Passive Mode Drop-off?

[Orpheus55]

Got a quick question about the L2000 Tribute in the passsive mode. I seldom use this option, but tonight, accidentally--at an outdoor 4th celebration--I found that the bass-cut knob has to be fully on for the passive mode to have any decent output; back the bass off even slightly, and the output disappears precipitously. Is this normal? No big deal, as I always use one of the active modes, but I was wondering, as many have raved about the passive mode in this instrument being so wonderful. I always change batteries before a major gig and did tonight--no difference. Maybe I'm just being paranoid; it's a fantastic instrument and even more so now that I've filed the fret ends. Maybe Spidey could opine. Thanks!

[Orpheus55]

I guess this rates as a dumb question; obviously, the output increases with the preamp on. It's just that the drop-off in passive (center position) was so marked as to be curious; cut controls work in this mode and really have to be uncut for it to have any worthwhile volume--at least in my case.

[brianrost]

On my US L2500 I never noticed any huge drop in level when I rolled off the bass knob (I used it in passive mode all the time). Never tried a Tribute but it sounds weird to me.

[tornadobass]

I've noticed this on my Tribute L-2500. The bass knob rolls off quickly while the treble knob takes most of its range to have an impact.

I use passive mode with volume and both tones all the way up.

Out of curiousity, I compared the tone controls to my L-1000 and thought the range of the bass and treble knobs were much more even. Perhaps G&L used linear taper pots on the Tributes?

[sunbeast]

I've noticed that my 82 L2000e's bass knob rolls off way quicker than my '06 US L2500- it has to be a difference in the circuit, I'm pretty sure they always used linear tpaer pots for the bass cut...

Karl