Buying a musical instrument is a lengthy process that can sometimes get complicated. When you are a newbie, all guitars tend to look the same. You might go for what fits your budget or looks shiny and appealing.
However, with time, you get to understand why artists like Malcolm Young held onto one guitar for most of his career. You want a guitar that responds to your touch, one that is the appropriate length and weight, and whose fretboard you can easily maneuver around.
The PJ-style bass guitar is an amalgamation of two different types of guitars. The first is the precision bass or the P-bass. The original had a single-coil pickup that was there for aesthetic purposes. Most bassists used to remove it, after which it was changed to a split-coil pickup.
The P-bass is known for its deep, rich tone that can play rock and punk well. The second is the jazz bass or the J-bass, which was meant to be an improvement on the P-bass. The J-bass had more tonal range than the P-bass.
Because the J-bass didn’t fully deliver on its goal of being better than the P-bass, especially in its versatility, artists started to modify their P-basses to form the PJ-bass. Manufacturers only picked up on this change in demand later, with the first manufacturers to produce the PJ-bass being Ibanez in the 40s.
Although the debate as to whether the PJ-bass supersedes the P and J-basses is a heated one, the PJ-bass holds its weight. It combines the P-bass’s full sound with the J-bass’s brightness. Bassists who use the PJ-bass also boast of its ability to suit any occasion; a concert, wedding, or small events.
A good example of a PJ-style bass guitar is the Donner DPJ-100. Although new guitars are bound to go out of tune now and then, the frequency with which they do so largely depends on the guitar’s hardware and construction. Donner has taken a more modern approach to the DPJ-100 by custom-making the tuning machine.
This will offer more stability and keep the guitar in tune for longer because the tuners are specified to the guitar’s strings and body. It will help you avoid the frustration and disappointment of a new guitar that seems to frequently go out of tune.
The bridge is an Accu-cast. Most Accu-casts are made of brass with chrome plating. This design prevents the “twangy” sound that comes from other materials, giving you a rich, resonating sound. The Donner DPJ-100 also has a slim C neck, the shape most known for its ease of playing and its fit for different styles of playing. The slim C-neck is also known for its suitability for various hand sizes.
The DPJ-100 bass guitar comes in a sleek black and a deep red. The purchase from Donner also comes with a complementary Allen wrench, set cable, and guitar strap. If you are after versatility in sound when playing, the PJ-style bass would be the right fit for you.