Can any active be bypassed?

[gm2_in_co]

I'm paranoid to play a gig with an active for fear that the battery will fail mid set. Don't bother telling me its irrational. Consider it a "phobia."

My question is can any active bass be wired such there there is a bypass to passive mode should worst come to worst? I know that there are basses that have such a feature yet none of my present actives have that. I'm just wondering if it can be easily modded/added in.

[mikezimmerman]

It depends on the circuit, really. Many can, but I expect it would be pretty hard to add an active/passive switch if the volume and blend pots are attached to the circuit board of the preamp liek some are. Also, active buffered blend controls can't be bypassed without losing the ability to change the pickup blend, and instruments with active pickups can't really be made completely passive no matter what you do.

[Jazz Ad]

I can be very easy or really difficult depending on the instrument but it's always possible unless you have active pickups in the bass, like EMGs for example.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

If the active circuit is anything else than a "marketing active", ie. a simple boost circuit, adding a passive switch is usually next to impossible if even a slightest control over the volume or tone is required.

Wiring straight to the jack is always a possibility with passive pickups.

Like the previous posters said, converting active pickups is virtually impossible.

Regards
Sam