Are P/J basses a compromise?

[GuitarStv]

So a PJ is exactly the same as a P bass, but with extra sound options? How could that be a compromise?

 

[alex1fly]

So a PJ is exactly the same as a P bass, but with extra sound options? How could that be a compromise?

Because vocal members engaged in internet groupthink will tell you that the J being present alters the vibrations of the strings and the circuit, thus altering the pure P tone.

In reality a solo'ed P pickup has a lot of tonal variation already depending on your plucking technique (it's especially sensitive to plucking location) so any difference between a P and a PJ will be minute, not noticeable in a mix, and not worth fussing about.

 

[chadd]

So a PJ is exactly the same as a P bass, but with extra sound options? How could that be a compromise?

It isn't but in the case of the OP with a toggle switch between the two pickups, I can see not being satisfied with the tone of one pickup or the other.

 

[idsnowdog]

So a PJ is exactly the same as a P bass, but with extra sound options? How could that be a compromise?

It's a P bass with an added J bridge. What I am saying is the two positions are like wearing one red and one blue sock. They aren't designed to go together and I doubt anyone has ever designed/produced a calibrated set to work together. Instead they have deigned their best individual P or J and then sold them as a package.

 

[idsnowdog]

Because vocal members engaged in internet groupthink will tell you that the J being present alters the vibrations of the strings and the circuit, thus altering the pure P tone.

In reality a solo'ed P pickup has a lot of tonal variation already depending on your plucking technique (it's especially sensitive to plucking location) so any difference between a P and a PJ will be minute, not noticeable in a mix, and not worth fussing about.

No, they don't sound the same because they are two completely different pickup types that are not designed to work together. Just like a neck single coil doesn't sound the same as a bridge humbucker.

 

[idsnowdog]

It isn't but in the case of the OP with a toggle switch between the two pickups, I can see not being satisfied with the tone of one pickup or the other.

The bass uses a three-way blade switch. If I could find a sliding fade switch that fits in the same place that would work. Otherwise, I don't think I'm going to find an undrilled replacement pickguard.

 

[chadd]

The bass uses a three-way blade switch. If I could find a sliding fade switch that fits in the same place that would work. Otherwise, I don't think I'm going to find an undrilled replacement pickguard.

I just looked up your model and it's definitely an oddball. Worst case, you could wire volume and blend without a tone to see if you like it. I'll be honest, I use the blend as a tone knob most of the time and usually leave my tone on "10". Pulling in more P to make it thicker/darker and more J to get more definition, pretty sure I could live without a dedicated tone.

 

[GuitarStv]

It's a P bass with an added J bridge. What I am saying is the two positions are like wearing one red and one blue sock. They aren't designed to go together and I doubt anyone has ever designed/produced a calibrated set to work together. Instead they have deigned their best individual P or J and then sold them as a package.

Yeah . . . but I mean, they're usually vol/vol/tone, right?

So you can just turn the J pickup off and have a P bass. Or turn the P pickup off and have the bridge of a J bass. Or turn them both on and get a different sound.

Seems like that's way more versatile, not a compromise. It's like a P bass plus extras.

 

[idsnowdog]

Yeah . . . but I mean, they're usually vol/vol/tone, right?

So you can just turn the J pickup off and have a P bass. Or turn the P pickup off and have the bridge of a J bass. Or turn them both on and get a different sound.

Seems like that's way more versatile, not a compromise. It's like a P bass plus extras.

The Yamaha Attitude Standard is a single volume/tone and 3-way tele switch. I'm going to see if I can replace the 3-way with a balance fader.

 

[Mincer]

PJ basses tend to work better when there is a blend knob vs a 3 way switch. With the 3 way, the P tends to overtake the J-ness. Besides, the sound of a J bass is really the blend of the 2 J pickups, not just the bridge pickup.

 

[jeremy]

odd setup for sure. i like having a tone control so i dont know if id ditch it, but i dont mind concentric controls so i might think about a stacked volume/tone setup with a blend control and skip the 3 way

 

[some_dude]

Disconnect the 3 way and install a pair of concentric pots in a V/T V/T configuration.

 

[alex1fly]

No, they don't sound the same because they are two completely different pickup types that are not designed to work together. Just like a neck single coil doesn't sound the same as a bridge humbucker.

For the blended sound yes they will sound different. I was saying that a solo’ed P pickup in a P will generally sound the same as a solo’ed P pickup in a PJ.

 

[idsnowdog]

I could convert the tone to a second volume but I would need to change the wiring from going to the switch first to the volume controls first and then to the switch and output.

 

[Inflames626]

I use P, the P+J, rarely ever J alone.

But I really like P+J...

I agree. For me the J in a PJ isn't there to balance the P as much as to give the P a bit more edge to cut through when a P alone would be too muddy.

Soloing the J in the bridge by itself is its own tone (when I was just starting out I associated this tone with an active pickup bass).

For me, a better question than how to balance the J with a P is why is the neck J pickup so useless that it needs a P to thicken things up?

 

[jeremy]

i dont think a neck j pup is useless at all, tons of great tones can be had with a jazz bass.

 

[Mr. B]

I like the added versatility of the J pickup, but what I like most about P/J basses like the Fender Jaguar is that the string spacing is usually closer to that of a narrower J-bass, instead of the traditional P-bass' wide spacing. P/J basses like the Yamaha BB and Ibanez TMB100 have spacing somewhere in between, which I like even more.

 

[donaldr]

The bass has a three way toggle with one volume and tone. So I would have to replace the tone control to get a balance pot.

Bingo, here's the problem. My PJ is mostly P with added J to taste. This is better done with V/V/T where V neck is 100%, V bridge to taste or to control the level of treble and master tone.
Since your is V/T and 3-way switch, I would:
1- disconnect the switch
2- wire P direct to output (volume is always 100% on my basses anyway )
3- wire the volume to the J pickup only so it will act as a blend pot
4- keep the master tone