Cort Action PJ Review: Is This the Best Budget Bass to Start With?

The Cort Action PJ comes up constantly when beginners ask me what bass to buy. It’s one of those instruments that sits at the intersection of affordable and actually good — which is a harder place to find than you’d think.

PJ means it has a Precision Bass pickup at the neck and a Jazz Bass pickup at the bridge. That combination has been around for decades because it works. You get the warmth and punch of the P pickup, and the added brightness and bite of the J pickup. More tonal range than a pure P or pure J bass.

Is This the Best Budget Bass to Start With?

That’s the question I was asking when I picked this up. The budget bass market is crowded — Squier, Harley Benton, Ibanez GIO, Epiphone. Every brand has an entry-level option. The Cort Action PJ competes in that space and, in my opinion, holds up well.

Build quality for the price is solid. The frets are dressed properly — no sharp ends sticking out to cut your hand. The nut is cut at a reasonable height so the strings don’t feel like they’re a mile off the fretboard. These are not guaranteed at this price point. On the Action PJ they’re done correctly.

The PJ Pickup Configuration

The P pickup (neck position) is the foundation of the tone. That split-coil design cancels hum while giving you that thick, midrange-forward character that sits perfectly in a band mix. Every style of music uses this sound — rock, pop, R&B, country, you name it.

The J pickup (bridge position) alone is bright and slightly nasal. Solo it and you hear that classic Jazz Bass bridge tone — great for cutting through a mix, good for funk and slap approaches. Combined with the P pickup at full volume, the hum from the J pickup cancels out and you get a blended tone that’s both warm and present.

Having both means you can adjust the blend to suit the song. More P for a fat, punchy sound. More J for something brighter and more articulate. Both together for a balanced tone that works for almost everything.

How Does It Play?

The neck is comfortable. It’s not the fastest neck I’ve ever played but it’s not fighting you either. For a beginner who’s still developing hand strength and muscle memory, this kind of neck actually helps — it gives you something to hold onto without being so chunky that it’s fatiguing.

The setup out of the box was acceptable. Not perfect — I’d recommend having it professionally set up, which costs maybe $40-60 at any guitar shop. A proper setup makes a significant difference on any bass, especially a budget instrument. After a setup, the Action PJ becomes noticeably easier to play.

The Honest Limitations

At this price point there are always compromises. The tuners on the Action PJ are functional but not exceptional — they hold pitch well enough but don’t have the smooth, precise feel of higher-end machines. The bridge is basic but works.

The tone has a slightly thinner character compared to basses with higher-quality pickups. It’s not bad — it’s perfectly usable — but if you put a Yamaha BB234 next to it, you’ll hear the difference. That’s expected and fair given the price difference.

For a first bass, none of these limitations matter. You’re learning to play. You don’t need boutique pickups. You need something that stays in tune, is comfortable to hold, and sounds like a bass.

Who Should Buy the Cort Action PJ

This is a beginner bass. Not in a dismissive way — in a practical way. If you’re just starting, if you’re buying a bass for a teenager who might or might not stick with it, or if you need a cheap backup instrument for rehearsals — the Cort Action PJ makes sense.

If you’ve been playing for a year or two and you’re ready to upgrade, look at the Yamaha BB234 or the Cort A5 Plus. You’ll feel the difference immediately and it’ll be worth the extra money.

But as a starting point, the Action PJ does what it needs to do. It won’t hold you back while you’re learning fundamentals.

FAQ

What does PJ mean on a bass guitar?

PJ refers to the pickup configuration — a Precision Bass (P) pickup at the neck position and a Jazz Bass (J) pickup at the bridge position. This gives you the tonal range of both classic pickup types in one instrument.

Is the Cort Action PJ good for beginners?

Yes. It’s one of the better options in the budget range — solid build quality, good PJ tone range, and comfortable enough for a beginner to learn on without fighting the instrument.

Should I get the Cort Action PJ set up when I buy it?

Ideally yes. A professional setup ($40-60 at most guitar shops) will lower the action, adjust intonation, and make the bass significantly easier to play. It’s worth doing on any new budget bass.

How does the Cort Action PJ compare to Squier?

They’re comparable in quality. The Cort Action PJ’s PJ pickup configuration gives it more tonal versatility than a standard Squier Precision or Jazz Bass. Personal preference and feel should guide the decision — try both if you can.

Can I use the Cort Action PJ for slap bass?

Yes, though it’s not optimized for slap. The bridge J pickup adds the brightness slap technique needs. As a learning instrument for slap fundamentals it works fine. As you develop the technique you’ll likely want to upgrade to something with better output and tighter low end.

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