Will a P/J sound like a P-bass with the neck pup soloed?

Yes, they should sound pretty much the same. Obviously there is some small variation from instrument to instrument.

ps I have this one, so I know they are good basses: http://www.rondomusic.com/spb75na.html

 

I have that SX P/J you're looking at. Its a pretty damn good bass right out of the box. IMO it does sound just like a good old P-bass should with the neck pickup soloed. I ended up replacing the stock pickups with dimarzio's but believe it or not, I acctually liked the stock pickups better. I say go for it!

 

IMHO if the pickup is in the same spot (position wise as well as type/brand) and the total of other influential factors are "equal" between basses (woods, strings, bridge construction, setup etc etc) they most likely sound very very similar

 

why are these basses so inexpensive? how do they compare to something like a MIM or MIA fender?

 

Because they are made out of Parts. Fenders are made out of Parts as well, so they are equally as good, as long as the Parts are the same. But a lot of people put different Parts in their SX basses, it is very confusing!

Erebus, my vote is black/black, but it's up to you in the end!

 

I had the same question about a month ago. I have a 70"s frankenstein Fender P-Bass with an 80's dimarzio split coil. I wanted a P/J because i like the J body style so....i bought the fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz bass hoping that with the P pickup soloed, i could find a similar tone. I cannot. The RH Jazz just sounds so modern compared to my 70's P. (Big surprise huh!) There are no similarities in MY case. I suppose and hope maybe one day to replace the stock pickup with a vintage split coil but for now I just assume play my P Bass when I need that sound.

 

Well, the PUP isn't the only, and in my experience even the primary, factor in the character of the sound. A solo'ed P PUP will sound like a P, even if there are other PUPs on the bass. But that won't make any particular bass sound just like any other particular bass. I certainly wouldn't expect an inexpensive bass made with basswood and with a skinny neck to sound much like an alder P with a big P neck. It won't sound that way unamplified, and the PUP won't magically change the way it sounds.

The Reggie Hamilton bass has different PUPs than a Fender Vintage Series P, it's got a much different neck, and different body wood, as well as a different bridge. So, the strings aren't going to vibrate the same on a Reggie as it will on a '62 VS. So even if they had the same PUP, they won't sound the same.

The differences are the individual basses, not the unused PUP that causes the change.

jte

 

Exactly

 

I have 2 SX basses, and they both have "ugly" routing hidden under the pickguard. Not sure about the particular model you are looking at, but my suspicion is you will want to leave the pickguard on.

Erebus, some of the other posters have good advice regarding "the pickup is not the only variable" however in your case you are comparing two specific basses that are very similar otherwise.

 

I guess the point is, a P bass PUP all by itself will get you into P Bass territory. Any effect of switches, extra pots, etc. MAY impact it, but it will not significantly alter the essential P bass sound. Anyone who finds that a particular instrument with a P/J setup sounds different from a stock P would do well to look at differences other than the electronics.

jte

 

I wouldn't either, but through some divine twist of physics, the $195 Danelectro Rumor that I upgraded with a DiMarzio Model P pup and brass/chrome Hipshot "B"-type bridge turned out sounding enough like a real P-Bass that I can use it as an on-stage "hot swap" for my '08 MIA P. And I think the Rumor is made out of particle board or plywood!!

It's just a happy accident; the hotter output of the diMarzio compensated for the lack of body mass (I say "mass" as the Dano body has a very nice resonance, but is light as a feather). A very nice outcome -- a string-breakage bass switch requires only a one-number adustment of my gain knob (the Rumor is hotter).

Lowbrow

 

That is the funkiest P I've ever seen! Got any sound clips?

Later R.

 

With all due respect, the SX bass is *not* an "inexpensive bass... with basswood and a skinny neck." It has an alder body and a big, thick maple neck. It sounds closer to a Fender than most anything else in the price range.

 

+!
I've got the P/j bass your looking at and love the sound. The only thing I had to do out of the box was give it a proper setup and put on some new strings. You honestly can't beat it for the price.

 

I have the SX SPJ in 3 tone sunburst. I also owned a USA Fender P for a while. I replaced the stock pickups on the SX with some EMG passives. The sound of the SX is very similar to the Fender P, about 90% there.