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Which P for PJ?

#25
I'd suggest a balanced PJ set, which some of the pickup makers sell. These are matched by them so you don't end up with that weak-sister Jazz bass pickup pushed around by the P Bass pickup.

If you're not going that way, I'd suggest a stack or side x side humbucking Jazz. The difference in tone is negligible for most and way easier to live with, and usually the output is better than a single coil.
 
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#27
The Dimarzio area J is much more like a real single coil J pickup sonically. The model J is good too - less high end, more sledgehammer. The Ultra jazz has more string pull, and despite the insinuation that it has more output, by the time you back it off to avoid string pull issues, I find it has less.

The model P and Area P (harder to find) are good paired with the model J and Area J, respectively.
 
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#34
manchego_eggo said:
Hey TB, I'm working on putting together a PJ Bass and I'm fairly set on using a Dimarzio Ultra Jazz (or possibly a Model J at the bridge), but open to suggestions to something hot that can keep up with a P. I've already ruled out the GZR set as I had that in the past and hated the J. I play a range of styles, but mainly singer/songwriter/country stuff, 90s rock and modern R&B / hip hop. Some ideas I've had based on some youtube demos I've watched are below; what do you think? Am I missing something here?

Wilde P46
Nordstrand NP4V (I already have this and loved the tone roll off with the 33uf cap)
Dimarzio Model P
Dimarzio Sixties P
Lindy Fralin Stock Wind or 5% Underwind - I have a 5/10% overwound split coil jazz set in my other bass and love them




Click to expand...


I think you should take a look at the G&L SB-1 pick up. It's really good, but I never played it in a pj bass.
 
#35
If you're looking to buy a set, I've found the Wilde P-46 and J-45 to balance well in terms of output -- I usually set the P how I like it and then set the J to balance its perceived volume when either is soloed (it does end up closer to the strings than the P). If I need to tweak from there, I will, but that basic approach has worked for me.

Their tone is perhaps on the modern side, but not so much as that of the classic, ceramic magnet EMGs -- the bridge pickup is less thin-sounding, too. Direct sound is, to my ears, uncompressed, clean, and clear, but still natural. I find it be versatile and responsive to technique and tone/EQ adjustments, but wouldn't call it "vintage voiced" or inherently gritty, if you're going for that.
 
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#36
MarkA said:
If you're looking to buy a set, I've found the Wilde P-46 and J-45 to balance well in terms of output -- I usually set the P how I like it and then set the J to balance its perceived volume when either is soloed (it does end up closer to the strings than the P). If I need to tweak from there, I will, but that basic approach has worked for me.

Their tone is perhaps on the modern side, but not so much as that of the classic, ceramic magnet EMGs -- the bridge pickup is less thin-sounding, too. Direct sound is, to my ears, uncompressed, clean, and clear, but still natural. I find it be versatile and responsive to technique and tone/EQ adjustments, but wouldn't call it "vintage voiced" or inherently gritty, if you're going for that.
Click to expand...
I have a P 46 in a P knockoff. I like the tone a lot. As you say, very responsive to right hand technique. But I wonder about fitting the J 45 into a bass. I had to file my pickguard to install the P 45. Both pickups are designed to be used with 4, 5, and 6 strings basses.

Would I be correct in assuming the J 45 needs some router work to make it fit? Which would in turn need a refinish to keep it pretty? That concern is all that keeps me from installing Wildes in my trusty Sammik PJ.

Interesting to learn the EMGs have ceramic magnets. I've never been happy with them in the Sammy.
 
#37
factory presets said:
I have a P 46 in a P knockoff. I like the tone a lot. As you say, very responsive to right hand technique. But I wonder about fitting the J 45 into a bass. I had to file my pickguard to install the P 45. Both pickups are designed to be used with 4, 5, and 6 strings basses.

Would I be correct in assuming the J 45 needs some router work to make it fit? Which would in turn need a refinish to keep it pretty? That concern is all that keeps me from installing Wildes in my trusty Sammik PJ.

Interesting to learn the EMGs have ceramic magnets. I've never been happy with them in the Sammy.
Click to expand...

I had J45s in the past and they fit without need for filing
 
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#38
factory presets said:
I have a P 46 in a P knockoff. I like the tone a lot. As you say, very responsive to right hand technique. But I wonder about fitting the J 45 into a bass. I had to file my pickguard to install the P 45. Both pickups are designed to be used with 4, 5, and 6 strings basses.

Would I be correct in assuming the J 45 needs some router work to make it fit? Which would in turn need a refinish to keep it pretty? That concern is all that keeps me from installing Wildes in my trusty Sammik PJ.

Interesting to learn the EMGs have ceramic magnets. I've never been happy with them in the Sammy.
Click to expand...

I don't know if all EMG pickups have ceramic magnets (don't think they do), but the OG P/J pickups do.

