P + J = Classic, or boring?

[whyachi]

It's been a hard sell convincing my significant other that I really do need a Warmoth to survive, and when I mentioned custom shop pickups, well, --it hit the fan, and I lost a lot of ground in the, uh, discussion.

I was originally looking at two custom Twinjazz pickups for coil splitting on a J bass, trying to fill that impossible one-bass-does-all spot in my head. She's pushing the P+J combo, and my only argument against it is how commonplace it is. Then again, things become classic for a reason. Usually.

In a fully passive bass, with a Duncan Hot P and Duncan Hot Stack J, would I have any balancing problems? I've heard of people with a Quarter Pound P + J setups saying the J just can't keep up. I don't think Quarter Pounders are going to work for me as I do a little country / bluegrass from time to time with the guys from work, so I figured Duncan's Hot pickups would be splitting the middle.


I've never owned a bass with a P + J setup, and I'm tired of the dirty looks at Guitar Center when I tell reps I'm not there to buy anything and to quit harassing me and let me play with all the basses in peace.

 

[Nando Vallart]

If it's a hard fight, go to a single P pickup... Sounds good and will be cheaper...

A Guy from Bare Knuckle Forum tested A/B a '62 (IIRC) P Bass and a BKP P bass pickup instaled in his 66 P Bass, he says they sound absolutely equal...

 

[Wyliee]

I use Rio Grande Muy Grande P + J in one of my basses.  No problems with output balance.  In fact, I'm doing a bluegrass/country production right now and it fits in the mix just fine.  Tapewounds and a little foam under the bridge to give it a bit more thud.

 

[whyachi]

I use Rio Grande Muy Grande P + J in one of my basses.  No problems with output balance.  In fact, I'm doing a bluegrass/country production right now and it fits in the mix just fine.  Tapewounds and a little foam under the bridge to give it a bit more thud.

My problem with Rio Grande is that I have emailed them several times asking for info on their pickups and I always get a mailbox full error, and I called them daily for nearly a week trying to get a few questions answered and no one ever picked up. If I can't get good customer service before I buy their products, I really don't feel like handing over any money.

I'll keep the tapewounds and foam tip in mind, thank you.  :rock-on:

 

[tfarny]

Well I have a dimarzio model P and an Ultra J in my PJ, and I definitely have volume balance issues, but I've decided it doesnt matter because the only two sounds I really ever use are P alone or PJ both 100% - I never care to use just the J bridge, and the J gives the right amount of treble bite to the P for the more rockin stuff. I'm thinking of getting rid of the blend pot and just go master volume, PJ hardwired in parallel, pull to cut the J.
I don't think you can call a pickup combo 'boring' - in the wrong hands any bass is boring, in the right hands any bass is exciting. It either gets the sounds you need easily or doesn't.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

I sort of sound like a broken record when talking about these things, but I would look at the P/J sets from Nordstrand that Best Bass Gear offers.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/nordstrand-pickups.htm#nordstrandpj

I would go for the SE variety because I like the grit a bit more, and I like that both neck and bridge pickups are hum canceling.  I have been trying to get the list of projects small enough to replace the pick ups in my old Fender with some of these, but I'm not there yet.  In time...
Patrick

 

[Jorundr]

Hi, I've got the quarter pounder P/J combo http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=5682.0

I agree with the "can't keep up" statement. I tend to use the p-pickup most and I guess I could have gone with just a P. The J alone works well too. Combined, the P owns the sound. What it is good for is using the P and then add some  J pickup for some focus and snap. I play a lot off different music, so that option comes in very handy at times.

Good luck!

 

[JaySwear]

i'd say it's closer to "classic" than boring, but i'm very much like you; always wondering how my guitar can be more versatile. maybe delay the pickup purchase until it's all saved up and good to go? you could get the P + J pickups now and be disappointed later, or you could wait it out a little longer and not regret making that decision too quickly. thats my view on it, anyway. either way i think you'll end up with one solid bass

 

[AndyG]

My next build is gonna be P and J ...

I happen to REALLY like the tone with the balance pot right up the middle, but the P by itself is a great classic rock tone.  I've only used a J in the bridge by itself a few times.

However, like I said, my favorite tone is both pickups together.  You get growl and thump ... the best of both worlds!  :rock-on:

 

[jackthehack]

When were you trying to call Rio Grande? I occasionally have to call and order pickups that aren't available on the Warmoth site and never had an issue. I've used the Muy Grande Jazz set on a couple of builds and upgraded a P-Bass with a RG P-Bass Muy Grande.

They're solid pickups with more balls than stock Fender pickups, and if you're looking for a P+J set in black you can just order them from Warmoth.

 

[whyachi]

I called them at a few different times from 10A-8P Central time, different days, and nobody ever answered. I was just wanting to know the dimensions on their Powerbucker.

 

[jackthehack]

You might try calling Warmoth; Warmoth will do RG Powerbucker routing for 4 or 5 string models in bass bodies. I don't know that those pickups will fit in any other stock bass pickup route. Wyliee would probably know and can comment.

 

[whyachi]

I was calling for dimensions to see if I could cram MEC's twinjazz in their route, actually. I ordered the first pieces today.. I think yall will like what's coming.

 

[Jeremiah]

Though I started out as a bass player, I've only owned 2 different basses, and neither of them were very expensive, so my opinion might not be much help.

Of the 2 basses I owned, one had a single P-type pickup, and the other has a JJ configuration. I found the P pickup to be a bit muddy and lacking in definition, especially in a live situation, and on the JJ bass, I like the sound of the neck pickup but find the bridge to be a bit too twangy and trebbly to be of much use - this is a bass after all.

I've often wondered what a 'reversed' P + J bass would sound like - ie P pickup in the bridge and J in the neck.

Silly idea?

 

[Schlieren]

I've often wondered what a 'reversed' P + J bass would sound like - ie P pickup in the bridge and J in the neck.

Silly idea?

I like the smell of what you're cookin'