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Active Basses

L

lukas86

Jan 2, 2008
101
0
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
#1
I am thinking about getting a new bass (only have a squier precision atm), and I was thinking about the highway one jazz or amercian std jazz, however, my teacher seems to think that if you are going to spend some decent money then it should be active, as they are more versatile. Also, he thinks you should be able to switch between active and passive modes. (both highway one and am. std and passive).
I am in Australia and the prices are close to double what you pay in the US (unfortunately)

What are some good active basses to try out?
 
#2
I had a highway 1 for a year. It played ok, but after I bought a G&L tribute L2000 it sat in its bag all the time until I sold it. the G&L is simply superb :D
I paid 6500dkr for the fender and only 5500dkr for the l2000. Both new.

The L2000 is probably the most versatile bass youll find. You can play it both actice and passive and the treble and bass dials work in both. It also has switches for parallel/series routing and pickup selection. It has the same great pickups as the american made ones, and it feels great to play.
 
#3
I'd agree with the L2000 Tribute.. you can change between passive and active modes, as well it has a huge variety of sounds

HTML: 
http://www.guitar.com.au/guitars/bass/g&l/index.htm

Prices are on there, but dont forget there's plenty more colours to choose from.. I especially like the blueburst
 
#6
G and L and Lakland make great active basses for reasonable $ and both allow a passive mode as well. I don't agree that an active bass is a must, however, unless your slapping or tapping. Many pros use passive basses. Don't forget that a preamp can be added in the form of a pedal, and the pedal can even be used with multiple basses. If you like the HWY 1 Jazz, why not just get an outboard, pedal preamp that you can use when you like?
 
#7
Another advantage of a pedal is that many of them offer other features (in addition to the usual preamp controls) like distortion and a good DI for performance or recording.
 
#8
Both my main axes are active. One (55-02) has a passive switch that cuts the guts out of the volume, and the other (Godin A5) has no switch. The Godin's battery died on me in the middle of a set, precipitating a pretty damned impromptu set break.

I'm going to be in the market for a passive 2008 Fender AM STD sometime in the next year ($ allowing, that is).
 
#9
lomo said:
Another advantage of a pedal is that many of them offer other features (in addition to the usual preamp controls) like distortion and a good DI for performance or recording.
Click to expand...

True. I am not a huge fan of actives either. Give me a passive bass and my pedal board. I run 2 Boss EQs on the board, one set with boost on the mids, the other set with the boost on the lows and highs with mids cut. This setup works perfect for me.
 
#10
The first question I would ask is "are you buying a bass for you or for your teacher?"

If you like the Highway One or the American Standard best... get that.

By all means, go and try out every active and passive bass that you can afford, and buy the one YOU like best.

Personaly, I've been playing for over 25 years, and have never had a need or desire for an active bass. Played plenty of them, but never played one I liked enough to buy. That's just me though. YMMV. Try both out and see what YOU like best.

An active bass id not s requirement IMO. Personaly, I'd much rather have a good passive bass, but that's just me. (required IMO) ;)
 
#11
lukas86 said:
I am thinking about getting a new bass (only have a squier precision atm), and I was thinking about the highway one jazz or amercian std jazz, however, my teacher seems to think that if you are going to spend some decent money then it should be active, as they are more versatile. Also, he thinks you should be able to switch between active and passive modes. (both highway one and am. std and passive).
I am in Australia and the prices are close to double what you pay in the US (unfortunately)

What are some good active basses to try out?
Click to expand...

All purely opinion. Your teacher is telling you what suits him. Go to a local music store find a head/cab or combo you like and spend all day playing different basses. You will come across one that you just cant believe feels and plays so well in your hands. Ignore what it says on the headstock and hope its a reasonable price. And thats the one you get. I have made trips to music stores with the sole intention of buying a specific bass and left w/o it because it didn't play or sound like I thought it should. Other than vintage or rare finds, don't ever buy a bass or any other instrument that you inted to use activly with out playing it first...you will never go wrong this way. And play the instrument YOU like...not what your instructor thinks you should play. That being said, the best active bass I have ever played is the Spector Euro 4. 2002 model I think. Active P/J EMG's w/agular pre. unreal tone combo's and it records direct like no other bass! But I too am a passave bass guy....
 
#12
I used to agree with your teacher that an active bass should have an off switch to go passive. That was before I installed an Audere JZ3 in my SX SJB-57. The Audere is transparent enough that if I HAD an on/off switch, I seriously doubt that I would use it!

Nevertheless, I agree that your teacher is only giving you his/her preferences. You must decide for yourself. Oh, I still have and play both active and passive basses, but I'll tell you, that SJB with the Audere is easily my most versatile 4 stringer for sure!
 
#14
IMHO ACTIVE Basses give you more control at your finger tips. With all of the great On Board Preamps made today, the quality IMHO, is better that what I've found in MOST stomp pedal/EQ's. I like to let the bass sound like the bass and the amp sound like the amp... Both have inherint coloring to the sound, but for my preferences it's Active.

I can always dial out the preamp....
 

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