Really glad I found this! I've been desiring to try this configuration and figured that an active solution was best. I only have passive pickups on hand and also thought I would need to purchase a humbucking bridge J. Thanks for explaining and demonstrating the series/parallel setup as well.
I have a Dimarzio model P and J in this bass. I have also used Seymour Duncan quarter pounders which sound similar. I like having the j pickup a humbucker...
Awesome. I love the pj set up. Wishing fender would bring back their 5 string. Or I may have to pop in a single j or mm in my fender American standard 5. I love the passive pups.
Thanks for this video: I think it is the most thorough walkthrough of the P/J pickup config I've seen so far. I'm currently considering getting a custom bass built, but I'm still undecided on the pickup config to go with: I already have an active with dual humbuckers, and a p-bass. The p-bass sound is my favourite (plus I love its simplicity and prefer a passive bass, too) but I'm against getting two copies of the same thing. I think P/J with a series/parallel switch just might be the ticket!
It is absolutely my favorite pickup config. For years I didn't have a tone control on this bass. The reason, is that if you back the volume off a little bit it is like having the tone control rolled back about 50 percent. But you can never get that super muddy sound that works with certain types of music. Thanks for the compliment and I hope you have good luck with your new bass!
I'm building a P/J bass now. I'm going to use the 62 Jazz bass concentric volume/tone controls. I like the fact that you can dial in volume and individual tone to each separate pickup. Leo had it right to begin with back in the day.
Your electronic configuration is absolutely perfect, most versatile diagram, great. For the Jaco sound put the tone on the j pickup between 50% and 100% depending on your attack.
I agree with you on having a series/parallel option on the P pickup is a really great and flexible option. I use parallel P with the J often and love that tone. Series P is also iconic. Never really thought about series P blended with J sounding Stingrayesqe, but I see where that comes from. My P/J (which is also green) is a go to for cover gigs. It has most any tone I would need.
The DiMarzio Split-P rail pickups are an excellent on a PJ. I wired it in parallel so the output better matches the Fender Noiseless Jazz. Each half is self-humbucking so your series/parallel switch might get you a different variety. FWIW, mine's a fretless Jazz with added P bass routing.
Gotta love Dimarzio's. Those are the original aftermarket pickups for Precision and Jazz bass. They have adjustable hex pole pieces and they always cut through the mix!
Thank you for a great video, and you have a solid basis in multiple styles that I can only aspire to. I rewired my squier affinity pj exactly the way you have your setup. Wow! I am frankly surprised that a parallel switch on the p pickup is not more common. With the p in parallel paired with the j, it comes alive!
Agree with you about the active preamp being an inconvenience. I had an 80s super strat with EMG a and the battery would run out and drive me nuts when I forgot to unplug the wire.
I love my parts p/j bass! Its my number 1 go to bass. Its modded with Emg pjax pickups and a hipshot kickass and its strung with 45-105 elixir stainless nanowebs.
Slapping only went out of style if you think of it only as early Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tasteful, soulful slapping is perennial in soul and funk. No need to discard or use techniques to follow trends-just make the sound work for you.
Hey man, thank you for this video. I am in the process of building a bass, and I was thinking of getting either a Jazz type, or a PJ, but hearing the Series/Parallel switch option you have on your machine really made me decide for a PJ. I gotta ask the luthier about that switch option
You are dead on with your points in this video. 1 Thing I will say is I like Active Basses that have the option to go passive and bypass the on board PreAmp such as the new Fender Elite and Ultra basses.
Thanks for the great explanation of your configuration! I just got my first PJ and am planning the updates to pickups/controls, and this gave me a lot to think about! Great playing, too.
Dude, same. I was just revisiting the tones I'm using with my PJ when I play live, and this video popped into my head. Had to go back and rewatch it. I want that series/parallel switch now, too. Had it on a J Bass once and enjoyed it.
