Which bass to convert - My sorry, sorry, 1st-world problem.

[darwin-bass]

I am NOT looking for solutions here. Only sympathy.

I have two P basses I love. One is my wife's favorite color (burgundy mist metallic) and the other (sunburst) is light as a feather.

I'm planning on converting one to JJ. It will wear rounds. The other will be a P with TI flats. I want the BMM bass to be my main player (mostly due to looks) but I can't predict in advance whether the JJ/rounds or the P/flats will be my main player.

Since the conversion will involve routing a hole in the body for a J bridge pickup it is a hard one to reverse if I guess wrong.

First world problem, I know. But first world problems are still problems

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Convert the burgundy to jj.

 

[darwin-bass]

Yea, that has been my plan all along. BMM to JJ because it can sound close-enough to a P with the neck PU soloed plus give the scoop sound.

But over the last 6 months the P with flats has been my most played configuration, displacing the P with rounds and 'Ray with rounds. So maybe I'm just too much of a flats guy.

 

[atquinn]

Which one is the best with flats? Convert the other one to JJ.

 

[Beej]

JJ because it can sound close-enough to a P with the neck PU soloed plus give the scoop sound.

 

[urkel3000]

I would put flats on both, see which neck handles the tension better, then convert the other one

 

[Aidenn7]

what is a JJ.. or do you mean a PJ.. or JAMES JAMERSON?

 

[devnulljp]

Buy a Burgundy Mist Jazz Bass

 

[Prodigus Filius]

SX did a 5iver with pbass body and jazz pickups. Look pretty good imho

 

[goodformetal]

First world solution: buy a jj

 

[Groove Doctor]

Buy ANOTHER BMM bass (or just a body) with J routing and be done with it. Milk this first world dilemma of yours for all it’s worth.

 

[Boneless]

Routing and destroying the value of a (presumably) original P bass in order to get a bass you actually can buy is more of a post apocalyptic world problem, where for some reason your primary concern is not to survive.

Buy a JJ body. (Even an unrouted P body). Use one of the necks.

 

[Bevan777]

Buy a jazz bass body and use the neck from the sunburst one.

 

[sikamikanico]

It’s gonna be a crapshoot either way…

My first thought was BMM for conversion, but reading the ideas above and being a bit more cautious with your approach, you have some reasonably safe (ie, reversible) options.

First, determine which bass does “P with flats” better, and keep that one stock. Second, for the other bass, get another body with JJ or PJ routing (can easily convert PJ to JJ), with specs you like (shape, color, weight, etc), then move the other parts to it to test. If it works, store or sell the old P body; if it doesn’t, reassemble the old P.

Of course if you’re convinced you gotta mod one of your current basses, just think about reversibility/salvageability. If done well, but it doesn’t sound like a good J (or you want a P back), you can convert it to a PJ… it won’t look out of place, and it will play just like a P bass.

 

[Phreaky Phriday]

Jazz bass pickups can be a pain to route - are you open to jazz bass pickups in the soapbar shape? Soapbars would also let you get pretty wild with different pockup experimentation if you want to try a bridge hunbucker or even a p in soapbar shape

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You have two P basses that you’re happy with as they are. Don’t convert either, get a Jazz.

 

[noahw1]

Buy a new body or just get another bass. 1st world problem solved with 1st world solution.

 

[CallMeAl]

Imagine you were forced to sell one. The one you would keep should remain as is. The one you would sell is the one to experiment on.

 

[Whale]

I completely agree with Phreaky. After having built at least four dozen basses (all from scratch) I can tell you that it is fairly simple to route for a P Bass or a MusicMan pickup arrangement. Routing for a Jazz Bass pickup, however, is not as easy. You'd think it'd be the same, but it's not.

Buy a body that is already routed for the JJ configuration. You'll be saving yourself a big headache and will avoid the possibility of making a mess of a clean body.

​

 

[singlemalt]

I’d look for a loaded Jazz body. Heck, I would just buy a Jazz bass in a cool color.

Mods like this are a money pit.

Drop in changes like pick ups, preamps, tuners, pick guards…sure have at. It’s only money and everything I listed is reversible and you still have the original parts.

Paying for a pro to do routing and wiring is going to be a net loss.

Besides, a J has the sexy body and the slim neck. Just buy a burgundy mist J.

Better yet, a burgundy mist Dingwall Super J!