P/J or P/Humbucker ?

[22 AWG]

Hello,

I have a Fender American Jazz bass I've modded to be PJ, which I'm digging just fine. The bridge has the original single-coil Jazz pickup, and so it hums a lot. I'm either going to swap it out with a Dimarzio Model J or, because I happen to have one, a G&L MFD. My question is: is there a routing template available for the G&L, or do I need to create one by hand?

And the poll, below, is whether you think it should be the Dimarzio or the G&L in the bridge.

Thanks for your time.
-22 AWG

 

[fermata]

MFDs are great, but I'd worry about being able to balance it with a typical P pickup. If you put an SB-1 MFD there and the MFD at the bridge (with coil switching), you might have something cool. Pickup - SB-2 / SB1 MFD
Otherwise, the Model J is a safer bet.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

If you're going with the MFD in the bridge, get some SB-1 pickups to go with it, otherwise there will be a mismatch in output:

Pickup - SB-2 / SB1 MFD

 

[22 AWG]

Great input--thanks. It didn't occur to me that losing the P would be a problem.

 

[sikamikanico]

What P do you have? I'd try to find a good split J to match it before routing for a humbucker (which you can still do later if no J fits your needs). Or maybe just get a matched PJ set, may work best...

 

[Killed_by_Death]

If you've got a V/V/T controls layout, the output mismatch isn't really an issue,
but they'd probably sound wildly different...

 

[rogypop]

Sb-2 split p+ mfd humbucker with single north/series/single south switching. Lots of sound crammed in there. Otherwise simply throw a modej j.

 

[22 AWG]

Thanks for this advice--it's very helpful. I think I'll go with the Model J and see where that gets me. Thanks again.

 

[iiipopes]

Search the threads and you will find much discussion about this issue. For me, I have found that in contrast to most "conventional" P-bass pickups that can sound a little middy (mine has a resonance hump centered at 1.3kHz), that a "scooped" J-humbucker in the '70's position is a good contrast and can get a good mix tone. I use a DiMarzio Ultra Jazz for its scoop, output and humbucking characteristics.

The other thing I do is to put a .01 capacitor in line from the bridge pickup hot lead to its volume control. This shaves the low end a little bit, yes, but it also gets rid of the impedance volume drop when both pickups are dimed.

 

[socialleper]

The idea of a P/MM or P/soapbar has always interested me, but I have yet to play on in person so I can't really say if it is the way to go.
I like the versatility of my Lakland 44-02 which is j/mm.

 

[Mvilmany]

The MFD pickups are the loudest pickups I’ve ever played through.