A mystery wrapped in an enigma

[beatdatthang]

I haven’t seen a disdain for active electronics so much as there are just two groups of guys. Those that don’t want more than one volume and one tone and those that do.

Some folks like simplicity. The rest like to have options. I happen to be the latter. I own both active and passive basses and I can appreciate having tonal flexibility on the bass without having to adjust my rig, but I have simple v/v/t basses too and I like them just fine.

 

[dkelley]

That said, the passive StingRay (short scale, and BFR) are getting a lot of love, and plenty of people swear by the versatility of active Fenders - but I'll stick to the originals.

Really? I got to play a passive ray a while ago - it was pretty lacking to me. Sounded like a ray with teh bass control all the way off and didn't have the magic tone of the treble that has bite without being annoying. The entire reason why the ray was DESIGNED to be active was to add the bass boost required to fill in the low end since their pickup location lacked low end.

 

[dkelley]

so IMHO, some (absolutely not all, though) folks' disdain for active electronics comes from hearing things with your eyes. Those people know before playing that it has active preamp, and even if that particular active eq is 99% or 100% neutral sounding in it's detented settings, they still believe they can hear it adversely affecting the tone. There are, of course, active eqs that impart their sonic signature all the time, although most do NOT impart anything on tone or noise levels in the detented positions, and also there are active eqs without center detents, and some that are boost only while others (most of them) are boost/cut, and those that are complex to use without a good understanding of filters and resonance/q/etc.

So knowing how it works is crucial, and some people don't know - and that is a great market for passive basses of course. Totally makes sense.

But the crowd that hears with their eyes - which means they believe they hear something just because they know it is present - that crowd is never going to believe facts about neutral tone, or the fact that the preamp is not an evil thing when you compare the circuit in an active bass with the circuit of the amp, or board, or pedal, that it is going into. But those people don't have to know or believe the facts about active basses - we're all musicians, making music and making the tone we want to make, and since music is an art form, if the controls impact your inner mental idea of what you are doing, then it's best for you to use the tool you like best.

 

[NortyFiner]

The only time I have disdain for active electronics is when we get yet another "Why is my amp clipping" or "Why are my speakers farting" thread. The majority cause behind these threads is that the poster has an active bass (very often with super hot EMG electronics) dimed out feeding the amp a signal that could transmit to the Mars rovers. Volume knobs and pad switches, people...use them.

 

[LBS-bass]

I have several active basses and most of them have a switch for passive mode. I guess I'm weird but I prefer having more control at my fingertips and I like the range of tone I can get from my actives.

Most of the time the tone controls don't end up very far from the neutral positions. But it does take some different thinking, as you're basically doubling the opportunity for trouble by adding a preamp with EQ to an amp that also has EQ. If you're not cautious these things can work against each other. I guess that makes it more complicated which can put people off.

My rule of thumb is to set everything flat on both and then see what I can get using the onboard stuff first, then tweak the amp as a final step. I know that runs counter to the way we're used to working with passive instruments, but it seems to work for me. That said, I've had active-only instruments that I sold because I couldn't get them to play nice with my other gear.

 

[JakobT]

I own an active EBMM Sabre, two passive P’s and a passive J.
I would like to state that I am not now, nor have I ever been, the slightest bit interested in whether a particular bass is active or passive.

 

[Killing Floor]

I have passive and active basses. I find them all useful or I’d move them on.

My enigma burrito is the number of “passive or death” bassists who use preamp pedals. Wait!!! Before you reply and tell me why it is different NO, it’s not. It is the same. A taco in a bag is the same as a taco on a plate. A processor in your bass is the same as a processor on your pedal board. The distance in wire from your pickups is not relevant.

 

[Pings Bass]

I like both, and have played both side by side since i started playing bass guitar in the 80s. Your perceived bias against active is likely due to the disproportionate number of older classic rock players on this site espousing their traditionalist vibe.

Assuming that what is available new is reflective of demand, active electronics remain a popular feature in bass guitars.

 

[stigbeve]

I've only owned one bass with active electronics that I didn't care for. '82 Stingray with way too high of an output.

The '08 Warwick Corvette I owned was active and passive. I always used it in active and the signal was at a level that worked great for me.

