Effects that work with active or passive basses?

[EagleMoon]

Is there a thread or a webpage that lists these? I know some effects work a lot better with passive basses and others it doesn't matter. Where could I find out this information? I'm looking for something like a list or names. There are just too many effects pedals out there to go try every single one.

[nad]

Generally speaking, it's only fuzz (not distortion or overdrive) pedals that you have to worry about the passive/active thing. Even then, it's only specific types that sound terrible with actives. There is a list of fuzz pedals that are active friendly in the Wiki, but it hasn't been updated in a long time.

[EagleMoon]

Originally Posted by nad

Generally speaking, it's only fuzz (not distortion or overdrive) pedals that you have to worry about the passive/active thing. Even then, it's only specific types that sound terrible with actives. There is a list of fuzz pedals that are active friendly in the Wiki, but it hasn't been updated in a long time.

A good portion of those links don't even work, unfortunately. Like you said, not been updated. But I've heard that other effects don't work well with actives...or that particular brands don't. I was just wondering if there was a list somewhere.

[bongomania]

Nah, no list that I know of anyway. Usually the issues people describe as being a problem with active or passive really are all about the signal level. The fuzzes nad mentioned are an exception, they really do have an issue with active basses regardless of signal level. But the majority of the time it's just a question of matching the output level of your instrument with the ideal input level range of the pedal. Every pedal is designed a bit differently this way, and of course all the different basses may have a wide range of output levels.

If you ever encounter a pedal that seems to "not like" your active or passive bass, try using another pedal to raise or lower the level of your signal going in to the effect in question.

[Crystalman85]

Some multi-effects processors works real well on active and passive bass guitars. korg processors is one of them. I would know because I own a korg ax3000b and it sounds awesome with my active and passive bass guitars.