Ibanez ATK300, it's active, no, wait. Confused!

[ChickenKiev]

I'm eyeing up an Ibanez ATK300. From what I've seen and heard of the bass, it's honestly my soulmate!

I'm not a big fan of arty farty basses with piddly necks and this that and the other; despite owning a Fender Jazz Bass that has a thinner neck than my Strat 6-string, I've always preferred chunkier necks.

The ATK300 is what I like to call a 'caveman bass'. Its BIG and heavy and has unfussy controls. It's perfect for someone like me who just wants to bash away with a pick in my band. Tried a 'Ray in my local music shop and from what I've read they're pretty similar. What makes me desire the Ibanez over the MM is firstly price, but also the ATK beats it hands down in the quirkiness factor.

I'll get onto my question now. The one I've seen online is the passive model from the 90s. I really wanted an active bass, so I was planning on routing a cavity in the back for a 9v battery box and installing a preamp; possibly an Aguilar OBP-3.

I've ran into a bit of a problem.

[IMG]http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p611/jamesyjamesyjamesy/null_zps0f5d8551.jpg[/IMG]

So the bass is passive, and to my understanding it doesn't have a preamp or else it'd have a battery box on the back, but it still has 3-band EQ?

HUH??

Can anyone please explain this to me?

I've seen pictures of the insides of the ATK, and it has the typical circuit boards you'd expect from a bass with passive pickups and a preamp. Would it still be possible to add the OBP-3 and somehow wire it together with the pre-existing circuits and crap?

Hope this makes sense. I'm honestly winging it in terms of technical knowledge!

Cheers,

Kiev.

Edited October 14, 2013 by ChickenKiev

[ChickenKiev]

Nevermind I'm a twonk.

It is active, it just doesn't have a seperate battery box, it's all lumped in there with the preamp.

Yeah I'm going to go ahead with my mod and put a battery box in there. I'll probably leave the preamp now.