Pickups are a rabbit hole all to themselves. I have a set of Fralin pickups in Jazz housing that are Ps; so the bass looks like a Jazz bass but is in reality a double P.
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I have nothing against rabbit holes. Would it make sense to replace the J pickup with something less harsh?
Is there a cheap solution?
The best solution I could give you is a DiMarzio Model P / Model J set. They sound fantastic, I put a set in my pink Mustang. Also for pickups they are on the lower end of cost. Strong highs and mids like you would get in a humbucker, and quite hot as they’re ceramic. Part # DP 126 - and they’re hum cancelling to boot
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DP126BK--dimarzio-model-pj-bass-pickup-set
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Every pickup rabbit hole always seems to end at the DP126 
*IF I would replace pickups, that might be a good opportunity to replace the knobs with volume, tone and blend.
Any ideas about that? I wanted to avoid soldering (that’s why I prefer EMG), but your suggestion sounds good…
If I were to do EMG, I would probably get the Geezer PJ set.
If you do a DiMarzio set, you have 3 choices. Solder it yourself. Pay someone to solder for you, or buy a solderless wiring harness which comes with connectors for the pickup wires. All you need is a screwdriver. They cost, ime, a bit more than it costs to pay someone to do the soldering for you.
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I like the DiMarzio sound a lot more than the EMG’s but YMMV.
Soldering is not hard, just takes a little practice.
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I do too, the DiMarzio DP126 is just a workhorse of a pickup set. You can play anything with it. But if I were to do EMG PJ, it would be Geezer. If it were EMG Soapbars, the Dave Ellefson set which is fantastic
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@howard & @Wombat-metal You have already convinced me. I can solder, I just don’t like it
What about the knobs / electronics for volume, tone and blend?
This is the harness I got for my Rascal. It has a parts list on it. Nobs are easy, I went to Stewmac. I assume you have a similar place - if the ones you have don’t fit.
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No love for quarter pounders?
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not me
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Nope. I love the SPB4 over the SPB3.
Which is a good option, an SPB4 with an SJB2 is a good sound if he is into Duncans. Not as good as the DP126 though
The only exception for quarter pounders to me is the SCPB3, the single coil 51 P pickup. That thing is a fantastic.
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They’re only on my radar because Amos Heller stuck them in his BB. The Metallica covers he did sound great though.
ETA: I also think once you get into high quality pick-ups the differences are mostly what frequencies get emphasized and how hot they are. Since I already have multiple ways to eq and boost that I don’t have to pay more for or solder, pick-ups are pretty far down my list of things to spend money on.
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I would 100% keep the stock BB pickups (for the 734 and higher anyway); they are great.
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Active EMG sounds fantastic. If you are into the classic look then checkout the PV models. EMG active system is different than many other active system as the power fed through pickup is the hum canceling so the volume wise, it’s not much louder than passive pickups, just clean and strong tone.
I’m a big fan of EMG.
As for the PJ setup, like @Wombat-metal said the J is there to support the overall brightness. It’s not exactly the P and a J at the bridge like many people assume. It’s its own thing which is pretty cool.
If you really want the full personality of each pickup then Fralin would be my recommendation.
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So, those are a lot of answers while I was sleeping!
That would fit also for a P/J?
I heared that they have a humming issue!?
It is impossible to get them in Germany if you want to have them in black 
You can get the only in this strange creme colour, which reminds me of my grandmother’s underwear…
According to reviews, the Sire U5 pickups are fairly good. I can confirm that for the P pickup. And maybe the J pickup is how it’s supposed to sound - I just don’t like it! I can also confirm that they are very hot!
So according to that logic I would not need new pickups, as I can EQ in software to make it sound like a higher end pickup?
If so, I just need to install volume/blend/tone electroncis/knobs. That would be ok for me.
I also love active EMGs. Would need to find out if there is space enough for the battery, and if not: dremel the body a little. No problem.
Question is if any EMG sounds better than the stock pickups and as good as the DP126.
Fralin is too expensive here and hard to get.
In my opinion the DiMarzio Model P is about the best sounding P aftermarket pickup for more aggressive styles.
My favorite P pickup of all time so far is the stock pickup in my Yamaha SBV-800MF (and also in the SBV-550, same one).
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It should
That’s a loaded question. It depends on what you are looking for in terms of tone. Not everyone wants the same thing. I love the Quarter pounder because of the attack speed, until I discover Delano. I also prefer harder to drive pickup as it gives more depth and much easier to find the right tone than a hot hot pickups.