lucatus Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Hello there, I'm putting together a bass and I'd like to know your opinions. I'm thinking about combining P (neck) + Humbucker (bridge) rather than the more usual PJ configuration. The bass would be passive and with a 3 way switch (P, P+H,H). I've seen very few basses with this configuration, mainly an old Fender American Deluxe series now discontinued. I owned one a long time ago and the sound was interesting, but I was a bit dissatisfied with the stock electronics and sold it. Now I already have PJ and JJ basses, so this P+H would give me something different. I'm gonna use a Bartolini 8S P, still undecided about the humbucker. Suggestions welcome. I also have a Bartolini 9JL1 jazz pup, so feel free to tell me to forget the whole plan and just do a PJ like most people do! 😂 Cheers Pablo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Hi Pablo I installed a Fender humbucker at the neck of what was orginally a P/J. Solo'd it sounds great, it has more grunt that the original J-PUP and is far more usable in that respect. I wouldn;t say I can get a Stingray tone, but what I do get is closer to that than a Jazz. However, unlike that J-PUP, I cannot blend the humbucker and split-coil (Precision) PUP in any usable way, as soon as both are engaged at any decent volume (i.e., past about 6/10 on the volume pots) there is a complete loss of bass and I'm left with a bass tone reminiscent of the gear I was playing in the early 80's! I assume that this is a wiring issue that I need to investigate (the wiring is sound with all leads going to the right places, I'm guessing I might need to reverse polarity on one of the PUPs), but I didn't have this problem with J-PUPs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 20 minutes ago, Beedster said: Hi Pablo I installed a Fender humbucker at the neck of what was orginally a P/J. Solo'd it sounds great, it has more grunt that the original J-PUP and is far more usable in that respect. I wouldn;t say I can get a Stingray tone, but what I do get is closer to that than a Jazz. However, unlike that J-PUP, I cannot blend the humbucker and split-coil (Precision) PUP in any usable way, as soon as both are engaged at any decent volume (i.e., past about 6/10 on the volume pots) there is a complete loss of bass and I'm left with a bass tone reminiscent of the gear I was playing in the early 80's! I assume that this is a wiring issue that I need to investigate (the wiring is sound with all leads going to the right places, I'm guessing I might need to reverse polarity on one of the PUPs), but I didn't have this problem with J-PUPs. Sounds like you're out of phase there! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucatus Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 Thanks for that, guys! I was thinking of adding a series/parallel switch and inverting phase as well, I see I'm gonna have to look into that. Any more experiences/opinions anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Have a search on here for pingray, there are a few mentions of it and a build thread somewhere (I'm on mobile so linking is a pain) I think that @Ou7shined built it and in my opinion it's the way to go. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 55 minutes ago, Bigwan said: Sounds like you're out of phase there! Yep, that was my original thinking but have checked it both ways and still the same. Might be an earth issue somewhere perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucatus Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Matt P said: Have a search on here for pingray, there are a few mentions of it and a build thread somewhere (I'm on mobile so linking is a pain) I think that @Ou7shined built it and in my opinion it's the way to go. Matt Lol, I looked for 'precision humbucker', never thought of 'Pingray' Ta!😂😂😂 Edited September 20, 2018 by lucatus Misspelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 And here it is. I remember seeing it at the Moffat Bass Bash just after Rich built it. In fact he bought a Seymour Duncan pre-amp off me to put in it. Sounded awesome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucatus Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 2 hours ago, BassBunny said: And here it is. I remember seeing it at the Moffat Bass Bash just after Rich built it. In fact he bought a Seymour Duncan pre-amp off me to put in it. Sounded awesome. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Looking at that I guess you need to decide whether it's the P-PUP or the Ray-PUP that you want in the respective sweet spot, I'm guessing you can't have both? