Do you run your bass' volume control wide open?

[Bob Coldwell]

I don't if this should be in "Basses" or "Pickups", but here goes:

I gig with two basses, one active and one passive. I used to play with my bass' volume control all the way up all the time.

But in our current band the drummer can go back and forth from brushes and all kinds of mutes to big stick banging. So I really have to ride my volume knob.

I feel like my bass is losing its edge and presence when I turn it down. Is it? Or am I imagining this?

 

[darev]

I also play with active and passive basses. I've always dimed my bass volume and controlled the volume with my fingers and/or a palm mute..

 

[Hot Rats]

No, I set my amp to be louder than necessary and control it with my bass volume knob. It's a P bass usually so I think it sounds great running 70 - 90 percent volume.

 

[Killing Floor]

Yes, of course. That’s what separates us from the animals.
Except for between songs I’m not aware of any reason to have knobs on a bass.

On a guitar you can manipulate fuzz with pickup volume but that doesn’t always work on a bass.

 

[gregmon79]

Always up all the time no matter the bass. There are options for when you want different volumes for different basses. IMO it does lose presence and edge when you back off the volume. Just depends on which direction you want to go with it. There are pedals you can get...

 

[MIMike]

Yes, WOT pretty much all the time.

 

[KenD]

Rolling your volume pot back will attenuate some high frequencies. Thus some players advocate the use of a treble bleed circuit. See Stewmac or Seymour Duncan for a more in depth discussion.

 

[JRA]

Is it? Or am I imagining this?

no clue, can't tell ya what your situation is, but mine is similar to @Datsgor's = i make sure i've got some juice in reserve = V knob on my axes tends to be in the 80-90% range so i can bump it up if i need to do that.

i don't mind having the volume maxed if i'm close/convenient enough to the amp head. either way, i like some wiggle room!

 

[Lowbrow]

I'm a 100-percenter

 

[WG Plum]

I'm finding I like the volume on my new passive Joe Dart backed off a bit, but usually have volume wide open on my Sabre fretless and passive fretless jazz.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

no clue, can't tell ya what your situation is, but mine is similar to @Datsgor's = i make sure i've got some juice in reserve = V knob on my axes tends to be in the 80-90% range so i can bump it up if i need to do that.

i don't mind having the volume maxed if i'm close/convenient enough to the amp head. either way, i like some wiggle room!

 

[DWBass]

Always.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Yes, you do lose some "presence and edge" when you back off the volume on a passive bass. The volume pot loads the pickup and essentially filters out the highs.

I almost always run my volume(s) full up and use my hands to control dynamics. You should be able to play with just as much intensity across a huge dynamic range - just like any great drummer should on their kit.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Full up on passive (turning down affects treble frequencies)

Active basses to taste, you have no fear of tonal attenuation with active basses

 

[Phe]

I'm team "fiddle dem knobs", although it can be bit much and I lose focus if I fiddle too much.
I don't have percentages, I just back off if the need be. I usually control dynamics with hands, but sometimes you want to dig in but not overpower everything.
Haven't really noticed a change in tone, but I'm sure it affects it.

 

[Geri O]

100% wide open, with every bass I own.

I play softer with my fingers when
needed.

Try it. It’s not as crazy of an idea as some make it sound….

 

[M-Mittlesteadt]

I run the volume controls to both pickups (bridge/neck) on my SR206 wide open. Active electronics. I control volume either with my hand or the volume knob on my amp...or both.

The only control I really use on my bass is the treble tone control...depending on what I'm playing.

 

[5StringBlues]

Jazz basses I usually run full up. P bases, it depends on the base. Bass bass bass bass bass

 

[Basta-bass]

Why the fock would I want to turn my volume down ?