Wanting a J pickup to sound like a P

[TRBboy]

I put some Dimarzio Ultra Jazz (split humbuckers) in my jazz and I've found the neck pickup to be far more useful than it ever was before. It's really full, punchy and rounded but still retains plenty of clarity. Might be worth a look for an easy solution!

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1288203' date='Jun 30 2011, 09:01 PM']Interesting ... sounds almost suspiciously easy.

So I don't need to compensate for the relatively low output from a J pickup?[/quote]

The S1 series wiring will be louder...but it won't sound quite like a P. It loses that hollow honk (you know the one, most evident when playing hard up on the G string!). If you just want a generic bassier sound then it's great, and will sit nicely under the rest of the band. But the harmonics can never be the same as what you get with a P pickup alone, you'd get closer with a solo J neck pickup and a good parametric EQ to compensate for the difference in pickup frequency response.
S1 is a cheap, reversible mod though so worth a go.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='brensabre79' post='1287963' date='Jun 30 2011, 08:46 AM']Just add a switch to wire the two J pickups in series Like the fender s-1 switch (completely reversible mod that will cost a couple of quid for the switch/pot). And play it over the neck pickup (as you would on a precision)

Thats about as close as you'll get without routing and putting in a split P pickup. Adding any amount of active electronics will not a Precision make!

I've done this to my Jazz and I use this setting for Stranglers/Blondie/Clash etc. covers - sounds pretty convincing to me and I'm a qualified sound engineer![/quote]
I have a Jazz with a series switch for the 2 pickups. To me it sounds like a hotter jazz and not like a P at all as could be expected with the bridge pickup full on. The neck soloed sounds much more like a P to my ears and was the setup in the infamous Talkbass can you tell the difference between a P and a J thread.

[Doddy]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1288339' date='Jun 30 2011, 10:52 PM']I put some Dimarzio Ultra Jazz (split humbuckers) in my jazz and I've found the neck pickup to be far more useful than it ever was before. It's really full, punchy and rounded but still retains plenty of clarity. Might be worth a look for an easy solution![/quote]

I've got these in my Jazz aswell,but added a series/parallel switch,which gives a real fatness to the sound.

The thing with the Ultra Jazz pickups is that because they are split humbuckers ,you can wire them up so that each
pickup can be switched to run in series/parallel individually. If you wanted to you could add a switch to the front
pickup which would make it more Precision-like. It won't be exact,but it will be closer.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1288511' date='Jun 30 2011, 06:39 PM']I've got these in my Jazz aswell,but added a series/parallel switch,which gives a real fatness to the sound.

The thing with the Ultra Jazz pickups is that because they are split humbuckers ,you can wire them up so that each
pickup can be switched to run in series/parallel individually. If you wanted to you could add a switch to the front
pickup which would make it more Precision-like. It won't be exact,but it will be closer.[/quote]
Isn't the default for both the Ultra Jazz and P's series? This is why the S1 was a failure on the P because it made it sound thin switching to parallel.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1288512' date='Jul 1 2011, 02:48 AM']Isn't the default for both the Ultra Jazz and P's series? This is why the S1 was a failure on the P because it made it sound thin switching to parallel.[/quote]

Yeah I think you're right. That's why I had no interest in installing a switch!

[Muzz]

I'd agree with trying the series switching. It's not the same, but it gets you closer, and in the "quick, reversible and cheap" stakes it's a clear winner. I've got one on my PJ, and while I don't use it much, it's a very useful switch to have. I'd put one on any two-pickup bass, tho I can't see the point on a single-pup P.

[Simon.]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='1281950' date='Jun 25 2011, 10:55 AM']I do have one that just nails it (imo) but ironically it's a wizard prototype. Only a few exist as Andy was unable to make it fit neatly enough into the casing. (Fixed mine by expanding the holes with scissors)
It's called the gaffer and really is amazing.
I used it on this recording (not the video, we mimed)
[url="http://m.youtube.com/?client=mv-google&rdm=4n18m1gml#/watch?v=FnThxCeCJfg"]LAP IT UP[/url]

Wether he's ready to knock up another I don't know, but it's truly the nuts!![/quote]

I was looking for one of these a couple of months back and spoke to Andy @ Wizard. He said that they were not happy with the build quality of what they were able to achieve, so were not going to be making any more at this current time. Bit of a shame, as I think there would be a reasonable retro-fit market for a J-shaped pick-up with a decent P sound.

Edited July 1, 2011 by Simon.