LMII - Behavioural Differences with Active vs Passive Basses?

[Fajah]

My "go to" bass until recently has been a jazz with passive electronics. I rely solely on my LMII for volume and tone control and leave all controls wide open on my bass. Depending on the playing situation, I like using the VPF filter as my only tonal adjustment and it doesn't take that much to achieve what I need. I was never a fan of the VLE filter so it's always off and my EQ is set flat. It's a simple setup that I've become accustomed to, and probably one of the main things I love about the LMII.

I recently bought a bass with active electronics and I'm finding that the LMII behaves quite a bit differently. The bass control settings I've been using so far are:

Volume - wide open
Bass and treble - neutral (center detente position)
Balance between the pickups - equal

I'm thrilled with the tone, and volume's not an issue. However, I'm finding that the output is substantially less when compared to my passive bass. In fact, I have to turn the Gain almost all the way up to set off the clipping light. If I open the bass and treble controls on the bass, the output increases..... but I have this thing in my brain that I'll run the battery down in a matter of minutes. I'm also finding that the VPF filter has little effect until it's dialed up to about 2 o'clock, and even less when I open the bass' controls. The VPF rarely exceeds 9 o'clock with my passive bass.

Lots of questions come to mind but instead of asking specifics, I'd appreciate any opinions, experiences, and/or setting suggestions from those using an LMII with an active bass.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Colonel_Claypoo]

sorry, i can't help you but i've got the same issue and would like to hear some input, too.

thanks

 

[KJung]

You are attributing the difference in gain to active versus passive, when in reality it sounds like the active bass you have just has very low output. That's what the input gain control is for, and it really doesn't matter if that control is at 9 o'clock or at 3 o'clock, as long as you can set the input to the relatively optimal signal to noise ratio setting of just below the clip light coming on when playing your hardest on the lowest notes of the instrument.

One thing you DO NOT want to do is use the active tone controls to increase the output of the bass. That will result in a peaky, uneven, and most of the time scooped tone.

The input pre gain control on the LMII has plenty of level variability, and can handle almost any input signal. Don't be worried if you have to turn it up a lot for a bass with a weak output... that's what it's there for. One thing you might check on is if there is an output level control pot inside the cavity of your active bass. Many preamps include this type of control so you can match the output of your active bass to your passive bass so that you don't have to change the gain level when switching instruments.

K

 

[JimmyM]

Sounds to me like you both just have active basses with quieter output. Not much you can do about that short of gutting the electronics. Or maybe you could get a clean boost pedal to use with the active.

 

[Fajah]

As long as you can set the input to the relatively optimal signal to noise ratio setting of just below the clip light coming on when playing your hardest on the lowest notes of the instrument.

I'm fortunately able to so just that and it's what I routinely do when I first plug in. When I first fired up my active bass, my expectation was that the output should be greater. I was quite surprised at how far I had to turn the dial before I hit the clipping light.

One thing you DO NOT want to do is use the active tone controls to increase the output of the bass. That will result in a peaky, uneven, and most of the time scooped tone.

It's interesting that you mention this because when I've tried, I didn't like the tone I was getting.

One thing you might check on is if there is an output level control pot inside the cavity of your active bass. Many preamps include this type of control so you can match the output of your active bass to your passive bass so that you don't have to change the gain level when switching instruments.

Didn't know that. I'm going to open it up and check. Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Fajah]

Sounds to me like you both just have active basses with quieter output. Not much you can do about that short of gutting the electronics. Or maybe you could get a clean boost pedal to use with the active.

My intended use for this bass was for jazz since it's a lined fretless 5 banger. We usually play on the quieter side when our jazz ensemble gets together weekly. However, I brought the bass for the first time to band rehearsal the other night just to show the guys (after a recent de-fret). I ended up playing it the whole evening. Who would of thought...playing blues and classic rock on a lined fretless. I didn't have a volume issue, and the guys freaked over the tone, especially playing through my LMII and Berg. Now they want me to use it for this Saturday's night's gig which I guess is going to be the tester.

I'm going to bring my jazz bass as a backup. Your suggestion of a boost pedal me be the way to go in the future if need be. I also have no problem swapping out the electrics if push comes to shove.

 

[stflbn]

I don't see anywhere that you say what the bass is or what the preamp is... it may help at least to see if other's 'don't' have an output issue.

I know both of my basses with ODP-3's in them definitely do not have low output issue, but the Dual Humbucker is about 15% louder than my J/MM config one.

 

[mophead]

I know this is dumb, but you have checked to be sure the battery is good?

 

[Fajah]

I don't see anywhere that you say what the bass is or what the preamp is... it may help at least to see if other's 'don't' have an output issue.

I know both of my basses with ODP-3's in them definitely do not have low output issue, but the Dual Humbucker is about 15% louder than my J/MM config one.

It's a Douglas WEB-825 so the preamp is not of the highest quality. However, it works and it's not noisy. If you click on my the gear link on my signature, you'll see exactly what it looks like.

 

[Fajah]

I know this is dumb, but you have checked to be sure the battery is good?

The battery is good.

 

[David Jayne]

Not uncommon for active's to be weaker. My passive P bass has WAY more output than my custom J with AGC preamp. I could turn it up internally but there's no need.

