5 String PJ basses for a reasonable price?

[TRBboy]

Hi folks! 

Been looking recently for a 5 string PJ without paying to much (say under £1k), and aside from Yammy BB's (which I already have) there doesn't seem to be much on the market.... Just wondered if I've missed anything, any suggestions? 

 

Thanks! 😊👍

[jrixn1]

Some suggestions in here :

 

[Al Krow]

Ibanez SR 655E

3 band EQ with variable mid selector and even has the reverse P-pups. Active / Passive. Nord pups.

I do prefer the Natural to the ABS finish, but ABS seems to be the more common one in stock. 

Edited October 8, 2019 by Al Krow

[MOSCOWBASS]

https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_p7_alder_5_awh_2nd_gen.htm

I'm told they are very good😃

[HazBeen]

4 minutes ago, MOSCOWBASS said:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_p7_alder_5_awh_2nd_gen.htm

I'm told they are very good😃

They are indeed.

[TRBboy]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I do like the look of the Sires, but I wanted a passive bass really, and the preamp on those looks especially overcomplicated. 

Part of my issue is that although I love my Yamaha, I'd love something with a maple board and more colour options.... I find myself looking at yet another sandberg, even though it'll be a bit more pricy. I'm just not sure it'll give me the 'traditional' tone I'm after.... But it would look and play great! 

[Woodinblack]

Can look around to see if there is a used Maruszczyk Jake with a J pickup

[jezzaboy]

The Sire P7` is a really nice bass. The pre amp is one of it`s main selling points but if you run it in passive mode, it`s still a great sounding bass. And the rolled neck is super comfy. But the Sandberg is well sexy!

[gillento]

8 hours ago, TRBboy said:

...... I'm just not sure it'll give me the 'traditional' tone I'm after.... 

No, it won't. Due to the reverse placement of both split coils you'll get more definition on the bottom springs and more low end on the top strings..... which is great. BUT it isn't the traditional P sound.

I recently tried this with my Ristola bass using a Nordstrand P PU. The bass has a rectangular cavity. So experimenting with different PU positions was quite easily doable. In the end I came back to the traditional position.

[TRBboy]

7 minutes ago, gillento said:

No, it won't. Due to the reverse placement of both split coils you'll get more definition on the bottom springs and more low end on the top strings..... which is great. BUT it isn't the traditional P sound.

I recently tried this with my Ristola bass using a Nordstrand P PU. The bass has a rectangular cavity. So experimenting with different PU positions was quite easily doable. In the end I came back to the traditional position.

Thanks, that's already on my radar, I've asked Sandberg if they can do a non-reverse P, and they can! TBF their VS models have a non-reverse P. I'm also looking at going passive VVT instead of the preamp. 😊👍

[andruca]

I'm a Stingray5 guy who's been wanting to add an alternative/more "chamaleonic" 2 pickup 5er for years but couldn't find anything that both could do some P and J stuff and also would play like my Stingray 5ers, have as serious a low B and had also this wild "in-your-face-ness" to its tone (playing Musicman basses for so long has made pretty much anything else sound TAME). I've been thru:

1) FENDER AMERICAN DELUXE P 5: HORRIBLE BASS, doesn't play up to Ray 5ers, sounds dull, awful low B, crafting isn't even acceptable for the price.

2) MARUSZCZYK JAKE 5A+: NICE, light, comfortable, just couldn't stand the DEAD big pole Delanos. Appreciate the same thing on any Sandberg I've played, can be made to sound decent, but that doesn't avoid the disapointment any time I'd plug my Ray 5 after the Maru, it'd sound like someone removed a heavy blanket from over the amp. Could have changed the pickups (even on the cheap, I even prefer Wilkinsons to those Delanos) but decided to sell the bass and move on.

3) YAMAHA BB425X (passive): left me half in love about a lot, just decent, but the 5 piece neck shape has some "shoulders" to it I didn't like (sorta' D shaped).

4) YAMAHA BB615 (active): same as the 425, sounded "average", better neck than the 425, still failed to love it, not brilliant in any aspect really.

5) IBANEZ ATK305: not a P+J, but a MM+J (a very punchy and fat J that can do the P great): overall tame, VERY comfortable and light (early 2000s, MIK, mahogany body).

6) FERNANDES GRAVITY DELUXE 5: again, not a P+J but can do P amazingly well: had 2 for years, light and comfy, but in the end didn't have the needed heft to their tone.

7) EBMM STERLING 5 HS: the neck pickup is too close to the neck and even the more "jazzy" combinations don't sound J at all, couldn't move on with it (even tho' I loved how it played and felt) because of that and the modern preamp which sounded noticeably thinner than my Stingray5s (both pre-2008, 3-coil ceramic) and also sorta' "shy" on the EQ (in my Rays, just a little off the center detent of the EQ knobs goes a long way, with modern Musicman preamps you have to really mean it).

A note on what I've learned about pickup placing and combinations: a neck humbucker is more useless the further it's located from the Musicman spot towards the bridge (it can even be great moved the other way, even at the P spot, but useless if moved towards the bridge too past the MM point).

