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Is a passive bass through multi-effect processor equivalent to an active bass in versatility?

skullbass

skullbass

Jan 17, 2019
70
45
Province of Quebec
#1
I hesitate between three bass: Sire P7 (2nd Gen), Godin Shifter Classic or Schecter CV4 (2017). I play mostly 70's prog rock, 80's new wave and Alt 90's rock & grunge so I want versatility in sounds.

So two passives, one active. Could the two passives deliver "modern sounds" through my Rumble 40 amp and my Zoom B3n multi-effect processor ? Or if my only choice is to go with an active bass with passive/active switch ?

 
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#2
Any of those basses will work with what you have to get the sounds you need for the genres you listed. You do not need an active bass, period. Between the amp and processor you have more than enough tools to get different sounds.

I will assume you have no way to try any of these in person, that is always the best way to choose a bass.
 
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#3
brianrost said:
Any of those basses will work with what you have to get the sounds you need for the genres you listed. You do not need an active bass, period. Between the amp and processor you have more than enough tools to get different sounds.

I will assume you have no way to try any of these in person, that is always the best way to choose a bass.
Click to expand...
You are assuming right ! So I guess all the fuss regarding the multiple tonality you can obtain with a huge in-bass preamp is more about the convenience, all under your fingertip, right ?
 
#5
skullbass said:
You are assuming right ! So I guess all the fuss regarding the multiple tonality you can obtain with a huge in-bass preamp is more about the convenience, all under your fingertip, right ?
Click to expand...
Not really. Many active basses sound very different from their passive counterparts. IMO it has nothing to do with convenience. You can get a lot of great sounds from passive basses, but characterizing active basses as simply a choice of locality of tone controls is incorrect.
 
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#6
I haven’t kept up with the multi-effect processors. Perhaps, they have gotten better. Used to be that they had decent effects; but were prone to being noisy. I’ve still got a Digitech BP8 Valve that I haven’t used in forever because of the noise issue.

Also, the onboard preamps don’t do the same thing at all. You can get outboard versions of many of the onboard preamps. The outboard versions sound so close that they are a good alternative for vintage instruments, where you might not want to take the router to the instrument.

One thing further is that some basses benefit more from onboard preamps than others. My $0.019 is that the P doesn’t need a preamp, while the J can benefit from one. And, it depends on what you are trying to get the instrument to do. No single solution.
 
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#7
skullbass said:
I play mostly 70's prog rock, 80's new wave and Alt 90's rock & grunge so I want versatility in sounds.
Click to expand...

I'll ask the dumb question: If these are the genres you play, why would you want "modern sounds?" Those genres sound like standard passive-bass territory to me.

Otherwise I'll agree with two points from others... I think you can get great results with the passive + effects setup and don't need an active bass to handle your specific needs, but I don't think they are exactly "equivalent" and there are aspects of an active bass in terms of tone and functionality that you would not be getting (which does not mean that you need them, though).
 
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#8
I am mostly an active guy with 2 sweet passives as well. It's hard enough to pick a bass for myself let alone someone else.
If I were to only have one bass, It could still be either but the only passive bass that currently works for me is a Warwick Streamer CV-5.
As for pedals, My CAL Grizzly gives my passive basses the extra punch/Bite/power they need.
 
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#9
No, not really. The versatility of the active bass comes from the boost available on the bass itself. Pedals are great, but dedicated boost/cut knobs on your bass are more versatile and practical IMO.

Maybe a bit cheesy, but maybe once per show, I like to use my bass boost knob a volume swell. Can't easily do that with even the most expensive pedals.

But mostly, when I need to make a fine EQ adjustment, nothing beats having it on the bass.
 
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#12
skullbass said:
Lolllll ! You got a point ! Now I realise I'm turning 50... In my head, 80's and uop are modern.....:roflmao:
Click to expand...

Ha! But in all seriousness, I'm more referring to the fact that those genres don't necessarily require "modern" tones due to their sonic profiles. Alt rock from the 90's, for example, didn't feature a particularly "hi fi" sound, so a standard passive p or j bass likely will do everything you need for that genre even though it is reasonably "modern" in terms of literal timing.
 
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#13
MCS4 said:
I think you can get great results with the passive + effects setup and don't need an active bass to handle your specific needs, but I don't think they are exactly "equivalent" and there are aspects of an active bass in terms of tone and functionality that you would not be getting (which does not mean that you need them, though).
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In fact, I like the possibility to have a single coil sound from a hambucker or to have either series or parralel voicing from to two pups: is it only active territory ?
 
#14
skullbass said:
In fact, I like the possibility to have a single coil sound from a hambucker or to have either series or parralel voicing from to two pups: is it only active territory ?
Click to expand...

No. I have a couple of passive electric guitars sitting at home right now that have humbuckers with coil taps so that they can be used in "single coil mode" (although it is never going to sound exactly the same as a real humbucker).
 
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#15
skullbass said:
You are assuming right ! So I guess all the fuss regarding the multiple tonality you can obtain with a huge in-bass preamp is more about the convenience, all under your fingertip, right ?
Click to expand...
Partly.
For me, the versatility at your fingertip is a big part of the appeal of active basses.
However, getting a good result is not as simple an equation of Active Bass = Passive + Offboard Preamp.

Passive plus offboard might get you a great result, but the best active basses are deliberate, planned combinations of pickups and preamps that work well together. My active bass is a great package, not simply a good passive with a preamp added.

I'd say go with what you've got now and see if it gives you the result you want. I think you've probably got the tools you need, but whether the tone is what you want is ultimately going to be up to you.
 
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