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Active or Passive
- Thread starter TortoiseBass
- Start date
Both...I like and have both.
You can also have both options available on one bass. Note there is a difference between a bass with a true passive/active switch and one with an active/passive bypass switch.
Just a couple of basses that offer the best of both worlds, Sire and G&L L2000. There are more brands and models that offer this of course if you want that feature.
I have a passive EBMM SUB Ray and that thing is pretty darn powerful, so is a passive G&L SB2 - so it's important not to equate having a preamp as having more "power" and volume.
You can also have both options available on one bass. Note there is a difference between a bass with a true passive/active switch and one with an active/passive bypass switch.
Just a couple of basses that offer the best of both worlds, Sire and G&L L2000. There are more brands and models that offer this of course if you want that feature.
I have a passive EBMM SUB Ray and that thing is pretty darn powerful, so is a passive G&L SB2 - so it's important not to equate having a preamp as having more "power" and volume.
I just did a post about prefering passive even though I use pedals.
I don't think one is better or worse, it's just that since I'm using a lot of stuff after the bass, I like the pure unfiltered tone of a passive.
If I played a gig I didn't want to use my pedals on, I would probably use an active.
I think most actives have more versatility to the sound on tgeur own.
I don't think one is better or worse, it's just that since I'm using a lot of stuff after the bass, I like the pure unfiltered tone of a passive.
If I played a gig I didn't want to use my pedals on, I would probably use an active.
I think most actives have more versatility to the sound on tgeur own.
I normally prefer the low maintenance, no-muss, no fuss nature of passive basses that I don't have to keep feeding 9v batteries to. And it's rare to see any kind of battery life monitor on active basses.
But my go-to/workhorse bass has 18v active electronics with a full passive bypass. It's the first bass where I loved the active electronics and want to explore the tonal options rather than just "set it and forget it" with everything on detent.
And with Fishman offering optional battery packs to use with their Fluence pickups, being able to plug in to charge my bass and not have to keep buying 9v batteries is a nice option.
So I would have to go with active since active electronics nowadays are offering conveniences that passive die-hards like me can get behind. I get to eat my cake and have it too, now!
But my go-to/workhorse bass has 18v active electronics with a full passive bypass. It's the first bass where I loved the active electronics and want to explore the tonal options rather than just "set it and forget it" with everything on detent.
And with Fishman offering optional battery packs to use with their Fluence pickups, being able to plug in to charge my bass and not have to keep buying 9v batteries is a nice option.
So I would have to go with active since active electronics nowadays are offering conveniences that passive die-hards like me can get behind. I get to eat my cake and have it too, now!
My basses are passive, but lower impedance - typically done with paralleled hum cancelling pickups. By changing loading capacitors, pots, etc., I can dial in whatever sound I want. A lot of my builds have modes where they sound “active” as a result, but there are no batteries in any of them.
I removed the battery from my Dyna Bass. Perhaps it's just the 30 year old electronics, or maybe the unusual way the mid tone control knob works, but I wasn't using it in active mode very much, so bye bye battery.
I'm glad that I have the choice between active and passive, but today I'm taking a Passive position
I'm glad that I have the choice between active and passive, but today I'm taking a Passive position
- May 15, 2007
- 344
- 465
- Disclosures
- Owner RAD Repairs and RAD Engineering ,guitar, bass, and amp repair and limited custom instrument and amp building.
I’ve even got a preamp bypass on my Stingray. It sounds amazing passive.
All basses are passive until the signal is acted upon by an amplifier, whether in the pickup itself (EMG, for example), as a pre-amp onboard to otherwise passive pickups, or a straight passive, like a P-bass, into a preamp/combo/head/etc., so further tone shaping and gain can be added.
I'm intrigued. How'd you do that? A push-pull volume pot that bypasses the preamp?
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,039
- 45,874
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
When I was just starting to play in the early 80s I thought that active was better because it was more modern and I thought it was cool to have a battery in my bass. So for years I thought that I had to have only active basses. After taking a break from playing out to raise my kids I play exactly the same kinds of music that I have always played and both of my current basses are passive and I absolutely love the way that I sound.
I've only played passive Fender Jazz Basses (MIA) since 1966 and that's what I use. I do have a 5-string bass that plays either active or passive and I play it in passive mode too.
Wonder if it sounds like my passive EBMM SUB Ray. I agree, I love that MM sound passive, makes me wonder why they don't offer a passive/active switch on the Ray.
I play both but a passive has a more traditional sound, less things to go wrong...2 things I really like at a live show.
It’s what do you prefer?
It’s also how much tonal control do you want close or back at your amp?
Some of us keep our amps flatter when using actives.
Ultimately it depends.
I have P that is so boisterous it sounds active. It happened because of a string change from D’Addarios to Elixirs.
I have a G&L that sounds really active.
So if you can see this as you’re the musician and that what you select expresses your music rather than the gear choosing you. Then without biases you can be open to what’s out there.
I’ve enjoyed the search for gear and the quest to express the music. It’s fun and work.
(PS sometimes the gear does choose you!)
It’s also how much tonal control do you want close or back at your amp?
Some of us keep our amps flatter when using actives.
Ultimately it depends.
I have P that is so boisterous it sounds active. It happened because of a string change from D’Addarios to Elixirs.
I have a G&L that sounds really active.
So if you can see this as you’re the musician and that what you select expresses your music rather than the gear choosing you. Then without biases you can be open to what’s out there.
I’ve enjoyed the search for gear and the quest to express the music. It’s fun and work.
(PS sometimes the gear does choose you!)
i voted passive, as i do tend to like more passive basses, but i like some active ones, too - my mezzo is active, and it sounds great. and heck, i love the sound of a stingray and my SRH500 as well as the SR500, and they're all active.
luckily in life we don't often don't have to chose either or.
luckily in life we don't often don't have to chose either or.