Now, all these basses have been blown out of the water since last February, when I got what's definitely my keeper fender'ish "impersonator" 5er, the SCHECTER CV-5 (Diamond Series). No PJ I've ever played can even touch this bass. Best 35" neck I've ever played (I luv'em SKINNY), 2 J-bucker pickups that look like guitar pickups but are really like 2 Jazz pickups together, both can be switched independently for single-parallel-series wiring. It comes with a 3-way pickup selector, which I swapped for the appropriate taper blend pot for extending its already wide tone palette. Can do SEVERAL FLAVORS of J, P and some more stuff. It's comfortable, not that light for today's standards (~9.5lb), and it packs both some serious balls for a passive bass (WAY more gain than my Stingrays) but also serious tone shaping options for a passive bass as the coil tapping of each pickup (if you know what to expect from series -thick and meaty-, parallel --more hi-fi- or single coil and the combination of both pickups -more of a timbrical tuning-), you can literally boost/cut bass, mid or treble with the flip of a switch. I've owned a Peavey T40, which had the nicest passive electronics I had played, but even then you had to mess with cutting back the tone controls to make pickups go from single to humbucking, this is so much straightforward, sort of like a poor man's Roscoe Beck V (with a way more comfortable neck -same 22 frets- and a 17mm string spacing @bridge I much prefer -used to my Rays 17.5mm, so no problem-). It's got light tuners and carbon neck reinforcements, things you usually don't see in this price range (this cost me little over 600€ new, got it from the USA -shipping and customs included-). Made in Indonesia, but better construction and overall perceived quality than a (also Indonesian) Sterling by Musicman Ray35 I just sold (little higher price range new, mine went for 550€ second hand).

Here's a cool review of the CV-4 which shows some of the many tones this bass can do.

And here's a quick demo of my CV-5 over some drums and the whole "band". Bass is recorded on a Zoom R24 recorder using just a built-in SansAmp emulation in has. This is neck pickup in single coil (uses bridge side coil) and bridge pickup in parallel, playing with a pick (sorry for that, here's me playing some Billy Talent with my fingers on it -same settings-, phone sound but you can really appreciate the thickness, punch and overall aggressiveness).

Edited October 11, 2019 by andruca

[therealting]

Dingwall Supers are available in P/J config. I love my Super P5, probably my favourite bass of all time. 

[HazBeen]

4 hours ago, therealting said:

Dingwall Supers are available in P/J config. I love my Super P5, probably my favourite bass of all time. 

Not sure if they can be considered "reasonaby priced". They often use pretty much the same preamp as the Sandbergs (Glockenklang). Another to keep in mind.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/esp_ltd_ap_5_black.htm

Price to quality ratio on LTD is pretty amazing too.

[EliasMooseblaster]

5 hours ago, andruca said:

Now, all these basses have been blown out of the water since last February, when I got what's definitely my keeper fender'ish "impersonator" 5er, the SCHECTER CV-5 (Diamond Series). No PJ I've ever played can even touch this bass.

Whilst I can't comment on the CV-5 specifically, I will chime in and say that Schecter's Diamond Series basses are things of great joy and beauty. The four-string Model T is one of the best basses I own - and I've seen very positive reviews of its 5-string equivalent. While it doesn't have as many bells and whistles* as the CV, it is a really good, solid P/J, which sounds great and is a delight to play.

 

*the passive version (which I have) was just V/V/T; I think the modern (active) versions are V/B/EQ

[therealting]

3 hours ago, HazBeen said:

Not sure if they can be considered "reasonaby priced".

True, oops.

I will say that my BB435 is alarmingly close in terms of quality especially for the money. Am aware that the OP already has a BB or two, but for anyone else on the lookout for a 5-string PJ, it doesn’t get much better.

[andruca]

18 hours ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

Whilst I can't comment on the CV-5 specifically, I will chime in and say that Schecter's Diamond Series basses are things of great joy and beauty. The four-string Model T is one of the best basses I own - and I've seen very positive reviews of its 5-string equivalent. While it doesn't have as many bells and whistles* as the CV, it is a really good, solid P/J, which sounds great and is a delight to play.

 

*the passive version (which I have) was just V/V/T; I think the modern (active) versions are V/B/EQ

I'm familiar with Model Ts (and a total FAN) and this is the same kinda' quality, same neck as the Model T Session 5, just not the usual EMGs + active EQ but these J-bucker pickups in passive (in fact the same that come in the Apocalypse variant of both the Model T and the C4/5, SUPER GAINY even in parallel). Top notch instruments, quality matches that of my SLO/CA Musicmen, doesn't feel one penny cheaper played side by side with those (2x the value used), it's THAT good. I'm not into the more "modern" Schecter basses, there's a certain "genericness" to many of their sounds I don't like, but the classic/"fender'ish" kind are rocking. Same feeling I get from ESP/LTD instruments BTW, not into their modern/metalesque stuff, but their "Fender killer" range is surprisingly good, tremendous bang for the buck (plus real QC and consistency, you know, I'd never buy a Fender/Squier sight unseen -a 4 string because I'd never get a Fender 5er-, but I've done it with Ernie Ball Music Man, some Ibanezes, some Fernandes and I'd definitely do it with Schecter as I did with this CV-5, had played a dozen Schecter basses before, not a single bad thing on any of them, and always incredibly setup from factory).

