My go to is a MM Sterling for funk and rock which I’ve played fewer gigs this last year. I am playing many more jazz trio/quartet gigs using a an active Fretless bass so guess I’m firmly in the Active category
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Do you mostly play passive or active basses?
- Thread starter Jim C
- Start date
That may be true and the FOH situation is absolutely part of the equation
But it is also a part beyond my direct control in most of my situations
Over time I have gravitated towards a "not perfect but hard for others to F up " tone
Which for me is passive. There may well be an active solution equally robust, but I have found no need.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
I think it also depends on the active bass in question. There are a LOT of super sizzly, hi-fi actives out there that are kind of 'scooped' to begin with, which wouldn't be my choice. I like something rooted in a solid passive-DNA tone to begin with.... like a Lakland or a Sadowsky.
Crap, nobody told me there was gonna be math!
Um, let's see: I own eight basses, and seven of them are active.
So that's what, 87.5% active, and 12.5% passive, right?
I agree with this. I've played mostly active basses in live settings... Spector NS-2A, Carvin LB75, Ibanez ATK fretless, Dean Rhapsody 12-strinfg and Dean Edge 5-string. But I have to say... it was easier to get a passive Fender Jazz Bass to punch through the sonic wall of guitars in a hard rock cover band, than it was the Active basses. Active basses ARE superior to passive when they are tweaked and dialed in correctly. My $0.02 for the day.
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There is a lot of truth in how one can alter the tone of a bass by how it is played (and where...from over the neck all the way to the bridge), even on a stock passive bass with a very simple, single tone control.
However, as much as I love my passive P/J, I do also love my Ibanez GSR206 with it's active electronics. As you mentioned, my 6 string has more of a "baked-in" passive tone, but there is so much more versatility in adjusting the tone from the bass itself. That is very helpful when playing through provided backline rigs I'm unfamiliar with.
I know some may not care for the this Ibanez's active EQ design, but the PHAT II really does a very good job of altering the deep bass/mid contour in a single control, even though it also has a decent treble tone control (that can boost or cut highs) as well.
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Of the six completed basses in my collection, four are completely passive and two are active. Of those two, one can switch from active to passive. (re: The Tone-Monster can switch, while the Audere cannot.) That might turn into a 50/50 when the last of my Projects are completed…we'll see.
I too prefer a bypass switch, but of course StingRays don't have 'em, so I take a passive backup bass and batteries when I'm using a StingRay. (I always take a second bass to gigs anyway.)
I'm glad EBMM took some of that sizzle out of the StingRay with the Special. To me, it gets a bit closer to being able to cop a more passive-sounding tone.
You need an option for 60/40.
I've said it many times: passive tone knob on an active bass FTW.
I like my sadowsky
Out of the six basses I own four are passive and two are active/passive. And those two active/passive ones are kept in passive mode all the time with no batteries in them. I always play thru a preamp/DI, so really don't need the EQ capabilities on the bass itself. Not that I don't like the idea of having batteries in them, but do hate the idea of having to unplug the cable every time. Just being lazy, I guess... 
I own mostly passive basses. But a higher percentage of my playing is on the few active basses I have, though not really because they are active. They are just great basses that do what I need them to do. They are more or less flat most of the time, with maybe a slight bump or cut as needed.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Never played a Special, but it's easy to tame the sizzle by rolling back the treble knob. Always been my solution with a 'Ray 3 band. Boost the bass, cut the treble, and adjust mids to the room - usually a bit of a cut to take away some of the aggressiveness. The 2-band is even better, and my preferred EQ for a StingRay. The passive USA SUB fretless I owned many years ago was a very unique, dark sound, and I think EBMM would sell a lot of them if they put that bespoke 2-band passive EQ in a full scale StingRay bass again.
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JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Active basses are heavier? My circa-8lb Lakland and Sadowsky basses would beg to differ.
Passive. For me, less hassle, like the tone and I’m lazy.
I've mostly played and gigged active basses. I do have a p bass with flats that I enjoy playing around with at home when I want that vibe, though, and lately I've often defaulted to it as a bass for general practicing, in part because it is only my only four that is always in standard tuning and because it tends to sound good over the types of backing tracks I sometimes practice over.
