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Passive 5 string vs Active for gigging

#21
Thank you for the replies, that helps. I played a TBird for a while in the metal band for rehearsals but I never gigged with it, so I don't know anything about gigging with a passive bass. It sounds like I don't need to fret too much, just play the one I like.

My reason for considering selling the Skyline is that it's mint condition and I need the money. So I am glad I could ask here for opinions without actually using the Skyline, for fear of it losing value.

Y'all are correct, the Skyline does have an active pre with passive option. It still seems very different from the Fishman Fluence setup on the Schecter. I'm admittedly not savvy when it comes to those details so I was asking opinions before I break it out and start using it.

I think I'll try my best to keep the Skyline because it's a good bass and I'd lose money selling it, then probably end up buying another bass later, which is a financially stupid move.

Thanks again my friends!
 
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#22
jdthaddeus said:
Thank you for the replies, that helps. I played a TBird for a while in the metal band for rehearsals but I never gigged with it, so I don't know anything about gigging with a passive bass. It sounds like I don't need to fret too much, just play the one I like.

My reason for considering selling the Skyline is that it's mint condition and I need the money. So I am glad I could ask here for opinions without actually using the Skyline, for fear of it losing value.

Y'all are correct, the Skyline does have an active pre with passive option. It still seems very different from the Fishman Fluence setup on the Schecter. I'm admittedly not savvy when it comes to those details so I was asking opinions before I break it out and start using it.

I think I'll try my best to keep the Skyline because it's a good bass and I'd lose money selling it, then probably end up buying another bass later, which is a financially stupid move.

Thanks again my friends!
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Unless it gets dire might as well keep the Lakland. You're not going to get too far by selling it just to buy something else later that'll be on par with it. Unless you just really want to go a different direction.
 
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#23
I used an active bass playing out for about 10 years and got compliments all the time. When I quit playing out for the next ten years I started playing standard J basses. When I started back playing out again i started looking for an active J to use. I wanted a drop in preamp for my J so I started buying and trying. After trying just about every pre I could mount up without having to cut any wood to accommodate the amp and battery, I wound up going back to an off the shelf VVT plate with humbuckers and a different tone cap. The pre amps were either too harsh, too weak, or too fiddly to be of any real use.
Point being, all active basses are not created equal or even close to similar. Their only common trait is they amplify the output of your pickups. That makes active basses a required “try before you buy” situation for me. YMMV, but if you are new to preamps, you might want to play a few before you shell out the dough.
 
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#25
Active. 5 strings need to be active and not a p bass pickup. A 5 needs big lows or course, that is why it is a 5. But needs a little punch on top. That is where the active eq comes in. You will fight a muddy sound with a passive p 5 string. Here is mine:
IMG_2945.jpeg
 
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#26
jdthaddeus said:
I was gigging in a metal band last year with my Schecter SLS Elite 5er, and I have been very happy with it's performance. I've bonded with it after using it for so many venues.

I purchased a Lakland Skyline 55-02 Dlx for a backup bass but never needed it, so it's mint condition. I was planning on selling it. I've never played it.

I'm auditioning now for some cover bands, with the typical set list of 80's-90's+ rock songs.

I haven't played passive pickups in so long..... How are passive pickups different (better or worse) than active for my situation? Should I sell the Skyline as planned or will I regret not having a passive bass?

Thank you!
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if you don’t use the cut boost on the active bass, you probably will not notice too much difference other than the gain. The second thing is if you do use the cut boost an like it, your amp will need to give you those options
 
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#27
Keep the backup bass.

Better to have and not need than to need and not have. And watch this: the moment you think you don't need that backup bass, something might happen where you kick yourself thinking, "Ugh, damn, I wish I had a backup bass right about now."

And the fact that your backup bass is different from your main bass is a good thing. Gives you options when recording in the studio.

I have a main bass and a backup and both are different animals (my main bass is fully passive and my backup has passive pickups with an active preamp and no bypass). Do I necessarily need my backup? No, but I like having it.

Plus, my active bass has an easy-open battery compartment so I could hypothetically change a battery mid-gig if I need to. (I once had an active bass die on me during a gig and I didn't have a backup bass, a screwdriver to remove the rear cavity cover, a spare battery... I was both unprepared and screwed). After that, I was anti-active for a long time (once bitten twice shy) but not any more. Being able to quickly EQ my bass to a stage using the onboard preamp is a nice convenience during a gig. I generally play my active bass flat and rarely use the preamp but, again, better to have and not need.

And here is a video detailing a lot about active electronics. The common logic was that passive is better in the studio or going direct because the signal isn't as hot, but modern rigs can now handle active stuff. The Axe I/O I play with for recording has both active and passive inputs so I could record with either of my basses. Plus, what the recording engineer says about "subtractive" mixing vs "adding" is interesting.

 
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#34
A passive 5 will come through just as well as an active in most situations. If you need anything additional, there is always a small pedalboard setup that you could bring to address any needs to your sound.
I use a pedalboard direct to the PA 90% of the time. My sound is always there with minimal tweaking. (Just added the boost pedal for a new song that has a bass solo…exciting stuff)
IMG_4152.jpeg
 
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#37
I have an active-only G&L M-2500 with three-band EQ and an active/passive Sandberg TT-5 Superlight (J5) (two-band), and I've used both on stage several times.

IMO, the G&L's more flexible EQ is most important when I need quick tone changes. This rarely happens playing in most rock bands, where I usually set and forget, but that flexibility is critical in other situations, like musical theater. For awhile I played in a wide-ranging rock cover band (Billy Joel to grunge), and the flexibility was nice there too, but not truly essential. I could easily handle everything with my passive basses.

Unless you need or want that flexibility, I don't think active provides a big advantage. There are other advantages, like maintaining treble with long cables and sometimes extra "bite" to the tone, but the flexibility is IMO the biggest advantage.
 
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#38
Chris Chong said:
An active bass with passive option. Best of both world.
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Alban said:
If I am not mistaken, your Lakland is actually a passive bass with an active preamp which can be bypassed by pulling the volume knob up?
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DWBass said:
The 55-02 is an active bass with a passive option. Passive option works well if you decide to use a preamp pedal for a different flavor.
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bigdaddybass12 said:
Active. 5 strings need to be active and not a p bass pickup. A 5 needs big lows or course, that is why it is a 5. But needs a little punch on top. That is where the active eq comes in. You will fight a muddy sound with a passive p 5 string. Here is mine:
View attachment 5466454
Click to expand...
Yep !!
 
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