Edited October 11, 2019 by andruca

[thodrik]

It might be a 'Metal' bass in concept, however in terms of price and features the JAckson Dave Ellefson Concert Bass is really nice. PJ configuration, EMG pick ups, compound radius and truss rod adjuster. All for less than £1k brand new. No artist signature on it and the looks are pretty traditional Fender style. Good looking workhorse bass. 

[Al Krow]

I'd forgotten about this one...

Recently released JACKSON SIGNATURE DAVID ELLEFSON CONCERT BASS CBX-M V 

 

 

• 5 string PJ & blend knob
• reverse P EMGs 
• 3 band EQ
• 35" scale
• graphite reinforced neck
• £659 GAK in the UK 
• available in white  

Downsides

• seems to be purely active; no passive 'fall back'
• 21 frets rather than 24 frets

 

I could see this being an excellent workhorse gigging bass. Oh dear...I'm kinda getting a sense of small bubbles building up in the depth of my gut, again, now that I have recently moved on my BB P35. Must resist, must resist...😂

5 minutes ago, thodrik said:

It might be a 'Metal' bass in concept, however in terms of price and features the Jackson Dave Ellefson Concert Bass is really nice. PJ configuration, EMG pick ups, compound radius and truss rod adjuster. All for less than £1k brand new. No artist signature on it and the looks are pretty traditional Fender style. Good looking workhorse bass. 

A completely spooky "snap" arriving at the same conclusion!!

Edited October 11, 2019 by Al Krow

[andruca]

The reverse P is a big advantage in that Dave Ellefson model (gorgeous!). IME reverse P > P, but when it comes to P there's simply no question, regular P position under a low B is useless 90% of the time. Reversing doesn't move the low notes coil that far but that <1" makes a noticeable difference on low notes (plus the other coil moving towards the neck fattens high strings, making it all more balanced).

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, andruca said:

The reverse P is a big advantage in that Dave Ellefson model (gorgeous!). IME reverse P > P, but when it comes to P there's simply no question, regular P position under a low B is useless 90% of the time. Reversing doesn't move the low notes coil that far but that <1" makes a noticeable difference on low notes (plus the other coil moving towards the neck fattens high strings, making it all more balanced).

Yup that is definitely the theory. Not having owned a reverse P, I can't comment in practice. 

But I do know that I'm not using a solo'd P on my Yammy PJ 5ers, but have settled on the blended PJ setting which kinda ties in with what you're saying.

Both the Ibby SR655E and the Jackson Dave E models are offering the reverse P (as do Sandbergs, but we're starting to stray into > £1k territory, certainly for new with the Bergs).

Edited October 11, 2019 by Al Krow

[HazBeen]

11 minutes ago, andruca said:

The reverse P is a big advantage in that Dave Ellefson model (gorgeous!). IME reverse P > P, but when it comes to P there's simply no question, regular P position under a low B is useless 90% of the time. Reversing doesn't move the low notes coil that far but that <1" makes a noticeable difference on low notes (plus the other coil moving towards the neck fattens high strings, making it all more balanced).

I have to disagree with you. Lull, Yamaha all use normal P pickups in their PJ 5s and my Lull PJ5 had one of the best B's I ever owned. It is as much about the construction of the bass as it is about the pickup.

Edited October 11, 2019 by HazBeen

[TRBboy]

In my experience, you need the P pickup to be normal orientation if you want to be able to nail that classic sound, but as long as you've also got a bridge pickup, you can dial in a nice tight sounding B. 

I love the look of the DE Jackson, it's perfect, apart from the 35"scale for me, I just don't like that extra length these days. 

If I'm being completely honest with myself, the only reason I'm looking at something else is purely aesthetics.... The BB435 is absolutely perfect and feels /sounds like a bass 3-4 times the price. But... I do love a maple fretboard, and something that looks like the sandberg I posted above would tick all the boxes. But maybe I just need to get over my vanity and stock with the BB! 🤦‍♂️

[javi_bassist]

Sire also some models that should check out I think

Edited October 11, 2019 by javi_bassist

[gillento]

On 11/10/2019 at 11:04, andruca said:

.... regular P position under a low B is useless 90% of the time. ....

Not true with all the Nordstrands, Lakland Skylines and Sadowskys I played

Edited October 13, 2019 by gillento

[dave_bass5]

I had this Sire PJ for a few weeks. It had a faulty bridge pups I had to send it back. But  other than that I was over the moon with it 
it also had a more traditional P tone than my much more expensive Yamaha BBP34.
 

Edited October 12, 2019 by dave_bass5