 

[jamro217]

I think it has to do with what the musician using the instrument expects from it. If you're going to slap through a night of funky disco, an EB-O would be a poor choice. If you want to anchor the good ol' boys through a tour of the honky tonks, you probably don't need an active seven string. Choose the right instrument for the task at hand. Great music has been played on all sorts of basses. The music I play doesn't require the hi fi active top end sizzle. A P bass works fine, as does a Ric, a J or the rest of the stable. The only one I haven't had much success with is the only active bass here: a blue '92 Carvin LB70.

 

[Ductapeman]

I have no such disdain for active basses, and may even still own one. I got away from them because I am apparently too simple-minded to remember to buy batteries.

 

[B-Mac]

I like both, and have played both side by side since i started playing bass guitar in the 80s. Your perceived bias against active is likely due to the disproportionate number of older classic rock players on this site espousing their traditionalist vibe.

Assuming that what is available new is reflective of demand, active electronics remain a popular feature in bass guitars.

Apparently you did not read the first post. I have no bias between active and passive.
My question is why are EBMM Basses and G & L, which are active, accepted by the P and J bass crowd when other brand active basses, i.e. Ibanez or similar are not accepted by the same P and J crowd?

I own many basses (listed on my profile) active and passive and I find this dichotomy extremely interesting. I still believe it’s the Leo Fender connection...or not. Maybe other active basses just get a too modern sound?

One of these days I’m gonna get an EBMM Stingray!

 

[B-Mac]

I have no such disdain for active basses, and may even still own one. I got away from them because I am apparently too simple-minded to remember to buy batteries.

The passive/active switch on later active basses can be a life saver

 

[7dollarbologna]

I'm fine with a pedal pre amp, but not onboard - I am a Fender guy and I do love Stingrays, but the battery puts me off - Ernie Ball should do a passive version that comes with a pedal pre. Just my 2cents

 

[B-Mac]

i have never come across anyone who says its ok to own P and J and EBMM but nothing else. Im curious where these posts are. As someone who owns a P and J and EBMM and G&L i give my full support to anyone who wants to play active electronics

One could assume this from the many threads concerning black basses. It isn’t stated but it sure is inferred.
You’ll see a black P, black J, possibly a black Ric and possibly a black EBMM, but you won’t see a black something or other active with a black P or black J on these many threads.
I realize this is not scientific analysis but it surely looks this way. Maybe it’s just the style of the EBMM that makes it ‘okay’ regardless of it being active?

 

[coy garcia]

I own several of each. My playing has evolved to where I control my volume and dynamics in my right hand. With actives there is a built in compression that no longer works for me, battery replacements, etc.. Passive just fits me better these days..less knobs the better.

 

[Danny O Danny]

I own 6 basses. 3 are passive, 3 are active. They're tools and it's about having the appropriate tools for what sound you're going for at a given time. One advantage to passive is, of course, not having to worry about the battery.

 

[Bassclef46]

One could assume this from the many threads concerning black basses. It isn’t stated but it sure is inferred.
You’ll see a black P, black J, possibly a black Ric and possibly a black EBMM, but you won’t see a black something or other active with a black P or black J on these many threads.
I realize this is not scientific but it surely looks this way. Maybe it’s just the style of the EBMM that makes it ‘okay’ regardless of it being active?

maybe people just like the popular brands and models vs not liking other kinds of active basses. I mean, those ones you mentioned get mentioned more because more people like them. seems like a silly pointless argument that kind of fuels the flame of lines being drawn in the sand. Like the one about pick vs finger.

 

[Turnaround]

Since I’ve joined TB I’ve not noticed a strong disdain for active electronics.

Maybe you have not been on TalkBass long enough. I mean you are only a 16-year-old.

Actually I agree with you - I haven't seen such a disdain.

 

[Pings Bass]

Apparently you did not read the first post. I have no bias between active and passive.
My question is why are EBMM Basses and G & L, which are active, accepted by the P and J bass crowd when other brand active basses, i.e. Ibanez or similar are not accepted by the same P and J crowd?

Sorry my language wasn't more clear. I didn't say you had a bias, I said "your perceived bias," i.e. your perception that P & J fans accept active electronics in EBMM and G&L basses but not others.

I do think there is an outspoken "passive only" crew on here, along with a fair bit of Leo worship, which is at least partly a function of the relatively older TalkBass crew and the disproportionate representation of classic rock players. TalkBass is a great community, but the demographic here does not represent the real world of bass in terms of musical and hardware preferences.