In search of the perfect PJ

[jezzaboy]

I would buy @Lozz196 P Deluxe if it`s still available. I had one the same and it was a cracking bass. Plenty of grunt from the Noiseless J pickup especially with the active engaged.

 

And a cracking price as well.

[horrorshowbass]

58 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Is there not a solution in pedal form? Or on your EQ?

Why use a pedal when you can buy  a new bass? You're on the wrong forum m8

 

 

[BillyBass]

2 hours ago, horrorshowbass said:

https://reverb.com/item/43566676-charvel-pro-mod-san-dimas-bass-pj-iv

 

Bargain

You are aware that this bass is in Latvia; would you buy a bass from Latvia?

[BillyBass]

52 minutes ago, horrorshowbass said:

Why use a pedal when you can buy  a new bass? You're on the wrong forum m8

 

 

Yep

[horrorshowbass]

29 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

You are aware that this bass is in Latvia; would you buy a bass from Latvia?

Yes, no Nige tax here.

[machinehead]

On 22/09/2021 at 07:43, BillyBass said:

Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

From your comments it appears I have a few options.

 

1) Buy an active PJ, like all the Fenders in your posts

2) Adjust the height of the J pup on my BB

3) Buy a Reverend when shops in the UK are restocked.

 

Prior to starting this thread I was considering buying a Fender Jaguar or the Ashdown version of it.  I've never considered buying an active Fender but maybe I should look into it.

The USA Jaguar is an excellent choice.  They were only available for 2 years. A PJ setup and active/passive option.  They're not easy to find now but well worth seeking out. I have an Olympic white one. (Not for sale.)

Frank.

Edited September 25, 2021 by machinehead

[wateroftyne]

Not strictly PJ of course, but this is the route I went down. That humbucker is perfectly balanced with the P - it absolutely pokes… and it’s all-passive.

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by wateroftyne

[Guest]

2 hours ago, wateroftyne said:

Not strictly PJ of course, but this is the route I went down. That humbucker is perfectly balanced with the P - it absolutely pokes… and it’s all-passive.

 

 

I look at that and daydream of stacking the volumes and turning the 2nd knob into a five way selector: P, P+inner, P+both, P+outer, humbucker alone .... from which we can conclude that I've spent too much time reading about EBMM selector switches this week

[horrorshowbass]

46 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

I look at that and daydream of stacking the volumes and turning the 2nd knob into a five way selector: P, P+inner, P+both, P+outer, humbucker alone .... from which we can conclude that I've spent too much time reading about EBMM selector switches this week

I look at that and want that many basses in my life....

[pete.young]

1 hour ago, horrorshowbass said:

I look at that and want that many basses in my life....

 

5 hours ago, wateroftyne said:

Not strictly PJ of course, but this is the route I went down. That humbucker is perfectly balanced with the P - it absolutely pokes… and it’s all-passive.

 

Thought you were a 'strictly only 3 basses, one in one out' type of guy. What happened?

 

[wateroftyne]

5 minutes ago, pete.young said:

 

Thought you were a 'strictly only 3 basses, one in one out' type of guy. What happened?

 

Ha ha.. if only they were all mine….

 

 

[ltownbass]

Bit late to the party but I also put both pickups close to the strings to beef up the j sound.  I just raise the p to balance the with the j sound.

[ltownbass]

Double post, sorry

Edited September 27, 2021 by ltownbass
duplicate

[BillyBass]

On 25/09/2021 at 07:55, wateroftyne said:

Not strictly PJ of course, but this is the route I went down. That humbucker is perfectly balanced with the P - it absolutely pokes… and it’s all-passive.

 

What I’m after is a versatile bass, so PJ or HH or a combination of the two are what I should be looking at I suppose.  
 

I’m in Northumberland for a week and before driving back down to London on Monday I’ll pop into Guitarguitar Newcastle, and maybe the PMT around the corner, and try a few options in my budget.

[wateroftyne]

12 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

What I’m after is a versatile bass, so PJ or HH or a combination of the two are what I should be looking at I suppose.  
 