I've always been a fan of the P bass, and recently discovered how wonderful a double pickup bass can sound... So I wondered if I'd like the JJ or the PJ better, or would end up switching between J and P all the time... You definitely sold me on this ! Especially the "pseudo-MM" sound you get with that fuller mid-range !! 🤩 Because I like how the MM sounds, sometimes, but to me it doesn't feel versatile enough for me to own one... Some thing we might wanna try out : playing aroun with EQ settings, when in a particular pickup position, so that we can reduce the frequency range of that full P, hen it sounds too much. I don't plan on getting a series-parallel switch. Yet... So I'm interested in trying to EQ that to make it sound thinner, when needed :) Also, in the configuration with both pickups on, scooping the mids out for slapping HAS to be tried.
It's a pretty versatile setup...One secret to great cutting bass sounds I learned years ago is to run your amp flat with no EQ. I made a video about that: czcams.com/video/ygpRIljc4lM/video.html&ab_channel=DaveTenney
Hi, nice video! I have an old Aria Pro II Wildcat Bass with PJ pickups. I play a lot of different styles, main instrument is guitar but likes to play bass as well. Gives a wider view to music. Well enough of that, I dont have had any other basses so my knowledge of different types of bass is next to nothing. But as you say, I can get a very versatile sound of my bass with this PJ setup. The only issue I have with my old bass is a lot of hum, any suggestions to good silent pickup to buy? Plays Blues, Jazz, Prog so really the J-bass deep end sound and the prog-p bass sound is preferred but withouth that hum and noise. I've meassured, its grounded but still..well, its old. I guess EMG pickups are great and may cure my hum.problem..well I hum a little bit myself sometimes.
Great video, cool bass brah. I'd agree with you about 'slappin' going out of style, but only in rock, like RHCP, RATM and others similar. But in funk, certain R&B tracks and some jazz, slappin' will never go out of style, imo. Rock on buddy!!!
What you're saying about tone playing solo vs in a band is also true for other instruments. I play guitar and what works best in a band does not always sound that impressive in its own. Take many classic Marshall amps. They are legendary and still widely used for a reason. The well defined, mid-heavy sound works great in a mix. However, if you play on your own, especially on beginner to intermediate levels, it can sound somewhat thin, metallic/harsh and much less pleasant than, say, a full blown Mesa Boogie sound. The latter however is trickier to find a goid spot for in a band, especially for rock styles. It seems to be similar with the P bass...
Thanks for the video ... I just got a PJ bass cause I heard it is versatile as you where saying here accept the 1 I just got is only a vol vol tone control setup.
That is a good set up too. Anything can work once you get used to it. If it were me I would put a push pull pot on the p volume and have it wired to a coil split...
I've played my share of PJ's where the J pickup sounded thin/weak compared to the P pickup. Took me a while to find a PJ with a well balanced set, but now I'm in bass heaven.
I am getting ready to mod my J-Bass; put a pick-guard routed for a P-pass pickup & P-bass pickups. I am considering installing Ghost piezo pickups on it, also, just to increase versatility.
You did a great job in this video. Another way to get a P bass to sound less in your face is to turn the amp up a little and play with a lighter touch or play closer to the neck.
Dave, sometime listen to T-Bone Wolk in the 1985 Hall and Oates Liberty Concert in NYC. You may not like this type of music persay, however; his sound is top-shelf. He has the same type of PJ pickup setup and got one of the best bass tone I have ever heard. You are right that this setup is a real Gem, Thanks!
That was an awesome, thank you. That gives me a solid reason to upgrade to a PJ configuration. I know before that I will not get really close to the J sound, except if the P pickups are in series as you demo'd in your video. So, you're 2 switches are for 1.turning of/off the J pickup and for 2.switching the P pickups into series or humbuckers? You're only knob is the volume control which sets the J and the Ps to always same volume level?
Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise! I'm looking at a Fender Aerodyne Jazz bass, which , I think, has the same pickup setup you're demoing. It's a bit more than I was planing to spend, but if it's really that versatile, then it's worth it. Am I on track?
Thanks for all the info! Extremely detailed. Now I want to put it to use. I recently bought an Affinity PJ bass that I plan to upgrade with a Fender Jazz bass bridge and 62 P bass pickups. Now I'm looking for a wire harness and see that there are people who are selling custom wired harnesses. Question is, to get the most sounds out of the PJ configuration, what would be the best way to wire the pots?
