Passive vs Active, what do you actually gig with?

[Geri O]

I actually gig with one of each.

One active and one passive.

Both basses chosen by the tone they produce. Nothing more. Nothing less.

No consideration for what does or doesn’t power the electronics.

Without fear or trepidation of any kind.

The end. Wasn’t that easy!…..

 

[tb-player]

I use both with minimal processing and minimal eq. The basses I buy and keep are the ones that sound best flat. Minor tweaks from there depending on the tune.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I use both.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I have used both, as I have two basses that are active/passive and one bass with an active-only preamp, which I eventually switched back to passive. Then the usual passive Ps and Js. My choice of bass really depends on the band or music I'm playing, so it could be anything.

When I use an active bass I will use the onboard eq. If I switch them to passive I just have panning between the pickups and volume.

When I use a passive bass I rarely use the passive tone control, if ever.

 

[JazznFunk]

Rehearse with the same bass you gig with, for familiarity. Know your equipment. Leave the EQ on an active flat unless there is a definite need for X and X adjustments to achieve Y sound, or if it's boost-only and you know that specific adjustments are your 'default' for a starting point. With passive basses, the tone control is adjusted for whatever the song or my mood may be.

 

[Wasnex]

My #1 since about 1995 has the same active model: Yamaha TRB6P. Before 1995 I used a passive Yamaha BB5000 for about 3 years. Before that my #1 was a passive Ric 4001 that was later converted to active.

I generally dial in my sound with the bass's tone controls in their center detents and the volume wide open. If I need a change during the show to better meet the needs of certain songs, I use the bass's controls. For example I may dial back the treble a bit if I play a song with pick. Tone changes on the bass should be as gentle as possible as they translate to every mix the bass is in. I.E. going nuts with bass's controls is likely to throw FOH mix and all of the monitor mixes out of balance.

If I need more of a global volume or tone change, I use the amps controls. For example, stage volume tends to increase over the course of gigs, and I compensate by turning up my amp. Or if I can't hear the bass as clearly as I want, I might dial back the lows and bump the mids or highs on my amp.

 

[mambo4]

passive
I have posted my anecdote many times:
I used to play active, then one rehearsal the batteries ran out, so I switched to passive
it sounded better in the mix, with everyone else playing, and in the recording.
I have stayed passive and ignored "bedroom tone" ever since.

 

[PrestoZoom]

I'm on the one-gig-a-month circuit and use both passive and active basses. For passive, I use my Reverend Mercalli 5, Fender Jazz 5, and a G&L L-2500 (in passive mode). For active, I use my MTD ZX5. I also use a Yamaha BB735 in both passive and active mode.

I use the onboard EQ to correct issues mid-set but otherwise leave it flat. It's flat 90% of the time.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

I gig with both and I use all the knobs. And I’m happy with either passive or active, it doesn’t matter much to me. I can get a lot of tonal variation just by using a tone knob and my hands.

 

[Passinwind]

Active, nearly always, and there's no passive tone control on either bass. And I use onboard EQ quite liberally, with big voicing swings, or not at all, at my whim.

 

[Ric Vice]

All the basses I gig with are active except these

 

[lug]

Mainly passive but on a few songs I like some bass boost so I will use a bass passive and only go active on those particular songs.

 

[prndltech]

Yes!

 

[ezstep]

I would estimate that about 75% of my gigs was with a passive bass, and 25% active. I have three active basses and three passive with a mixture of 4's and 5's among each.

 

[bassfran]

These days 100% passive.

 

[Jugghaid]

No poll. Missed opportunity.

For me, mostly active.

 

[TeaTime]

I use both, based somewhat on the style of music that night, but mostly just whatever whim strikes me.

Since switching to the HX system I keep one program for the passive G&L and Lakland, and just tweak at the floorboard for the room. Another one for the active MTDs, and one for the active Ibanezs, because those each take differently to the effects. For these I do use the on-board tone controls to fine-tune the sound.

 

[ryco]

both.
Fender P, fretless Gibson Ripper, Ric 4001 - passive
Jackson Conceert V, EBMM Sterling H - active

 

[bikeplate]

Mostly active but picked up a passive Dingwall that sounds insanely good

 

[burgerdj]

I gig exclusively with active basses, though I romanticize passive. I generally keep the onboard flat and let my preamp/amp do the heavy lifting. The onboard is there to make adjustments on the fly or to adjust the new for a particular song.