Is it the pickups fault?

[nsmar4211]

Ok, I did a search and didn't quite find what I'm looking for.

I'm an admitted active pickup fan, most of my basses have been actives. However, currently my "backup" is a passive and honestly hasn't been played on much. I'm now to a point where I need to use it regularly (tunings....) and I'm not happy with it.

I swear it has no volume! For example: When playing my active through a Fender Bassman 100 combo, I have both gain and volume turned to 2 out of 10 levels for a good volume. This goes for either of the two actives I have. When I plug in this passive, in order to get a similar volume level I have to go to 6 out of 10 levels!!!! Needing to boost the volume twice as much I can understand, but THREE times?! That seems too much of a difference to me.

And yes I've checked the passive/active switch on the amp. Those levels are with the active switch activated for the active (i.e. padded) and with the passive selection for passive. No compression, etc.

I already had the thing in the shop once for buzzing, the connections were all checked and the input was resoldered. I really don't want to put more money into this thing not knowing if there's even a problem. Both pickups do put out sound, they're just quieeeeeet.

The passive guitar is a Peavey Millenium 5 BXP that I bought second hand. Both actives are also Peavey Milleniums, so it's not a brand issue. So what I'm wondering, is there really *that* much of a difference in volume output between active and passive pickups? Do I just stop whining and crank up the volume? (my concern is I'll be cranked up with no where to go and need more). Help

[EighthNotes]

Active pickups are much louder than passive (at least they can be) and on an amplifier that small, 6 isn't necessarily three times as much as 2 (the numbers on the knob are just for reference). I'm not familiar with Peaveys so I can't really comment on the basses, but if you can get the same volume and good tone by "cranking" it as you say then I wouldn't worry unless you're going to 10 and still not getting it. I have a P-bass with Quarter Pounders and a Jag with stock "vintage" pickups and the Volume knob sits around 5 for the P while I have to go to around 7 for the jag and those are two passive axes. It doesn't seem to me that theres a real issue other than you're used to hearing active pickups (not an "issue" per se).

[JTE]

It sounds like there's something wrong with the passive one. My experience with active bass (going back to my first StingRay in 1979) is that they're not noticably louder than properly operating passive basses, unless you've got the EQ cranked on the active ones too. I'd start with making sure the pickups are adjusted correctly on all three basses. Then I'd check the passive one to make sure there's nothing wrong with the wiring. Look for a short in the control cavity.

John

[Craig_S]

ALL of my active basses are louder than my passive basses--including both Stingrays. Set your amp level using the passive bass and roll the volume down on the active bass to match. You won't lose any fidelity, cutting the volume of the active bass.

[kalipigeon]

Try raising the passive pickup a bit

[Basstovsky]

Originally Posted by kalipigeon

Try raising the passive pickup a bit

Try this,

But I had that same bass, and noticed a HUGE volume increase after I installed an Aggie OBP-3 in it (i didnt like the pickups but its my only 5-string). I now have its volume knobs at something like 25% to keep it the same volume as my passives.

I think its just the suckiness of the stock pickups personally.

Also try a volume pedal, its what I use to keep a good moderate volume when in a situation where I have to switch basses.

[nsmar4211]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies!

The bass is actually over at someone's house, so I just called them to have them check and see how much room there is to raise the pickups......something I hadn't even thought of Verdict is there's room to go, so that'll be the first thing I try .


It had been since suggested to me that I try and find some active pickups since that's what I like for the bass....but I'm thinking I'm going to end up spending so much I could buy a new bass and be done with it! Along those lines,
I searched online for the preamp for prices......all I found were threads about using them! Usually when you search you come up with 1/2 shopping sites, but not one found....where do I find more information about the Aggie OBP preamp? I'm just curious the price.

If that's a no go.....maybe I'll just keep turning up. The wiring looks fine to me, and the control cavity was re shielded when I took it in for the humming noise. Adding a pedal doesn't sound like any fun until I actually start using pedals .

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by Craig_S

ALL of my active basses are louder than my passive basses--including both Stingrays. Set your amp level using the passive bass and roll the volume down on the active bass to match. You won't lose any fidelity, cutting the volume of the active bass.

This may be your experience but it’s not always the case…there are design factors in both pickups and preamps that cause it to go the other way…

I have 3 active basses, and one passive…my passive bass is my 2nd loudest with my Piezo-pickup active being my loudest

but you're correct...all basses are different and amp signals should be set accordingly...

if a particular bass is TOO soft, then there may be an issue however.

[PJSShearer]

Can you get hold of another example of your Bass to compare it to?. Then you'd know.

[Basstovsky]

Well I have the same one and I just told him that when I converted it from passive to active, it got way louder.

The volume difference has to do with frequencies being boosted with the preamp in the actives, vs the passive one. Also, each knob on an EQ boosts/cuts (unless its boost only of course) a certain frequency group a certain amount of decibels, so unless you boost and cut frequencies equally, it will get louder or quieter. With the Aguilar OBP-3 it can boost\cut up to 16 decibels of treble and mids and 18 decibels of bass. Thats some serious volume. It's pricey, but you get what you pay for, the version I have goes for about $156 plus shipping. I only justified it (thats half the cost of the bass!) because my band needed me to play a 5-string, and I don't like the sound of most j style single-coil pickups

The best and most affordable way to deal with the volume problem, is raising the pickups, and getting a volume pedal so you can adjust with that rather than twiddling with the amps knobs. You could also turn down the volumes on your actives a bit to help compensate.

Personally I always find a volume pedal to be handy, especially when some songs arent full-blast ahead balls out volume.