Calling all P Bass Experts

[Yukimajou]

I have never owned a P Bass and was thinking of getting one, but I keep hearing talk of a dead zone on the Fender ones. Is this only on Fenders or is it across the board on P Basses? And if it's only Fenders, is there a period from where they started to get it sorted?

I know these sound like some novice questions, but I need to know if I am to shell out my hard earned.

As a side question, does a PJ Bass negate the need for seperate P and J basses, or is it a horrible mash up of the two and I would be better off getting the two individually?

[FuNkShUi]

I cant answer the question on the dead zone, as i don't own a Fender. Although i would be seriously surprised if that was a common problem.

I do however own a bass with P + J pickups. It is ridiculously versatile. While it probably doesn't do the exact P sound like a P, or the exact bridge sound of a jazz, it is really close.
It's definitely not a horrible mash up. Well, mine isn't.
I'll always own a bass set up like this. Makes so much sense because of the variance in songs and genres my wedding band plays.

[EliasMooseblaster]

I don't know why Fenders are so notorious for it - my understanding is that it can happen to any bass with a headstock. I think I've recently discovered a dead spot on my Thunderbird around the 5th fret on the G!

P/J...an odd beast, probably because the dominant frequencies of the pickups are quite mismatched. I'd say treat it like a P-bass with the option to add some more trebly 'bite' where you need it. Personally I've never managed to get a tone out of mine which sounded that much like a Jazz!

[Lw.]

Dead-spots aren't brand specific, I'm sure there are Fenders with a dead-spot but it could really happen to any brand/model. As ever with basses - try before you buy.

PJ's are nice but by definition they're neither a P nor J, they're their own thing - you might really like them but if you want a P get a P.

[Cuzzie]

Dead zone is bass specific

P's and J's are great basses both will serve you well.

My advice work out which you want first and get a quality one, save up and then get the other one then all basses covered

[ezbass]

As has been said, dead spots are not manufacturer specific and there are also basses with 'hot spots' where one or two notes jump out. I've had a couple of these and neither, IIRC, were Fenders.

P basses are all about 'that' sound, a wide-ish neck and the waisted body shape. I used find that I sometimes wanted a little bridge type tone to add to signature sound, so I added another P pickup; marvellous! I do regret selling that bass, but ''twas ever thus.

Go and try a few, Fenders (both MIM and US), Lakland Skylines and definitely Squier CVs (awesome basses for the money, often superior to some Fenders, IMO).

[Cuzzie]

Also try other makes out of the usual big if you can, for example the Jeff Berlin Cort bass has one of the best bridge pick ups you will find

There is no wrong or right, just what is right for you

[fretmeister]

Every bass has a deadspot. It's just more obvious on some than others.

It is frequency dependent, and that freq is partly based on construction / weight.
If you are lucky the freq will be worst in between notes. Say a C and a 1/4 rather than a C or C#.

even Status graphite necks have them - it's just due to the construction they tend to be higher up the board where you don't notice as much.

[chris_b]

There's no "dead zone" but on some basses there might be a "dead spot" (usually only 1) where a note can be slightly quieter than the others. These can be a product of the materials and design used in the manufacture and can be found in many basses. Usually they are not a serious problem. Every song recorded in the last 70 years was recorded on a bass that could have had this issue.

Modern basses can have graphite rods and stringers installed in the neck to reduce the chance of dead spots and the problem can be reduced by using quarter sawn necks. Fat Finger clamps will also help.

Dead spots don't appear or develop. They are there from day 1 so, when trying a bass, play every note on the neck and listen to its volume in relation to the other notes and how it sustains. If there is a dead spot you'll hear it. Then you can decide if it matters to you or not.

[Marc S]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1496393816' post='3310994']
P/J...an odd beast, probably because the dominant frequencies of the pickups are quite mismatched. I'd say treat it like a P-bass with the option to add some more trebly 'bite' where you need it. Personally I've never managed to get a tone out of mine which sounded that much like a Jazz!
[/quote]

Re "dead spots" - in the past I've had and played a couple of basses which had them. Usually a good set-up should help to remedy this. I've got a Squier Classic Vibe P that had a bit of a dead spot (it came with slightly dead, second-hand strings I didn't know the origin of) - think it was on the D string around 3rd or 4th fret, from (ailing) memory - however, a change of strings & set-up and that went! In fact, I've changed strings again on this bass, and still no dead spot - so it may even be partly down to the materials used in different strings, not always suiting a particular individual bass? who knows?

Re the P/J pickup arrangement - I had said Squier CV P bass P/J'ed professionally by a well known, brilliant Cardiff based luthier - and I loved it so much, I had my Roadworn P given the same treatment. I have to say P/J really works for me. I wouldn't say it was an "odd" arrangement at all - in fact, I've come to the conclusion that all P's should be P/J'ed - I might even start a petition! lol

I wouldn't say that P and J pickups are "mismatched" at all - but that may depend on different pickup brands too? Both mine have Entwistle PBXN and JBXN pickups, and I'm not kidding, these are the best value passive pickups out there.... I would say that I don't particularly like the sound with both the P and the J pups both turned up full (or near full) but I don't think that's mis-matching - I just don't like it myself. I tend to use the P pickup as the "dominant" one, and dial in a bit of J at a time, until the sound has a bit of Jazz "burble" to it. This varies, depending on which band I'm playing with, and what happens to my sound at the venue - which seems to vary more than most other factors...

Neither bass ever sounds exactly like a Jazz- but it wouldn't, given that it would need 2 J pickups to do so. Although, I can play with the sound until I've got as much J in there as I want. Go on - get your P P/J'ed!

