Active in Passive mode

[funky8884]

Hi all Bassist's,

I was wondering if anyone owns an active bass but uses it in passive mode and uses their amps eq ?

I am looking at getting a modern bass but was wondering if amp eq can doth similiar to onboard eq ?

thanks

Wade

[chris_b]

IMO the passive option is a "get you to the end of the gig in an emergency" facility. I wouldn't run out of choice.

I've got 2 active basses and the passive option on the Lull is so good I don't need the EQ at all. The passive option on the Lakland is more limited and I have to change the amp's eq to cover.

It's all the same frequencies so I'd expect your amp to be able to get a good approximation to the onboard eq.

[Lw.]

I play with my active Warwick in passive mode all the time, I never did a lot of EQing on the bass anyway - I did feel the active circuitry made the tone slightly more defined but that gets completely lost anyway as soon as you start using some overdrive (which I have "always on" in the band I currently use the Warwick with).

[Naetharu]

I use a Delano Sonar II pre-amp and there is no audible difference between passive mode, and active mode with the pots set flat. I tend to use the active mode as a means of being able to roll off a bit of the bass when playing heavier riffs to avoid sounding too muddy.

I guess that is the thing you cannot do with an amp; easily access an EQ mid-song.

[Skybone]

I had a G&L L2000 Tribute for a while, nice bass, but I couldn't get a sound I was happy with while it was in passive mode.

[BassBunny]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1488015796' post='3244985']
I had a G&L L2000 Tribute for a while, nice bass, but I couldn't get a sound I was happy with while it was in passive mode.
[/quote]
If you look at the circuit diagram for the G&L L series there is no active tone circuitry at all. The Bass/Treble controls are actually just passive, just like a P Bass or Jazz and the active part is actually just a line driver, or amplifier that is used to boost the signal when engaged.