pickup power

[john_the_bass]

i read a post the other day about how a microamp was used to balance the differences between passive and active basses so they could both be used with the same amp without making any adjustments to the amp.

I thought, "I'll have a bit of that" and thought I'd use the boost slider of my GEB-7 to the same effect. Anyway, with the active/passive switch in on my amp (which is presumably the low gain setting), i set a level with my stingray that i was happy with. I then plugged my S1 precision in which seemed to be far more powerful than my stingray using the settings i'd dialed in.

Is this common or is there something amiss with either of these basses? I've checked the battery in the ray and it seems alright so I don't know whether or not something is at fault, or whether they're just really beefy pickups in the P.
I suppose I could still use the GEB-7 but with the slider set to cut gain from the signal to match the outputs of both basses. Just seems a bit weird that's all

[DirkThrust]

I found the same thing. I was expecting the Stingray to have a higher output than my Precision. I thought it was faulty so I took it back to the dealer who compared it to several other Stingrays in the shop to demonstrate that it was ok. Apparently it's normal.

[bass_ferret]

Surely you can check the different outputs using your amp? It is a common mistake to assume that an active bass must be louder than a passive bass - it ain't necessarily so.

[john_the_bass]

yeah - hit the switch on the amp to turn the input to high gain and the volume rockets so the amp is grand.
bit surprised to see that the output on the stingray less - i think it's a fair assumption to make when if you consider that the output should be greater by virtue of the fact that it goes through a preamp before it gets to the amput input.

[Machines]

I find that very odd. I often plug my bass direct into my soundcard - the active basses are easily audible and don't require me to pump the volume at all. Passive basses are much quieter and require me to boost the systm volume to hear a thing..

[Kiwi]

[url="http://www.warmoth.com/gecko/gecko.cfm?fuseaction=passive_active"]http://www.warmoth.com/gecko/gecko.cfm?fus...=passive_active[/url]

Have a look at this link, it might help clarify things a little?

[BOD2]

Well the only thing I can think of is that it's probably been decided that it's not a great idea to set the maximum output of an active system to be much over the normal output of a passive, otherwise it would cause problems with some amplifiers.

The maximum output of an active will be when the tone controls are boosted up full. So if you're playing with the tone controls lower than this then the output will be down accordingly.

I have two very different active and passive basses and the outputs are quite similar. When EQ'd flat the passive is probably slight louder but then I can boost the bass/middle on the active and bring the level right up.

Remember, that a high output is not necessarily the object of an active system.

[Muppet]

My Precision fitted with Seymour Duncan QPs has a very similar output to my Lakland with a J retro. I can adjust the gain of the J retro if I want to but it suits me as it is.

[john_the_bass]

Kiwi - Yes!

i have noticed that the precision (with what I assume has stock pickups) was massively more powerful than a lot of other (passive) basses played by guys that have used my rig at gigs and needed a lot of a adjustment to get a level out of it. My natural assumption was that because active basses required (what i assumed was) a lower gain input, their output would be higher. A pal of mine has a jazz with EMGs and a J-retro and it's massively more powerful than anything else i've ever played.
I suppose it's not always the case,

Edited May 29, 2007 by john_the_bass

[Veils]

Interesting stuff! I would have naturally assumed the ray to be much more powerful that the P!!!

[Lfalex v1.1]

My Yamaha Attitude is passive.
Soundmen repeatedly ask me to turn it down/cut the bass (assuming it to be active)
It's hotter than everything but my Zoot- and that runs a Seymour Duncan MMHB into a Jon East E-pro using 18v. It's a bit much, usually!

[acidbass]

Remember that pickup height will also affect the output of the bass, as will the type of magnets used on the pickups.