Add Passive Mode to Active Bass? (2009 AmDlx P Content)

I have this same question but with a Sandberg with just P pickup.
Perhaps a switch to route signal away from the pre-amp and direct to the pots but what about a tone control?

 

I'm doing just that with my PJ setup and my own Active/Passive part. It all boils down to price & availability of pot values and configurations. If comfortable doing so, The Master volume could be changed to dual gang(diff value) push/pull(DPDT). This could change path from active ckt to passive ckt and keep the same volume level say with a 500K and a 20k and the correct gain structure in active ckt. I also put a passive tone atop the pan on a 500k twin 250K concentric pot. So price, available, clearance, and enough hair to pull out should do it..... Man, nice bass just as it is! Anything can be done, You decide .

 

The problem with the Fender preamp is that most of the preamp itself is mounted to the volume pot. So while you may be able to make it happen, the amount of modification to that delicate unit would either be negated by the fact that it would be very difficult to do it in the first place... or you may destroy it in the process.

Trust me when I tell you, the better answer is a new preamp. You can even sell the old one to offset the cost and it becomes a very worthwhile mod. I can't even count the times I've personally swapped this preamp model out for something else. Every time, too... it's been a massive improvement.

 

It can be done. I had my local tech add a preamp bypass switch to my Cort Artisan B4FL (the older models didn't come with one), and he had to change the master volume pot to a 500K one. Of course he had to drill a new hold for the mini switch.

 

Some food for thought: I once had that same model of bass and decided to rip the preamp out in favor of a basic passive setup. My findings were that the stock pickups sounded very thin and bland passive. Those pickups really need a preamp to be useful.

 

I did that with the same bass,without swapping the preamp(a porfessional did the work,added a tone control and a push pull to switch).
Passive mode sounded very muddy on the p pickup,unusabale.I changed the pickup to Symor Duncan and the passive mode improoved,but still not quite right.
Leave the bass be.

 

This bass is realy nice,light and great neck but i dont think it will sound like a passive p no matter what you do.
Closest is controls flat on active.

 

Something to think about... Things can be done of course. Could get the passive tone through creative selection and proper components and well, a lot of tinkering(my specialty) and time. IMHO though I'd say frown on things involving rip in the sentence, drill, and anything that would alter it's originality. You said you were happy with the active part. Chose a couple items changed to amend towards your goal but be able to put back in case you want that sound that makes it hard to sleep at night. For the love of great sounding instruments respect the sound it has. Just my thought and written before it vanishes.