active or passive

[On The DL]

hey Justin-

I know this can be a never-ending discussion full of personal opinion, but......I've had both active and passive basses and like them respectively for different reasons, but find that an active bass can be more versatile, such as for gigs where you don't know what you'll get preamp or amp wise. But, I love something like a passive p-bass for a recording.

I've heard great things about laklands and never played one, have my eye on a joe osborn skyline. I know there has been plenty of talk about them here at TB, but I'd like to know your opinion since I appreciate your taste in tone.

thanks,
Steveh

 

[jmjbassplayer]

I think that's probably a totally smokin' bass, man. Lakland does not make anything bad, I have three. The Osborn will do you very right, I think it's a good call.

Best,
JMJ

 

[Revvv]

Everything I own is active.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Apples and oranges. Not even worth debating, it's tiresome...but my environment (meaning the circles I work within, the place I live, the many artists and producers who hire me) dictates that I play mostly passive instruments. And maybe it's an LA thing, I don't know. Suffice to say, people tend to lean hard towards the more vintage-oriented, raw sound out here.

JMJ

 

[JimmyM]

I have 3 active basses. When I use them, I invariably set them flat so they might as well be passive. I think the vast majority of people don't care what anyone plays, but when they do care, it's almost always a passive bass they request (and almost always a Fender). Fine by me...I love 'em.

 

[On The DL]

My studio work is few and far between, but even then I have alot of friends who play so I can borrow most anything I'd need if I don't have it.

Probably 90% of my playing requires my tone to be versatile and then when I travel about once a month it's up in the air as far as what preamp I get- could be a really decent rig or could be a "bassmaster 100" practice combo amp- its happened.

So, I've got my 5 string carvin neck thru with bart p/ups and pre that I bought used and for what I can afford, I love it. It's got growl, but not too much.

It makes sense to have a second bass with a different tone such as a jazz or p-bass etc, but I like my carvin so much I wonder if I would regret not getting a similar toned bass (as silly as that sounds).

Anyway, thanks for the feedback everyone- I've gotta find a place where I can test drive some Laklands.

Steven

 

[JimmyM]

That's a question only you can answer, On The, but I spent 15 years with one good average-priced bass and had no problem keeping busy. And if I sold all my basses but one, I don't think I'd work any less than I do now, and I dare say the same about everyone, including our genial host (OK, maybe Justin couldn't do it because he's a studio guy). If it were me, I'd rather not have the duplication, but there are a lot of people who own more than one of the same bass just so they have the same basic sound if something happens to their main bass.

 

[On The DL]

well Justin, just for the record I grabbed the Lakland Jobo 5 Skyline I was looking at with a maple board and a clear gloss ash body and man, I'm in love. For a mid priced bass (got it at half price), it's a great bass.

I haven't played exposed poll p/ups in a while and when I really dig in it pops a bit, but beyond that, only good things to say about it. So yeah, like you said it's smokin'!

thanks

 

[c0nsilience]

The tone is in your fingers, fueled by your heart, and doubted by your head!

Have you ever seen the Tom Dowd documentary "The Language of Music"? He was a BA engineer, but I was blown away when he isolated Allman's and Clapton's dueling solo's on Layla....those notes aren't even on the fretboard! It's ridiculous.

You could always use just passive and bring a sansamp DI with you when you head to a session...run it straight in. Not the best bass sound in the world, but, if tweaked just right, it's still a lot more than Phil Lesh had to work with and his grooves are sick! I'll admit, the Brown Bass with hexaphonic pickups going to a quadraphonic setup has a lot to do with it, though.....

 

[On The DL]

The tone is in your fingers, fueled by your heart, and doubted by your head!

Have you ever seen the Tom Dowd documentary "The Language of Music"? He was a BA engineer, but I was blown away when he isolated Allman's and Clapton's dueling solo's on Layla....those notes aren't even on the fretboard! It's ridiculous.

You could always use just passive and bring a sansamp DI with you when you head to a session...run it straight in. Not the best bass sound in the world, but, if tweaked just right, it's still a lot more than Phil Lesh had to work with and his grooves are sick! I'll admit, the Brown Bass with hexaphonic pickups going to a quadraphonic setup has a lot to do with it, though.....

sounds good