My Ibanez BTB has passive pickups, with an active EQ (preamp also?). My John Myung 6 has active pickups, active EQ/preamp.

I have a passive 5 string pup for a bass I'm building (found one after posting my "cheap 5 pup" thread), and I'm wondering if it would be possible to add an EQ to it. My BTB shows me that it is possible to combine passive w/ an EQ, but are there any considerations/requirements?

Is there actually a difference between a passive and active pickup? Or does the difference lie after the pickup, where you start adding things like the volume/tone pots, etc?

Well, when you hook an active circuit up to your pickups, you will only get boost, no cutting at all. So yes, you can do that.

Originally posted by BASSnSAX
Well, when you hook an active circuit up to your pickups, you will only get boost, no cutting at all.Please explain a little further what you mean, because I think you're wrong.

it works in the other categories ;)

You can hook up an active preamp to passive pickups, and it will be a boost/cut system, as long as it is not a boost only preamp (I have seen these before).

Basslines (Seymour Duncan) makes preamps for active and passive preamps. They are different units. I believe all Bartolini pickups are passive, and I believe that their preamps are all designed for this. I know some EMGs are active pickups, so I imagine there are specific preamps for these, like with Basslines.

Hope this helps.
Geoff

Thanks!

I purchased a SD Basslines pickup, so I'll look for a prea-amp system for it..

Thanks!