Squier PJ Vintage Modern opinions

[action_panzer]

A while ago I picked up a Squier Affinity P-Bass...really fancied getting a P tone in my playing and at £100 second hand was a no brainer. However, as easy as it is to play, I've found its limitations quite quickly, namely really wimpy pickups, and also not having anywhere to rest my thumb while playing (used a Jazz and a StingRay up to this point).

A few questions about upgrading my P then...the Vintage Modern has caught my eye because of its seemingly narrower neck (Modern C i believe), and the other major questions is does the split coil 'J' pickup on the bridge change the tone much? I would have tried it out but I went to Wunjo for that express purpose and they didn't have any!

I love the tone of a classic P configuration but the P/J sounds like a more comfortable option....opinions?

[theyellowcar]

I own the VM P and love it. However, I have just upgraded the pickups to Quarterpounders because even the Duncan Designed pickups were a little thin (great lows, but the D/G always sounded a bit wimpy for my liking)

My recommendation would be to swap out the electronics on your Affinity first and see how you get on (my Quarterpounders only cost £36 used on eBay) If you're missing the anchor you had with the J/MM style pickup maybe drop in a thumb rest in a similar position? Much cheaper than a new bass ;-)

[Green Alsatian]

If you're asking about the new(ish) Squire Vintage Modified PJ (see below), I have one and can offer some thoughts on it.

[url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier/basses/precision-bass/vintage-modified-precision-bass-pj-rosewood-fingerboard-3-color-sunburst/"]http://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier/basses/precision-bass/vintage-modified-precision-bass-pj-rosewood-fingerboard-3-color-sunburst/[/url]

The J pickup at the bridge isn't a split coil, just a regular single coil that looks like a DiMarzio, so you will still hear the 60Hz hum from it. I think Squier did this as it was a common mod in the late 70s. It's certainly not as hot as a DiMarzio.

The pickups themselves, I find are rather nice-sounding and haven't felt any compulsion to change them, although some prefer the 'Duncan Designed' pickups on older VM models. To my ears, on this one, the P sounds like a P should and the J sounds like it should. They both have ceramic magnets, so they offer a brighter sound than an Alnico magnet, but you still have the tone control to roll off the highs.

Together, the PJ configuration offers the scoop that you get with both pickups on full on a Jazz, but not as cutting. With both pickups on full, you will cut through more than the P pickup would alone. You also have the option to lower very slightly, the volume on either the P or J to give you either the burly sound of the P with a little more definition, or the growly J with a little more body. The addition of a J makes a big difference to the sound of a P-bass.

As for the rest of the bass, it's really light in comparison to other P-style basses I've owned. The neck isn't too thick in width (41mm) or too chunky from front to back - feels nice. No issues with the fit and finish are fine on mine (I went for the sunburst, but there's a metallic blue and a Candy Apple Red version) and the hardware feels solid - the tuners do what they should and the bridge is one of the higher-mass affairs. Very good for £246!

Here's a demo from GAK:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__WDTFc3QD8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__WDTFc3QD8[/url]