Boss SYB-5 & other synth pedal tracking with active/passive basses

morrisonhendrix · #1 08-26-2010, 10:28 AM

Yes, I did a search before asking this. I've noticed that the tracking with this pedal is much better on a passive bass than my active one. In fact, it's really not useable on my Spector.

While I realize that there are other synth pedals out there that are much better (Markbass, EH Microsnyth, Deep Impact, etc.), is this a common phenomenon with active basses and synth pedals?

Dr_Funkdamental · #2 08-26-2010, 10:29 AM

I'd like to know this as well. Plus, what about an active bass that has a passive switch. Does that make a difference?

morrisonhendrix · #3 08-26-2010, 10:44 AM

Dr. Funkdamental,

I forgot to add that question too, as I have a Jaguar with a passive switch. Good call.

waveman · #4 08-26-2010, 01:04 PM

EH Hog works great for both active and passive IMO. I bought this originally for guitar, but have been playing mostly bass the last couple of years. We just started adding a couple of songs where I needed a synth, and I am liking it.

Floridabwoy · #5 08-26-2010, 01:06 PM

roll your tone back / turn your treble down, it works better IMO.

Kwesi · #6 08-26-2010, 01:10 PM

All of my basses are active and they worked fine with my Deep Impact and EHX Bass Micro Synth. There is some breakup when you play too quickly and occasionally on slides between half-steps. In the Markbass Super Synth Demo Peter Murray was using a EBMM Bongo (active) and the tracking sounded solid even through the fast runs.

Swimming Bird · #7 08-26-2010, 01:12 PM

Huh. I tried an SYB-5 with an active and it tracked fine.

morrisonhendrix · #8 08-26-2010, 01:36 PM

Well, maybe I can try the adjustments suggested, but it's awful funny that I tried a 5 string OLP Ray and it did fine. Then I tried my Spector CRFM5 and it sucked hard. YMMV.

I'll try it with my Fender Am. Dlx. Jazz and Jaguar and see what happens. Need to try with my MM Sterling HH5 too.

Ubersheist · #9 08-26-2010, 01:56 PM

I found the tracking to be the same for active and passive on the the Boss SYB-5, but still only 'ok' for both. My maid basses are a passive 30-year old P-bass, a crappy Ibby 5er, and a Warwick Thumb Bolt-On 5-string bass.

The Boss pedal got squirrelly on me too often. I sold it, and got the EXH Bass MicroSynth. Works a whole lot better. I also got the Digitech bass synth pedal (forget what the model is) as a backup if the EXH ever breaks down. It tracks better then the Boss pedal, too, IMHO.

RickenBoogie · #10 08-26-2010, 05:56 PM

I find I can only use the SYB-5 when playing very slow whole notes. Anything with any degree of "speed" will cause chaos, ...the bad kind. Still, for the price, it does have some pretty sweet sounds, albeit, not much in the way of variety.

kevteop · #11 08-26-2010, 06:14 PM

The EHX BMS seems to track actives OK, so does the Octavius Squeezer. I did have an issue with my old Robot Factory Pulse Synth not tracking actives very well though. No amount of EQing fixed it, but switching my Warwick into passive mode did. Weird.

bigchiefbc · #12 08-26-2010, 07:37 PM

I have an active Carvin LB75, and I've used the SYB (and its Behringer clone) several times live at gigs to play the main synth line of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" (yeah, yeah, I know, shut up). The whole song basically consists of stoccato 8th notes that jump around on three different strings, and I honestly very rarely have any tracking problems (basically just a warbled note here and there). All I can offer is: roll your tone all the way off and make sure you're actively muting EVERYTHING but the note you're playing. The biggest thing that messes this pedal up is when a string rings out while you're trying to play another note.

morrisonhendrix · #13 08-26-2010, 07:55 PM

Poker Face huh? Oddly, we just did that song (some sequencing involved) last Sat. night for the first time. Anyway, I realize that technique has a lot to do with it. But, with technique being the same with the OLP5 Ray and the Spector CRFM5, there's no explanation other than one is active and one is passive. I really don't want to roll the tone all the way off, but maybe I'll have to.

I tried using a Behringer in the studio, and didn't like it.

waveman · #14 08-26-2010, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

I have an active Carvin LB75, and I've used the SYB (and its Behringer clone) several times live at gigs to play the main synth line of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" (yeah, yeah, I know, shut up). The whole song basically consists of stoccato 8th notes that jump around on three different strings, and I honestly very rarely have any tracking problems (basically just a warbled note here and there). All I can offer is: roll your tone all the way off and make sure you're actively muting EVERYTHING but the note you're playing. The biggest thing that messes this pedal up is when a string rings out while you're trying to play another note.

Thats funny, that song is the reason I had to pull out the Hog. Thinking about acquiring a pedal with a smaller foot print...so carry on.

BTW, anyone know how the Digitech synth/wah compares to the Boss and others?

ga_edwards · #15 08-27-2010, 05:26 AM

IMO it has little to do with active/versus passive. I have BSW and some synth effects in a couple of multi's that track better with either of my actives than my passive Attitude.

I think it's more to do with how hot the output is. My Attitude is considerably louder than my actives.

This is why I also think active/passive inputs or switches on amps and effects are misleading. They should be labelled Hi/Low.

vitaobass · #16 08-28-2010, 08:36 AM

I switch from SYB-5 to BSW because of the tracking. BSW have less and diferents synth modes, buts tracks a lot better than the Boss. the envolepe filter its great to.

The only thing that i miss from the SYB-5 its the EXP input. I was able to do a lot of dub stuff with that.