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Anyone play only Active?
- Thread starter ctpunk
- Start date
This is my 2nd & main bass. 9v HAZ pre w/EMG DCs. I play mostly rock ... it's got a lovely growl to it 
My four basses don't have active pickups, but it just happened to work out that they all have active preamps.
And I'm perfectly happy with that.
My go to bass is a completely stock Music Man Stingray 5. 'Nuff said there
Then there is the AM STD Jazz V with Nordstrand pickups and preamp. A Precision Five with the similar Nordstrand setup in the Precision version. And an MIM Jazz Five Fretless with the Nordstrand pickups and an Aguilar preamp. That preamp was swapped out of the fretted Jazz for the Nordstrand, but it works great in the Fretless.
And I'm perfectly happy with that.
My go to bass is a completely stock Music Man Stingray 5. 'Nuff said there
Then there is the AM STD Jazz V with Nordstrand pickups and preamp. A Precision Five with the similar Nordstrand setup in the Precision version. And an MIM Jazz Five Fretless with the Nordstrand pickups and an Aguilar preamp. That preamp was swapped out of the fretted Jazz for the Nordstrand, but it works great in the Fretless.
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I don't like active pickups, but I love passive pickups with an active preamp!
Roland GR 88
Commercial User
Im unfamiliar with this type of setup as well. The preamp is onboard/internal on the bass and adjusted via an additional knob?
Where does it fall inbetween passive and active as far as tone goes?
This is sick. Whats the headstock look like? Im having a real appreciation for these metal style basses.
This is my 2nd & main bass. 9v HAZ pre w/EMG DCs. I play mostly rock ... it's got a lovely growl to it
You should be familiar with it, because 90% of active basses are of this configuration.
There is no inherent tonal difference between active and passive, or between active pickups and preamps. It all comes down to design choices.
I love basses that are deemed "active"......although the pickups themselves aren't. Whenever I see a bass with an onboard "active" EQ that has more than 4 knobs I drool profusely.
Yeah it's a very common setup. Pretty much unless your bass is 100% passive, or you have EMG pickups, you'll have the passive pickup/active preamp setup...which accounts for most of the basses on the market.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,075
- 46,027
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
If the pickup has a battery (or external power supply) power lead directly embedded and an internal buffer or preamp it is active, otherwise it is not.
I have a mixture of active pickups, passive basses, and passive with preamps. They all have their own personality and my preference changes daily, but I would have no problem playing only one type.
Oh, and btw, you think the bass looks metal? Check out the custom 4" strap I had made for it:
All my bassive have passive/active preamps and passive pickups. I always play in active mode if thats what you mean.
I started playing active basses when I put a two band baxandall preamp I built in my 64 P bass in the mid-late 70's. Nearly every bass I have played since has an active preamp. Three of the basses I own now have active pickups as well (EMG, Peavey and an older Duncan active P pickup.)
I started because I wanted to be able to control the volume on the bass with no tonal changes and wanted to be isolated from cable capacitance. I used Rotosound roundwounds and love a very bright, clangy tone and the preamp got me more of what I wanted to hear from the bass.
At this point, I have no interest in passive basses.
I started because I wanted to be able to control the volume on the bass with no tonal changes and wanted to be isolated from cable capacitance. I used Rotosound roundwounds and love a very bright, clangy tone and the preamp got me more of what I wanted to hear from the bass.
At this point, I have no interest in passive basses.
My Yamaha RBXJM2's. I play prog and prog metal (lotsa Dream Theater covers, Porcupine Tree, etc.)
Only one type of bass in two 99% identical basses. Seymour Duncan Custom passive alnico humbucker single pickup SMB-6a, Seymour Duncan RBXJM2 3 band 9v active preamp.
So like a lot of others, passive pickup/active pre.
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Only one type of bass in two 99% identical basses. Seymour Duncan Custom passive alnico humbucker single pickup SMB-6a, Seymour Duncan RBXJM2 3 band 9v active preamp.
So like a lot of others, passive pickup/active pre.
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All but one are active, but I've swapped the preamps for audere in them. It seems like the factory pres are colored in ways not compatible with the sound I'm after.
