Owen Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 So, because I seem to have too much time on my hands I am thinking about basses. What would be nice would be a J with a P pickup as well. So far so good. However, what I would like would be the P pickup to not be visible - aesthetics and all that. If I routed the back of a body so that I could have a P pickup [i]just[/i] hiding beneath the surface of the body would it function properly or is this just another stupid idea in my huge catalogue of stupid ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I've recently seen a bass player using a bass with no visible pickups, let me see if i can dig up what it was... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) Back in January 2010 I saw a 'more mature' Scots guy in a blues band just up the road in East Harling Social Club with a Jazz fitted with P pups sunk right into the body....if anyone knows this guy from the description He played with Dave Thomas who is very well known around these aparts It really thru me for a while trying to work out what this bass was? I spoke with him and it was 'worked' by a 'local' luthier...I was quite drunk at the time but can't be sure that local was as in Scotland or East Harling? ....when I setting up by cheapie but great to play Westfield P bass I wound the pups as far into the body as could be just for fun and to be honest it didn't make too much difference to the sound (volumewise).....one would think that you would need to ensure you have a pair of very sensitive pups in there, but I wouldn't presume that the stock Westfield P bass pups are anything to write home about? Edited October 23, 2012 by iconic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 How do you mean add a P to a J? If you want to keep both Jazz pups with standard spacing then adding a P pup will overlap with the J neck pup. If you move the P towards the bridge to fit between the Js then it won't sound like a P anymore. The Fender Stu Hamm Urge has two Js and a P but I don't think any of them are in standard positions. [attachment=121866:J + P bass.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Bassman Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 The S1 switch that was fitted to Jazzes a while back gives the Jazz a "P" sound - mine does and although it's not quite a full on P it's pretty close IMO. Better than butchering a perfectly goodJazz Bass I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I haven't got a clue but I had a listen to you tunes on soundcloud and I really like them. Especially the first one 'don't leave your joy behind' great vocals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Just replace the stock pups with DiMarzio Model J's wired internally in series - or put a mini switch on them & get parallel too - they sound great in both modes. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenFerguson Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 ACG do a chalbered pup bass where the pup is under the wood in a cavity, i would reckon the scottish dudes luthier was Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1351002097' post='1846061'] I haven't got a clue but I had a listen to you tunes on soundcloud and I really like them. Especially the first one 'don't leave your joy behind' great vocals. [/quote] Oh........ ah........... shucks....... thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Thanks for all the comments. I guess the obvious thing to do is push the pickup in my P right down and suck it and see. I will not be ruining anything which exists, I am just thinking about doing a build (as in someone doing it for me, obv!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 [quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1351022607' post='1846398'] I stealthed a J pickup into my P bass at the 24th fret position. I chiselled out the cavity deep enough to hide a J pickup (and a bunch of Strat pickup magnets to boost the range of the pickup). [/quote] This sounds interesting, but I cannot see the pic Is it just me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 [quote name='owen' timestamp='1351064115' post='1846707'] This sounds interesting, but I cannot see the pic Is it just me? [/quote] It was obviously just me. It is there in all it's glory on my computer at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 So a J is single coil. A P is humbucking. Could a J have two coils (I have seen these so know they exist) but with a kind of coil tap so that I had access to the correct J windings and the correct P windings? I am aware that there is an element of compromise about all this. Perhaps I should just S1 it and get over myself. I am now getting into dangerous territory that I only 20% understand so forgive me for any crass stupidity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 [quote name='owen' timestamp='1351067059' post='1846768'] So a J is single coil. A P is humbucking. Could a J have two coils (I have seen these so know they exist) but with a kind of coil tap so that I had access to the correct J windings and the correct P windings? I am aware that there is an element of compromise about all this. Perhaps I should just S1 it and get over myself. I am now getting into dangerous territory that I only 20% understand so forgive me for any crass stupidity [/quote] I refer m'learned friend to this previous post : [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1351013387' post='1846246'] Just replace the stock pups with DiMarzio Model J's wired internally in series - or put a mini switch on them & get parallel too - they sound great in both modes. G. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1351013387' post='1846246'] Just replace the stock pups with DiMarzio Model J's wired internally in series - or put a mini switch on them & get parallel too - they sound great in both modes. [/quote] Here's a useful review of the Model Js which gives more detail on the coil configuration and series/parallel switching. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/165194-dimarzio-model-j-dp123/ Separate series/parallel switching for neck and bridge pups should give loads of tonal flexibility and looks like a great option to me. Tempted to try it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 But is there a difference in windings? More/less? Is it just the two coils going into humbucking mode which change the character of the sound or is it to do with more/less wire on the coil? I am not being deliberately stupid here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon. Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I kind of did this when I modified my old Jazz into a P-J. Well, more accurately, Chris McIntyre did most of the work, I just did the thinking (and paying! ). The P pick-up is centred on the routing for the neck J-pup, so is a bit further towards the neck than it would be on a standard Precision. Neither the P or front J pup are hard-wired, but have micro connectors instead, meaning that they can be changed out in less than 5 mins. I've got two scratch plates, one cut for each pick-up, so can change the bass form a straight Jazz to a P-J pretty quick and easily. Control-wise it's a standard passive V-V-T, and the P pick-up on its own gives a decent Precision impression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 24, 2012 Author Share Posted October 24, 2012 [quote name='ikay' timestamp='1351070876' post='1846827'] Here's a useful review of the Model Js which gives more detail on the coil configuration and series/parallel switching. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/165194-dimarzio-model-j-dp123/"]http://basschat.co.u...-model-j-dp123/[/url] Separate series/parallel switching for neck and bridge pups should give loads of tonal flexibility and looks like a great option to me. Tempted to try it myself. [/quote] That sounds like what I am looking for. Sorry Mr Byrne, I should have listened in the first place Now to find ones in 5 string format. I'm sure Mr Wizard can come up with something suitable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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