Dave, it was very informative video, i really enjoy how many sounds you can get from it! My question is whether there is a bass on a market that go like this adjusted without manual adjustments? Thank you!
I'm not sure...If you know a good repair shop they could probably rewire a bass any way you wanted. I used to run this bass with just a 3 way switch and a volume knob. You can roll the volume back a little bit and it will roll the top end off... Of course, changing your right hand technique can have a huge impact on tone without touching a switch at all!
How do you feel about just getting a jazz bass (I like the thinner neck) and rolling off the bridge pickup and tone a bit? That can approximate the p bass sound fairly well.
There is an old mod that can be done to a jazz bass that can really help it sound like a p-bass. It is called a series parallel switch. Similar idea with what i did to my p bass. Otherwise, a jazz still sounds pretty thin in the lower mids....
I just put a series parallel in my PJ bass after watching your video, using a push pull knob. It's really cool - like you say really makes it sound more like a jazz bass. Makes for a really versatile bass.
The J bass on its own is super versatile. The P on its own, you can't get a bad tone out of it. A P/J config doesn't give you the best of both worlds per se, but you certainly get a bass you can do dang near anything with!
I agree, I never understood the "best of both worlds" comments. PJ is a great bass, lots of tones but you don't get that distinctive Marcus Miller both pickups on tone with a PJ. It also has slightly more magnetic pull by adding that J pu to a P.
@@rrdream2400 To me, a P/J config is literally a P with a little J seasoning. In most basses of that persuasion I have ever played (the exceptions being way out of my price range lol), the J was considerably weak when solo'd and honestly sounded better with the split coil solo'd.
Nice playing!! Great sound as well. Thinking about reconfiguring a 1985 Gibson Explorer bass from the two stock single coil soapbars to a P and a J in soap bar chassis--
@@davetenney5800 Going with a pair of MJS Big Singles- there wasn’t room enough for an effective split coil in the neck position without extensive routing which I wanted to avoid- anyhow with the new pickups, it should sound like a Jazz but with some Gibson oomph.
Nice video 👍, speaking of passive and Stingray I just got an olp Stingray which was a license Music Man copy but it came passive. I saw some videos before I actually got the base and they sounded like a stingray just the bite wasn't as pronounced as it is on an active base, I got it at a pawn shop for a hundred bucks so it was a chance I couldn't pass up and sure enough in person it has that Stingray bite and that's with just the generic stock pickup with an upgraded pickup I'm sure it'll sound a lot better
Timestamps:
0:56 P p/u Series (stock) -tone 100%
2:45 P p/u Series (stock) -tone rolled off
4:10 P p/u Parallel (mod) -tone 100%
5:41 P&J p/u Parallel (mod) -tone 100%
7:05 P&J p/u Series (stock) -tone 100%
7:48 J p/u solo'd -tone 100%
8:21 J p/u solo'd -tone rolled off
god bless you
Bro, I just wanted to say, your red and green bass fits perfectly with the christmas vibe :D
Thanks! I have never lost my fondness for Ocean Turquoise!
Honestly, my first thought on the looks was very Boba Fett-esque. Gnarly.
@@davetenney5800so that IS ocean turquoise! I have a P in that finish, it doesn't look as green in person as it does here
Always come back to this video. Love your vibe and how you explain things
Really useful info. Bought my first bass weeks ago and it's a P/J. So cool and so versatile. Thanks for the vid.
Nice!
Dave, this was the most useful video. Clearly you are professional-grade and you offer advice based on true experience. Well-done!
Thank you for your compliment! Of course, "old curmudgeon" describes me a lot better than professional ;)
Dave, this has to be the best comparison of PJ sounds Ive heard on the internet. Thanks! very educational!
Thank you!!
Excellent presentation, especially the part about the stingray sound... now THAT is versatility!
