Any downsides to an active bass?

[jdieh1]

I know that this has probably been discussed a lot around here but, other than having to replace a battery every now and then, are there any downsides to playing active basses over passive basses?

Personally I play a passive bass and have only played one active bass. It was cheap and the battery needed replacing so it didn't sound that great.

Opinions are welcome

 

[TheBasicBassist]

i love my active bass,
it's a warwick thumb..
it makes me very picky about which passive basses
i play i think.

so i'll have to vote nay, there aren't any real downsides.
but then again if you get the right bass for YOU then
there aren't any downsides. =]

 

[Joe.shaffer]

It's all about what you like. I prefer a passive bass. I don't see any real downsides to active basses though.

 

[J. Crawford]

Putting a new battery in.

 

[mkrtu9]

My active bass doesn't work without a battery, so a bass with a passive/active switch would be nice. However I only have to change the battery maybe twice a year.

 

[Archangel_Bass]

well the only downside may be that if you dont have an amp with a low gain input then you may overdrive your amp. other than that battery replacement depending on the model can be a pain

 

[J. Crawford]

My active bass doesn't work without a battery, so a bass with a passive/active switch would be nice. However I only have to change the battery maybe twice a year.

Thats about $7 more dollars a year than I have to spend on my bass.

 

[ubado]

I prefer active basses ... either active PU's or preamp (most of my preamps are set flat ... so they have a passive-ish tone overall, however it's nice to be able to goose a preamp when need be).

Besides the battery and possibly the need for a low gain input ... I don't see any real downside to active (it's not hard to change a battery every now and again ).

All in all ... it's about getting the tone you want (any "downsides" are just minor inconveniences).

 

[madbassplaya]

the preamp going out.

 

[yellofury]

GAINS:
increase in presence
that modern "active" tone

CAVEATS:
making sure you dont leave your bass plugged in overnight
changing batteries - especially if you have the under the control cavity type (Audere, Spector,etc,) or the dual screw cover ( Old Stingrays, my Washburn Status, New Fenders)..no biggie though
Your premap going out in middle of a gig and you have no active/passive switch

 

[Mystic Michael]

Personally I play a passive bass and have only played one active bass. It was cheap and the battery needed replacing so it didn't sound that great.

There you go, you've nailed it: the main downside to playing an active bass: Playing a cheapo active bass.

Playing a high-quality active bass is a very different story, however...

MM

 

[DeluxeRed]

A good active is better than anything. Any passive is better than a bad active. Batteries are easy, and I have to change two! But that's ok...there are plenty in the guitar player's stomps...

 

[blues_bassist]

I personally don't care for active electronics because I play Blues, and to me active electronics don't have that "vintage" sound. But that's just me...

 

[Solarmist]

Replacing a battery twice a year is no big deal for the sound you gain.

 

[DeluxeRed]

Not buyin' it. Passive can't do Active tones, but there's no passive Fender(-ish) tone--and Fender wrote the book on passive tone--I can't hit with my Active Jazzes, vintage styles or otherwise, and a it'll cover whole lot more. Less is not more. Less is less. That's fine if you want to stay in that realm, but passive is a subset of active--good active as a part of a good bass.

 

[bassplayer8953]

Worst thing about active basses is when the battery(s) start to go & suddenly your rig starts sounding like cr@p! This is usually at a gig. When I play active I always se up a passive as a back-up.

 

[blues_bassist]

As a passive bass guy, I have a question for everyone who plays active basses. I have heard that active electronics gives the sound a "modern" sound. I know "modern" is kind of a broad term, but I think you all know what I am talking about. Anyways is this true? To be honest, I don't know that the advantage of active electronics are.

 

[tmsteph]

is there a noticeable difference between a passive and an active set flat? someone with an on/off switch needs to record it like that and see if anyone can tell them apart

 

[DeluxeRed]

With a twiddle of usually the mids, I can switch from roaring metal/hard rock (boosted) or roll it back and get a very vintage tone (maybe boost the bass a bit). Push the treb and slap it silly. Very even tone and response at any volume position. I push any effect however I want, and can make adjustments for pick or finger songs on-the-fly.

I run a lot more risk with my wireless backpack dying than my active. I can tell weeks in advance when it's going to run down (and I change my pack every show, so ya wanna talk about battery burn...). Like any trouper, I trust nuttin, so I have an extra (active) bass, lotsa batteries and screwdrivers in my case, my kit, and the PA, a cable handy, and a DI.

 

[beezerjoe]

Only when the battery goes dead during a session.