PJ pickup question

[marlborored]

So I have a PJ bass (american deluxe precision for anyone who cares) which is an outstanding bass and I can't see myself ever selling it but my question is this:

Does having a jazz bridge pickup make any difference to the sound of the precision pickup even when the pan knob is turned completely to the precision side?

In other words, if I'm soloing the precision pickup; would it sound any different to a precision that didn't have a J bridge pickup. I'm only asking as I can count the times I have used just the jazz or both pickups together on one hand and if having a jazz pickup that I never use is in anyway changing the tone of the precision pickup that I solo 99.9% of the time then for me it would be worth unwiring the jazz pickup (if that can even be done?!)

Thanks in advance.

[gary mac]

if the precision pup is in the same position as on a standard p bass, then I would expect the sound to be the same.

[HowieBass]

I can't see how the bridge pickup would affect the tone. I have an old Westone that's a super PJ; it has a 3-way selector switch, different than a blend pot I know, but when I compared it to my Squier VM Precision (with roundwounds on both instruments) they came out sounding very alike indeed in spite of the differences in pickups (the Westone has a Magnabass II pickup with pole pieces in a conventional P bass pattern). I certainly hear no influence from the bridge pickup on the Westone when the neck pickup is selected anyway.

[Muzz]

I've had lots of PJs and nope, with the P pup soloed, the J has no effect (assuming the wiring's all sound). With 2 pickup basses I use the neck (usually a split/P pup) only for 90% of the time, but I like to have the option to run them both for a more scooped sound on the rare occasions I need it. I never, ever use the J soloed.

[dannybuoy]

[size=4]This question gets asked often and the general consensus is it does sound different, but only very slightly. T[/size][size=4]he J pup and additional pot are still presenting a load to the P pup which alters its response a little.[/size]

[size=4]You could always fit a push/pull pot to remove the J pup and pot from the circuit entirely though! [/size]

Edited November 17, 2014 by dannybuoy

[KiOgon]

A factor in the OP's bass is the blend pot used. there are various per cent of either pick up in the range of some pots, some will not take the J completely out of circuit when fully turned.

Hope that makes sense

[iiipopes]

For a P/J, I recommend that the traditional V-V-T control arrangement be used and not a master/balance pot arrangement. V-V-T has the least effect on the P pickup when the J pickup is turned down. Since everything is wired together, there will be the slightest effect on the tone of the P pickup from loading to ground, but it won't be noticable.

I would suggest one upgrade: if the J bridge pickup is single coil, please consider upgrading it to a noiseless pickup, whether stack, side-by-side, or end-to-end, in order to maintain the noiseless character of the P pickup when you have both pickups on.

I would keep the J bridge pickup wired in. You never know when you will need it.

Edited November 25, 2014 by iiipopes