Really enjoyed this video! I wouldn't have thought about a series/ parallel switch for the P pick up; it's a great concept! Thank you for sharing 😀👍
Really glad I found this! I've been desiring to try this configuration and figured that an active solution was best. I only have passive pickups on hand and also thought I would need to purchase a humbucking bridge J. Thanks for explaining and demonstrating the series/parallel setup as well.
I have a Dimarzio model P and J in this bass. I have also used Seymour Duncan quarter pounders which sound similar. I like having the j pickup a humbucker...
Damn you're a hell of a bassist. Awesome video thankyou.
This is still one of the best bass videos I've ever seen. Well done. My next bass will be similar to what you've got going on here.
Lots of wisdom,here!----especially 4 beginners .excellent!
"slapping went out of style 20 years ago" *Davie504 wants to know your location*
I bet! That guy is in another league...My comment was directed at popular music...
=):
I just paused the video and came down the comments and this was the first one lol, wtf with that statement.
Maybe he was referring to HIS slapping being out of date 👍😎🎸🔥
Slapping is a circus act
Thank you Dave. Great video. I have a Fender Jazz bass and I am thinking about replacing the neck pic whith a P.
WOW, I saw this for the first time 2 years ago. It changed my mind big time back then. Looking forward to watching it again now!
Thank you for posting this. It makes sense how this is a very flexible way to set up a PJ
No problem!
That was a really helpful video Dave. Thanks
Your right hand technique is incredible
Amazing video! Very well explained, thanks Bro!
Awesome. I love the pj set up. Wishing fender would bring back their 5 string. Or I may have to pop in a single j or mm in my fender American standard 5. I love the passive pups.
I really enjoyed the run down on the wiring on your bass. I think I might do the same thing with on of my PJ basses. Thanks for the great video!
Thanks!
i think, aside from weird custom setups, you're right. This is the most versatile setup you'll get normally.
Thanks for this video: I think it is the most thorough walkthrough of the P/J pickup config I've seen so far. I'm currently considering getting a custom bass built, but I'm still undecided on the pickup config to go with: I already have an active with dual humbuckers, and a p-bass. The p-bass sound is my favourite (plus I love its simplicity and prefer a passive bass, too) but I'm against getting two copies of the same thing. I think P/J with a series/parallel switch just might be the ticket!
It is absolutely my favorite pickup config. For years I didn't have a tone control on this bass. The reason, is that if you back the volume off a little bit it is like having the tone control rolled back about 50 percent. But you can never get that super muddy sound that works with certain types of music. Thanks for the compliment and I hope you have good luck with your new bass!
I'm building a P/J bass now. I'm going to use the 62 Jazz bass concentric volume/tone controls. I like the fact that you can dial in volume and individual tone to each separate pickup. Leo had it right to begin with back in the day.
Great video, man. I like it when instead of explaining of name-dropping you played it and showed the sounds.
Its hard for me to name drop, because I don't know anyone famous!
great video! there isnt a lot of this topic on youtube but you explain it very well
Your electronic configuration is absolutely perfect, most versatile diagram, great. For the Jaco sound put the tone on the j pickup between 50% and 100% depending on your attack.
Thanks!
That was really informative 👌 thinking about a Semore Duncan Humbucker in my PJ swapping out the single coil
Brilliant video Dave. Cheers from London (UK).
Great review.Very useful information without the usual slap acrobatics display.I think it’s the best pick up set up for bass.
I agree with you on having a series/parallel option on the P pickup is a really great and flexible option. I use parallel P with the J often and love that tone. Series P is also iconic. Never really thought about series P blended with J sounding Stingrayesqe, but I see where that comes from. My P/J (which is also green) is a go to for cover gigs. It has most any tone I would need.
The DiMarzio Split-P rail pickups are an excellent on a PJ. I wired it in parallel so the output better matches the Fender Noiseless Jazz. Each half is self-humbucking so your series/parallel switch might get you a different variety. FWIW, mine's a fretless Jazz with added P bass routing.
Gotta love Dimarzio's. Those are the original aftermarket pickups for Precision and Jazz bass. They have adjustable hex pole pieces and they always cut through the mix!
Soo true. Just got my custom shop PJ and its versatile 🤟
great review Dave, thanks!!
