Ok, i used to play nothing but passive p-basses. now that i have my first active bass, i need some help. I put a new battery in the ATK (Active) and i went home, pluged it in, and and found i had to crank my pre gain knob twice as much to get the signal output i had with the passive p-basses. Some ATK owners have said that their is a pot on the inside that increases the gain from the pre amp. i havent looked at it, but do i need to pump this thing up to get a stronger signal?

My suggestion to you is, open up the cavity and look. there maybe a little variable resistor, looks like a oval shaped/or even a blue square thing where a flat head (for the oval) or a phillips head (for the square ones), could fit in. I'll see if i can find a picture. Try adjusting it slightly clockwise. not fully, but slightly. if they reduces the output even more, go anitclockwise.

Just try it.

Don't have the bass plugged in when u do this.

:D:D

Merls

Ok, i tried this, and found NO DIFFRENCE IN SOUD LEVEL AT ALL. Why? i turned it almost all the way one way, then almost all the other way, and no diffrence. WHAT IS UP?

oh man....NEVER **** around with internal pots unless you know exactly what you're doing..

as for the gain thingy.. go back to the store.. my ATK has plenty of gain.

Crud, i am all dissipointed. maybe i need a new battery after all, he might have just jiped me. All i know is that i have to crank the gain on the amp twice as more to get the same output..... ok, time for the stupid question... i might have gotten the inputs mixed up. ok, i am used to the "low" "high" labels, mine has a 0db and a -15db. ive been pluging my p-basses into the 0db, and the active into the -15db... god tell me i am not that stupid....

No you are right, passive basses go into the 0db, and active into the -15db.

Originally posted by Icez
No you are right, passive basses go into the 0db, and active into the -15db.

No, you only need to use the lower gain input if the sound distorts at all volume levels (indicating the output is too hot and overloading the preamp).

I always use the higher gain inputs on my amps, and I use both active and passive basses.

I always wonder what kind of active circuit everyone else is using that's so hot! :confused:

I put both my passive and active bass in the 0dB input, and it works fine !

You should only use the -15dB pad if you're running a line-level signal into your amp.

Use the passive input and put the internal trimpot at half. ATKs, like Stingrays, are known for having high-output preamps--the little bit of grind this adds is characteristic of the tone.

Thanks guys, and thanks peter you smug bastard you! I just heard from alot of bassists to use the -15, or "high" input if you have an active bass.... must be losers, i mean, WHAT IDIOT WOUDL THINK THAT? I MEAN,, BESIDES ME? AND,, UH, THAT OTHER GUY THAT SAID I WAS RIGHT?!?! . i am, an idiot. Thanks again.

This is at least the case with my amp&bass. I´ve tried my bass using the 0db input and it distorted when I started to dig in a little. So it suits me just fine to use the -15db with my standard active bass, and the 0db with my old junk passive bass.

To each is his own I guess. There really aren´t any "wrongs" or "rights", just personal preference.

My old Dean had a very weak preamp and I would have to turn the gain up to 8 on my old WT-300 to get any volume at all. Those EMG-2D/3D preamps are just kinda pansy.

My FBB's Bartolini NTBT, on the other hand, is hot. If I cranked the internal trimpot I could definitely push a line-level signal.

Some basses with proprietary preamps--Status, Kubicki, Ovation--are known for very high output, and overdrive pretty much all passive inputs, so it makes sense to use the -15dB rolloff with them.

I myself like a bit of grit in my tone when I'm playing rock, but I get that from my Fafner's drive control.