active.. passive.. eqs and preamps..

[patrickj]

My Ibanez BTB has passive pickups, with an active EQ (preamp also?). My John Myung 6 has active pickups, active EQ/preamp.

I have a passive 5 string pup for a bass I'm building (found one after posting my "cheap 5 pup" thread), and I'm wondering if it would be possible to add an EQ to it. My BTB shows me that it is possible to combine passive w/ an EQ, but are there any considerations/requirements?

Is there actually a difference between a passive and active pickup? Or does the difference lie after the pickup, where you start adding things like the volume/tone pots, etc?

[BASSnSAX]

Well, when you hook an active circuit up to your pickups, you will only get boost, no cutting at all. So yes, you can do that.

[Oysterman]

Originally posted by BASSnSAX
Well, when you hook an active circuit up to your pickups, you will only get boost, no cutting at all.

Please explain a little further what you mean, because I think you're wrong.

[patrickj]

it works in the other categories

[Geoff St. Germaine]

You can hook up an active preamp to passive pickups, and it will be a boost/cut system, as long as it is not a boost only preamp (I have seen these before).

Basslines (Seymour Duncan) makes preamps for active and passive preamps. They are different units. I believe all Bartolini pickups are passive, and I believe that their preamps are all designed for this. I know some EMGs are active pickups, so I imagine there are specific preamps for these, like with Basslines.

Hope this helps.
Geoff

[patrickj]

Thanks!

I purchased a SD Basslines pickup, so I'll look for a prea-amp system for it..

Thanks!