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Post subject: Passive or Active?
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 4:53 am
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Rock Star
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Always a point of discussion.


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 11:10 am
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Professional Musician
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Chlorophyll.....more like borophyll


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 11:22 am
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Good point!


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 6:55 pm
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passive all day! i can't stand active pickups

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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 9:34 pm
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Roadie
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Why does it have to be one or the other? For me, I like diversity! So I have one of each!

Passive = '72 Fender Jazz
Active = '88 Sadowsky NYC Standard

Now as a twist, I can put my Sadowsky in Passive mode with the flick of a switch.
AND, sometimes I use my Sadowsky outboard preamp box with my '72 Jazz to give it a Active...but vintage sound.

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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 10:19 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Active. I like a bright modern sound. Granted I have bombass actives in my SB. It is a modern 6 but still has that classic honky bridge pick up Fender Jazz sound.

Stay Brown,
Rev J


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:35 am
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I have an American Jazz Bass Deluxe so I can switch between active and passive. I also have an Amercian Standard Precision for when I want a more traditional sound.


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:46 am
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Personally, I only use passive basses. It's all about personal preference isn't it? Having had a bad experience wth an active, it was enough for me.


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:55 am
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Hi Kid!


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:16 pm
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oxfan wrote:
Personally, I only use passive basses. It's all about personal preference isn't it? Having had a bad experience wth an active, it was enough for me.


thats why i dont like them..i have played a few different active basses..and it always seems like whenever i pluck the string pretty hard, the sound slightly distorts. I tested this through many different amps..also have done a side by side comparison. I have never been a fan of active. too much of a headache in my opinion

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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 9:23 am
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nicebassbro wrote:
oxfan wrote:
Personally, I only use passive basses. It's all about personal preference isn't it? Having had a bad experience wth an active, it was enough for me.


thats why i dont like them..i have played a few different active basses..and it always seems like whenever i pluck the string pretty hard, the sound slightly distorts. I tested this through many different amps..also have done a side by side comparison. I have never been a fan of active. too much of a headache in my opinion



I have owned several active basses including Fender, Alembic, Carvin and Spector. The Alembic had a nice even tone with no distortion at all. The Carvin was aweful and had no punch to it at all. The Spector had a very "hot" circuit and constantly distorted. The Fender gives me a nice balance. I do not get any distortion but can still get a nice full sound in passive or active mode.


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:18 pm
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Roadie
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Rockbassist wrote:
nicebassbro wrote:
oxfan wrote:
Personally, I only use passive basses. It's all about personal preference isn't it? Having had a bad experience wth an active, it was enough for me.


thats why i dont like them..i have played a few different active basses..and it always seems like whenever i pluck the string pretty hard, the sound slightly distorts. I tested this through many different amps..also have done a side by side comparison. I have never been a fan of active. too much of a headache in my opinion



I have owned several active basses including Fender, Alembic, Carvin and Spector. The Alembic had a nice even tone with no distortion at all. The Carvin was aweful and had no punch to it at all. The Spector had a very "hot" circuit and constantly distorted. The Fender gives me a nice balance. I do not get any distortion but can still get a nice full sound in passive or active mode.


yeah, i just always seem to find myself hearing a distorted sound when i play active..I actually play the strings pretty hard to articulate the notes better. Ive noticed when you play softer..the notes just start to sound like they are all mushed together and aren't very defined. Also, ive always seemed to play with pretty loud drummers..and had just middle of the road bass amps. so all arrows were pointing me to play louder. so when i pick up a active bass..i just find at lots of points in playing one..the notes distort, not a ton, but enough. enough to make me not like active.

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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 1:36 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Rockbassist wrote:
nicebassbro wrote:
oxfan wrote:
Personally, I only use passive basses. It's all about personal preference isn't it? Having had a bad experience wth an active, it was enough for me.


thats why i dont like them..i have played a few different active basses..and it always seems like whenever i pluck the string pretty hard, the sound slightly distorts. I tested this through many different amps..also have done a side by side comparison. I have never been a fan of active. too much of a headache in my opinion



I have owned several active basses including Fender, Alembic, Carvin and Spector. The Alembic had a nice even tone with no distortion at all. The Carvin was aweful and had no punch to it at all. The Spector had a very "hot" circuit and constantly distorted. The Fender gives me a nice balance. I do not get any distortion but can still get a nice full sound in passive or active mode.


I've noticed that alot of metal guys (especially "extreme" metal guys) seem to prefer Spectors with EMG pick ups and electronics. The 2 that immediately come to mind are Eddie Jackson from Queensryche and Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse. Come to think of it alot of punk guys seem to like them too (the EMGs). All are hard hitters maybe the preamp in them is better thought out.

Stay Brown,
Rev J


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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 4:44 pm
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Roadie
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[/quote]I've noticed that alot of metal guys (especially "extreme" metal guys) seem to prefer Spectors with EMG pick ups and electronics. The 2 that immediately come to mind are Eddie Jackson from Queensryche and Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse. Come to think of it alot of punk guys seem to like them too (the EMGs). All are hard hitters maybe the preamp in them is better thought out.

Stay Brown,
Rev J[/quote]

Im not trying to sound negative here. though lets face it..the pros and famous musicians usually have the best upscaled instruments you can get! And yes, they have a lot more little do dads to make their sound better. I think a lot of companies, say "this is exactly what the pros use" which may be true. though they don't tell you what they tweak in the pros instruments.

In theory i think active electronics could be really amazing. I personally think the reason why active electronics don't work good for me..or people who play heavier..Is simply a power issue. i think a little 9V batter just isn't strong enough to power the bass. it might sound a little silly. but thats like putting a Hyundai engine in a 350 diesel pick up truck..it might work, but its not going to work up to its full capacity

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Post subject: Re: Passive or Active?
Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 9:52 am
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passive all the way for me... i recently bought the active deluxe, wasnt happy with it and traded it up for an American deluxe still wasn't happy and traded it for an American Standard... i just couldnt get the sound i wanted with the active Am Deluxe, found it on occasion a touch noisy and hated constantly putting batteries in it, so i figured that if i'm going to leave it in passive all the time, why not just get an Am Standard for about $400 less.... the only thing i miss about it is the block inlays and the neck binding....

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