Love the set up
Great explanation of the PJ Bass.
That was so good! You really ran a clinic on that bass. Should be required listening. I learned a lot . Thank you sir.
Really good video in all aspects! Keep playing!
That series/parallel is such a good idea holy shit gonna do this to my Sire P5
Thank you for a great video, and you have a solid basis in multiple styles that I can only aspire to. I rewired my squier affinity pj exactly the way you have your setup. Wow! I am frankly surprised that a parallel switch on the p pickup is not more common. With the p in parallel paired with the j, it comes alive!
Thanks! I'm glad you liked the wiring mod....
so the pots are a master volume, a 3 way switch and a series/parallel switch right?
@@justincrazycrafter3581 Yep...and a tone.
Agree with you about the active preamp being an inconvenience. I had an 80s super strat with EMG a and the battery would run out and drive me nuts when I forgot to unplug the wire.
great job of explaining....thanks
Most informative video on Affinity PJ, well done!
Thanks! Although this bass is not an Affinity...
wow great tone! i have same Pbass and plan to put a J pup like yours mate
I love my parts p/j bass! Its my number 1 go to bass. Its modded with Emg pjax pickups and a hipshot kickass and its strung with 45-105 elixir stainless nanowebs.
Slapping only went out of style if you think of it only as early Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tasteful, soulful slapping is perennial in soul and funk. No need to discard or use techniques to follow trends-just make the sound work for you.
Great job!!! Thanks!!!
keep up the awsome work mate love your content
Some good tips here man...I feel yah!
Hey man, thank you for this video. I am in the process of building a bass, and I was thinking of getting either a Jazz type, or a PJ, but hearing the Series/Parallel switch option you have on your machine really made me decide for a PJ. I gotta ask the luthier about that switch option
It's a simple thing to wire in - I have a video that explains the wiring diagram of his bass.
Very informative video. Thanks!!
GREAT JOB DAVE!! ...I'M BUILDING A "PJ" NOW.... I NEED MORE INFO ON HOW TO WIRE IT AND WHAT POTS AND CAPS I'LL NEED.....
THANKS AGAIN!!
You are dead on with your points in this video. 1 Thing I will say is I like Active Basses that have the option to go passive and bypass the on board PreAmp such as the new Fender Elite and Ultra basses.
Thanks for the awesome video man!!
Thanks for the great explanation of your configuration! I just got my first PJ and am planning the updates to pickups/controls, and this gave me a lot to think about! Great playing, too.
I really like having a 3-way switch on a P-bass...That is my favorite modification.
great solve for the traditional p/j circuit
That was a great video, thanks!
I hear more harmonics in the Parallel setting and I like it!
Have you got a wiring diagram for this set up? Love how this sounds
It's been 5 years and I still think about this video every time I see a PJ bass. I still haven't installed a series/parallel switch on my bass though🤣
Dude, same. I was just revisiting the tones I'm using with my PJ when I play live, and this video popped into my head. Had to go back and rewatch it. I want that series/parallel switch now, too. Had it on a J Bass once and enjoyed it.
Great video.
I love your tone!
I've always been a fan of the P bass,
and recently discovered how wonderful a double pickup bass can sound...
So I wondered if I'd like the JJ or the PJ better, or would end up switching between J and P all the time...
You definitely sold me on this ! Especially the "pseudo-MM" sound you get with that fuller mid-range !! 🤩
Because I like how the MM sounds, sometimes, but to me it doesn't feel versatile enough for me to own one...
Some thing we might wanna try out :
playing aroun with EQ settings, when in a particular pickup position, so that we can reduce the frequency range of that full P, hen it sounds too much. I don't plan on getting a series-parallel switch. Yet... So I'm interested in trying to EQ that to make it sound thinner, when needed :)
Also, in the configuration with both pickups on, scooping the mids out for slapping HAS to be tried.
