Naetharu Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Hi folks, I am about to put an order in for a Maruczszyk Elwood and I wanted to tap your wisdom. I have the option of either a simple passive bass or an active one (Glockenclang preamp) which can be switched between active and passive modes. What I am wondering is whether the active version in its passive mode is going to sound the same as a simple passive bass? Does the fact that the bass has active electronics colour the sound in passive mode at all or should it be a simple case of more options and thus a better bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Should have no effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) If it's got a passive pickup & the EQ is active then the bass should just sound like a normal passive bass when the active circuit is switched off. I would say however that more options does not necessarily make for a better bass, in my experience at least. Edited August 4, 2015 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naetharu Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1438700316' post='2836510'] If it's got a passive pickup & the EQ is active then the bass should just sound like a normal passive bass when the active circuit is switched off. I would say however that more options does not necessarily make for a better bass, in my experience at least. [/quote] Humm, I was assuming that having the option of active eq and thus more tonal variation would just be a bonus. Can you see a down side to that? If so I would be very interested since it adds around £100 to the price of the bass to have the active electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 It's just personal preference. I always found the more options I had on a bass the more time I spent farting around with them & obsessing about my sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 The answers to your questions are: Yes and No. Yes, when in passive mode it will sound the same as a regular passive bass. No, the active circuitry should not colour the passive sound of the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) On a short lead to a decent amplifier and the EQ set flat, you shouldn't be able to tell whether it is in passive mode or active. If you can, there is something wrong with your preamp, your amp, or your lead. Your passive mode shouldn't colour the sound at all, as more than likely it is off in that mode, but then it shouldn't colour it in active either until you touch the eq controls. Edited August 4, 2015 by Woodinblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I don't know the signal path, so while I would expect the passive tone to not be affected by the bypassed active stage, it might be. I'd ask Maruczszyk the question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1438709105' post='2836611'] I don't know the signal path, so while I would expect the passive tone to not be affected by the bypassed active stage, it might be. I'd ask Maruczszyk the question. [/quote] Exactly! First ask the maker Second - I dislike active circuits that are made cheap & nasty, (that's most of them!) Third - IMHO you can't beat a pure passive bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 [quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1438697616' post='2836479'] Hi folks, I am about to put an order in for a Maruczszyk Elwood and I wanted to tap your wisdom. I have the option of either a simple passive bass or an active one (Glockenclang preamp) which can be switched between active and passive modes. What I am wondering is whether the active version in its passive mode is going to sound the same as a simple passive bass? Does the fact that the bass has active electronics colour the sound in passive mode at all or should it be a simple case of more options and thus a better bass? [/quote] The passive option is a preamp-bypass, so it should have no effect. Some Glockenklang preamps retain a passive tone control when in passive, which is pretty cool. Congratulations, by the way... good choice! I've got my second Maruszczyk in order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 [quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1438705218' post='2836566'] Humm, I was assuming that having the option of active eq and thus more tonal variation would just be a bonus. Can you see a down side to that? If so I would be very interested since it adds around £100 to the price of the bass to have the active electronics. [/quote] I don't think there's a downside to having more tonal options... just that having more tonal options is not necessarily such a big deal, and what makes a bass better is not simply having an active onboard EQ or not. It's really personal preference. I have some passive basses, and some active. Some with one pickup some with two. I tend to favour single pickup options because if I have too many choices, I invariably end up fiddling with the controls, and not necessarily achieving anything better You can get a million slightly different tones from a particular set up, but most people end up using just one or two sounds that cover 95% of what they play. For that reason I think some people go off the multi-switch multiEQ all singing bass control options. But it's a purely personal choice... neither is better than the other. Those Glockenklang preamps are pretty good. If you're not sure, and you think you might like having it... go for it. An extra £100 is not so much when you think about how many years you may own the bass. If you don't use it much, then you don't use it much, but it would suck to go "ah, I wish I had gone for the preamp version". You can always add it later, but it's a faff and may require cutting some wood away etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naetharu Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Cheers folks, that's some really helpful advice there. I'm going to have a good think before I place my order Best wishes James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Definitely a personal preference in my view. I like active basses because I can make simple adjustments on the spot without having to go back to wherever the rig is. Passive basses on the whole end up being plugged into amplifiers with preamps so for me it's more about geography and convenience. YMMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I like the option of having a bypass, but how many people have actually had a battery go flat in a gig ?