Where's the punch?

[Huxly]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker, first time poster looking for some help on getting some punch out of my PBass.

I recently fitted my MIM PBass with an SD SBP-1 pickup to pair with my jazz bass to fit my bands bluesy/rock/funk style. However, I can't get the typical punch sound that P-basses are known, for while my jazz bass sounds phenomenal through the same setup.

I'm running my Pbass through my Sadowsky preamp (with the bass boosted to 3 and the treble at 2), and then into my GK MB200 through my Avatar 2x12. I'm running the GK flat except for a slight bump on the low mid eq.

The bass sounds warm and deep with just enough treble when I open up the tone knob, but I can't seem to dial in punch to really cut through.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks your time!

 

[dougjwray]

How are the pickups set on your Jazz Bass? That will help us get an idea of the type of punch you're going for. For example, if you like the "bridge-only" thing (the "Jaco sound"), you're going to have quite a hard time duplicating that on the P Bass.

 

[Huxly]

I dropped model J's in my jazz bass. I typically run the neck p/u on full, bridge 3/4, and tone 3/4. Really gives me a tone I love, and punch for days.

 

[MIJ-VI]

Have you tried raising your P-Bass' pickup height to get more meat?

A 1/4 turn at a time of the height adjustment screws should make an audible difference in finding the sweet spot of beefy tone with a minimum of magnetic pull on the strings.

 

[spaz21387]

also try cranking up the mids on your amp that will help get the p bass grind you are looking for.

 

[Ben Heard]

Do you have flats or rounds on your P? While flats on a P bass are killer for a Motown type vibe, they're definitely not what I would associate with P bass "punch". If they are flats, stick some rounds on there, you just may be amazed at the difference it makes.

 

[Gearhead17]

Hi guys,

I'm running my Pbass through my Sadowsky preamp (with the bass boosted to 3 and the treble at 2), and then into my GK MB200 through my Avatar 2x12. I'm running the GK flat except for a slight bump on the low mid eq.

The bass sounds warm and deep with just enough treble when I open up the tone knob, but I can't seem to dial in punch to really cut through.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks your time!

The Sadowsky pre-amp reduces the 300hz zone and neighboring frequencies when you boost the bass or treble knobs. Try running the bass straight into the amp and see if the sound improves.

 

[jbybj]

Have you tried raising your P-Bass' pickup height to get more meat?

A 1/4 turn at a time of the height adjustment screws should make an audible difference in finding the sweet spot of beefy tone with a minimum of magnetic pull on the strings.

I agree, pickup height can have significant impact on your "tone". You may even find that the pup is too close to the strings. Experiment with pup height adjustments.