P & J Pick-Ups

[Zetora]

OK I know i will sounds like a noob, well i am, not so much to bass but I sort'ta am to it.

What is the difference's between P-Pick-ups and J-Pick-ups?

That include construction, sound, and whatever else you can think of. Oh and your personal feelings about them but i would like the question answering if you wouldn't mind before this becomes a discussion on what ya think of them.

OH and another quesion, is there any difference between bass pick ups and guitar pick ups?

Thanks in advance to those who post :d

[beam]

P pickups are split humbuckers, look like this:

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/30/301602.jpg

They are strong on the low end and have some pretty fat low mids.

Here are some good samples:

P-bass - Sample 1 (http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0116.wav)
P-bass - Sample 2 (http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0115.wav)

Essex Precision Bass
Precision, Tone set to 0 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxp-tone0.mp3)
Precision, Tone set to 10 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxp-tone10.mp3)
Precision, Adam Clayton Lick, Tone set to 10 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxp-tone10-u2lick.mp3)
Precision, Chords, Tone set to 5 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxp-tone5-chords.mp3)

Jazz pickups are single coils, kind of like on a stratocaster guitar, they look like this:
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/30/301640.jpg

They are pretty middy in tone, and don't have as much low end as a P-bass pickup will. However they have a great growling tone and are pretty good for slap. However they do have a 60cycle hum if you dont keep both pickup volumes at about the same, or if you have the tone knob pretty high.

J-Bass - Sample 1 (http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0209.wav)
J-Bass - Sample 2 (http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0300.wav)

Essex Jazz Bass
Series setting, Tone set to 0 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-series-tone0.mp3)
Series setting, Tone set to 10 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-series-tone10.mp3)
Parallel setting, Neck Pickup, Tone set to 0 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-par-neck-tone0.mp3)
Parallel setting, Neck Pickup, Tone set to 10 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-par-neck-tone10.mp3)
Parallel setting, Bridge Pickup, Tone set to 0 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-par-bridge-tone0.mp3)
Parallel setting, Bridge Pickup, Tone set to 10 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-par-bridge-tone10.mp3)
Parallel setting, Both Pickups, Tone set to 0 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-par-both-tone0.mp3)
Parallel setting, Both Pickups, Tone set to 10 (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-par-both-tone10.mp3)
Series setting, Tone set to 5, Chords (http://chicagoclan.150m.com/sxj-series-tone5-chords.mp3)

Hope that helps! As a rule of thumb, P-basses go "thump", J-basses "growl"

[Zetora]

Thank you thats cleard most of it up. And thanks for the sound ssamples they was really helpful in that :D.

I understand that and thanks for the Thump and Growl thing too as i have seen them round the site and wondered.

One question left unanswered and a couple more arise.

Is there a difference between bass pickups and guitar pickups? If so what?

What gives them such a sound difference? Is it the range over the string that is read? Humbucker 'read's' mopre of the string that a single coil so gets a fatter sound, ya? nay?

What is it within the electronics which does this?

thanks, much appriciated :D

[Apendecto]

J-pickups don't have to be single coil.

Seymore duncan, for example, has stacked humbuckers that are J sized.

I can't answer many of your questions, but I do know where you put a pickup makes a huge difference. Almost like playing at different points on the guitar. For example, play as close to on the bridge and then play over the 12th fret. Huge difference. The pickup placement is similar to this. Also, since the bridge J pickup is usually closer to the bridge more growl comes out, just like if you play really close to the bridge and really hard.

[Zetora]

thanks, thats cause the part of the strings near the bridge get a greater tonal difference over the same read range as near the neck. I have done some research but just trying to understand thing better. Thanks.

Its the electronical side of things i would like to know more about really. Though any imput is useful so please carry on replying :D

Thanks

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