Edited June 2, 2017 by Marc S

[Lozz196]

I`ve found that on many of the P-basses I`ve had that the C on the E string has been quieter than the other notes. Others have mentioned the C# on the G string but a note that high is in guitarist territory for me, so can`t comment on that one.

[ikay]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1496395663' post='3311019']
Every bass has a deadspot. It's just more obvious on some than others.

It is frequency dependent, and that freq is partly based on construction / weight.
If you are lucky the freq will be worst in between notes. Say a C and a 1/4 rather than a C or C#.

even Status graphite necks have them - it's just due to the construction they tend to be higher up the board where you don't notice as much.
[/quote]

+1 this is entirely correct and it's refreshing to see someone say this! The deadspots aren't always obvious or troublesome but if you really listen hard enough there will be detectable slight variations in sustain and fullness/harmonic content of notes across the neck. The most troublesome deadspots occur where the resonance of the neck at a particular point coincides with the frequency of the fretted note at that exact same point.

The neck resonates at different frequencies in different areas which can create multiple deadspots, even though some or all of them mey not be obvious or troublesome.

Deadspots can develop or become more obvious over time or with changes in the weather, particularly with wooden necks. I had an SR5 that developed a troublesome note on the G string after I'd had it for about 10 years.

Other variable factors such as string gauge and trussrod setting can also aggravate (or ameliorate) deadspots. Checking every fretted note when you buy will give you a good idea of whether the neck is obviously troublesome or not, but the resonant spots on the neck will change slightly if you change string gauge or adjust neck relief.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1496402510' post='3311081']
I wouldn't say that P and J pickups are "mismatched" at all - but that may depend on different pickup brands too? Both mine have Entwistle PBXN and JBXN pickups, and I'm not kidding, these are the best value passive pickups out there.... I would say that I don't particularly like the sound with both the P and the J pups both turned up full (or near full) but I don't think that's mis-matching - I just don't like it myself. I tend to use the P pickup as the "dominant" one, and dial in a bit of J at a time, until the sound has a bit of Jazz "burble" to it. This varies, depending on which band I'm playing with, and what happens to my sound at the venue - which seems to vary more than most other factors...

Neither bass ever sounds exactly like a Jazz- but it wouldn't, given that it would need 2 J pickups to do so. Although, I can play with the sound until I've got as much J in there as I want. Go on - get your P P/J'ed!
[/quote]

You'll have to excuse my choice of words - "mismatched" was chosen long before I'd had any coffee this morning! What I was trying to get across was that there's something about two well-matched jazz pickups which produce certain distinct tones - e.g., the scooped sound (both p/ups on full) and that bright, piano-like tone (bridge backed off a bit) - which I've never managed to replicate with a P/J.

[Marc S]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1496406766' post='3311160']
You'll have to excuse my choice of words - "mismatched" was chosen long before I'd had any coffee this morning! What I was trying to get across was that there's something about two well-matched jazz pickups which produce certain distinct tones - e.g., the scooped sound (both p/ups on full) and that bright, piano-like tone (bridge backed off a bit) - which I've never managed to replicate with a P/J.
[/quote]

Ah, no "excuse" needed EliasMooseblaster - great name BTW!
I know where you're coming from. Actually, I recently traded my Fretless US P (which I absolutely loved) - but I got myself (in another trade) a Fretless Jazz - and there's definitely something in the sound of 2 Jazz pickups that just seems to suit Fretless - or at least the fretless sound I'M after anyway. Otherwise, I'd have kept that fretless P....

I love the sound of a fretted Jazz too, and I still miss my Roadworn Jazz like crazy - but again, it's down to the setting and band / genre you're playing in - but in the band I really need vintage Fender type tones in, the P/J definitely cuts through better, and just has a nice edge when dialing some J tones in. EDIT: Since P/J'ing my 2x P's, I've found the sound to be so flexible for any of the bands I'm playing with. In one band in particular, where we cover Rock, pop, Reggae, Ska, Blues, Punk, Folk etc etc! I can just get what I want from a P/J, and that can be very different sounds between 2 songs right next to each other...

And sorry to bang on lol - but the simplicity of just having 3 controls in V,V,T arrangement is just what I need for quick changing of tone, as opposed to 6 or 7 knobs, some with dual controls / stacked controls and switches.....

Edited June 2, 2017 by Marc S

[margusalviste]

I used to own a few PJ basses that didn't sound attractive at all. Even one high dollar Pedulla MVP was kind of lifeless, without personality. I was already giving up and used mostly JB type basses until I formed a new band which called a PB sound. Luckily I got an old JV-series Squier P with PJ setup and wow - it sounds killer. These days I use a lot my Enfield Custom bass in PJ coil combination. What a killer tone comes from this beast!!!!
PS! I have also a JV Squier P with just a P-pickup in case I need that.

[Quatschmacher]

The PJ arrangement on a P bass is great. It gives the normal P tone when soloing the P pickup. Soloing the bridge pickup gives the sound of a soloed Jazz bridge pickup. What it won't give you is the sound of a Jazz with both pickups on full. The P+J pickups together give a very different sound (and one that I'm not fond of).

The only thing I like both pickups on a jazz on full for is for slapping; otherwise I prefer weight the pickup balance to one or the other of the pickups.

[Twincam]

The only bass I owned with a dead spot was actually a USA Fender p bass. And even then it was only noticeable if looking for it.
I've had other fenders both p and jazz, mim and usa that didn't have any issues.

And in regards to a PJ bass I only had one a fender p special and I loved it! (Wish I never sold it!) It didn't really do the jazz thing as well as a 2 pu jazz bass, but it did the p bass thing as expected and you could dial in the rear j pu for more honk and tone variation.
And I loved the jazz neck, p bass body combo.
I must of been stupid of selling it, Urgh total regret.