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Do we really need high-end basses with intricate active electronics?

#41
I really like passive myself, but when the sound guy says "Is that all the signal you got?" and I put my bass into active mode and he gets all happy and stuff, I think that's pretty cool.

I usually just run passive if I'm entertaining myself.
 
#42
Active bass also gives you the ability to easily change the tone of what you send to the sound man. As for boost, I prefer audere preamps which do not boost the signal at all. Output is the same as pickup output, plus or minus tone adjustments. Stingray is similar. When run flat my Stingray has lower output than passives I have played in the past.
 
#43
I'm in the large portion of responders that wonder, "what is the point of this question/topic?".

Is it that posters like this (I won't call them trolls, perhaps they really ponder this topic, but WHY?) like to see discourse and arguments between people who know nothing of each other, not to mention the needs and preferences of each other? Is it to just see their question on a forum and to watch what happens?

I've owned Precisions and Alembics and nearly everything in between. I NEVER had an instrument that didn't bring something awesome to my bag of tricks. Most of those instruments were traded because I needed another trick. Now, with 2 Fenders and a Stingray, my bag of tricks is once again well-equipped for anything I run into.

I can watch Henrick Linder and his $$$$$$ Mattison basses and be positively blown away at the sound of the bass, as well as his chops.

I can be just as excited about watching a college jazz lab band where the kid playing bass is playing a Squire Jazz and absolutely wearing it out.

I'm sorry, but in my end of the week, frustrated frame of mind this morning, this entire thread is a 100% waste of time. I can't believe I wasted time responding.
 
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#44
Geri O said:
I'm in the large portion of responders that wonder, "what is the point of this question/topic?".

Is it that posters like this (I won't call them trolls, perhaps they really ponder this topic, but WHY?) like to see discourse and arguments between people who know nothing of each other, not to mention the needs and preferences of each other? Is it to just see their question on a forum and to watch what happens?

I've owned Precisions and Alembics and nearly everything in between. I NEVER had an instrument that didn't bring something awesome to my bag of tricks. Most of those instruments were traded because I needed another trick. Now, with 2 Fenders and a Stingray, my bag of tricks is once again well-equipped for anything I run into.

I can watch Henrick Linder and his $$$$$$ Mattison basses and be positively blown away at the sound of the bass, as well as his chops.

I can be just as excited about watching a college jazz lab band where the kid playing bass is playing a Squire Jazz and absolutely wearing it out.

I'm sorry, but in my end of the week, frustrated frame of mind this morning, this entire thread is a 100% waste of time. I can't believe I wasted time responding.
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Your last sentence answered the question I was going to ask. There is no requirement to respond to questions people have. I think most of us enjoy the banter and that's why we participate.
 
#47
Doner Designs said:
There is no requirement to respond to questions people have. I think most of us enjoy the banter and that's why we participate.
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That's about it. I have other places I go If I want to argue. This is my fun forum. Because when it comes to music, it's supposed to be fun. If it sounds good to you, it is good. I like these opinion questions, helps me learn options i've never known, some I've known and never considered.
 
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#48
gregmon79 said:
IMO, it all has to do with the type of music you play and where you want your role in the band to sit. I use an active Ibanez ATK in my band. Ive tried my Squier P, my J and PJ, all sound great, but they dont suit my bands sound. I tend to settle into the mix, Im not as prominent as I would like/need to be. So my active bass is my primary for my band. I filled in for a bassist in a buddies band last winter and I used my P the whole time, sounded great with them. They were more bluesy/folky.
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This is pretty much where I'm at, too.

My last band, I used a P, mostly. Sounded ok, but when I picked up an SX Jazz clone, I sat better in the mix.

My current band is different. The SX didn't work at all, and my P sounded fine. All bets were off when I recently scored an Ibanez BTB with active electronics. It took about three songs to tweak it into the mix. Now, it's my preferred bass for this band.

I'm not selling the P anytime soon (or ever for that matter), and still bring it occasionally, but the BTB sounds the best with this band and sits great in the mix with its active EQ. My style is pretty flashy, and the SX just vanished in the mix with two guitarists. The BTB is perfect for this band.

For me, the decision is all about what tool works best for the situation. Simple as that.
 
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#49
Phalex said:
I really like passive myself, but when the sound guy says "Is that all the signal you got?" and I put my bass into active mode and he gets all happy and stuff, I think that's pretty cool.

I usually just run passive if I'm entertaining myself.
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I find that unusual. What are you using to provide signal to the mixer?
 
#50
The "I can sound good on anything, and if you can't then you're a poopoo head" argument is so ridiculous. While a $40k bass that is supposed to be "period correct" to a bass mass manufactured in the 60's-70's is ridiculous to most people, a $40 foreign knockoff bass is not going to sound the same as a quality instrument, nor play the same. Even so, why put yourself through all that crap just to feel like you are superior to "other guys"? Here's an escalator to get off your high horse :p

Some people want fewer options, some people want more. I acquire/use what I need or want on my bass. EMG JX and a BQC? It's a fantastic sound when they are put together, now one of my favorite tones, especially for the Ibanez 5'er I put them in. Of course that bass plays well too, but it doesn't make me less of a player to like that tone. If you need different tone going into the front end of a set of pedals, tweaking your amp EQ isn't going to do the job. I also wouldn't want to kneel down and fiddle with an EQ pedal all night. This is why several guys like onboard EQ. If all you want is a passive P or J bass, then great for you, you've found what you like. Likewise, if your significant other is (assuming you're a guy) a tanned, blonde girl with long legs...I don't see why my loving a redheaded, fair-skinned girl with a perky rack is affecting you in any way. I love how she looks (and probably how she feels as well lol), I don't look down on you for being into blondes.

Seriously man, next time do a search. This topic is beat to death :dead:
 
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#51
Rip Topaz said:
This is pretty much where I'm at, too.

My last band, I used a P, mostly. Sounded ok, but when I picked up an SX Jazz clone, I sat better in the mix.

My current band is different. The SX didn't work at all, and my P sounded fine. All bets were off when I recently scored an Ibanez BTB with active electronics. It took about three songs to tweak it into the mix. Now, it's my preferred bass for this band.

I'm not selling the P anytime soon (or ever for that matter), and still bring it occasionally, but the BTB sounds the best with this band and sits great in the mix with its active EQ. My style is pretty flashy, and the SX just vanished in the mix with two guitarists. The BTB is perfect for this band.

For me, the decision is all about what tool works best for the situation. Simple as that.
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Dude, that BTB line is pimp. I so want one someday. Probably one of the older 4 strings. They are wonderful basses. A fellow low ender recently acquired one of the 5 stingers. Not my thing, the 5 string, but man, was it sweet! Sounded so awesome and played rather great. IMO, Ibanez is a great instrument builder.
 
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#56
I don't need active onboard electronics. Or, more correctly, I have not yet had (and probably won't) a situation where I've NEEDED active circuitry.

I used to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to dial my active basses in to sound.... well... like a "classic" passive bass. So it just wasn't right for ME.

If I ever got into a situation where I DID need more signal control, I'd probably get a good outboard floor bass preamp.
 
#60
Winfred said:
I play a passive/active, Jazz/Precision, with a maple/plywood/plutonium board, gold/polyester strings (flat on one side, round on the other), and transgendered bi-sexual tuning pegs.

It works for me.
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Man...there must be some nasty radiation coming from the fingerboard. Wonder if u would have an extra finger after playing the bass for a long time;)
 
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