A few ideas I've been having....

[Bottle]

Howdy chaps

Have been following several threads about basses with two (or more) pickups, particularly those with the MM-style humbucker and a single-coil arrangement. It seems to me that the most popular configuration is that the humbucker is positioned towards the bridge and the single-coil in front, usually in a mid/neck position.

Are there any basses out there with an alternative arrangement i.e SC in the bridge position, maybe the typical '60's/'70's Jazz position (bridge) and a humbucker in the forward position [i]a la[/i] Stingray MM etc? The reason I ask is that on my Jazz-esque style bass, I much prefer playing over the rearward Jazz pickup to get the 'burpy' tone, and rarely venture forward, even when I have the pups switched in series. I am considering altering the wiring on my Ibby to make the rear pickup more prominent/fully on when in parallel mode, but I digress.......

I've also come to love the rich tones I can get from a humbucker (with the obvious benefit of greater noise immunity). A 'Ray 4HS would seem to be up my street having (briefly) played a superb 4H at a jam night, plus having the Vintage 'Ray copy in my possession now too. The only niggle being the placement of said pickups - I would much prefer the SC pickup to be at the back!!! Also, as a nicety, I would like some sort of coil-split or switching arrangement like the 4HS, but I'm happy with V/V+2EQ or V/B+2EQ. A bonus would be to have the MM pickup coil-split for series / parallel.

Am I looking for something that doesn't exist in a commercial format i.e am I going to have to go to a luthier to build one? I do adore the Jazz shape and neck profile, so it might be a case of modding a COTS Jazz body with a MM route in the neck position instead of the second jazz pickup. Obviously pre-amp choice would also be important - I'm thinking John East J-Retro (are these available as V/B + 2EQ?) or an Audere JZ3B.

Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.

ta,
Ian

[Ou7shined]

One could argue that the good old PJ set up is what you are describing.

But what you are getting at could be easily achieved by a wee bit of jiggery-pokery on any HH bass - a G&L L-2000 for example.

[Doddy]

The Washburn Stuart Hamm bass has a humbucker in the middle and a jazz pickup
at the bridge

[eude]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1317298116' post='1389165']
The Washburn Stuart Hamm bass has a humbucker in the middle and a jazz pickup
at the bridge
[/quote]

Well done that man >>
http://www.washburn.com/basses/signature-series/

Not sure where the best place to try one is however, not seen a Washburn in the flesh for a while...

Eude

[Bottle]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1317295878' post='1389119']
One could argue that the good old PJ set up is what you are describing.

But what you are getting at could be easily achieved by a wee bit of jiggery-pokery on any HH bass - a G&L L-2000 for example.
[/quote]
Of course!!

And yes, I do have a P/J arrangement on a bass - but I dunno, there feels something lacking. Maybe it's the cheap-ness of the Squier, in that they've skimped on the quality of the pickups, because to me, they don't sound, well, terribly well-matched as a pair. Maybe it's also just my ears being completely shagged

Otherwise, it does tick all the other boxes - maybe I could look at a series / parallel switch mod to the P pickup, and that would get me there perhaps. But I do like the look of the MM pickup - to me, it's much more 'manly' if you see what I mean - it's those exposed pole pieces, they just oooze 'rawk'

Anyway, thanks for the replies so far chaps!

Ian

[eude]

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1317299944' post='1389205']
Of course!!

And yes, I do have a P/J arrangement on a bass - but I dunno, there feels something lacking. Maybe it's the cheap-ness of the Squier, in that they've skimped on the quality of the pickups, because to me, they don't sound, well, terribly well-matched as a pair. Maybe it's also just my ears being completely shagged

Otherwise, it does tick all the other boxes - maybe I could look at a series / parallel switch mod to the P pickup, and that would get me there perhaps. But I do like the look of the MM pickup - to me, it's much more 'manly' if you see what I mean - it's those exposed pole pieces, they just oooze 'rawk'

Anyway, thanks for the replies so far chaps!

Ian
[/quote]

You could always have your P/J bass routed to take a MM style pickup, assuming it's got a pickguard.
You can use a pickguard to cover all kinds of horrors.
If you don't like it, you can probably put it back as it was easy enough too...

Eude

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1317300399' post='1389219']

You could always have your P/J bass routed to take a MM style pickup, assuming it's got a pickguard.
You can use a pickguard to cover all kinds of horrors.
If you don't like it, you can probably put it back as it was easy enough too...

Eude
[/quote]
Good call.

[Bottle]

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1317300399' post='1389219']

You could always have your P/J bass routed to take a MM style pickup, assuming it's got a pickguard.
You can use a pickguard to cover all kinds of horrors.
If you don't like it, you can probably put it back as it was easy enough too...

Eude
[/quote]
[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1317300632' post='1389227']
Good call.
[/quote]

Now that is some lateral thinking!

However, I have just defretted my P/J and I'm looking to keep this configuration for a while, but it has got my creative juices flowing, especially if I can purchase another similar P/J bass. And you're both right - a pickguard can cover a multitude of sins! I should know - I've dismantled my Squier several times

Cheers,
Ian

[eude]

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1317300931' post='1389233']

Now that is some lateral thinking!

However, I have just defretted my P/J and I'm looking to keep this configuration for a while, but it has got my creative juices flowing, especially if I can purchase another similar P/J bass. And you're both right - a pickguard can cover a multitude of sins! I should know - I've dismantled my Squier several times

Cheers,
Ian
[/quote]

Right, I'll put today down as a success then. Can I go back to sleep now?...
Seriously though, I reckon picking up a Squier P Bass and getting a bit of modding done is a good idea, if you go for the P Bass you can perhaps experiment a bit with different bridge pickup positions, i.e. 60's vs 70's perhaps?

Eude

Edited September 29, 2011 by eude

[Musicman20]

Problem is, once you take the H away from the sweetspot, (unless its a minor move like the HH Bongos) then it no longer sounds like a 'Stingray'...at all.

A G&L or Sandberg would be a good idea...

[Shaggy]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1317295878' post='1389119']One could argue that the good old PJ set up is what you are describing.
[/quote]

Very hard to beat the P/J format, and hard to beat simply upgrading pickups as the single most effective mod (other than changing strings, I guess....)

I changed the p/ups in my "beater" P/J Squier (£50 from Crack Converters, and already endeared to me as a lovely player) to Bartolinis. Absolutely transformed it, to the point where I'm rather embarassingly gigging it in preference to my vintage Fender, Ric and Gibsons.