GreeneKing

Another thread has got me thinking about the whole passive/active thing and I think it'd be better served bringing it out into its own arena. I have at times been through a 'passive phase' where I listen to the tone I'm producing and think 'Wow' that's it, and where active tones seem somehow 'over-engineered'. Equally at other times I think that passive basses sound a bit weak and that an active bass has much more 'presence'. On reflection I wonder if this whole subjective topic isn't just surrounded by an excess of hype (posh word for bullshit). Basically, as I see it, there's actually no such thing as a passive sound. Why? Because all solid bodied basses need to be amplified to be heard and that the signal processing involves a pre-amp and an amp. Okay the pre-amp can be in the bass (making it an active bass) on the floor (Microbass II etc) or most usually as a stage in the main amplifier but the net result is surely the same i.e. the signal from the pickups is amplified through two ( or more) stages. The fact that a passive bass may have a cut only tone control is surely negated by the amplifiers active EQ, usually constructed around the amplifier's pre-amp. So, what am I saying? Essentially there's no difference betwen a 'passive' bass and an 'active' one? Given that the onboard pre in an active bass and the 'other' pre used with a passive bass are similar then yes, that is what I'm saying. Passive basses are only passive untill they hit an amplifier then they're active basses. Of course I could be swayed in all this subjective tone stuff by the seductive qualities of the ACG EQ02 pre-amp that I have installed onto the two basses I find myself playing most often at the moment. I have to add that my Modulus Flea gets equal 'up' time with it's Aguilar pre but I can't help thinking what an ACG pre would sound like in it Peter

[quote]Any EQ controls available to you, not specifically active ones, could just as easily be used to do this, the semi-parametric EQ on Eden amplifiers/pre-amplifiers is a brilliant tool for this kind of thing.[/quote] Effectively the EQ on amp/pre amps is active as I understand it. Passive tone shaping is cut only, no boost (ignoring Villex for the sake of confusing the issue) so projecting a frequency through the mix isn't going to happen with passive bass mounted controls or in fact any 'passive' shaping. I do think the point I was trying to make here, which may be better placed in its own thread, has been missed. It could just be that it wasn't very well made Peter

One way of looking at the active/passive issue (loyalties) from my perspective is this: The signal from a simple pick up on a solid bodied bass needs amplifying if you want anyone to hear you play. You can use many means of pre-amplification in your signal chain before the signal goes to the power amp. Onboard pre-amp, outboard pre-amp or pre-amp in your amp. So to say a passive bass is somehow 'different' is true until it hits the 1st pre-amp in the signal chain and then it's an active signal coloured by the pre amp anyway. So that would challenge the passive is better argument. Anyone like to comment, have I got it wrong? Peter

Beautiful, giving me a semi (acoustic GAS) Peter

I'm so bowled over by Alan's (Skelf, AC Guitars) new EQ02 pre-amp that I put into my Warmoth P that I've gone and put one in the Jazzbastard too. I took the body into work today to enlarge the rout for a battery with a selection of chisels and a mallet and succeeded in causing no unwanted damage other than severing the bridge pickup wires , soon sorted. I suspect a Fender body will have enough room for the battery without resorting to woodwork. I also slapped a Badass II on and I've just spent nearly 3 hours tidying the earth wiring, filing saddles, putting extra foam under pickups, shimming the neck ever so slightly, adjusting the trussrod and setting the intonation at each and every step. All of a sudden it's all spot on and sounds wonderful. As you can see I'm becoming a total filter pre convert. Unlike Alan's pre-amps fitted to his own basses the EQ02 has one low pass filter with the 'resonance peak at cutoff frequency' knob on top, a high pass filter with a gain control, a volume and in the case of the Jazz a blend. Now I'm used to the concept I find it much more intuitive than splitting the controls into treble, bass and mid with cut and boost. One knob sets where in the bass to upper mid realm you put your 'stick in the sand', with everything under the 'stick' included and the treble fills in where necessary. Add the blend on the Jazz and you have the usual tonal variation there anyway. The pre is so easy to fit, especially on a Jazz at it comes on its own plate and all that is needed is to connect the pickups with a small screwdriver and likewise for the earth. [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/index.php"]http://www.acguitars.co.uk/index.php[/url] Here's some shots of the pair: If you think passive is the only way to go on a Jazz or Precision maybe you should try these. Peter

Ultimate Flea eh? Nice quilt finish but Lane Poor, Badass II and Aguilar OBP-3 wins methinks Peter

Enjoy your trip to Moffat and I know you'll love the bass too. I'm currently over the moon with the ACG02 pre that I've fitted into my Warmoth self build P bass (I know it's not an ACG but Alan's got my next one, a 4 stringer, in hand). I'm so impressed with the way the pre works on a fenderlike P that I've ordered one to put into my passive Jazz too. Totally awsome! Will update. Peter

[url="http://home.comcast.net/~pickguards/"]http://home.comcast.net/~pickguards/[/url]

A really nice job, great colour. Peter

I have a very nice ESP neck-thru Guitar that my daughter's taken posession of. If you like it, it's not too heavy and you're not concerned about resale value I'd go for it and if it does what you want it to ignore all the 'a 1973 P bass is loads better' comments. Peter

Hiya James and welcome in

Thanks Mark, that is one very intersting post Peter

What site are you looking at BF? Peter

Yes, to clarify, so far as I know it's the Badass (II ?) and the Gotoh 201 that are direct replacements having the fender 5 hole fitting and corresponding saddle placement . Just about everything else needs further work.

Allparts [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/gotoh-bass-bridge-p-1679.html?p=product"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/gotoh-bass-brid....html?p=product[/url] Peter

That 2nd bridge looks interesting but not a Hipshot methinks with only Fender friendly 3 holes? I think it's going to be a Gotoh again. Thanks Peter

I'm not certain that this is in the right section but hey. I've got a Badass II on my Flea and it's been filed and does a perfectly good job. I fitted a Gotoh 201 onto my Warmoth and whereas they don't seem to have grabbed the imagination off the bass public so much it seems to be as good as the Badass if not better. I'm thinking of getting another Gotoh for my Jazz 'u'like unless anyone can persuade me a Badass (or any other bridge) is significantly better. Peter

[quote]lane poor pup?[/quote] Haven't been made for a while. Sod the apologies to Marcus cause it's mine, all mine - cackles into the distance Peter