RBX-375 pickups - act or pass?

[Stealth]

Here's a bit of info I haven't been able to figure out from any place: Does the Yamaha RBX-375 have an active or passive pair of humbuckers? The bass does eat a 9V over the course of a few months, but I've never been able to confirm if that's for the pickups themselves or the 2-band EQ it has as stock knobs.

I'm asking mainly because I have limited experience with amplifiers, and most of them have either an ACT/PAS switch or different TRS input jacks. Generally, is there a way to determine whether the pick-ups, and more importantly, how much damage would connecting into the wrong switch setting or jack do?

 

[PilbaraBass]

I'm 99% sure the pickups are passive.

the preamp with EQ is using the 9V...you should not be going through a battery in a few months....do you leave your cord plugged in when your not using your bass?...if you are, that could explain it.

not all active basses w/ passive pickups have a bypass switch...you can certainly try installing one...you won't cause any damage to an active pickup by bypassing the eq and battery...worst case, it just won't work...

 

[theunknowndude]

I was pretty sure it was active electronics?

certainly is very powerful compared to my teachers stingray and my Ibanez k5 when plugged into the same amp and same levels... (ie I have to turn down to get same volume level as other basses...)

you certainly shouldnt be chewing up batteries!!! as suggested are you leaving it plugged in?

don't worry too much about the input, as far as I can tell the input only swaps sounds for a -9 to around -15 (depends on amp) decibel setting so that the active electronics dont cook it etc... in this case turn down?
when I goto my lessons teachers stringray plus my active bass go into both the passive and the active inputs (rbx375 into active one normall cos its louder? )

yamaha website and information booklet doesnt ACTUALLY say that it is active electronics but I was under the impression that if it took batteries it was active!

 

[thehangingmist]

from what i remember rbx 374/5 has active pickups and active eq
any bass with active eq and passive pickups is also called an active bass
so if you have active electronics it goes into the active selection on the amp

 

[thehangingmist]

Generally, is there a way to determine whether the pick-ups, and more importantly, how much damage would connecting into the wrong switch setting or jack do?

the active input on the amp engages a 10 0r 15 0r 20db pad ......so if you plug an active bass into a passive input you stand a chance of damaging the amp electronics and the speaker/cone even if at moderately loud volumes

 

[theunknowndude]

the active input on the amp engages a 10 0r 15 0r 20db pad ......so if you plug an active bass into a passive input you stand a chance of damaging the amp electronics and the speaker/cone even if at moderately loud volumes

hmmm, only time this is used that I do anyways is on practice amp at lessons... (no real choice tho,... two active basses?)

does this mean eventually the speakers gonna give up sooner than it would otherwise?

 

[thehangingmist]

hmmm, only time this is used that I do anyways is on practice amp at lessons... (no real choice tho,... two active basses?)

does this mean eventually the speakers gonna give up sooner than it would otherwise?

most of the amps i have used only engage one input at a time i mean to say my hartke combo has three inputs: active/passive/amp-in but it doesnt mean i can run three basses through it, dunno what really happens if i plug in more than one bass, i have never done that but i believe it should not be playing both the basses together

 

[theunknowndude]

most of the amps i have used only engage one input at a time i mean to say my hartke combo has three inputs: active/passive/amp-in but it doesnt mean i can run three basses through it, dunno what really happens if i plug in more than one bass, i have never done that but i believe it should not be playing both the basses together

weird,...
cos I know it works else wouldnt have the two basses coming out

doesnt bother me cos its not my amp... but being a music school and all id trust they know what theyre doing!

 

[Kennethfaria]

Yeah i heard those RBX's ate batteries L-r-and C

 

[Doodaddy]

Its predecessor (775) had active pickups and electronics. I'll change batteries around ever 2 or so months. They aren't dead by any means, but they are weaker and batteries are cheap.

 

[5andFretless]

I have an RBX-375 and a Fender Tony Franklin. The RBX will eat a battery in about 20 hours if the cord is plugged into the bass and it is not being played. If I only plug it in when I play it the battery seems to last a lot longer. Doesn't make sense to me, but...

If the battery in the RBX goes dead the bass doesn't make a sound. However, I switch between it and the Fender all the time during performances and I do not have to adjust the volume or pad on the amp, which tells me that the pickups are passive in the RBX and power is for the EQ, not a pre-amp.

 

[Stealth]

I think I'll write my 375 down as an active, then. Unfortunately, yes, the electronics eat up quite a bit of voltage (I've been able to keep it running for about three months on a GP 9V, given an average of 1 hr of playing per day).

Is there a lot of difference between the 775 and the 375? It seems like the only difference is whether the poles are covered or exposed.

 

[theunknowndude]

weird,... my 375 lasted about 4 months and I changed the battery just because I had a few major gigs in a row more than it actually being drained at all!

 

[GeoffByrne]

I had a 375 and I believed the pickups were passive linked to an active pre. Initially it ate batteries, but after a couple of months seemed to settle down and the last two batteries lasted at least 6 months each.

Everything else I have lasts at least a year.......

 

[Doodaddy]

I think I'll write my 375 down as an active, then. Unfortunately, yes, the electronics eat up quite a bit of voltage (I've been able to keep it running for about three months on a GP 9V, given an average of 1 hr of playing per day).

Is there a lot of difference between the 775 and the 375? It seems like the only difference is whether the poles are covered or exposed.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=358746

 

[awall]

These are definately active. Check with your local shop or tech. Yamaha had a recall out on these. There are some that are wired wrong and they eat batteries. My shop fixed it for free. Mine now last close to a year on a battery that is played close to 12 hours per week. I bought it new at the shop and they didn't mention the recall until I complained about it.
Al

 

[Stealth]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=358746

Thanks for the link, now I know what to pick as my next bass, if the sound really IS that much different.

As for the battery, I've only gone through two, and the first one got drained because of my mistake (because I didn't realize the jack itself was the power switch). The next one lasted three months of intensive playing, now I'll have to see how this one holds.

 

[PilbaraBass]

I tried a RBX375 a couple of months back...it had an absolutely awesome neck...best neck for a 5er that I've tried (at least for me)....but the sound left me underwhelmed...

no matter what I did to it, I couldn't get away from a certain midrangey character in the tone...

too bad...it really is a good bass...