Passive. As stated, active is sterile to my ears at least. I don't hear a warmth in active most of the time. Out of 17, all but 2 are passive and they are Jaguar Deluxes that I never use in active mode anyway.
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are You a passivist?
- Thread starter Handz Solow
- Start date
The answer would probably lie in the realization that active circuitry isn't primarily about boosting to get a hotter signal, but rather concerns such useful functions as additional signal-shaping options, more precise EQ adjustments, the benefits of a low impedance signal for performing live through long lengths of cable (i.e. preserving high-frequency content, etc.), and/or matching impedance into a recording console, etc.
MM
I'm a damn activist! Only active basses for me. I'm not in the vintage thing at all! I live only for heavy clean modern tone.
The lack of preamp would miss me sooo much.
To get a good sound out of a active bass, don't forget to roll off the preamp on the amplifier. Nor you'll end up with two preamp at the same time giving a muddy/strange sound.
You said it all!
The lack of preamp would miss me sooo much.
To get a good sound out of a active bass, don't forget to roll off the preamp on the amplifier. Nor you'll end up with two preamp at the same time giving a muddy/strange sound.
You said it all!
I play live a lot, in a wide variety of styles and band configurations. I've no "need" for active EQ, not even for slap, though I have many active basses.
Currently I prefer a passive. When I preferred the active basses, it's because I preferred the bass not the EQ which I barely use or just set and forget. Even on the active basses, I tend to mostly use the passive tone knob if there's one onboard.
Currently I prefer a passive. When I preferred the active basses, it's because I preferred the bass not the EQ which I barely use or just set and forget. Even on the active basses, I tend to mostly use the passive tone knob if there's one onboard.
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I am. Tried active and didn't like it much. To me, passive electronics have a more "musical" tone. That being said, I'd love to try a Lightwave Sabre!
Funny, I just posted in the pickups forum - my Toon bass used to have an active EMG pickup, but I felt it was a little bland and sterile. Just got it back from the shop with a passive Seymour Duncan MM-style humbucker. It's way hotter now, and they also added a push/pull pot for switching series/parallel, which actually means more tone options on the bass than the EMG, which had no EQ. All my basses are now passive except the Godin ABG. When I have an EQ preamp on the pedalboard, and EQ on the amp, I kinda feel like having another one on the bass just gets redundant.
I prefer Actives in 5 string basses. I prefer passive in four stringers. Goes with the styles I play.
When you add Sadowsky outboard pre(or similar) thats like "active" bass. It will helps you add on the tone and beef. I also like passive basses so I can play them through whatever preamp I like without worry of a too much of EQ and phases.
I LOVE a passive bass. But, for the moment at least all my axes are active. The flexibility in EQ options is just so convenient.
Only my second bass (Ibanez TR-series 4-string from '92) was active. It sounded amazing but it didn't take very long for me to decide I really didn't want to be dealing with active basses in general.
Passive. I have one active, but it is a Mike Kelly Dragonfly. Never have seen any advantage to active. No GAS for that.
I think it's pretty hard to generalize all passive and active instruments like some are doing. My first bass was a passive PJ NRJ bass that sounded like total crap. Played great though! My first "nice" instrument was an Ibanez BTB450QM and I couldn't get into the active tones from that bass. After that I got a passive USA J, then a passive USA J5 and then a passive MIM P and loved all the tones, but still wanted something a bit different. After that I picked up a Stingray 5HS, and I love it. I get get really nice warm punchy non-hifi sounds out of it that I couldn't get out of the Ibanez. I think it's more about the preamp than whether it's active or passive.
That being said...I prefer passive 90% of the time just because *most* active basses tend to be more modern instruments...but give me a Stingray and I can get any tone I want out of it!
That being said...I prefer passive 90% of the time just because *most* active basses tend to be more modern instruments...but give me a Stingray and I can get any tone I want out of it!