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I have an East BTB with passive bypass and passive tone installed on my main bass. Sometimes I run it passive if I hear things that way on the day, sometimes i run it active. It sounds great either way. It really shines in the studio where i can get many different tones as per requirements on the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) I am very familiar with Glockenklang preamps as a Sandberg player (Sandberg fit them as standard) and cannot speak highly enough of them, Glocks are silent (i.e. no hiss, unlike some preamps), and when all the controls are set flat you cannot even hear when it is being toggled between active and passive - and there is no annoying 'pop' when you switch (again, unlike some preamps). In passive mode the treble pot functions as a tone roll-off, i.e. just like on a passive Precision or Jazz bass. And it will run in passive mode even with no battery. When I bought my first Sandberg I remember thinking that the active/passive switching option would be cool not only because of the reassurance of having a plan B if the battery died mid-gig, but also because I thought it would give me more tonal options. In practice, as Machines points out, the battery dying mid-gig thing has never happened to me, and as for the tone thing, I found in practice that passive was a bit wimpy compared to active, and I ended up never using it. In other words, it's nice to have passive mode there as an option and as a failsafe, but it's one that I've never needed or wanted to use in reality. BTW, £100 to have it fitted is a total bargain - Glock preamps start at £100 if you buy them separately from Bass Direct: [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Glockenklang_preamps.html"]http://www.bassdirec...ng_preamps.html[/url] and that is without the labour charge that you'd have to pay a luthier or tech to get it installed. Other considerations: 1. Are you someone who likes to tweak their amp to get different tones, or do you prefer to do this using the controls on your bass? If the former, then maybe passive is all you need. If the latter, then an onboard preamp is a no-brainer. Personally, I much prefer to leave my amp set flat and do my tone shaping from the bass, and only tweak the amp settings if more radical surgery is required (e.g. because of crappy room acoustics or suchlike). 2. If you are going to be playing any larger stages (i.e. where longer cable runs are required) then an active bass (or at least some kind of active boosting) is almost mandatory, in order to avoid signal loss problems. 3. Passive and active basses are very much like vintage and modern cars - the vintage ones have an intrinsic retro charm and vibe of their own, and since they are very simple things, there is less that can go wrong with them. Which is good. But would you really want to drive down the motorway in one? Personally, I'd rather be in the 2015 model with the beefy engine, comfy seats, stereo, aircon, satnav etc! Edited August 5, 2015 by GrammeFriday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1438773172' post='2837058'] 3. Passive and active basses are very much like vintage and modern cars - the vintage ones have an intrinsic retro charm and vibe of their own, and since they are very simple things, there is less that can go wrong with them. Which is good. But would you really want to drive down the motorway in one? Personally, I'd rather be in the 2015 model with the beefy engine, comfy seats, stereo, aircon, satnav etc! [/quote] …and can be a sod to fix if they go wrong; not that any of mine have failed. Nor have I ever had to use passive as a failsafe, possibly because I change the batteries every year on the same day and I have those low battery warning lights. Edited August 5, 2015 by ead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1438777564' post='2837126'] …and can be a sod to fix if they go wrong; not that any of mine have failed. Nor have I ever had to use passive as a failsafe, possibly because I change the batteries every year on the same day and I have those low battery warning lights. [/quote] no, they're very easy to fix! You just replace them! (we didn't say it'd be cheap ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naetharu Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hi folks, Thank you so much for all your replies its been very helpful. After some careful consideration and reading what you all have to say I've bitten the bullet and ordered myself an active Maruszczyk Jake. Best wishes James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 [quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1438810664' post='2837695'] Hi folks, Thank you so much for all your replies its been very helpful. After some careful consideration and reading what you all have to say I've bitten the bullet and ordered myself an active Maruszczyk Jake. Best wishes James [/quote] Don't forget the compulsory pictures on the Maruszczyk thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naetharu Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 I'll be sure to post! Adrian tells me it should be here in three to four weeks...the longest month I have ever experienced I expect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 [quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1438821697' post='2837768'] I'll be sure to post! Adrian tells me it should be here in three to four weeks...the longest month I have ever experienced I expect [/quote] I know the feeling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammeFriday Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 And now I have major GAS for a Maruszczyk, too! Curse you and all your evil works, Basschat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Think you've made the right choice, the Glockenklang kit is great. I have one in my Sandberg and can't say enough good things about it. As for having too many options, I'm not really one for fiddling mid gig, but I find it makes the bass versatile enough that I can dial in a tone for any situation pretty quickly. In my old alt-country band I used passive mode with flats on the bass and predominantly just neck pickup for a warm and wooly old school thump, if I'm playing noisy rock then the active gives me just the right amount of bite with a little eq tweak tweak. You don't have to fiddle all the time, but you don't have to take three basses to a session for tonal variety either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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