Active/Passive question

tdizzle · #1 09-29-2011, 07:59 AM

When an active/passive bass is plugged in and in passive mode, does it still draw on the battery?

KJung · #2 09-29-2011, 08:04 AM

With every model I am aware of, yes. Bypass is 'bypass', not on off.

whitefuneral · #3 09-29-2011, 08:24 AM

^

And even on passive mode you will still need battery to run it.

KJung · #4 09-29-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitefuneral

^

And even on passive mode you will still need battery to run it.

That isn't necessarily true. Most active pre/passive pickup combinations with a bypass option will be in true passive performance mode, which means you can take the battery out, and the passive mode performance will be fine.

However, +1 in that there are some preamps that don't have a passive mode for one reason or another (active blend controls like on the Celinder basses, active pickups like on the MTD's, etc.), and you always need a battery for sound to come out of those instruments.

tdizzle · #5 09-29-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitefuneral

^

And even on passive mode you will still need battery to run it.

Just took the battery out of my Jaguar to test this theory. It still works in passive. That really makes me wonder...

chadhargis · #6 09-29-2011, 08:44 AM

That's the beauty of having a passive mode. If your battery goes dead during a gig you can play on. I also find that passive mode is my preferred tone on my G&L. My Lakland doesn't have a great passive tone but the G&L is a beast.

Caca de Kick · #7 09-29-2011, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadhargis

If your battery goes dead during a gig you can play on.

That's always a mind boggler subject to me...battery maintenance should be done just like any other service a player does to his/her bass. I just don't know why anyone lets them go until they're flat dead.

**line6man** · #8 09-29-2011, 11:02 AM

As long as a cable is inserted into the jack, the preamp is drawing current from the battery. The active/passive switch simply selects whether the signal goes through the preamp, or straight to the jack instead.

whitefuneral · #9 10-09-2011, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdizzle

Just took the battery out of my Jaguar to test this theory. It still works in passive. That really makes me wonder...

How odd, whenever my battery dies in my Cort so does my bass.

khutch · #10 10-09-2011, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdizzle

Just took the battery out of my Jaguar to test this theory. It still works in passive. That really makes me wonder...

Wondering what? The battery switching is normally done through the third connection on a stereo 1/4" output jack. Switching to passive may or may not also disconnect the battery. Depends on how many "poles" the passive/active switch has, if there are enough then battery power as well as signal routing could be switched. If you want passive mode to disconnect both the input and output of the preamp (which most people prefer) then the common DPDT switch does not have enough free poles to switch battery power too. However with both input and output disconnected in passive mode the bass will work fine in passive mode with the battery removed whether battery power is applied to the preamp in passive mode or not. That is one reason to prefer that both are disconnected even if it means that the preamp is left on in passive mode.

If you know how to hook up an Ammeter then with one contact to your battery unhooked and the Ammeter connected between the battery and the unhooked contact you can check for yourself if your bass disconnects the battery when the output cable is connected and the switch is set to passive. It is the only way to know for sure.

Ken

fretlessguy · #11 10-09-2011, 09:11 PM

Some active/passive basses, such as my Carvins, have a pull pot that switches it from active to passive. You can take the battery out and it still plays in passive. Many still need the battery to play even in passive mode.

darkstorm · #12 10-09-2011, 09:17 PM

Depends how its wired. One or more of the TB forumites has posted schematics for adding bypass switch so bass will still work without battery. Cause the wiring showed disconnected the battery and allows passive pup signal to bypass the preamp. The basses Ive had which had bypass switch worked fine in bypass mode with no battery. Thats how washburn designed the bypass switch for those.

bassist4dalord · #13 10-09-2011, 09:22 PM

My question is- when an active/passive bass is plugged in, which do you plug into? The active or passive input on your amp?

Mike 257 · #14 10-09-2011, 09:30 PM

Thats a bummer , what happens if your doing a show and the battery goes dead ? Im gonna take my battery out tomorrow and see if it still plays in passive.

bassbenj · #15 10-09-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadhargis

That's the beauty of having a passive mode. If your battery goes dead during a gig you can play on. I also find that passive mode is my preferred tone on my G&L. My Lakland doesn't have a great passive tone but the G&L is a beast.

Exactly. I can't understand a "passive mode" that needs a battery! That isn't passive! I can tell you, however, that a G&L continues to draw battery current even in passive mode so it doesn't "save" the battery or turn it off. But the bass plays just fine with or without a battery when in passive mode.

As for the noob question of which input you plug into, "active" or "passive" the choice is made by how "hot" your bass is in any mode. (Which includes how far you have the volume turned up when you play). The "active" input knocks down the signal some so it doesn't overload your amp input. So if any bass in a certain mode seems very Hot and especially if the amp seems pushed to clipping or distortion on loud passages, then switch to "active" other wise, "passive" should work just fine.