I’m in Northumberland for a week and before driving back down to London on Monday I’ll pop into Guitarguitar Newcastle, and maybe the PMT around the corner, and try a few options in my budget.

 

You're welcome to swing by me (near Whitley Bay) and see what this can do.

[Pirellithecat]

Hi,   I'd be very keen to try the Lakland 44-64 Custom PJ - which Guitar Guitar in Newcastle have in Stock!   I'd also try a Sandberg VT4.   I have the VM4 and it's a cracking bass - but maybe not very typical PJ as it's a little on the Modern end of things in terms of tone! 

[BillyBass]

8 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

 

You're welcome to swing by me (near Whitley Bay) and see what this can do.

Pm’d

[BillyBass]

15 minutes ago, Pirellithecat said:

Hi,   I'd be very keen to try the Lakland 44-64 Custom PJ - which Guitar Guitar in Newcastle have in Stock!   I'd also try a Sandberg VT4.   I have the VM4 and it's a cracking bass - but maybe not very typical PJ as it's a little on the Modern end of things in terms of tone! 

The Lakland is one of the basses I am keen to try.

[Pirellithecat]

Let us know how you get on - could save me a trip (or the opposite!!)

[dub_junkie]

On a MM/J set up on a Cort GB75 I had, the humbucker seriously overpowered the neck single J but by dropping the humbucker and raising the single coil, I got them sounding balanced in output when isolated as well as when both were on together.

Same deal with a G&L SB-2 which is a P/J. On that bass the I’ve read that the bridge J pup is meant to be used to add a bit of colour to the split P MFD in the neck but I managed to get a good output balance between them both. 
 

Worth half an hour or so experimenting imo

[ead]

I recently acquired this on here.  It's a bitsa and swapped out the pickups and electronics and fitted a set of EMG Geezers instead.  It's a sweet instrument.  Just need some flat topped knobs to finish it off now.

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by ead

[Opticaleye]

I find the Sandberg Umbo to be the perfect mix of P and J. 

The warmer Alnico 3 pickups put the front pickup into P territory alone, but still sound like a Jazz when both are selected. Having 2 of the same pickup sidesteps the issues of a P and a J together that I find with my actual PJ.

 

The passive circuit is quite quirky but capable of very diverse tones, from thumpy to bright to even semi acoustic like tones. 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Opticaleye

[barrycreed]

Boxer bass anyone?

[Guest]

5 hours ago, barrycreed said:

Boxer bass anyone?

 

This is the route I went and I really don’t like most Fender PJs (Ultra and Elite the exception). I like this one because of the 3 way switch which behaves the same as the one on the BB414 I had. It may end up with a stacked Jazz pickup to eliminate the 60 cycle hum. 
 

Another option I haven’t seen if you want a bass to cop the Precision and Jazz sounds would to be source a Fender (Stu Hamm) Urge II. Hard to find but worth the effort. I have a friend that plays one and it is very versatile without being complex. 

[BillyBass]

On 28/09/2021 at 15:52, Pirellithecat said:

Hi,   I'd be very keen to try the Lakland 44-64 Custom PJ - which Guitar Guitar in Newcastle have in Stock!   I'd also try a Sandberg VT4.   I have the VM4 and it's a cracking bass - but maybe not very typical PJ as it's a little on the Modern end of things in terms of tone! 

I did try the Lakland.  Its a nice bass.  I was slightly underwhelmed I will admit but that is because it didn't give me anything, tonally, that I didn't already have.  Its a passive PJ.  

 

The neck is Jazz like, certainly narrower at the nut than a P bass but perhaps slightly deeper than a Jazz, I could be mistaken.

 

The inlays are really nice but they would look so much better on a darker fretboard as the maple is so light in colour the inlays don't stand out at all.  The body-and matching headstock-colour is not exactly blue, sort of a blue/grey silver metallic.

 

Its a good bass and worth the £1200 they are asking for it.  Its Asian built but they look it over in the U.S. before shipping and they do the 'Plek' fret treatment. 

 

I opted for a cheaper and, I believe, superior bass in the Balaguer (I've started a NBD thread about this).