As bass players, we are very attracted to the idea of having all the tones.

Maybe it’s because of the role that most of us play in the context of a band, but having access to all the sounds that will complement the music is a big deal to us. 

That may be the reason why when the J Bass came out in 1960 it was such a huge success. Bass players now had two pickups and a lot more tones at their disposal compared to the P Bass that came before it. 

However, that didn’t mean that the P Bass wasn’t good enough anymore, far from it. Multitudes of bass players still used it very successfully and it was and continues to be a staple in the recording studio. 

At some point, someone figured out that if they routed their P Bass and added a J Bass pickup near the bridge, they could have something akin to both P and J tones in one bass. 

And that was the birth of the P/J bass. 

Flash forward to today, and we’ll find a huge amount of basses that have the now classic P/J pickup configuration. From entry-level basses by brands like Ibanez, all the way to hand-built high-end basses from builders like Spector and Sadowsky, they’ve all embraced the P/J. 

In this article, we’ll cover some of the options that are available today, whether you’re looking for the ultimate vintage vibe or looking to break new tonal ground. 

The unofficial history of the P/J

No one takes full credit for being the first to modify their P Bass by adding a J Bass pickup. 

According to some photographic evidence, modding P Basses was something that started sometime in the late 60s and early 70s. 

There seems to be some photographic evidence that Jefferson Airplane’s Jack Cassidy was playing a P/J in 1969 and another early adopter was Rob Grange, Ted Nugent’s bass player, in the early 70s. 

Some players from the era even claim that the most popular mod for P bass was adding a second P pickup to a P bass, but for whatever reason, this mod didn’t catch on.  

Up to the mid-70s, it was only adventurous bass players willing to route their precious P Bass who were the ones that rocked P/J basses. But it was in 1976 when what appears to be the first production P/J bass was released.

Ibanez released the 2369B, featuring both a P Bass pickup in the neck and a J Bass pickup in the bridge. Interestingly, the P Bass is much closer to the neck than on a Fender Precision Bass. 

Other manufacturers caught wind of the trend and started building their own versions of the P/J. One of the most notable builders to embrace the P/J setup were Spector with their NS2 in 1979. 

In 1984, Fender released their P/J with the MIJ Jazz Bass Special which was made famous in large part by Duff McKagan from Guns and Roses. 

Flash forward to today and the P/J is still as popular as ever.  So many of the manufacturers that we work with make PJ Bass Pickups. As of the writing of this article, we've got 15 different PJ sets from 10 manufacturers.

It’s one of those "have-your-cake-and-eat-it-deals" with P/J setups since you can have the classic P sound in the neck, a less scooped version of the J Bass tone in the middle, and the bridge pickup is always there to add some bite and high-end presence to your tone. 

From Vintage to Modern

2025 is a great time to be a P/J player since you can now find a large variety of pickups that are already paired in a set.

This helps take out the guesswork of trying to pair individual pickups or the extra cost of buying a pickup that is only sold in pairs. 

Here are some of the PJ bass pickup options that are available for you that range from vintage voiced pickups with hum-canceling J pickups to completely modern designs. 

New Vintage P/J pickup sets

One of the first things to notice about many of the P/J sets that are being produced currently is that the J pickup used is of the hum-canceling variety, but tuned to sound like a vintage single coil. This means that your bass will be completely silent but still groove like it was in the 60s or 70s. 

Also, these sets have been put together by the manufacturer so that they have a good volume balance between both pickups. 

• Lindy Fralin PJ set: The Fralin P is voiced to sound like their much loved early 60s voice P Bass pickup. The J features a hum-canceling J Bass pickup which is overwound to match the volume of the P. This set gives you genuine early 60s tones with its characteristic full bottom and a healthy amount of upper mids that never fail to cut through a mix. The J pickup is slightly fuller and has a higher output than an early 60s voiced example which makes it a great match for the P pickup. 
• Aguilar AG 4P/J-HC set: The Aguilar set is very popular due to its clarity and how well-balanced it sounds. Both the P and J have vintage output and offer 100% hum-free operation. Compared to the Fralin set, these have a tighter low-end and a bit more presence in the high-end frequencies. 
• EMG Geezer Butler PJ Set: Even though EMG is famous for its active pickups, the Geezer Butler set is completely passive. It’s modeled after Butler’s early Sabbath tone of his early 70s P Bass. Compared to the tone of the 60s, this EMG set is punchier with a bit more low-mid range, which gives the tone extra weight, and helps a bassist find their place in a busy mix. 

Modern P/J Sets

We classify PJ sets as Modern if the manufacturer didn't set out to replicate a specific vintage tone. This means different things to different manufacturers. Some, view modern tones as something that has a wider frequency range or increased output, others view it as a hybrid of different characteristics you wouldn’t expect out of a PJ set. 

• Sadowsky PJ pickup set: Sadowsky is one of the first boutique builders to hot rod the PJ Bass. These pickups are a version of a vintage voiced set with extra everything, but without overdoing it. They have extra output but aren’t overly hot, extra high-end but aren't brittle, and big lows but without losing tightness. These Sadowsky’s are also available for 5-string PJs. 
• Delano PJ-MVC4 FE/M2: This Delano set, aside from looking awesome with its oversized poles, really brings something different to the PJ setup. The way many bass players describe the PJ-MVC4 is as an extra punchy and dynamic PJ bass. So if you’re looking to make sure you get heard in a mix, this Delano set is a good option. It is also available for 5-string basses.
• EMG PJ set: These EMGs are arguably the original modern pickup design. Its key feature is that they have an internal preamp for added output and no loss of signal across long cables. This is the design that you’ll see on high-end Spector basses since the 80s and sounds like a PJ set with added high-end detail and output. 
• Nordstrand NPJ Blade Set: The Nordstrand NPJs feature a unique exposed blade magnet which gives them a unique aesthetic as well as a unique tonal signature. This pickup set has higher output and is more aggressive than a vintage voiced set. Also, it comes in two flavors, clean & clear and warm & wooly. Both options sound great and will definitely make your PJ sound distinctive. 

Is the PJ the best of both worlds? 

A compelling argument could be made that a bass with a PJ setup is all that you’ll ever need. 

And it would make a lot of sense since you do get the tonal characteristics of both P and J basses. 

But for others, they love the PJ because its essentially it’s own thing. And that might be the reason why PJ basses have grown in popularity ever since someone in the late '60s decided to mod their P Bass. 

Whether you love your PJ bass due to its flexibility or because of how unique it sounds, we have plenty of options to take your bass in whatever tonal direction you want it to go. 

And if you’re not sure which pickup set, or if you’re thinking of mating your new PJ pickups with an onboard preamp, make sure to give us a call or shoot us an email. 

You’ll talk to a real human who will help you choose the best pickups for your individual bass needs.