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...
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.
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'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.
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 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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...
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
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.
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.
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...
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: th-cam.com/video/ygpRIljc4lM/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=DaveTenney
As a guitar player just starting to get serious with bass this video was very helpful, I’ve been looking at this style bass, what about basses that can be active and passive ? Again thanks
I think a bass that you could switch between active and passive would be just fine...I like passive basses mostly because they are simpler and have one less thing that can go wrong. You also have to always remember to unplug an active bass when you are not playing it, otherwise the battery will drain.
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.
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.
Yea the pj configuration is the best. I play everything from jazz to death metal and the pj configuration works great for everything Oh and at 8:03 it was Dan Lilker and I love his work in brutal truth
Hey Dave, awesome video! I have a few questions for you. How you did your bass pick up configuration (wired)? Do you think I can do something similar in a Spector bass? I really agree with about passive and active bass and I'm really trying to change the original configuration of my bass to a passive style. Thanks!
The wiring I used can be found on the dimarzio website...a 3-way switch for the pickups is done the same way as a Les Paul. The series parallel switch is easy to find with a Google search. There is certainly no trickery with the wiring.
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?
![[UNCUT] ที่นี่ที่แรก ปู - หาญส์ พูดถึงมหากาพย์หนี้สิ้น I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 10 ก.ค.67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KDNA9DZ0p4U/mqdefault.jpg)
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
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
Damn you're a hell of a bassist. Awesome video thankyou.
Always come back to this video. Love your vibe and how you explain things
Lots of wisdom,here!----especially 4 beginners .excellent!
Excellent presentation, especially the part about the stingray sound... now THAT is versatility!
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!
"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
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 😀👍
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.
Amazing video! Very well explained, thanks Bro!
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!
That was a really helpful video Dave. Thanks
Dave, this has to be the best comparison of PJ sounds Ive heard on the internet. Thanks! very educational!
Thank you!!
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 ;)
Your right hand technique is incredible
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...
Thank you Dave. Great video. I have a Fender Jazz bass and I am thinking about replacing the neck pic whith a P.
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.
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.
Brilliant video Dave. Cheers from London (UK).
i think, aside from weird custom setups, you're right. This is the most versatile setup you'll get normally.
great video! there isnt a lot of this topic on youtube but you explain it very well
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!
Thank you for posting this. It makes sense how this is a very flexible way to set up a PJ
No problem!
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 explanation of the PJ Bass.
Some good tips here man...I feel yah!
Really good video in all aspects! Keep playing!
Love the set up
That series/parallel is such a good idea holy shit gonna do this to my Sire P5
great job of explaining....thanks
Very informative video. Thanks!!
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.
Soo true. Just got my custom shop PJ and its versatile 🤟
great review Dave, thanks!!
keep up the awsome work mate love your content
That was really informative 👌 thinking about a Semore Duncan Humbucker in my PJ swapping out the single coil
Great job!!! Thanks!!!
Great review.Very useful information without the usual slap acrobatics display.I think it’s the best pick up set up for bass.
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!
That was a great video, thanks!
Most informative video on Affinity PJ, well done!
Thanks! Although this bass is not an Affinity...
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.
That was so good! You really ran a clinic on that bass. Should be required listening. I learned a lot . Thank you sir.
Great demo
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!
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.
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!
NICE SETUP ,COOL BASS WAY MORE USEFUL
I love your tone!
I hear more harmonics in the Parallel setting and I like it!
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.
wow great tone! i have same Pbass and plan to put a J pup like yours mate
Awesome video!
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!!
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 solve for the traditional p/j circuit
Cool video! Subscribed!
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.
excellent information!
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 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!!!
that's such a cool looking Bass
Great video.
Good vid, love my PJUltra bass👍
super nice bass you have!!!!!!!
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.
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.
That thing sounds nice.
Wow that's a beautiful looking Bass
Thanks!
cool bass man!
I actually really like the sound of the j pick up by itself with the tone all the way down
I want this Bass!
Have you got a wiring diagram for this set up? Love how this sounds
Your bass sound real good
thanx man
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
Cool video! The only combination you dont have at hand is J+P(parallel), so both pickups are like 1 humbucker
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.
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.
My favorite p bass sound is when I solo my neck pickup on my jazz bass
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
Great bass and playing. What make of pickups are they?
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.
I ove the idea of PJ basses. I love it on paper. But my ears love the P and the J better in their original form.
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.
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...
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:
th-cam.com/video/ygpRIljc4lM/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=DaveTenney
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!
As a guitar player just starting to get serious with bass this video was very helpful, I’ve been looking at this style bass, what about basses that can be active and passive ? Again thanks
I think a bass that you could switch between active and passive would be just fine...I like passive basses mostly because they are simpler and have one less thing that can go wrong. You also have to always remember to unplug an active bass when you are not playing it, otherwise the battery will drain.
I've always liked the Stingray sound the best.
A stingray has a great sound...I had a 1979 model for about 10 years
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....
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.
Very informative
The P/J with series/parallel switch is the answer to to P vs J
Yea the pj configuration is the best. I play everything from jazz to death metal and the pj configuration works great for everything
Oh and at 8:03 it was Dan Lilker and I love his work in brutal truth
Interesting, on a Jazz I never use the bridge alone, but I love to use the neck pickup alone, specially for reggae.
Hey Dave, awesome video! I have a few questions for you. How you did your bass pick up configuration (wired)? Do you think I can do something similar in a Spector bass? I really agree with about passive and active bass and I'm really trying to change the original configuration of my bass to a passive style. Thanks!
The wiring I used can be found on the dimarzio website...a 3-way switch for the pickups is done the same way as a Les Paul. The series parallel switch is easy to find with a Google search. There is certainly no trickery with the wiring.
Thanks@@davetenney5800
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...