Why so many active bass circuits?

stubhead · #1 12-04-2007, 07:09 AM

I played bass in high school, but it's been 30 years of guitar and a decade of pedal steel since then. There are a few guitarists using active EMG pickups for hardcore heavy metal, and a few jazz & studio guitarists using various rigs for the wide frequency range - the big digs against the active guitars is that they sound "sterile" or "sizzly."

However, active circuitry seems maybe even more common than not for bassists, certainly among the higher-end rigs. What is it about basses that benefit so much from active circuitry? Frequency range, or power-handling capability? My C6th pedal steel has a practical range from A1 (55 Hz) to G6 (1567 Hz), and an 18k ohm pickup, yet there are no active pedal steels. There seems to be a real "scientist" vibe to marketing for bassists, but is that what pushed the active circuitry so hard?

Sean Baumann · #2 12-04-2007, 08:33 AM

No, we just like to twist knobs.

KJung · #3 12-04-2007, 08:40 AM

I think you are confusing active pickups (which are still relatively rare... EMG's and the Barts used in the USA MTD's) with passive pickups and an on-board preamp. Two very different things.

The very common 'passive pickups with an active on board preamp' does a few things.

1) Reduces the 'loading' issues involved in a totally passive circuit... quieter, no treble loss when using longer cables, etc.

2) It allows for subtle tone changes right on the bass without having to go back to your amp.

3) It can add just a touch of fatness, warmth, sizzle... whatever your preference, depending on the unit, which sounds very good to some. Many describe it as a 'passive bass coming to life'.

There are some preamps, like the East/J Retro's that have a strong, built in tone. Other's, like the Audere, the Pope, Alleva-Coppolo, etc. allow your bass to sound virtually the same as totally passive when set flat.

There is a certain warmth and grind that comes from a totally passive circuit, so I can understand those that are from a more 'purist' perspective. However, if you like a slightly more modern tone, and play in a giggin context that requires a number of different tones, etc., an active preamp with passive pickups sounds wonderful.

IMO and IME.

Edit: Regarding your pedal steel example, I don't think it's so much 'range' as the bass guitar living way down low where it's just SO hard to get a good tight sound that has enough bottom, top, etc. To me, the bass guitar (and the DB even more so) is the hardest instrument to amplify in a live setting. It takes lot's of power, and lot's of control down low for some tones. IMO again!

superfunk47 · #4 12-04-2007, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Baumann

No, we just like to twist knobs.

+1

KJung · #5 12-04-2007, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superfunk47

+1

I actually think this really gets at the heart of it versus my tome above

Sean Baumann · #6 12-04-2007, 09:03 AM

Thats me, concise.

Brad Johnson · #7 12-04-2007, 09:44 AM

The main thing to remember about active circuits is there's variety... they don't all sound the same.

A downside is that the same people who don't understand amp EQ probably don't understand onboard EQ either so they never really get how to adjust their instrument. It's a constant hunt for tone

The majority of time I use my basses, I have my amp's EQ SETTINGS flat and I may bump the bass control on a bass one click... that's all. And that one click at volume can make an easily noticeable dfference. I get all sorts of different vibes, from old school to modern, without the need to tweak the preamp. The main reason I like it is because it presents a bigger signal to the amp.

Jerry J · #8 12-04-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJung

There are some preamps, like the East/J Retro's that have a strong, built in tone. Other's, like the Audere, the Pope, Alleva-Coppolo, etc. allow your bass to sound virtually the same as totally passive when set flat.

I think that this is a very important insight, Ken.

Many people forget that many of the preamped basses have a "passive" option. I do know that the Pope, Sadowsky and F Bass, when switched to passive sound like a passive bass (d'uh

).
How many classified ads have we all seen saying that they are selling xx bass because they want a passive bass? Or the statement that "I only like passive basses and don't active ones".

KJung · #9 12-04-2007, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry J

I think that this is a very important insight, Ken.

Many people forget that many of the preamped basses have a "passive" option. I do know that the Pope, Sadowsky and F Bass, when switched to passive sound like a passive bass (d'uh

).
How many classified ads have we all seen saying that they are selling xx bass because they want a passive bass? Or the statement that "I only like passive basses and don't active ones".

+1... also, with the pre's I've mentioned above, they actually sound virtually identical to the bass in passive mode even when not bypassed but set flat.

However, you make a great point, for those pre's with a bypass option, there is virtually no downside to having one installed.

CHILDISHGAMBINO · #10 12-04-2007, 07:17 PM

The only reason I don't like active basses is that I'm too lazy and hair-brained to remember to change the batteries.

Bass Mule · #11 12-04-2007, 07:25 PM

Playing live, I've never seen a guitarist go direct. Their amps are always mic'd. Their tone is coming from their amps. (We could argue how much comes from amps, guitars, fingers, etc...) With bass, it could go either way, depending on who's doing sound, but most likely will be going direct into the board (bypassing the amp settings). It's nice to have some control over your tone with a pre. That's why active pre's are popular with me. I can't speak for the rest of the bass playing community.

samick · #12 12-04-2007, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHILDISHGAMBINO

The only reason I don't like active basses is that I'm too lazy and hair-brained to remember to change the batteries.

+1
me too

azzyrazzy · #13 12-05-2007, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Mule

Playing live, I've never seen a guitarist go direct. Their amps are always mic'd. Their tone is coming from their amps. (We could argue how much comes from amps, guitars, fingers, etc...) With bass, it could go either way, depending on who's doing sound, but most likely will be going direct into the board (bypassing the amp settings). It's nice to have some control over your tone with a pre. That's why active pre's are popular with me. I can't speak for the rest of the bass playing community.

+1. Guitarists get their tone, and we get the FOH-man's tone

KsToaDangr · #14 12-05-2007, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Mule

With bass, it could go either way, depending on who's doing sound, but most likely will be going direct into the board (bypassing the amp settings). It's nice to have some control over your tone with a pre.

this is exactly why I dont let the sound guy plug me in direct anymore. too many weird sounds that i get from my amp settings get lost in the mix