need an in-line pad

[groovepump]

What's an expensive way to lower my signal before it hits the amp? My active basses are hot and my Hartke KB12 is loud without a built-in pad. I got a Radial StageBug but found out after the fact that its 15 db pad doesn't affect the thru jack. Ideas or suggestions to reduce the signal? There has to be a 1/4 to 1/4 pad or similar somewhere.

You ask for an "expensive way" to lower the signal level. Then buy a different, expensive amp. Spend a lot of money. But I think you meant "inexpensive" way to attenuate the signal. You could just put a resistive divider (two resistors at a penny each) into a little aluminum project box between two 1/4" jacks. depending on what's in your electrical junk box, this could be a freebie, or might cost $15 for new parts. Or, just wire a series resistor into the guitar's output jack. You'll have to play with some values but this could mean the cost is just that of the resistor. Don't be afraid. You won't kill anything . . .

 

[silky smoove]

...or just turn the volume down on the bass.

 

[groovepump]

...or just turn the volume down on the bass.

There are times when there is more to consider than just turning down the volume, else very major amplifier manufacturers wouldn't include passive/active channels or attenuation in their amplifiers. They would just tell you to turn the volume down for active basses.

 

[silky smoove]

There are times when there is more to consider than just turning down the volume, else very major amplifier manufacturers wouldn't include passive/active channels or attenuation in their amplifiers. They would just tell you to turn the volume down for active basses.

Explain what these times for other considerations happen to be. If your bass is too hot for the input of an amp you can simply turn it down rather than engaging the active/passive button, which is typically nothing more than a pad. It achieves the same thing. The OP wants a cheap way to do this. There's nothing cheaper than free and nothing easier to connect to a system than nothing at all.

 

[pbass2]

Try a volume pedal? I know Ernie Ball makes a mini.

It'll let you modulate your signal strength by foot, while still allowing your full strength instrument signal to hit the rest of your pedals.

Can be tricky getting it into the exact same spot consistently. I know of a few guitarists with this problem....

 

[Plain Old Barry]

A preamp with a pad, like the Tech21 Sansamps?

A Q-Strip will do it, too. It's also got a high pass filter and parametric, not a one trick pony.