.

To my ears, there is a significant sound difference between the four string and five string San Dimas models, likely due to the pickup differences. I prefer the clearer and more open sound of the 5 string to the darker sound of the four.
 
#32
fauxtoe said:
Since I like to go against the grain a bit - Spector. The reverse P+J growls nicely and cuts through well when a pick is needed.

However, definitely do not overlook Stingrays. I think I've played a 'Ray or a bass configured like one more than anything over the years. They work extremely well for CCM!
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You know what, I'm going to double down on my Spector suggestion. I've used mine for a couple weeks and I'm pretty sure it's going to get used again over my Warmoth deluxe Jazz 5. I have a LOT of basses to choose from in my collection (my wife just counted while I was practicing and she was like...you have this many?!) and Spector was never on my radar until the end of 2024 when I bought it. It's turning out to be one of those why didn't I buy this sooner type of basses. It goes from fingers, to pick, to slap and doesn't ever get out of hand unless I want it to. To me that's a bit rarer to find since some basses do one thing or tone really well, but when you need to quickly alternate to another style it may not be as successful or need a more drastic EQ adjustment.
 
#33
Erik Turkman said:
...but for a modern church sound, I'm thinking something like a Ken Smith.
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Depends on the type of modern church music that's being played. A lot of CCM has been recorded with a pick on a P or J bass and it's frankly lucky to even be audible in the mix most of the time. Other songs may not even have a real bass and instead they've opted to use a synth. To me, Ken Smith fits in the more modern Latin groove or gospel based songs that are out there even though I know they are fairly versatile basses. The bass player from our Spanish congregation has been hunting for a Smith for a while and it would fit what they're doing to a T, so I don't think I'm really off in my assessment.
 
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#38
One thing I would keep in mind with a PJ is that you get one where the J pickup is a humbucker. The humbucking P with the single coil J combination is why PJs were considered the worst compromise of both worlds.

(My main bass is a Fender Aerodyne PJ 4-string with the EMG Geezer PJ set, and the J being humcancelling makes a huge difference. The J is more usable to play nicely with the P).
 
#39
A little late to the conversation but I felt like I got into P territory with my active Sadowsky Jazz with single coils when I favored the neck pickup. It was my goto setting for lots of worship and gospel. I had a true Fender passive P 4 string but found myself using the active 5 string jazz because it covered that ground and more. Just needed a second bass with flats at some points.
 
#40
I own two Fender P5’s. They’re awesome. I don’t miss the bridge pickup.

I also own a Charvel Pro Mod V PJ, which has a reverse split coil. Has active and passive EQ/tone. In my opinion, these are not getting nearly enough positive attention, they’re very well made and are the bass bargain of the century. A YouTuber did an early review and slagged the preamp on the 4-strings, but that preamp isn’t used anymore. I find the preamp on mine is very transparent - when set flat, it’s hard to tell the difference between passive and active. Pickup output is very balanced between the split coil and the bridge pickup. I highly recommend these.
 

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