What is the difference between (P) and (J) pick-ups?

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frank_1

frank_1

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What's up with P and J pick-ups. Does one sound better then the other? I am a guitar player so I don't know too much stuff about basses. I need to know because I'm gunna buy a new bass soon, for my home studio. I am looking at The De Armond Piolet Plus, either 4 or 5 string. Anyway, I can't figure out what the different is. Some please Help!:confused:
 
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The difference is the P is punchey and the J is a bit smoother.

If you cannot deside get a PJ configuration most basses do have one.

Pick the 5 string too because if you are playing in D It is hard to get a good bottom from a 4 string.
 
WOW!....that picture of Gidge is HUGE!...................gibs
 
Gibs you oaf! That's my step daughter, Lucinda. Now look...you've made her cry.

"Lucy, he didn't know, honey" :D
 
The P (for Precision, since it was first featured on a Fender Precision bass) is a split-coil pickup and looks like this:
precision.jpg


The J (for Jazz, since yadda yadda...) is a single-coil pickup and looks like this:
jazzbass.jpg
 
Ummm....

Well I picked the 5-string, but can someone tell me what string the low-5th string is? I think it's a B-string, but I'm not sure.

Thanks.
 
Low B is the option I use but Its not written in stone.

You do want the low B to play in D and still have the low bottom.
 
So, what's the verdict on the American Series "Hot Rod" Precision Bass with one of each? I got one of these yesterday and haven't messed around with it much yet. GC had them for $499.

Nice vintage neck, pretty wood.
 
'Bird of a different feather.

P/J combos combine the best of both designs, especially a
double P/J setup.

I usually don't like B.C. Rich, but their Mockingbird bass
(body sorta like the Iceman) has a dual P setup that is
tight, sweet and punchy, kinda like a Rick 4001.

One verdict on the American series Hot Rod P Bass- I love it!
Didn't like the "Vitamin C Orange" finish, but it KICKS ASS
sonically!

the Faithmonster
 
'Bird of a different feather.

P/J combos combine the best of both designs, especially a
double P/J setup.

I usually don't like B.C. Rich, but their Mockingbird bass
(body sorta like the Iceman) has a dual P setup that is
tight, sweet and punchy, kinda like a Rick 4001.

One verdict on the American series Hot Rod P Bass- I love it!
Didn't like the "Vitamin C Orange" finish, but it KICKS ASS
sonically! I bought one too- having it refinished to Metallic
Turquoise Blue.

the Faithmonster
 
I have one other question...

:D What do you guys think of bass guitars with active pick-ups for recording. Do you think passive pick-ups would sound better compared to actives? I heard that actives are a pain in the studio because the sound is so "hyperactive". What's your point of view, have you had any success recording active basses...:rolleyes:
 
Do you mean passive pickups through an active onboard preamp circuit or the truly active pickups (only made by EMG)?

A good "active bass" has the same tonal characteristics as a passive bass, but with onboard EQ (hopefully transparent). On some boutique basses you can't tell the difference between passive mode and active mode with flat EQ (F basses for example). Cheaper basses may have cheap electronics which add noise (Yamaha's are notorious for this, even the more expensive models) or colouring, even with flat EQ, so you might here a difference there.

But "hyper-active" sound? Would you please define that to me?
 
Oysterman , The DeArmond I have has an on board preamp on it.

"Hyper-active": High/large amounts of signal output, accompanied by very high and low frequencies.

Oysterman, (or anyone else) do you know what bands used active basses on their albums, so I can cheak it out. I am assuming that the newer metal bands like Staind, Linkin Park, use actives???

Thanks....
 
frank_1 said:
"Hyper-active": High/large amounts of signal output, accompanied by very high and low frequencies.
Click to expand...
Some active basses actually have a LOWER output than passives. My Yamaha TRB vs. my Fender for instance.
Oysterman, (or anyone else) do you know what bands used active basses on their albums, so I can cheak it out. I am assuming that the newer metal bands like Staind, Linkin Park, use actives???
Click to expand...
Well, I think Linkin Park's bass player recorded with a MusicMan (active) (at least that's what he poses ;) with in the "Crawling" video). I've never heard of, let alone heard, the other band you mentioned. A lot of music today is recorded with active basses, which isn't strange, since most models priced over $500 is active unless it's a "vintage" brand, like Fender or Rickenbacker.

There is so much more that decides the tone of a bass than the onboard electronics (which shouldn't affect the tonal characteristics at all, if it's properly made, only give EQ possibilites). Harder body woods give more emphasis to the high and low registers than your "meat and potatoes"-alder-bodied Fender. Also, many active basses have lower impedance pickups, to make it sure that a 9V cell gives enough power to tweak the tone - and every pickup model sounds different.

In short, you need to look a little further than just the "active/passive" tag. :)
 
i have active pickups in my bass collection 5 string with a 3 band active eq too. its all EMG stuff i added myself although the bass collection basses generally come with active eq i think. mine certainly did.

I wouldnt say its "hyperactive" sound wise, but then theres a bunch of controls that i guess gives the flexibility to tone it down a bit which you might not with active pickups and passive circuitry. Its very very quiet too no hissing or buzzing UNLESS i sit at a right angle to my computer in which case it picks something up from that... or maybe its sitting parallel to my monitor that does that... hmmm not sure!

The thing you have to watch is that actives have a different character to passive pickups and so will affect the tone of the bass. Guess this is where the old try before you buy adage comes into play.

Oh yeah, im pretty sure Jason Newsted had EMGs in his basses when he played with Metallica. The musicman basses mostly have active eq with passive pickups i think? so i guess thatd be what Linkin Park have on the go. Chances are Staind use something similar...
 
This "HyperActive" notion came from Barry Rudolph from an article he wrote. He said actives were a pain in the studio. I heard this from some other auther (I forget the name) that also said actives really aren't the best route to take because the active bass is either too loud or too soft in the mix, there's no inbetween. Remember that is coming from the auther not me.

That is the reason for this post....
 
That doesnt seem to make much sense to me for one main reason: Volume Controls

I should imagine you have a great deal of control between pickup and recording medium when it comes to the level of the signal.... too loud? roll back the volume on the bass a bit, or the amp, or the mixer whatever depending on what your recording setup is. If you plugged an active bass straight into a setup calibrated for a passive bass yes its gonna be too loud but all that means is you change your settings to suit the signal no?

I would have thought that the higher level signal would actually mean less noise to signal and require less boosting at other points in the signal chain thus avoiding additional noise? maybe someone with more experience in this area can confirm or refute that one for me....
 
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