It's a pretty versatile setup...One secret to great cutting bass sounds I learned years ago is to run your amp flat with no EQ. I made a video about that:
czcams.com/video/ygpRIljc4lM/video.html&ab_channel=DaveTenney
Great demo
Hi, nice video! I have an old Aria Pro II Wildcat Bass with PJ pickups. I play a lot of different styles, main instrument is guitar but likes to play bass as well. Gives a wider view to music. Well enough of that, I dont have had any other basses so my knowledge of different types of bass is next to nothing. But as you say, I can get a very versatile sound of my bass with this PJ setup. The only issue I have with my old bass is a lot of hum, any suggestions to good silent pickup to buy? Plays Blues, Jazz, Prog so really the J-bass deep end sound and the prog-p bass sound is preferred but withouth that hum and noise. I've meassured, its grounded but still..well, its old. I guess EMG pickups are great and may cure my hum.problem..well I hum a little bit myself sometimes.
NICE SETUP ,COOL BASS WAY MORE USEFUL
Great video, cool bass brah. I'd agree with you about 'slappin' going out of style, but only in rock, like RHCP, RATM and others similar. But in funk, certain R&B tracks and some jazz, slappin' will never go out of style, imo. Rock on buddy!!!
I actually really like the sound of the j pick up by itself with the tone all the way down
Good vid, love my PJUltra bass👍
What you're saying about tone playing solo vs in a band is also true for other instruments.
I play guitar and what works best in a band does not always sound that impressive in its own. Take many classic Marshall amps. They are legendary and still widely used for a reason. The well defined, mid-heavy sound works great in a mix.
However, if you play on your own, especially on beginner to intermediate levels, it can sound somewhat thin, metallic/harsh and much less pleasant than, say, a full blown Mesa Boogie sound. The latter however is trickier to find a goid spot for in a band, especially for rock styles.
It seems to be similar with the P bass...
Cool video! Subscribed!
Thanks for the video ... I just got a PJ bass cause I heard it is versatile as you where saying here accept the 1 I just got is only a vol vol tone control setup.
That is a good set up too. Anything can work once you get used to it. If it were me I would put a push pull pot on the p volume and have it wired to a coil split...
@@davetenney5800 thanks & yes i seen you mention that .. will keep that in mind in the future.
I've played my share of PJ's where the J pickup sounded thin/weak compared to the P pickup. Took me a while to find a PJ with a well balanced set, but now I'm in bass heaven.
Unless you're playing a bass designed to be that way (G&L SB-2, etc) it's usually easy to balance the pickups by adjusting the height of the screws.
@@EpictheEpicest thanks, I hadn't thought of that before
excellent information!
that's such a cool looking Bass
super nice bass you have!!!!!!!
I am getting ready to mod my J-Bass; put a pick-guard routed for a P-pass pickup & P-bass pickups.
I am considering installing Ghost piezo pickups on it, also, just to increase versatility.
I've never heard piezo's on an electric bass. I'll have to check that out....
If you said it in the video, I didn’t catch it. But what position would you say the jazz pickup is in? 60’s or 70’s
You did a great job in this video. Another way to get a P bass to sound less in your face is to turn the amp up a little and play with a lighter touch or play closer to the neck.
Thanks for the tips! The tone is in your hands!!!
Dave, sometime listen to T-Bone Wolk in the 1985 Hall and Oates Liberty Concert in NYC. You may not like this type of music persay, however; his sound is top-shelf. He has the same type of PJ pickup setup and got one of the best bass tone I have ever heard. You are right that this setup is a real Gem, Thanks!
I saw Hall and Oates with Chicago about 25 years ago. They were awesome! Really talented... I'll try to check that out tonight.
That was an awesome, thank you. That gives me a solid reason to upgrade to a PJ configuration. I know before that I will not get really close to the J sound, except if the P pickups are in series as you demo'd in your video.
So, you're 2 switches are for 1.turning of/off the J pickup and for 2.switching the P pickups into series or humbuckers? You're only knob is the volume control which sets the J and the Ps to always same volume level?
Here is a video explaining the wiring
m.czcams.com/video/lkS72lV939s/video.html&pp=sAQA
Awesome video!
Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise! I'm looking at a Fender Aerodyne Jazz bass, which , I think, has the same pickup setup you're demoing. It's a bit more than I was planing to spend, but if it's really that versatile, then it's worth it. Am I on track?
That looks like a very nice bass...I'm sure you would be very happy with it! There are probably some used options out there as well...
Great bass and playing. What make of pickups are they?
I've started adding mids on my amp and it works
It does! Try starting with your amp set flat...crank it up, and eq it while you're playing in the context of your band.
thanx man
Thanks for all the info! Extremely detailed. Now I want to put it to use. I recently bought an Affinity PJ bass that I plan to upgrade with a Fender Jazz bass bridge and 62 P bass pickups. Now I'm looking for a wire harness and see that there are people who are selling custom wired harnesses. Question is, to get the most sounds out of the PJ configuration, what would be the best way to wire the pots?
czcams.com/video/lkS72lV939s/video.html
I think this is the best way to wire a PJ. You don't need to buy a harness...bass wiring is simple.
@@davetenney5800 Thanks, brother. I'll check it out. 😊
Dave, it was very informative video, i really enjoy how many sounds you can get from it! My question is whether there is a bass on a market that go like this adjusted without manual adjustments? Thank you!
I'm not sure...If you know a good repair shop they could probably rewire a bass any way you wanted. I used to run this bass with just a 3 way switch and a volume knob. You can roll the volume back a little bit and it will roll the top end off...
Of course, changing your right hand technique can have a huge impact on tone without touching a switch at all!
Dave Tenney thank you
Cool video! The only combination you dont have at hand is J+P(parallel), so both pickups are like 1 humbucker
Great sounding bass, but I think it's your fingers that are responsible for the true tone. Great playing!
I have to agree with you on that!! Your hands are the most important ingredient!
How do you feel about just getting a jazz bass (I like the thinner neck) and rolling off the bridge pickup and tone a bit? That can approximate the p bass sound fairly well.
There is an old mod that can be done to a jazz bass that can really help it sound like a p-bass. It is called a series parallel switch. Similar idea with what i did to my p bass. Otherwise, a jazz still sounds pretty thin in the lower mids....
I just put a series parallel in my PJ bass after watching your video, using a push pull knob. It's really cool - like you say really makes it sound more like a jazz bass. Makes for a really versatile bass.
Awesome! I put one on this bass in 1991 and never looked back!
The J bass on its own is super versatile. The P on its own, you can't get a bad tone out of it. A P/J config doesn't give you the best of both worlds per se, but you certainly get a bass you can do dang near anything with!
I agree, I never understood the "best of both worlds" comments. PJ is a great bass, lots of tones but you don't get that distinctive Marcus Miller both pickups on tone with a PJ. It also has slightly more magnetic pull by adding that J pu to a P.
@@rrdream2400 To me, a P/J config is literally a P with a little J seasoning. In most basses of that persuasion I have ever played (the exceptions being way out of my price range lol), the J was considerably weak when solo'd and honestly sounded better with the split coil solo'd.
Nice playing!! Great sound as well. Thinking about reconfiguring a 1985 Gibson Explorer bass from the two stock single coil soapbars to a P and a J in soap bar chassis--
I think I would leave an old bass like that alone and find a good used PJ. They're are a bunch of them out there for not a lot of money...
@@davetenney5800 Going with a pair of MJS Big Singles- there wasn’t room enough for an effective split coil in the neck position without extensive routing which I wanted to avoid- anyhow with the new pickups, it should sound like a Jazz but with some Gibson oomph.
Nice video 👍, speaking of passive and Stingray I just got an olp Stingray which was a license Music Man copy but it came passive. I saw some videos before I actually got the base and they sounded like a stingray just the bite wasn't as pronounced as it is on an active base, I got it at a pawn shop for a hundred bucks so it was a chance I couldn't pass up and sure enough in person it has that Stingray bite and that's with just the generic stock pickup with an upgraded pickup I'm sure it'll sound a lot better
Wow that's a beautiful looking Bass
Thanks!
That thing sounds nice.
Super helpful for a newb like me trying to figure out my first bass guitar. Thanks!
Your bass sound real good