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Want a P/J; Which would you pick & why?

Which would you choose?

  • Fender Deluxe Active Precision Special (Mexican)

    Votes: 31 16.9%

  • G&L SB-2 Tribute with later added Tone mod (Korean)

    Votes: 40 21.9%

  • You don’t need a new bass; you have enough

    Votes: 16 8.7%

  • Something else you didn’t think of

    Votes: 84 45.9%

  • Carrots; they play better than either of those

    Votes: 12 6.6%
  • Total voters
    183
CTBassGuy

CTBassGuy

Feb 3, 2018
1,046
2,455
Danbury, CT
#1
I’ve got some very nice basses, but lack a fretted P. I don’t want to spend more than $500, and I also do NOT get along well with a typical Precision-spec neck; my Pedulla Buzz and CIJ Geddy Jazz are my favorite necks for feel.

So to get a P with a neck like that and with finish and fretboard style I want (maple fretboard and 3-tone tobacco burst), I’ve narrowed down to these two P/Js (used). Which would you choose and why?

- Fender Deluxe Active Precision Special (Mexican)

- G&L SB-2 Tribute (Korean) (and probably add the Tone mod)
 
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#3
You might want to try before you buy if possible. I’ve got a bunch of basses including a couple of PBs and a JB. I wondered if I were missing out on something by not having a PJ available. So I got an inexpensive loaded Squire PJ body to act as a test bed, installed a neck, and then had at it with its own and various pickup and electronics configurations.

Long story short: It was an interesting experiment. But I decided I’m not really all that chuffed about the PJ sound. It does have its own thing going for it. But it’s not my thing. So I’ll probably end up disassembling mine and re-parting it out.
 
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#4
garp said:
I'd probably go with the Fender MIM, if only because I already own a few of them and have a strong comfort level there. However, if you can test-drive a Yamaha BB434M before you make your decision, you might be pleasantly surprised by it – just slightly above your budget new.
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Hmm, thanks Garp; that one is very intriguing... I'll have to see if there is dealer with one in stock nearby.
 
#5
I would do the G&L, mostly because of the MFD pickups. The MFD is the best PU Leo Fender ever designed, IMO. A hotter version of a traditional split P and jazz pickup, but still can give a good Fender milk chocolate tone. They do have a really sparkling, almost harsh treble clink to them, but if that's not to your taste you can turn down the treble and muffle it. So the G&L would be the best sounding one, IMO.

L
 
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#6
40Hz said:
You might want to try before you buy if possible. I’ve got a bunch of basses including a couple of PBs and a JB. I wondered if I were missing out on something by not having a PJ available. So I got an inexpensive loaded Squire PJ body to act as a test bed, installed a neck, and then had at it with its own and various pickup and electronics configurations.

Long story short: It was an interesting experiment. But I decided I’m not really all that chuffed about the PJ sound. It does have its own thing going for it. But it’s not my thing. So I’ll probably end up disassembling mine and re-parting it out.
Click to expand...

I played a Fender standard P a couple of weeks ago at GC, and was seriously considering buying it, before I played it. When I tried it, I dug the sound but did not like the neck.

Maybe the P/J idea isn't really what I should do, but rather build a P with the neck I want...
 
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#7
Keep in mind that there's no drawback to a P/J configuration over just a P pickup. You can turn the bridge PU all the way down and it's out of the picture altogether. No, it doesn't still affect the tone of the P when it's turned off, as you'll sometimes hear folks say. Not true.

So there're only advantages to the P/J over just a P configuration. Other than maybe the PU gets in the way of something, but that's it.

L
 
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#8
luciens said:
Keep in mind that there's no drawback to a P/J configuration over just a P pickup. You can turn the bridge PU all the way down and it's out of the picture altogether. No, it doesn't still affect the tone of the P when it's turned off, as you'll sometimes hear folks say. Not true.

So there're only advantages to the P/J over just a P configuration. Other than maybe the PU gets in the way of something, but that's it.

L
Click to expand...
Tend to agree; my Pedulla is a P/J and does very well with the J turned off. It's its own animal though; not at all a tradition P sound
 
#9
CTBassGuy said:
I played a Fender standard P a couple of weeks ago at GC, and was seriously considering buying it, before I played it. When I tried it, I dug the sound but did not like the neck.

Maybe the P/J idea isn't really what I should do, but rather build a P with the neck I want...
Click to expand...

The beauty of a Fender is you can easily swap necks. Fender will sell you a MIM JB neck for $250. You can also get one on Reverb or Stratosphere. And a Warmouth neck built to your specs is also an option for not a lot more most times. A maple neck with rosewood fretboard, corian nut, cream dots and satin nitro finish quotes out at $275. And you can get as fancy as you want with woods and bling from there. Same neck with a Tusq nut and ebony fingerboard would set you back around $325. So it’s something to think about.
 
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#12
40Hz said:
The beauty of a Fender is you can easily swap necks. Fender will sell you a MIM JB neck for $250. You can also get one on Reverb or Stratosphere. And a Warmouth neck built to your specs is also an option for not a lot more most times. A maple neck with rosewood fretboard, corian nut, cream dots and satin nitro finish quotes out at $275. And you can get as fancy as with woods and bling as you want from there. Same neck with a Tusq nut and ebony fingerboard would set you back around $325. So it’s something to think about.
Click to expand...

I've been eyeing up the Warmoth In Stock/Screamin' Deal necks every now and again. A roasted maple/maple fretboard/slim tapper is a serious contender, IMO. They have a couple for under $250, but budget for the rest might get stretched pretty thin.
 
#14
Standalone said:
I have a P/J that I love but rarely use the J alone.

The FujiGen FGN double reverse P seems really awesome — it’s called a Power something or other.
Click to expand...

I've seen those and would likely be pretty great; not sure where to get one though. It's the Fender Blacktop Jazz all over again (which I think were awesome and would buy one in a heartbeat if I found one local).
 
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#17
CTBassGuy said:
Ahh, good to know. So it will operate just like the SB-2 without the tone mod then.
Click to expand...
Also the bridge pickup is so weak there is no way to even half balance it with the P pickup.
I got this bass for 400$,the worst fender I had.
Basically its an active bass with an emergency passive switch.
As I said no tone for passive and it sounds weak and boring unless its active.
 
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#18
Out of the 2, I’d probably pick the G&L with the caveat that I might want to swap the pickups for something more vintage. The Fender deluxe basses are fabulous, especially the necks, but I’m not into the active thang.

but what I would really do (and actually did) is put a J neck on a P body and live happily ever after. I also have a PJ but it can’t see to break out of the “backup” slot
 
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#20
CTBassGuy said:
I’ve got some very nice basses, but lack a fretted P. I don’t want to spend more than $500, and I also do NOT get along well with a typical Precision-spec neck; my Pedulla Buzz and CIJ Geddy Jazz are my favorite necks for feel.

So to get a P with a neck like that and with finish and fretboard style I want (maple fretboard and 3-tone tobacco burst), I’ve narrowed down to these two P/Js (used). Which would you choose and why?

- Fender Deluxe Active Precision Special (Mexican)

- G&L SB-2 Tribute (Korean) (and probably add the Tone mod)
Click to expand...
I do not know if you know this but the Fender Deluxe doesn't come with a passive tone knob.
 

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