Do you prefer simple or complex controls on your bass(es)?

[bassliner50]

it doesn't matter where the knobs land, tone is in the fingers. you're good.

You sir, are so right.

 

[scuzzy]

I would like to see the fingers that can make this....

Sound like this...

 

[seanm]

View attachment 3802103 I mod my p bases to a single knob only. Just the tone knob.

Even after I mod my basses, I leave the pot in. Why do you remove the pot?

 

[punchdrunk]

Even after I mod my basses, I leave the pot in. Why do you remove the pot?

Because I (mostly) get no mileage from a volume pot, plus (and I could be off base here), I read somewhere that the loading can affect your overall signal. Primarily tho, I just like the spartan vibe of a scaled down utilitarian approach to the thing.

 

[seanm]

Because I (mostly) get no mileage from a volume pot, plus (and I could be off base here), I read somewhere that the loading can affect your overall signal. Primarily tho, I just like the spartan vibe of a scaled down utilitarian approach to the thing.

You get a bit more highs if you remove a pot.

 

[fermata]

I’ve worked out that the fewer controls I have on the bass, the less time I spend tweaking the sound and the more time I spend playing.

Spot on. I feel the same way: I want to play the bass, not operate the bass.

 

[Basta-bass]

Spot on. I feel the same way: I want to play the bass, not operate the bass.

You're not supposed to do the two things at the same time...
You tweak the knobs between the songs with the bass muted. When you know what you're doing it takes seconds...
And by the way, if you play with serious musicians, they'll be thankful for you to mute between the songs and stop fiddling around.

 

[jamro217]

Sorry, won't allow me to change it.

The poll is too simple and not active enough. It needs a dozen more switches that don't have any perceptible function.

 

[scuzzy]

The poll is too simple and not active enough. It needs a dozen more switches that don't have any perceptible function.

That will be on next week's model, the elite ultra magnum. It's bound and blocked and has a sweet neck heel transition.

 

[whero]

I'm sorry but as you seems really straigh forward, I'm gonna do the same here
I think you're wrong.
For the reasons I said before but not only.
With my Sadowsky inboard preamp, I can do anything you do with your passive jazz.
The opposite is not true...
Not exploiting the possibilities of the active sound just because "it's complicated" (which is not true) seems a little narrow minded.
Of course: IMHO, YMTO, FWIW etc. etc.

I sincerely wish you the best with your one tone.

Fair enough. I'm sure you can get many tones out of your active Sadowsky that I can't get out of my passive Fender. But I can get everything I want and everything I need out of my passive PJ Fender and Ampeg head, with a little help from one effects pedal.

I'm not knocking your choice - everyone is free to do what they want. But at the time I write this, just over 450 people have voted and 68% of them agree with me that "simple passive" is the "ideal onboard electronics setup" (in the words of the poll). Are we all "narrow minded" for not feeling the need to "exploit the possibilities of the active sound"?

 

[Outbush]

Volume, blend, tone on a PJ. Would prefer a tone on each pick-up but there you go. I’ve got very effective 3 band active but I don’t use it much. I do use the amp controls a bit and am careful with my gain and volume relationship on the Amp.

 

[fermata]

View attachment 3802103 I mod my p bases to a single knob only. Just the tone knob.

An on-off (kill) switch would be a handy and unobtrusive way to fill the empty hole.

 

[Basta-bass]

everyone is free to do what they want

100% ok with that!
What puzzled me in your post was;

Any more seems a waste.

Anyway, I think you missed my point. I must not have been clear enough. My point is:

My advice would be, take a look at your knobs... it might be worth it...
Maybe you'll stick with your passive old tone. But you'll do it because you decided, not cause you were to lazy to figure out how it works!

That brings us back to:

everyone is free to do what they want

And so we're good!!!

 

[punchdrunk]

An on-off (kill) switch would be a handy and unobtrusive way to fill the empty hole.

Perhaps, but the additional hardware would irk me... I did once have it set up with a push/pull knob that muted the bass... I should probably go back to that set up. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[RumbleBot]

Perhaps, but the additional hardware would irk me... I did once have it set up with a push/pull knob that muted the bass... I should probably go back to that set up. Thanks for the reminder.

They also make momentary push kill pots:

SH 124 Kill-Pot

 

[west al]

Simple Passive as on the Epi Eb-0.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

My most versatile bass is an L2k, three knobs and three switches counts as “complex active” to some, not to me, it’s pretty simple. Lately I feel like I’ve landed on the best compromise for me, which is simple passive:

Master Volume
Pickup Blend
Master Tone

Anything else on the bass seems superfluous now, as most Amps have more tone shaping than I’ll ever use anyway.

 

[DWBass]

Prefer V/Bl/T/Bs

 

[Basta-bass]

My most versatile bass is an L2k, three knobs and three switches counts as “complex active” to some, not to me, it’s pretty simple. Lately I feel like I’ve landed on the best compromise for me, which is simple passive:

Master Volume
Pickup Blend
Master Tone

Anything else on the bass seems superfluous now, as most Amps have more tone shaping than I’ll ever use anyway.

And everyday we are more to not use amps anymore...

 

[rojo412]

Complicated!

2 dual coil pickups, each with switches, running into a blend with the option to run both pickups in series, passive tone with selectable caps, active 3 band preamp with mode frequency select and bypass... that’s where I start things.