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Why are P-basses more expensive than PJ basses?
- Thread starter Basslice
- Start date
You can get a PJ from the Custom Shop, sure. And the Tony Franklin is an American model and pretty top tier.
Because the Pbass is the real deal and the pj is a wannabe...
HAHAHAHAHA!!! Good one!Because the Pbass is the real deal and the pj is a wannabe...
Demand. And, partly, taking advantage of the fact that the reason for the demand is a bunch of misinformation leading some people to erroneously believe that a pj sounds reliably/significantly different from a p bass if you set the pj to p only mode. I found more differences between p basses that I've had simultaneously in my possession in the past than I have between my own p and pj basses when I've solod the p pickup on the pjs.
The average bass player probably sees the PJ configuration as more versatile so they probably sell a lot more of those, especially to beginners. It would be easy for a salesperson to convince a beginner to go with a PJ for versatility compared to a regular P.
Then they can go ahead and sell a regular P at a premium to the people that think having only a P pickup is somehow better.
Then they can go ahead and sell a regular P at a premium to the people that think having only a P pickup is somehow better.
Jes kiddin!
Man, there are so many people who believe that myth, and it just boggles my mind. I've sat for hours recording AB's of PJ with P soloed vs P alone using my Geezers, and it makes no difference whatsoever. I also used to own an SX P and PJ from the same era that had the same P pickup in each, and there was no difference, either. So if SX can do it in a $100 bass using the cheapest parts on earth, then anyone can.
Oh good to know. Yeah it’s been a while since I shopped around for one. Last time I looked at them it was nothing but Ps and Js. I did notice some short scales with one single coil though.
I like this thread. I learned something new.
IMHE the whole P/J thing is just another useless concept foisted upon an unsuspecting public to drain our already empty pockets. “A J is a J and a P is is a P and never the twain shall be”. . . or something like that. 
PJs are a fine bass. Your not going to get a 2 fer one deal if that’s what you are thinking (well, it’s close), but it’s a great bass in it’s own right. I’ve been playing for the last 17 years.
The current Affinity line (listed as "New" on the Squier website) only has PJs, no Ps. Other than the Mini P, the buyer has to move up to the CV series to get P-only.
It was a common user mod for decades before Fender finally offered such a bass, the MIJ Jazz Bass Special of 1985 (the "Duff McKagan" model). Other manufacturers like Schecter, Kramer, Hamer and Spector had adopted the PJ concept long before. The first US made model was the 1990 JP-90 (why JP and not PJ?). The first US made PJ named a Precision was the Hot Rod Precision of 1999.
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But, but, but the J pickup is weak, it simply can't match the volume of the P pickup...not even if you keep the P pickup at 3/4 and have the J pickup set on full!
But these options are not from the same tier, are they, so not really applicable to your original premise.
The PJ configuration is more versatile than just a P, even (some of) the people who only want a plain P admit that, so it makes sense for beginners who aren't yet sure what they like to buy a PJ..
