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Active pickups noob here

lkngro

lkngro

Feb 4, 2010
388
3
Hockessin, Delaware, USA
#1
So I'm looking to get a new bass and I'm wondering how active setups differ from passive setups tonally.

And also, how do passive pickups with a preamp differ from active pickups with a preamp tonally? The Ibanez SR500s, Sr600s and SR700s have passive Barts with a preamp and the Peavey Cirrus BXP has active VFLs and a preamp.
 
#3
too many variables and answers to your questions.


what do you mean by active setups and passive setups? biggest difference is active you will need a battery or a source of power.

active pickups and passive pickups with a preamp differences? well the passive pickups with a preamp could allow you to bypass the preamp and run the pickups passive
 
#4
Active pickups have to have power to function and usually produce a very hot signal. if you add a pre-amp that is not made to work with the active pickips you could very easily overdrive the Pre-amp input and wind up with nothing but distorted sound. On the other hand passive Pickups with a Pre-amp will increase the amount of control you have on the way your bass sounds instead of a tone control you can go 2 or 3 band eq or 3 band EQ with mid frequency shift so you can control thw center frequency of the midrange to boost or cut. and if you have an active/passive switch and your battery dies you can still play passive .
 

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