When did you go active and why?

[doomfist]

Just read this whole thread and didn't see a single rickenbacker mentioned . My first real nice bass was a Warwick Corvette 5 string active. I thought the pre amp was great for dialing that low B. Then I got my 4003, changed everything. I haven't played any Alembic pre's so I can't comment, but the passive ric pickups give me so many good sounds. Flipping to just bridge p/u makes it so growly and mean! With both p/u's on I can roll the bass tone off a hair and it just thumps! I might never go back! Not a single bad sound with this bass and it runs through effects beautifully...

 

[georgestrings]

Early 90s for me, with a Gibson RD Artist... I've always had passives, but have also had actives as well for the last 10 years or so... I still like both, and use both regularly...


- georgestrings

 

[plankspanker13]

1995; the advent of affordable active instruments, with the arrival of the Peavey Axecelerator. It did not take me long to revert back to a passive J. In the intervening years, I have had other active instruments, particularly Warwicks, and the rather enjoyable Fender Jazz 24. My sole active instrument, these days, is a limited edition 'wick.

I view an active on-board preamp as being one more thing that can go wrong on a gig that I would have a tough time addressing at the gig. I love G&L basses, but do not see fit to have an active model, because they require a screwdriver to change the battery. I require the ability to change the battery over 8 bars, although I would take all precaution to prevent the need for that from happening. That's just my own idiosyncrasy. There have been gigs where the 'wick is the sole bass, and the battery new, but there is still a backup ready and waiting, just in case.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

When I got my first real 5 string (MM Bongo) about 4 years ago. Not many 5 string passive left handed basses out there. I would love to pick up a lefty passive Jazz 5 but the only ones out there are Japanese JBV at just under 2K. :scowl:

 

[danielfnj96]

my first bass was active and i stuck with actives because they seem more alive and hot

 

[F-Clef-Jef]

Active pick-ups or active pre-amp?

I like active pick-ups, especially live.
Never met a bass with active pre-amp that I could make sound how I wanted.

Or, completely passive is just fine too! (mostly)

 

[Blake Bass]

In 1986 I got a 70's J bass with EMG's ..I haven't gigged a passive bass since then.

 

[Audiophage]

I've been playing since 2000, still haven't bought an active bass. Nothing against them, I used to play an active bass in school when I wasn't doing upright. I'll buy one when I get around to it I suppose.

 

[NecroticImbecil]

1990, because a bass I had dreamed of turned up locally at an affordable price (ah, those good ol days before the internet). It happened to have active electronics.

Did I go back? I wasn't aware you couldn't like both. No different from neck thru vs bolt, long scale vs short scale, tube vs SS. Chevy vs Ford, Xbox vs PS. Tastes great, less filling. Some fine products in either camp, some not so fine. The good ones are good. The less than good are less so. No need to get hung up on that sort of thing.

 

[Thrust Meatnozl]

1980 when I had to chose between a Pbass & a Ray.

 

[RickenBoogie]

I fell in love with an Am Dlx P bass 5 yrs ago, without knowing it took 2 batteries. It's still in the top 2 spot among my basses, and gets alot of play time. I love this bass despite it's "activeness", and otherwise own all passive instruments.

 

[darkstorm]

Mid 80's for first bass with preamp onboard. Liked the sound tweak lowZ gave and the added tonal versatility. More modern hifi tone.

 

[coyote1]

I view an active on-board preamp as being one more thing that can go wrong on a gig that I would have a tough time addressing at the gig. I love G&L basses, but do not see fit to have an active model, because they require a screwdriver to change the battery. I require the ability to change the battery over 8 bars, although I would take all precaution to prevent the need for that from happening. That's just my own idiosyncrasy. There have been gigs where the 'wick is the sole bass, and the battery new, but there is still a backup ready and waiting, just in case.

I broke the little plastic clip on the battery cover on my 'new' Ocean fretless already. went to put a new battery in it, and it would not close. Turns out the compartment screws were not completely screwed in, but the battery in there was thin compared to the new one. So I will have to replace the thing somehow.

 

[WoodyG3]

I was a very occasional guitar player until 2003, then I got in to bass and finally became a musician instead of an occasional strummer. My third bass after the expected P and J was an active Korean Spector that I got in 2004. I loved the ease of tone changing at my finger tips, plus I like a hot signal and the little extra "oomph" that active gives the tone. That Spector is long gone, but of the seven basses I own now, four are active, and those are the ones I play the most.

 

[pogipoints]

Went with an active Jazz Bass Plus V in 1991, ran it in both active & passive. Got a Schecter Trad B5 with passive Monstertone pickups, didn't feel the need to go active again until the pickups went microphonic (broke my heart, loved that tone!) Went with Barts (pups + elec), bought only active basses since, though not intentionally.

Currently have Bill Lawrence p'ups in that Schecter, and considering removing the Bart electronics and going fully passive on that bass.

 

[Munjibunga]

I went active in 1967. I wasn't interested in college after being there for a year, so I joined the Marines to avoid the draft. After 3 years I went inactive and was discharged from the reserve a year later.

 

[4andnomore]

Early 90's G&L ASAT, in search of tone. Have long since returned to playing passive P's.

 

[Doug Parent]

I went active in 1967. I wasn't interested in college after being there for a year, so I joined the Marines to avoid the draft. After 3 years I went inactive and was discharged from the reserve a year later.