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What are the differences between active basses and passive basses?
- Thread starter Iwanttoplaybass
- Start date
In general, active basses just move an active preamp - similar to the preamp section of your amplifier or a pedal, onto the bass itself. It can give more tonal control at your fingertips on your bass as opposed to on your amp or on the floor.
Certain basses use them to get a signature sound, just as amps do. There are typically also some slight benefits when it comes to signal degradation over longer cables and tone consistency, but I wouldn't really worry about any of that stuff just yet.
Not sure if one is really better for beginners than the other, but I will say this - and it goes for your entire rig and not just the bass: more knobs and more options can provide more room for user error if the user isn't completely familiar with what they're adjusting.
Certain basses use them to get a signature sound, just as amps do. There are typically also some slight benefits when it comes to signal degradation over longer cables and tone consistency, but I wouldn't really worry about any of that stuff just yet.
Not sure if one is really better for beginners than the other, but I will say this - and it goes for your entire rig and not just the bass: more knobs and more options can provide more room for user error if the user isn't completely familiar with what they're adjusting.
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Only recommendation is one that feels and sounds good when you try it out.
Give us an idea how much you have to spend and we can point out something you can start with.
With that being said, @Iwanttoplaybass , if you fall in love with an active bass and it inspires you and makes you super excited to play, by all means go for it.
Finding a bass that speaks to your soul counts way more than anything else.
Edit: @jd56hawk beat me to it!
Active basses are a lot of fun but they can be a handful. They tend to run around the house and chew the furniture when you're not home. Passive basses, on the other hand, prefer to sit on the couch and watch TV.
Seriously, try a few of each and get whatever you like best.
Seriously, try a few of each and get whatever you like best.
Active basses have a battery or batteries that can die on you during performance. They also have more moving parts and more pieces that can break.
They also have more ways to dial in sound.
I would recommend you start simply and focus on the essentials, not a bunch or high end gear.
There are lots of lower priced used basses.
They also have more ways to dial in sound.
I would recommend you start simply and focus on the essentials, not a bunch or high end gear.
There are lots of lower priced used basses.
Friend of mine, many moons ago, could not afford anything better than Eko Les Paul copy guitar. He struggled on it to pull out any kind of decent sound. We were young, did not know a crap about guitars, the only available pedal was wah-wah. So, he played it many years before he could buy Fender Stratocaster (after he passed away 2 years ago on today date, his son has it still) anyway, when he started to play Strat, he said how easy is to play Strat and get great sound... And he did.
From the other side, I played a crap of Aria or Electra J bass copy and never become great bassist, for what I am thankful to Aria/Electra. I hated that thing and really after awhile, I sold it (back to the original owner)...
I just could not get a sound I wanted (now, I know, I am more P guy, but, it's too late...)
Anyhow, there are 2 guys, playing together with opposite experience with decently crappy instruments.
Get yourself P passive bass and don't look back.
From the other side, I played a crap of Aria or Electra J bass copy and never become great bassist, for what I am thankful to Aria/Electra. I hated that thing and really after awhile, I sold it (back to the original owner)...
I just could not get a sound I wanted (now, I know, I am more P guy, but, it's too late...)
Anyhow, there are 2 guys, playing together with opposite experience with decently crappy instruments.
Get yourself P passive bass and don't look back.
200-250€ up to max.300, that's my budget for now.O,i'm a lefty so this is an aspect.
Have you started seriously playing yet, or will this be your first bass? I know that this has likely been mentioned to you already, but if you're just starting out, I'd strongly consider learning righty - will potentially make your life much easier in the future.
Given how many people I know that are left-handed and play right-handed, I'd have to imagine that how you learn makes more of a difference than what your dominant hand actually is. Just think of all those left handed pianists!
If you're starting out I would recommend that you start simple. Spend more time learning to play rather than twisting knobs. However, if something with a bunch of knobs floats your boat, have at it. If you do go active remember to unplug your bass when you're not playing because the on/off switch for the bass/battery is in the output jack in 99.9997% of active basses.
Regarding simplicity, here's what one knob does for this guy:
Regarding simplicity, here's what one knob does for this guy:
If you get an active bass, don't leave it plugged in over night. It has a battery and this will drain the battery.
I played an active bass for years as my first and only bass with none of the issues mentioned thus far. Just get a bass you want.
Passive and active bass will have knobs to control volume and balance the pickups when multiple. These will ask work exactly the same.
Passive basses also have a tone knob that specifically turns down the volume on higher pitch sound. Active basses use a preamp that has an EQ that lets you turn up or down certain ranges of sound. Most of the time that means a control for high/treble and low/bass, but sometimes there will be a mid control also.
Lastly, sometimes active can mean there are active pickups. Pickups are the bars under the strings sometimes with visible magnets. These are made up of magnets wrapped in wires. Active pickups need a battery to make sound. They can be louder and more dynamic, but it depends on the pickup design.
I played an active bass for years as my first and only bass with none of the issues mentioned thus far. Just get a bass you want.
Passive and active bass will have knobs to control volume and balance the pickups when multiple. These will ask work exactly the same.
Passive basses also have a tone knob that specifically turns down the volume on higher pitch sound. Active basses use a preamp that has an EQ that lets you turn up or down certain ranges of sound. Most of the time that means a control for high/treble and low/bass, but sometimes there will be a mid control also.
Lastly, sometimes active can mean there are active pickups. Pickups are the bars under the strings sometimes with visible magnets. These are made up of magnets wrapped in wires. Active pickups need a battery to make sound. They can be louder and more dynamic, but it depends on the pickup design.
Squier Classic Vibe Precision and Vintage Modified Jazz
Sterling StingRay and Ibanez Talman TMB 100
True, but not applicable to all active basses. My main bass is active with only three knobs (volume, bass, treble) and a pickup selector switch. Easy.
I do find it harder to dial in basses that have mid frequency knobs as well as mid level, especially since I've never owned one so never gotten much time with one.
True, but it's not like it will happen at random. I haven't changed the battery in my bass since last year and it's still going strong even though I occasionally forget to unplug overnight. I've never had it die on me during performance or rehearsal. When I first got that bass I wasn't sure about it so I tested the battery every few weeks, but it became clear that changing it three or four times per year is plenty. (Of course, some other basses chew through batteries faster.)
I play both active and passive. For the most part, I set my rig up to sound great with my passive basses and normally run my active basses “flat”. The advantage of an active bass is when I’m on a gig and want to get a certain tone without changing basses. On an active bass it’s easy to bump mids, cut highs, boost lows....whatever I want, without messing with my board or amp. In fact, I seldom use an amp. I mostly go direct to the board. Modem PAs with their huge subs make give you awesome low end.
Hmm,I was looking for LH Squires,but I don't find any in my budget.Please leave me the linksSquier Classic Vibe Precision and Vintage Modified Jazz
Sterling StingRay and Ibanez Talman TMB 100
