How to get a jazz tone from a precision

zelig.audio

zelig.audio

Apr 12, 2013
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#1
I have the impression that every 32 seconds one video discussing how to get a Precision tone from a Jazz Bass is uploaded to YouTube. How about the other way round?

More precisely, how can one get something close to the jazz bridge pickup midrange-y sound? I know, “get a PJ!”, but let’s suppose one already has a Precision and just needs a “nasal” jazz bridge sound for some songs?

I’m really asking for recommendations on which frequencies I should work on my EQ.

While we’re thinking about it, could anyone offer proof (I mean, sound clips) that a PJ with the neck pickup soloed doesn’t sound like an actual P-Bass?

EDIT: corrected mistakes.
 
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#5
1) The closest you'll get is plucking back by the bridge. Doing so will give you a slightly thinner and more 'pointed' tone, but it'll still sound like a Precision.

2) In my experience the P pickup on every PJ I've played is not much different to the standard P pickup on a Precision. I have two PJs in standard config - an '81 Ibanez RS824 Roadster and an '84 Yamaha BB3000. (a) the P pickup on the maple-necked Ibanez is indistinguishable from that of a late '70's maple-necked Precision, and (b) the P pickup on the BB3000 sounds just as good, if not better than the pickup on my CS '59 Precision, albeit a tad smoother and not quite as percussive.
 
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#6
gerryjazzman said:
I would say try backing off on the bass a bit and boost mids in the 500 to 700 hz range for starters. Can’t offer proof since I never tried.
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The J-bass tone is naturally scooped while the P-bass tone is all about the thick low-mid presence. If one wants a J-bass tone out of a P-bass, shouldn't the mids be cut instead of boosted? Just asking...
 
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#7
michael_t said:
The J-bass tone is naturally scooped while the P-bass tone is all about the thick low-mid presence. If one wants a J-bass tone out of a P-bass, shouldn't the mids be cut instead of boosted? Just asking...
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It’s scooped when both pickups are wide open, but if one goes, say, for the “Jaco sound”, there’s a lot of mids there. My question really is where in the spectrum are those mids.
 
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#9
ToddB1963 said:
1) The closest you'll get is plucking back by the bridge. Doing so will give you a slightly thinner and more 'pointed' tone, but it'll still sound like a Precision.

2) I agree with your inference i.e. that the P pickup on a PJ is not much different to the standard P pickup on a Precision. I have two PJs in standard config - an '81 Ibanez RS824 Roadster and an '84 Yamaha BB3000. (a) the P pickup on the maple-necked Ibanez is indistinguishable from that of a late '70's maple-necked Precision, and (b) the P pickup on the BB3000 sounds just as good, if not better than the pickup on my CS '59 Precision, albeit a tad smoother and not quite as percussive.
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Yes, I’ve been plucking by the bridge as you suggest and it already makes some difference, but it still lacks that definition that stands out in the mix in a totally different way than a Precision doing its regular thing.

I guess I’m ok with it still sounding like a Precision - especially the percussive thing you alluded to -, I just wanted it to poke out and be less big, more agile. It’s hard to put these things in to words, but I usually feel that a jazz favouring the bridge tends to sound kind of light, makes me want to play fast, while the Precision doing the traditional Precision thing is present by occupying more sonic space and makes me want to stay more in the pocket perhaps. I hope what I said makes sense.
 
#10
zelig.audio said:
Yes, I’ve been plucking by the bridge as you suggest and it already makes some difference, but it still lacks that definition that stands out in the mix in a totally different way than a Precision doing its regular thing.

I guess I’m ok with it still sounding like a Precision - especially the percussive thing you alluded to -, I just wanted it to poke out and be less big, more agile. It’s hard to put these things in to words, but I usually feel that a jazz favouring the bridge tends to sound kind of light, makes me want to play fast, while the Precision doing the traditional Precision thing is present by occupying more sonic space and makes me want to stay more in the pocket perhaps. I hope what I said makes sense.
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Are you using good flats?
 
#13
I guess my thought to the OP was how to get close to the Jaco soloe’d bridge pickup sound . And yes I forgot to add to pluck near the bridge as was mentioned. Getting the both pickups “scooped sound”. Is probably not going to happen with only one pickup. One could try reducing the mids in the 700 Hz to 1KHz region but it’s probably not going to sound convincing since the separated pickups on a J bass actually produce a comb filter effect based on the constant delay between the pickups.
 
#14
ToddB1963 said:
What are the songs in question?
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Brazilian stuff. Things like this:



This video gives a good idea of the tone I’m going for, though I’m fully aware that getting something like this from a P Bass or even a passive jazz is almost impossible. I just need to get in that direction. Don’t need to nail it and I believe even a Jaco-esque tone would be more than enough.
 
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#15
zelig.audio said:
Brazilian stuff. Things like this:



This video gives a good idea of the tone I’m going for, though I’m fully aware that getting something like this from a P Bass or even a passive jazz is almost impossible. I just need to get in that direction. Don’t need to nail it and I believe even a Jaco-esque tone would be more than enough.
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Ok. My advice - short of going and buying yourself a PJ or jazz bass - is to tighten up the sound as much as you can and work on your technique so you nail the tunes. Work with what you've got. IMO this is more important than worrying too much about getting "that" particular tone for only three songs. Needless to say, a precision can sound great if played well in that general style.
 
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#19
zelig.audio said:
It’s scooped when both pickups are wide open, but if one goes, say, for the “Jaco sound”, there’s a lot of mids there. My question really is where in the spectrum are those mids.
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Between 500-1000hz

Picking further back by the bridge helps further, because you get more of the 2nd and 3rd harmonics out of the strings when you do that.

There were some funk players in the 60s doing just that on precisions. When you hear the sound you’ll recognize it. It’s not quite the jaco/jazz bridge burp sound, but it’s reminiscent.
 
#20
Getting a J bridge PU sound out of a split coil P is a tricky order. Here's how I would go about it.
1. Install a series/parallel switch on the pickup (push/pull pot is easy and reversible) and put the pickup in parallel mode. This alone will give the tonality the flatter/wider bandwidth J pickups have over the typical series P tonality.
2. Creative EQ. This is going to take some experimentation, as you are trying to emulate the harmonic content of a pickup that's located about 3" closer to the bridge. Cutting some lows around 100Hz and below and maybe a small boost around 400-800Hz.

As for the P/J vs P thing...
As long as the P pickup is soloed, it sounds like a P. If the P/J uses a 3 way switch so that the J pickup is 100% electronically out of the circuit, even better.
 
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