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Active Vs Passive basses. Is it even worth caring about?

#121
Overall, active electronics sound more processed than passive, simply because they are: They add a new gain/preamp stage. But rest assured that this means close to nothing. Every signal chain is different. And either you or a producer will have the last word on whether it suits the immediate need or not.
 
#122
My main bass is a Mike Lull Mv4 , I forget which kind of preamp it has.
My experience is that the preamp is good for bedroom tone or maybe recording tone.
I ended up going passive at live gigs because in the mix a passive J tone worked better.
My amp, a GB Streamliner 900 has a pre amp that easily beats any onboard circuit.
Now days my batteries are dead and I never use the preamp.

I'm pretty sure I'd just not consider active electronics electronics on any future bass purchase.
 
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#123
buy the bass you want based on how it sounds, how it feels, and how it looks.
I leave it to the bass builder to make it sound as good as possible, and if i don't like it, then that's not the bass for me.
IMO - people make too big a deal about batteries. get good ones, unplug -every- time.
When was the last time you ran out of gas ?
 
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#124
I like active basses that where if you switch from passive to active set flat, it keeps a pretty similar sound and output level. This way the active electronics let you start from the passive sound and then work from there with more flexibility if needed. I think the Yamaha BB734a is good example of this. I really don't think there is any downside to having an active preamp on that bass, unless you are a person who can only handle having two or three knobs on a bass for whatever reason.
 
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#125
All my basses are active. I like the sound overall and the 3 band pre-amp on the axe is very handy.
If you're worried about batteries going dead on you get a Bat-O-Meter. It plugs into the bass and reads
battery strength. New basses have quick change compartments that allow for fast change with no tools or screws to remove.
 
#127
I prefer passive basses and will change pickups to passive if I like the bass enough. This for several reasons: 1. Batteries and me being me... I am not the type to remember to unplug my instrument every time and I am the type that will have a spare battery except when I really need it. Just who I am, lol. 2. I honestly like the feel of passive pickups over active ones in any bass I have had, this is just a preference. 3. I don't need a whole lot of EQ options, 2 vol and 1 tone works just fine for my purposes for two pickup basses.
 
#128
If you're using actives with onboard 3-band EQ, you have a ton of tone control and can roll of that brightness easily. I have played Ray34s and Ray34HHs and the tone is incredible. It also helps if you use nickel instead of stainless steel rounds (if you use roundwound). Recently purchased a Fender Player Plus with actives and 3-band EQ using Elixir nickel nanoweb strings. Love the tone in active!
 
#129
Peeved T-40 said:
I'm shopping for a new bass. Currently I'm looking at an active bass. I have bad experiences with an active bass in the past. Came from factory with a defect that rendered the bridge pickup un-usable. I also found it's tone to be excessively bright even when backing off the treble.

I'd like to not let one bad experience ruin active basses for me so i thought I would get some opinions.
Click to expand...
You just listed the reasons why I prefer passive instruments. To me, it almost seems like they sit better in the mix, like you can ‘hear’ them better or something. Just my experience over the course of many years and thousands of gigs.
 
#131
Killing Floor said:
Funny thing. Today I pulled out a Ray from the closet that I haven’t played in a while. The signal was really low and then I realized the battery was dead. But here’s the thing, it sounded really great so I played that narsty fuzz until it finally quit. I need a dead battery knob now.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure R.G. Keen has a schematic on his website that you could add. That would actually be a pretty cool addition.
 
#132
Killing Floor said:
Funny thing. Today I pulled out a Ray from the closet that I haven’t played in a while. The signal was really low and then I realized the battery was dead. But here’s the thing, it sounded really great so I played that narsty fuzz until it finally quit. I need a dead battery knob now.
Click to expand...

Was it just mine or are all stingrays active/passive?

Either way if you want dying battery sound & so much more, snag a ss/bs mini
 
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#134
On my list of things that are important to me in a bass, whether it’s active or passive makes almost zero difference. You can always make an active bass passive or vice versa. If you love a bass and it’s active but you want passive, rip out the preamp (and maybe the pups, depending) and go passive. It’s about the easiest thing to do, especially in the internet age where you can buy whatever you want online.
 
#136
I had a bad experience with an active bass. The thing just drained the battery like crazy. It felt like every time I picked it up it needed a new battery.
I'm sure that's not normal. And I didn't particularly like it any better than a good passive P bass anyway.
So I tend to avoid active pickups.
 
#137
Nothing wrong with preferring a good active P bass. :thumbsup:

But, regarding running down batteries in your bass with an active preamp... did you leave the cable plugged into the bass for long periods of time or did you always unplug it? In an active bass, inserting the instrument cable will usually turn the preamp on and unplugging it will turn off the preamp. So, leaving the instrument cable plugged in will drain the battery.
 
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#138
_One//Man//Mutiny_ said:
Do it! I have the 5 string version. The only caveat with that bass in particular for me is the bridge pickup doesn’t have much bass to it on its own, though the active eq helps to correct it. That P bass pickup blended in or soloed is the ticket though. The P pickup in that bass has a really pleasing tone. I’ve flirted and will probably eventually put a set of Delanos in there. The Sandberg basses sound incredible with them, this bass is pretty dang awesome to get in the neighborhood for a fraction of the price of one of those.
Click to expand...

I'm still very much shopping around but since you have one, I'll ask you. I don't really know how to describe it but can you get a super pokey sound out of it? I'm thinking something like the sound from Dean Town. He used a J and is obviously a precise player but I really like that sharp, quick, defined sound that makes each note very clear and enunciated. But maybe I'm just rambling
 
#139
dave64o said:
Nothing wrong with preferring a good active P bass. :thumbsup:

But, regarding running down batteries in your bass with an active preamp... did you leave the cable plugged into the bass for long periods of time or did you always unplug it? In an active bass, inserting the instrument cable will usually turn the preamp on and unplugging it will turn off the preamp. So, leaving the instrument cable plugged in will drain the battery.
Click to expand...

I never left the cable in. if the bridge pickup is selected it just sucks the batter dry plugged in or not
 
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#140
Peeved T-40 said:
I'm still very much shopping around but since you have one, I'll ask you. I don't really know how to describe it but can you get a super pokey sound out of it? I'm thinking something like the sound from Dean Town. He used a J and is obviously a precise player but I really like that sharp, quick, defined sound that makes each note very clear and enunciated. But maybe I'm just rambling
Click to expand...
I just listened to Dean Town, I definitely would say that tone is within its realm
 

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