Really dumb question:

[lanark]

I know it's not recommended that you run your amp on full volume, but what effects does having your pickups set to full volume have? Would there be distortion? Or should they go to full volume all the tiime unless you're balancing pickups to get a particular tone?

I know this is probably a daft question, but I've found nowhere that answers the question for me yes or no, so I figured I'd ask here.

[Ou7shined]

Running a passive bass at full volume just makes it louder but with active bases you have to be a bit more careful.
I can't plug my Stingray into any recording equipment, laptop etc. at top whack as it is just too hot and distorts.

[stingrayPete1977]

Have you tried one of EBS_freaks 18volt GB basses at full whack!? I dont think a practice amp would like it much and my modded jazz actually has a bigger output than my EBMM too. Its one of the reasons I cant imagine using a passive bass again but that said my amp has improved a lot since the last passive bass I had (in about 1998!) But then the 1978 ricky I lent for a bit sounded pretty naff to me in comparison to any of my other basses thru the full rig.

[Doctor J]

When you run at full volume on a passive bass, essentially you're letting as much of the signal through as possible, as if there were no volume control at all and it's fine, your amp can handle it no problem.

Instruments with active EQ, however, have a EQ boost funtions which can dramatically increase the output of specific bands of frequencies and can sound unpleasant to the ear, I'm sure everyone has heard the Stringray all-on-full sound more than once. Some active circuits come with an output level - usually found on the circuit board, which can cut or boost the general output level of the active circuit by quite a lot. If you've ever heard someone move from active to passive mode with a huge drop in volume, that's what you're hearing.

Distortion isn't quite as desirable in bass as it is with guitar so decent bass amps, unlike guitar amps, generally have an input level control as well as an output level control as onboard active circuitry is quite normal in the world of bass and can accomodate passive and hotter active signals without distorting. The input level controls just how hot a signal is allowed into the preamp. Most amps will come with a clip light (or a needle on Ashdowns for example) where you can gauge when the preamp is starting to distort - as a rule of thumb I usually keep it just below the point of clipping.

If you're still worried you can lower your pickup down, away from the strings and it will result in a quieter output.

Edited September 8, 2010 by Doctor J

[lanark]

[quote name='Doctor J' post='949548' date='Sep 8 2010, 03:57 PM']When you run at full volume on a passive bass, essentially you're letting as much of the signal through as possible, as if there were no volume control at all and it's fine, your amp can handle it no problem.

Instruments with active EQ, however, have a EQ boost funtions which can dramatically increase the output of specific bands of frequencies and can sound unpleasant to the ear, I'm sure everyone has heard the Stringray all-on-full sound more than once. Some active circuits come with an output level - usually found on the circuit board, which can cut or boost the general output level of the active circuit by quite a lot. If you've ever heard someone move from active to passive mode with a huge drop in volume, that's what you're hearing.

Distortion isn't quite as desirable in bass as it is with guitar so decent bass amps, unlike guitar amps, generally have an input level control as well as an output level control as onboard active circuitry is quite normal in the world of bass and can accomodate passive and hotter active signals without distorting. The input level controls just how hot a signal is allowed into the preamp. Most amps will come with a clip light (or a needle on Ashdowns for example) where you can gauge when the preamp is starting to distort - as a rule of thumb I usually keep it just below the point of clipping.

If you're still worried you can lower your pickup down, away from the strings and it will result in a quieter output.[/quote]

Cool. So with my passive basses, I should turn it right up and and control the volume from the amp.

[Al Heeley]

err, no. I'd set bass volume to three quarters then turn the amp up to normal required volume. Then when the guitarist and the drummer start up you can alter the volujme as needed from your bass without having to trot back to the amp. If you start with your bass vol on 10 then you have nowhere else to go. Unless you are nigel tufnel and can go to 11.

[Doctor J]

You can set it at whatever level you want, don't worry about it.

[Rayman]

No such thing as a dumb question, I've asked many over the years.

As a general rule for me personally:

Active bass (bass with a battery in it somewhere) - keep the volume controls on the bass down a little bit, they're more powerful mostly than passive basses, and can drive the amp harder.

Passive bass (no batteries anywhere) - Go for it and whack it up as loud as you like.

If the amp starts to clip or distort slightly, you know it's time to turn something down, and usually that's the volume or gain on the amp in my case.

I can play a Fender precision for example (no battery, passive) through my amp, and clunk the strings like a jackhammer and there's no problem, as long as the amp gain or volume isn't on full or it'll distort.

If I welly the strings on my Spector (battery, active) with the volume controls on the bass up full, I'll blow a ruddy great big hole in the front of my amp. So I keep the volume controls rolled back a bit (quite a lot actually) and the amp volume turned down lower than with a passive bass.

It's always good at the end of the day to set the volume and tone controls to a place where it all sounds great to you. Sometimes that means turn it all up full on the bass, if so, back the volume off a bit on the amp to avoid distortion.

[bassmeg]

I love this answer!

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='949571' date='Sep 8 2010, 04:24 PM']err, no. I'd set bass volume to three quarters then turn the amp up to normal required volume. Then when the guitarist and the drummer start up you can alter the volujme as needed from your bass without having to trot back to the amp. If you start with your bass vol on 10 then you have nowhere else to go. Unless you are nigel tufnel and can go to 11.[/quote]


Such a simple solution to a constant problem.

[fender73]

My old Status KB had a ridiculous output, I had a local tech put a resistor in the circuit to cool it off. I'm a bit old school and like my (all passive) basses on full, then set my amp accordingly, then I make sure I stand near to my amp in case the guitarist or drummer get lairy! I've always thought passive basses sound better with their volumes on 10. (or 11)

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='949571' date='Sep 8 2010, 04:24 PM']err, no. I'd set bass volume to three quarters then turn the amp up to normal required volume. Then when the guitarist and the drummer start up you can alter the volujme as needed from your bass without having to trot back to the amp.[/quote]

My band are always telling me to turn up even when I'm already louder than everybody else. I love my band.

Then again they're probably trying to drown out my vocals.

[mcnach]

[quote name='bassmeg' post='949634' date='Sep 8 2010, 05:16 PM']I love this answer!




Such a simple solution to a constant problem.[/quote]


What, turning up your bass is a solution to the guitarist's turning up their volumes?

The correct solution is:

1) keep your volume where it is
2) shoot the offending item (guitarist, in this case)
3) replace.

[fender73]

[quote name='mcnach' post='951296' date='Sep 9 2010, 11:39 PM']What, turning up your bass is a solution to the guitarist's turning up their volumes?

The correct solution is:

1) keep your volume where it is
2) shoot the offending item (guitarist, in this case)
3) replace.[/quote]
+1
A perfect solution.....although shooting may be a little harsh :-)

[JTUK]

Passive should be wide open, IMV.

You can't run active bass controls full-on and if you tried it, you would understand why.

[bassmeg]

[quote name='mcnach' post='951296' date='Sep 9 2010, 11:39 PM']1) keep your volume where it is
2) shoot the offending item (guitarist, in this case)
3) replace.[/quote]


Perfect. Not sure about #3 though.