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Why bother with an EQ on your bass - there's a better one on your amp!


thepurpleblob
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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1505818612' post='3374491']
You could move the conversation further forward and say "why bother with the EQ on your amp when there's a better one on the PA desk?".
[/quote]

I'm not sure that's true. The EQ on a bass amp or preamp is designed for a bass guitar whereas the desk EQ is very much general purpose.

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[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1505818699' post='3374492']
I'm not sure that's true. The EQ on a bass amp or preamp is designed for a bass guitar whereas the desk EQ is very much general purpose.
[/quote]

It is being operated by someone sitting in a good position to be able to judge what is needed and hopefully with the experience to make it work. If not you are screwed anyway. Give yourself a sound on stage that will make you play well and leave the thinking to the other bloke :-D

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[quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1505804801' post='3374353']
I once installed an Audere in my Jazz...

That being said, I also have basses with active EQ's I do like and use, subtly. On my Stingray 5 I used it a lot to make adjustments inbetween songs, and I have a bass with an OBP3 that I use a lot too. Usually I only boost some lows and cut highs when I use the onboard EQ. I don't really know what it was about the Audere that I didn't like.
[/quote]

I can't help but wonder if this is one of the lesser-spoken arguments in the active/passive debate, i,e., a lot of us passive devotees haven't found onboard pre-amps that we've really liked? I'm very happy with the passive basses I own, but that's probably got a lot to do with me also liking the amps I own, and their EQ sections. As a result, I don't often find myself having to reach for the amp's controls during a set, and any minor tweaks can be achieved with the passive tone control.

Unfortunately most of my experience of onboard bass EQs has been at the cheaper end of the scale, and they didn't really do much for me. Conversely, I've had a go on a Wal and a Veillette which I thought sounded absolutely wonderful - no feeling of "ooh, this pre-amp sounds a bit synthetic" there, but then they're a fair old way beyond my normal budget for a bass. Is it just possible that we've not found the "right" onboard EQ for us?

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[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1505818699' post='3374492']
I'm not sure that's true. The EQ on a bass amp or preamp is designed for a bass guitar whereas the desk EQ is very much general purpose.
[/quote]

The EQ on the desk is likely to be far more powerful and flexible than that on an amp.

At best on a bass amp you can either expect a 12-band graphic or one with one or two sweepable mid controls.

Any decent PA desk (especially digital ones) will have 4 band fully parametric with full-range frequency, cut/boost and Q for each band.

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The problem with most active basses is that the electronics aren't specifically designed for the bass. What you get are off-the-shelf pickups and pre-amps shoe-horned into the bass without any real consideration for how they are all going to work together.

Compare than with something like Wal or the original MusicMan Stingray where the pick ups, their position and the pre-amp are all designed as a single entity.

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This has become relevant to me this year.

Previously I set my basses (p bass or j bass) eq to full on volume and tone. That also shows up all your mistakes, weaknesses, etc so I found it really improved my playing, and did the sound eq from the amp.

Now, however I have a yamaha bb424x PJ and it has a 3 way switch for pick up selection. It's brilliant for setting the band mix bass sound in a flash. Guaranteed 1 of those 3 settings suits the room brilliantly. If it needs anymore tone eq adjustment I can either roll on the tone fully for more cutting sound or roll of for a fatter more vintage fit.

The 3 way switch is a brilliant addition. It'd be too complicated to remember and set on different knobs and dials.

Edited by la bam
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