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Sandberg have a whole P pup with M humbucker, it’s called their VM bass. IMO if you don’t have your MM pick up in exactly the same spot as a Ray, you won’t get a Ray sound. In addition if you don’t have their pre-amp then again you won’t get the sound, doesn’t mean it’s bad, you just won’t get that particular nasal Ray sounding vibe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 20 minutes ago, Cuzzie said: Sandberg have a whole P pup with M humbucker, it’s called their VM bass. Just about to mention Sandberg. But now this has reignited my Sandberg GAS. D'oh. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Especially the Cedar one coming in..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucatus Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 (edited) Thanks guys! The P is in the sweet spot already, as I started working on what was going to be a PJ. Now, the H probably won't be. I also intend to go for a Barttolini H, which I already had in another bass. It wasn't the Ray sound but it was good. I'll be happy with a Ray-ish sound. In any case it will give me something I don't have at the moment! Cheers Pablo Edited September 21, 2018 by lucatus Misspelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamg67 Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 (edited) Not quite the same, but I've got a Maruszczyk Jake with a Delano P-style and Humbucker. I think humbucker selection and placement are crucial, what you have to watch out for is that the humbucker sounds fat because it's a humbucker, and the P bass pickup sounds fat because of it's placement further from the bridge, so you can end with a surprisingly similar sound. Neither of them sounds like a J at the neck (though you might be able to tap a humbucker to do that?). I don't mind that, because I've got an Elwood as well with Huassel J pups, and my Jake is my play-with-a-pick rock out bass. Edited September 22, 2018 by adamg67 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 13 hours ago, adamg67 said: I think humbucker selection and placement are crucial, what you have to watch out for is that the humbucker sounds fat because it's a humbucker, and the P bass pickup sounds fat because of it's placement further from the bridge, so you can end with a surprisingly similar sound. That's very true, it's something I wish I'd thought more about when I put in my HB, as whilst there is a clear different in tone between HB and PB PUPs, it's nothing like as evident as it was with PB and JB PUPs (the bass in question was originally P/J and I was never really happy with the J-PUP position or tone so had a HB installed instead). I'm using one of the below from Fender (the bass is routed for this shape not for MM style humbucker, which might also have been a mistake in terms of the range of PUPs available), any thoughts on PUPs that might give more contrast with the Precision PUP welcome.... I naively assumed that being a 'Double-J' it would allow me to tap into a single J-coil should I want to, but it only has two cables so I assume not? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Delano have good offerings if you like a crisp Hi-type sound. Ulyate do some pretty nice pick ups to me ears, Joe Barden do some interesting blades you would prob fit in one for a bass VI they do Haüssel for a more retro, mid focussed and full sound. Hauessel also do a triple bucker the same size as an MM, but 3 lines of Pole pieces switchable. you may of course be able to mod the existing pick up to select a single coil, but it depends on the pick up andnsokeone cleverer than me will be able to let you know 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Cuzzie said: Delano have good offerings if you like a crisp Hi-type sound. Ulyate do some pretty nice pick ups to me ears, Joe Barden do some interesting blades you would prob fit in one for a bass VI they do Haüssel for a more retro, mid focussed and full sound. Hauessel also do a triple bucker the same size as an MM, but 3 lines of Pole pieces switchable. you may of course be able to mod the existing pick up to select a single coil, but it depends on the pick up andnsokeone cleverer than me will be able to let you know Hi mate, thanks for the info, Delano do some great PUPs, I really like the look of these for my P/H https://www.bestbassgear.com/djc-4-he-m2.htm. Anyone use one of played one? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 They look very interesting. In Most Sandbergs you will find the Delano JMVC 4 FE/M2 I think, have a listen to them.. If you can find any sound bites of the JC4 HE/M2 then that is the same as the one you have listed except they are side by side in one package. It should give you a mark of the difference between them, but from a quick look at their spec, possible a bit more vintage on the one you have listed. Bear in mind Sandberg use a Glockenklang Pre-amp so make sure it’s set flat to give you a proper idea of the sound. Looks really good though, hope it goes well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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