Does anyone here only play passive basses?

[bassist4dalord]

I only play passive basses, Fender-style. I just don't like fiddling around with all of the knobs and such. I'm happy with my passive Fenders :-D

 

[Jazz Ad]

Other than the odd Lightwave, all passive basses.
THe tones I like are best produced with passive instruments.

 

[frizzid]

I stay somewhere in between. I own a 60ies style Fender Jazz, but I swapped the pups for active EMGs, just to get a biiiit more punch. I left the electronics passive however, so no EQ nonsense for me.

 

[cchorney]

Only passive here. Not that I'm a "passive sound tone snob" or a Luddite - I just don't see the need and its one less electrical gizmo to break on stage. Ok scratch that, I am sort of a Luddite when it comes to basses I guess!

 

[waynobass]

No, I need a StingRay in my arse.

Arsenal, I mean.

 

[Gord_oh]

i did.
my next bass will be active, but ill probably add a passive switch to it.
with the band im in, i needed the active "oomph".

 

[Passinwind]

If you leave a bass at my place it will come back with a preamp in it. If you plug your passive bass into my stage rig it will barely work.

 

[Valerus]

Exclusively passive, here.

 

[KingRazor]

If you leave a bass at my place it will come back with a preamp in it. If you plug your passive bass into my stage rig it will barely work.

I like rigs that don't differentiate between active and passive basses.

 

[Passinwind]

I like rigs that don't differentiate between active and passive basses.

I would too if I ever played a passive bass.

 

[dave64o]

I like both a lot, so I just enjoy my basses for what they are. I have a Stingray (active), Precision (passive) and an FNA Jazzman (active but with a passive bypass) so I guess I'm pretty much split down the middle. I really like the fact that the three are so tonally different and I can choose based on mood/whim/"need".

But lately I've discovered that I *really* like the Warwick in passive mode. A lot! So I guess that technically means I'm leaning slightly toward the passive side at the moment?

 

[pbass888]

2 jazz basses 4 string passive... a 96 with duncan sjb-2 pups and a 74 with stock... all i need. never change the settings either... just the strings. play jazz and used to have a active jazz and an active m man years ago.... i guess it would depend on the type of music.... mostly jazz here and a rare motown gig.

 

[Ben Mitchell]

If you only have a passive bass, you only play passives.

This would be my current dilema. Mostly due to a lack of funds.

Ben

 

[KingRazor]

I would too if I ever played a passive bass.

I'd leave my bass at your place to get preamp'd as long as you didn't add any of those silly EQ knobs to it.

 

[wshines1892]

passive four bangers only! I'm in the process of getting a Warwick Corvette $$, and I chose it over an Ibanez SR505 because it's passive and 4 string.

 

[Passinwind]

I'd leave my bass at your place to get preamp'd as long as you didn't add any of those silly EQ knobs to it.

No worries, I've done 'em that way (and of course I was being tongue in cheek anyway). Most people want a little EQ somewhere -- I like to mix up where and how it happens in my various setups. Nothing wrong with the all-passive mindset either, I just haven't gotten around to building the right rack preamp to do that as well as my active-optimized ones so far.

 

[Syco_bass]

I started out back in the 80's with all passive basses, then as times changed and new equipment started to come out, I got into active basses. Now that I'm a bit more mature, I am back to playing passive instruments. I'll never go back to active "On-board" tone circuits again. Most bassists will tell you, Passive basses + tube amps = great bass tone.

Now, with that said, if you are going to run Direct into a PA, wouthout going through your amp DI, I would recommend running a good tube DI box or at least an active "Pre-amp" like the SVT-tube DI, Sansamp, Sadowsky or Aguilar "Outboard" pre-amp DI boxes.

Those are my 2cents anyway.

 

[TheNightLife]

I'm all passive. Mia p bass, mim p bass, marcus miller 4 string jazz (I cut the preamp out and wired the pickups to 2 volume pots, no tone pots) I don't plan on playing or owning anything active ever again. Not my cup of tea.

 

[Muddslide]

Its all I play..passive P bass. I tried a few active basses and never liked the tone too hi-fi sounding to me.

Can't get past the "processed" sound of active...

This is what hits my ears as well. It's sort of hard to put into words.

The best corollary I can think of is Dolby. I remember when Dolby Noise Reduction came out it was heralded as a revolution. But I never got on with it. Yeah, it removed a bit of hiss, but it also cut some of the high end (like crash cymbal ring) and made the sound seem somehow compressed and clinical.

Anyways, I have heard some players that sounded amazing using active gear but over the years whenever I have used active stuff, it just sounds less organic to me in a way I don't care for at all.

 

[Josiah668]

When I roll back the tone knob on the bridge pickup of my Alvarez about 1/4, I get my favorite sound in the world. It's clear, deep, and defined.

But sometimes, when I'm not looking for that, especially in a studio setting, and I want something that's just more...round?...I put it down and pick up the Fender fretless.