I've installed the P-46/J-45 in three basses and neck/bridge J-45 (x2) set in one bass. They are a bit bigger (at least the P-46 was -- maybe the J is, too) than the EMG set they replaced in my main bass (a Fender Power Jazz Bass Special):
  • In the Power Jazz Bass Special, the P-46 required a little sanding of its plastic case to fit the neck pickup route properly and adjust up and down easily (I did not want to mess with the route on the bass). The J-45 did not (though might be a tighter fit than the EMG was).
  • In the fretless Franken-Squier P-bass (now P/J) in my avatar, neither pickup required any modification to fit. (Maybe the P-46 was a hair tighter in the pickguard than the stock pickup? Still adjusts fine.)
  • A Squier P/J that I gutted and modded for a friend required no modification to install the pickups.
  • An I-think-Warmoth-bodied, 8-string Jazz bass that came to me with EMGs likewise required no modification of the pickup cases or body routes to install the Wilde pickups. (The pickups work great in the 8-string, by the way -- the close-spaced poles do seem to behave at least somewhat like a bar magnet -- but 5- or 6-string applications would depend on the placement of the outermost strings vs. the sensing area of the pickups -- might be worth asking Wilde about.)
Andrew Drake routed for and installed the J-45 in my fretless bass -- as far as I know, his usual template worked without trouble, though, when I asked him about the fit of the pickups (vs. the EMGs) in my Japanese Fender, I think that he remarked that, while you'd think they would be, Jazz and Precision pickup dimensions are not 100% standardized.

That was awhile ago -- and I can't speak for Andrew -- but, if you're concerned, I'd contact Wilde pickups and ask them for the exact dimensions for the bridge position J-45 (they're given for the P-46 -- Width 1.10",Length 2.24", Depth 0.82" -- but I didn't see them for the Jazz pickups).

EDIT: Between the EMGs and the Wildes, I had a set of Reed James pickups in my Power Jazz Bass Special -- at least one of them (maybe both) required a similar slight sanding (well, moderate sanding with a slight effect) of the plastic case(s) to fit easily in the bass -- maybe its routes are a little smaller than normal -- or maybe EMG pickups are -- or the Wildes a little bigger than normal -- or a combination of the above. Can't tell you for sure, but someone in the Luthier's Corner might be able to (or you could look up dimensions on a few J-bridge templates -- or measure the current pickup and/or route in your bass).
 
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#39
MarkA said:
I don't know if all EMG pickups have ceramic magnets (don't think they do), but the OG P/J pickups do.

I've installed the P-46/J-45 in three basses and neck/bridge J-45 (x2) set in one bass. They are a bit bigger (at least the P-46 was -- maybe the J is, too) than the EMG set they replaced in my main bass (a Fender Power Jazz Bass Special):
  • In the Power Jazz Bass Special, the P-46 required a little sanding of its plastic case to fit the neck pickup route properly and adjust up and down easily (I did not want to mess with the route on the bass). The J-45 did not (though might be a tighter fit than the EMG was).
  • In the fretless Franken-Squier P-bass (now P/J) in my avatar, neither pickup required any modification to fit. (Maybe the P-46 was a hair tighter in the pickguard than the stock pickup? Still adjusts fine.)
  • A Squier P/J that I gutted and modded for a friend required no modification to install the pickups.
  • An I-think-Warmoth-bodied, 8-string Jazz bass that came to me with EMGs likewise required no modification of the pickup cases or body routes to install the Wilde pickups. (The pickups work great in the 8-string, by the way -- the close-spaced poles do seem to behave at least somewhat like a bar magnet -- but 5- or 6-string applications would depend on the placement of the outermost strings vs. the sensing area of the pickups -- might be worth asking Wilde about.)
Andrew Drake routed for and installed the J-45 in my fretless bass -- as far as I know, his usual template worked without trouble, though, when I asked him about the fit of the pickups (vs. the EMGs) in my Japanese Fender, I think that he remarked that, while you'd think they would be, Jazz and Precision pickup dimensions are not 100% standardized.

That was awhile ago -- and I can't speak for Andrew -- but, if you're concerned, I'd contact Wilde pickups and ask them for the exact dimensions for the bridge position J-45 (they're given for the P-46 -- Width 1.10",Length 2.24", Depth 0.82" -- but I didn't see them for the Jazz pickups).

EDIT: Between the EMGs and the Wildes, I had a set of Reed James pickups in my Power Jazz Bass Special -- at least one of them (maybe both) required a similar slight sanding (well, moderate sanding with a slight effect) of the plastic case(s) to fit easily in the bass -- maybe its routes are a little smaller than normal -- or maybe EMG pickups are -- or the Wildes a little bigger than normal -- or a combination of the above. Can't tell you for sure, but someone in the Luthier's Corner might be able to (or you could look up dimensions on a few J-bridge templates -- or measure the current pickup and/or route in your bass).
Click to expand...
Thanks, mate. That's some useful information.

Got my EMGs in 92. Guessing they are OGs. They're clean. They're bright. But kind of bland to me. A little polite for a Fender knockoff. Might not be the magnets. But avoiding ceramics don't seem particularly limiting.

The good news is they rattle around in the Sammik routes. Which somehow never occurred to me when thinking about putting Wildes in there. I take your point about tracking down the dimensions. Very reluctant to take a router to the Sammik. Ruin that splatter paint job. That's 90s paisley, right there. Worth more than the bass.

Thanks again for posting. It's been helpful.
 
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