What is the difference between J Bass pickups, P Bass pickups & soapbars?
The P in P Bass pickups stands for Precision Bass. They are made of two single-coil pickups that are offset so they each pick up vibrations from two different strings. The signal is combined before it reaches the volume and tone controls. Each single-coil is wound in opposite directions to reduce hum. Basses usually have one P Bass pickup. The J in J Bass pickups stands for Jazz Bass. They are made in one piece that picks up vibrations from all four strings. J Bass pickups are single-coils, and J Bass pickups usually have two of them; one near the neck and one by the bridge. Soapbar pickups owe their name to their shape. These one-piece pickups are about twice as wide as J Bass pickups and can be wired as either single-coils or humbuckers. Jazz Bass, J Bass, Precision Bass, and P Bass are trademarks of FMIC. All rights reserved. FMIC is neither affiliated with nor endorses any non-FMIC products.
