Passive Nordstrands on Century Standard....

NickyBass · #1 06-09-2009, 07:33 PM

I was wondering if anyone has experimented with trying Big Splits with no preamp on their Roscoe. I was thinking that it would be wired VVT with the output jack being mounted on the face -- in the 4th knob hole.

I've read through a few posts and a few people have swapped out the Barts for Nordys, but since the Century Standard doesn't have a preamp bypass, I'm wondering how the bass would sound passive.

Gard · #2 06-09-2009, 11:10 PM

FYI, you COULD just use the stock CB's passive, it would give you a solid idea - and you might even dig the tone that way and save yourself some cash....

JOME77 · #3 06-10-2009, 05:31 AM

Hey Nicky!
Good to hear from you on the Roscoe forum!
Let us know the results if you try the CB's passive. Personally, having played passive Fenders for years during my early years, and having played newer basses with the nice on-board pre-amps, I just don't see why players would want to go back to passive, other than a backup to pre or battery failure.

I run my amp flat and love the ability to tweak the EQ at my bass for changes in my tone, and that's primarily limited to panning between p/u's and a slight mid boost. Hey, but different strokes for different folks.

NickyBass · #4 06-10-2009, 06:19 AM

Hey guys, good to be over here. I poke my head in every once in a while, since I've always dug Roscoe basses.

I almost never tweak my on-board preamps. I just leave them flat. I own active basses, and I love them, but I wouldn't own them if they didn't sound good in passive mode (or 'flat'). I don't have anything against preamps, but since I don't really touch them, and if I were to rewire it anyway, I might as well try it without.

I actually have an old set of Nordstrand Big Splits from another project.

The control cavity is scary!! That is some preamp in there.

CrashClint · #5 06-10-2009, 10:39 AM

I have used the Roscoe Barts wired straight to the jack before. Plugged into the Passive input and the Roscoe Barts sounded great by themselves. I have not tried this with through passive controls but I guess you could wire them just like a fender and try different capacitors to tweak the passive tone with a 3 way switch.