discreet onboard active sound for jazz bass?

[Angel]

I like the sound of active basses, but I also like the look of a trad jazz bass with just the 3 knobs. Is there any way to get onboard active sound without the necessity of a bunch of stacked knobs?

I have simple tastes, I'm not really one for endless sound sculpting possibilities.

[Storky]

I agree with you. I thought about wiring the jazz bass in series (so both pick ups would be on all the time); you would then only need one volume control. Fit a simple two band pre-amp with bass and treble (like on a classic Stingray) and you would then only need three knobs - volume, bass and treble. The only thing thats stopping me is the thought that it might be too restrictive on the sound.

Or you could just buy a classic Stingray or similar....

[Conan]

Do active basses have "a sound"?

I had a Marcus Miller J with an East J retro in it. It's core tone didn't sound different to a passive J - but there was just "more of it" if you know what I mean.

My Status is an active bass, but it doesn't sound like it does because it is active... The design and the graphite might also have something to do with it...

[CamdenRob]

I read this thread title as meaning you wanted to put a preamp in your bass to make you sound like discreet... I think he plays a P bass, get one of those instead...

[Conan]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1400070255' post='2450406']
I read this thread title as meaning you wanted to put a preamp in your bass to make you sound like discreet... I think he plays a P bass, get one of those instead...
[/quote]

That is just a ridiculous response, that adds nothing to this thread.









Besides, everyone knows that Discreet plays a Hayman these days...

[hubrad]

EMG do a couple of things.. the BTC is a 2-band with a single stacked knob, and the EXB is an all-in-one on a single knob.
I have their BTS on an Overwater J with Bartolini pickups.

http://www.emgpickups.com/accessories/bass-accessories.html

[lemmywinks]

I had a fretless Jazz with Seymour Duncan Lightning Rod pickups in, they are active pickups which were wired straight to a standard vol/vol/tone setup. Sounded just like a beefed up version of a Jazz bass, could still do the usual sounds but also had a bit more thump.

Don't know if that's what you're after but I regret selling it!

[brensabre79]

Mine's got one stacked knob EMG BTC (and an S-1 switch on the vol for that matter), but have matched the knobs to the originals. I doubt anybody can really see the difference to be honest. Only you would know...

[HowieBass]

When you think about it, 2 pickups need 2 pots/knobs for a vol+vol or vol/blend arrangement leaving 1 knob for tone control with a 3 pot/knob layout... so having an active circuit with that layout means you have just one tone parameter to change; most active EQs have at least 2 (treble/bass) and more commonly 3 (treble/mid/bass) parameters so I think you don't really gain anything going from passive EQ to active EQ if you only have one tone pot available. I think the stacked 3 knob arrangement is probably neater looking for an active Jazz.

[Davebassics]

External Preamp?

[Rumple]

[quote name='Davebassics' timestamp='1400081299' post='2450570']
External Preamp?
[/quote]

This is what I'd suggest as well, it will do the same job but leave your bass unmolested and you can easily sell the pre amp pedal if it's not what you were looking for tone wise.

[LukeFRC]

for the sound.... providing you're happy with your amp's Eq capabilities, then any active buffer would work... reading through the marketing hyperbole this might do the same thing... http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Creation_Audio_Labs_Redeemer.html

[LukeFRC]

though if I had the choice between this and a outboard one I would go for the outboard - you could basically buy any preamp you wanted and mount it in a box.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Davebassics' timestamp='1400081299' post='2450570']
External Preamp?
[/quote]

Tone controls on your amp?

[BassBod]

Sadowsky outboard preamp - basically a refined music man type boost 2 band eq. Only thing is, once you hear the low end boostyou'll leave it on all the time.

[Angel]

Maybe outboard is the best suggestion. I don't generally like pedals etc and never use any at all, but it might be the best solution. I'll give it some thought.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Angel' timestamp='1400059107' post='2450222']
I like the sound of active basses, but I also like the look of a trad jazz bass with just the 3 knobs. Is there any way to get onboard active sound without the necessity of a bunch of stacked knobs?

I have simple tastes, I'm not really one for endless sound sculpting possibilities.
[/quote]


I have a J-Retro here. Still looks reasonably "traditional" despite its three stacked knobs. The knobs are simple really:

1: volume and pickup pan (selector)
2: bass and treble
3: mids module: one for cut/boost the other to select the centre frequency.

[badboy1984]

My Fender 60 RI use to have a J-Retro preamp intalled for 5 years but I decided to convert it back to passive with Vol/Blend/Tone setup and I have not miss anything personally. I can always use an external preamp to boost or cut. When I had the John East installed, all my EQ was flat most of the time ...... another big factor why i convert it back to passive because all my bass is active and is just pain for me personally to manage .....

I P/J and J bass is passive and the only active bass I've got right now is the musicman bongo which uses 2x 9v battery.

[Conan]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1400229790' post='2451988']
My Fender 60 RI use to have a J-Retro preamp intalled for 5 years but I decided to convert it back to passive[/quote]

If I'd hung on to my Marcus Miller J, I probably would have done the same. Too much to fiddle with. Too hard to get a good tone and then not lose it when i accidentally knocked a knob (oo-er!).

I love the sound of a passive J, but sometimes it just needs a bit of a boost. An outboard EQ unit is probably just right for that.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1400141293' post='2451049']
Sadowsky outboard preamp - basically a refined music man type boost 2 band eq. Only thing is, once you hear the low end boostyou'll leave it on all the time.
[/quote]

Is that the same as the pre-amp that's fitted to Sadowsky basses? All the one's I've tried sounded much better with it turned off.

[BassBod]

Yep, the very same. I never turned it off on my Sadowsky PJ either...just don't crank the eq much. I never use more than half the bass boost and about a quarter of the treble.

Different strokes and all that

[krispn]

The guys who made the Basswitch, Lehle/RMI, are releasing some boost pedals with some eq shaping: If their Basswitch is anything to go by they should be pretty tasty!

[url="http://lehle.com/EN/RMI-Basswitch-Sonic-Spark"]http://lehle.com/EN/...tch-Sonic-Spark[/url]

[url="http://lehle.com/EN/RMI-Basswitch-Classic-Boost"]http://lehle.com/EN/...h-Classic-Boost[/url]

Edited May 16, 2014 by krispn

[Rumple]

I was just having a look at the Mooer Pure Boast pedal, it's tiny and has bass and treble controls but I can't seem to find out the frequencies the tone controls work on, it may not be much good with a bass.

[JTUK]

The point here is that you can have too much EQ flying about...
I tend to use the active for the additional signal gain...and a bit more of what it will do passively.
I don't go for a wildly different sound and I don't go for masses of bass or top ..and I don't want
to tie myself up in knots with the amp countering that the bass pre is doing.
I start from the idea that the passive sound is what I want...and if in a live situation, if isn't
quite cutting it, then I switch in the onboard on the bass and adjust that...a tad.

I thought John East did a simple drop in unit. I have a Tone Hammer which is good but I don't use it.
I carry it as an emergency DI

[Paul S]

I think my first stop would be the Behringer BDI21. Just a tiny little movement from 12 oclock gives a nice boost and can shape the sound really well. For home play I think it would be ideal. The J retro is a great bit of kit but, at over £200 more, possibly overkill for the OP's intended use.