 

[joemer]

My "go to" bass until recently has been a jazz with passive electronics. I rely solely on my LMII for volume and tone control and leave all controls wide open on my bass. Depending on the playing situation, I like using the VPF filter as my only tonal adjustment and it doesn't take that much to achieve what I need. I was never a fan of the VLE filter so it's always off and my EQ is set flat. It's a simple setup that I've become accustomed to, and probably one of the main things I love about the LMII.

I recently bought a bass with active electronics and I'm finding that the LMII behaves quite a bit differently. The bass control settings I've been using so far are:

Volume - wide open
Bass and treble - neutral (center detente position)
Balance between the pickups - equal

I'm thrilled with the tone, and volume's not an issue. However, I'm finding that the output is substantially less when compared to my passive bass. In fact, I have to turn the Gain almost all the way up to set off the clipping light. If I open the bass and treble controls on the bass, the output increases..... but I have this thing in my brain that I'll run the battery down in a matter of minutes. I'm also finding that the VPF filter has little effect until it's dialed up to about 2 o'clock, and even less when I open the bass' controls. The VPF rarely exceeds 9 o'clock with my passive bass.

Lots of questions come to mind but instead of asking specifics, I'd appreciate any opinions, experiences, and/or setting suggestions from those using an LMII with an active bass.

Thanks in advance.

I have both a passive P bass(2008 Am Std), and an active J bass(Marcus Miller) that I plaay through the LM2. I find the Marcus to be much hotter than the P bass in terms of output and I have not had the experience of the battery wearing down prematurely. I have been going back and forth with these 2 basses with the LM2 and the P bass seems to be much more subtle and I feel I can "hear" the uniqueness and the tone better. the Marcus seems overwhelming at times, almost too much. Has anyone else had this experience ? I love the MM bass but seem to prefer the P bass with the LM2.

 

[Bassorama57]

Subscribed. Interested to know how the LMII handles active v. passive without a switch - I plug the MM straight in and it's fine, but hotter than the P..I don't swap during sessions once I have the knobs on the LMII adjusted. My sense is the LMII doesn't do anything magic at all; adjusting for A v P is up to the user. What's interesting is that the OP has to crank it up for his active fretless.

 

[wingnut]

I think you probably have a problem with your electronics. Try taking the bass to a music store and try it through another amp and see if it still sounds weak. I've had a lot of different basses and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the active bass was hotter 99% of the time. When it wasn't, it was always firstly,the battery. Second was the pickup itself and lastly the electronics. Active electronics, by the very nature of their design, "should" always be louder than passive.

 

[chroma601]

Who would of thought...playing blues and classic rock on a lined fretless.

Wow, I play classic rock on a fretless all the time (dots, not lined). "From The Beginning" by ELP is wonderful sans frets. as is James Taylor's "Country Road". I even do "Taxman" on the fretless, "Blood and Roses" (Smithereens), and the list goes on. Oh, and Blues? "Stormy Monday" was made for fretless!

It's all in the fingers...

 

[Fajah]

What's interesting is that the OP has to crank it up for his active fretless.

I checked inside the cavity for the possibility of seeing something in there that would allow me to dial up the output a bit. Nothing was there. Since the bass is new and I'm still tweaking the set-up a bit, I decided to focus more on the pickup heights. After some adjusting, there's been a bit of an improvement. I'm just below the clipping light at about 2:30 on the dial.

But I did notice a positive difference with the VPF filtering. It seems to be more responsive at a lower setting now.

 

[greenboy]

Active electronics, by the very nature of their design, "should" always be louder than passive.

Actually, a fair number of onboard preamps have trim pots to adjust final output, and some that don't attempt to be somewhat in the range of unity gain. I actually find such preamps better at working with a variety of gear.

As always, a little RTMing can be of benefit if there are oddities. Learn the gain structurre of your heads/preamps/amplifiers and don't go on "my knobs are here" but what they are actually doing to match bass to preamp.

 

[greenboy]

Wow, I play classic rock on a fretless all the time {...} It's all in the fingers...

At the risk of derailing, so do I. I have been in a lot of cover bands ever since I took up bass ten or so years ago, and all I use are fretless 5- and 6-string lined instruments. Fairly standard wood choices, ebony board on one and deep epoxy on the other. String choices, pickups, instrument setup, preamp settings and hands make it pretty easy to play the lines so they seem fretted, or to go a little more toward the so-called traditional fretless sound.

Actually I've fooled more than a few players who didn't catch on until I did something obvious.

 

[alexclaber]

Active electronics, by the very nature of their design, "should" always be louder than passive.

Plenty of active preamps have unity gain, so with the preamp switched on they're no louder than with the preamp bypassed and the pickups running passive. For instance both Aguilar onboard preamps are like this.

Alex

 

[dvh]

I have both a passive P bass(2008 Am Std), and an active J bass(Marcus Miller) that I plaay through the LM2. I find the Marcus to be much hotter than the P bass in terms of output and I have not had the experience of the battery wearing down prematurely. I have been going back and forth with these 2 basses with the LM2 and the P bass seems to be much more subtle and I feel I can "hear" the uniqueness and the tone better. the Marcus seems overwhelming at times, almost too much. Has anyone else had this experience ? I love the MM bass but seem to prefer the P bass with the LM2.

No active basses but I run my single coil 51 and split coil 50s P Bass through the LMII.

I now understand the hype. I have never been able to articulate my tone with my fingers alone so much as with this amp. It's fantastic. I'm playing through a Dr. Bass DL115.