Pickup on the Kala UBass

[qwerty155]

Apologies for the numpty question...
I have a Rumbler FS Ubass, bought 4-5 years ago and I have a question about the installed pickup, a shadow with built-in tuner & EQ. Is it likely to be a passive or active pickup? The fact that it's powered means I thought it was active, but it's that just for the tuner? However, I think it's a piezoelectric pickup, so passive, right?
I'm asking in order to understand whether I should be using a pre-amp or not. So an answer to that and choice of DI box would be a bonus!
Many thanks for your help.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The output of the piezo pickups is so low that it requires a internal preamp.

 

[Marcus Willett]

The output of the piezo pickups is so low that it requires a internal preamp.

Usually.

The only exception I’ve seen is Dave Wendler’s ElectroCoustic system. All passive piezo/magnetic system that sounds great.

Doubtful they use something like that tho, AFAIK Dave has a patent on that system.

 

[KohanMike]

It's an active pickup, you don't need an extra preamp.

 

[lz4005]

The output of the piezo pickups is so low that it requires a internal preamp.

Piezos also require preamps because they sound terrible without them. Most amps are designed to receive a signal in the tens of thousands of ohms, which is what magnetic pickups put out. Piezo pickups send a signal in the millions of ohms. The preamp fixes the mismatch.