Grangur Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Hi there Fat-stringers, I've an LTD ESP fretless 5 string. It's got the most gorgeous neck, it plays like a dream with harmonics on all fret(lines) etc.... But it's not loud. It has a pre-amp. To get some sort of output something like that from my other basses I have to turn the 3 eq knobs up full, destroying the point of a the eq if you ask me. I've connected one of the pups straight to a jack and the output was ok-ish, but nothing amazing. On another bass I have a Kent Armstrong MM style pup. It's passive, it growls and punches like a good'n. I'm tempted to rip out the ESP pups and pre-amp on the LTD and put in a pair of [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/soapbar-bass-pu-4-or-5-string-bridge-1226-p.asp"]Kent Armstrong soapbars[/url], go completely passive. This could give me the problem of what to do with some holes, there are 5 right now. I could go Vol, tone, vol, tone, selctor switch, or something like(?) What say you? What would you do? Cheers Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) You could get a clean boost pedal such as the Markbass Super Booster... and you'd get the Markbass VPF and VLE filters as a bonus. Plus, you could reclaim the use of your onboard EQ, too. Edited February 25, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 My best sounding bass is passive and my active bass currently has a problem with the pre amp, so I'd suggest a good set of passive pickups is the way forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 Many thanks for the ideas guys. I think I'll go for the pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 My ESP 6 is a little on the quiet side as well. I just stick one of those Fishman preamps into the cable path to give it an extra kick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I used to be convinced active was always louder and fatter sounding. I was wrong. These days I prefer the passive tone anyway, but it has the added bonus of never having flat batteries! I can leave it plugged in all year if I want to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 You don't say what amp you are using. Turning up the onboard EQ isn't the answer if it's just increasing signal strength you are after. The obvious leveller for different basses is the amp input gain. Use that to balance the input into the power amp and then use the onboard and outboard EQ to alter tone. That's what I'd do anyway and I have both passive and active basses and they are to me different not better or worserer Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 The amp I'm using is a Roland 100w cube - nothing too big, but as you rightly say, I can turn up the gain. I'm not in a band. So it's no big deal. Many thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1394053072' post='2387500'] The amp I'm using is a Roland 100w cube [/quote] Great little combo. My teacher has one & I love it. Just waiting for one to come up at the right price, and when my wife isn't watching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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