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Post subject: active/passive switch
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 1:53 am
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Hi all, I have an American Deluxe P and I see the latest one has an active/passive switch, was just wondering if it is easy enough to modify my existing setup to incorporate this or does it all need to be replaced cheers.


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 2:32 am
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Probably the best thing to do would be to trade for a new model, or sell yours to another player and buy a new one with the feature you want. It is never really a good idea to modify the electronics on an active bass unless you know precisely what you are doing.


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 2:55 am
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Thanks for your input Dave, i would take it to my dealer and have it done properly if it was feasible, cheers Royce.


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:11 pm
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You would be voiding any warranty, but since it is older it might not matter. I'm not sure that it is possible to modify an older model to function like the new model since the pots are mounted right to the preamp board and they are probably not 250 or 500k which is pretty much required for passive bass.

There is an alternative though. The most surefire thing to do would be to install a double ganged switch that would completely bypass the preamp and pots as a direct feed to the jack. It would feed whichever pickup you choose, probably the split P-pickup would be best, without any volume or tone control. This would be a show-saver if the batteries went dead or the preamp croaked with no backup handy. It would probably be better to just have a backup at the ready. I always do, even with a passive #1.

I don't do anything myself to actives but change the strings. But putting a bypass switch in would be the easiest and surest thing.


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:32 pm
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Thanks again Dave, on reflection I will most likely part ex it for the newer model once i have had chance to try one out and yes I always keep a spare bass at gigs. While I think about it what's your view on the badass 3 bridge, is it worth the money?


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:26 am
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royceb57 wrote:
...what's your view on the badass 3 bridge, is it worth the money?


Short answer is NO.

The longer explanation:

First, don't count on any support from Leo Quan. Fact: I sent them two emails about three months apart inquiring about purchasing a replacement for a lost part. That was nearly 2 yrs ago with no reply yet. I was flabbergasted. Dave Goldenfarb at the Bass Place in Arizona got me the little part I needed shipped out in about 2 hours and it only took one email.

The Leo Quan products are well made for sure. That isn't the issue with me. I'm of the opinion that high mass bridges add sustain. If you need additional saddle travel to intonate properly the Leo Quan bridges will add saddle travel as well.

The sales literature and many reviews talk about improved TONE with them, but in my experience they add sustain which isn't really a better tone, it is just more of the same tone for a longer period of time. For some styles of music more sustain is not at all desirable such as old school r&b or traditional country. For some things I do I actually add muting foam or felt to kill sustain. I can get a better playing setup faster and easier with the old style Fender threaded groove bridges than I can with a Leo Quan.

There are other high mass bridges on the market and most of them are much less costly and easier to install since they do not require the luthier skills of the Leo Quan products. Gotoh, Hipshot and Schaller come to mind.

Leo Quan bridges can be a real pain to install and set up properly so only people who know what they are doing should try to install one. Figure paying for about 2 to 3 hours labor for that job. Even the pre-grooved ones sometimes need some some filing, especially on the 1st string saddle. You need special files for the saddles which you can buy from Stew-Mac luthier supply company.

While I have used Leo Quan bridges and have one bass with a BAIII now, I don't think I'll ever buy another Leo Quan product merely because of their lack of support after the sale. Also for a while you couldn't get one at any price. Something was going on and they just were not shipping anything. There are other high mass bridges and the original Fender bridges are not so bad. After all, the stock Fender bridges worked for about everyone that influenced me.


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:40 pm
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I know what you mean, they are like hen's teeth here in the uk and if you find one they want stupid money for them. I suppose for me i quite like the look compared to the fender bridge, because if i'm honest there is nothing wrong with the sound i,m getting. But i will check out the other makes you mentioned.


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Post subject: Re: active/passive switch
Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:07 am
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Hello, sorry for reviving this old thread, I'm tryin to do exactly this, but cannot find any information elsewhere, I did find a "diagram" for a jazz bass which I already did on my bass an it works, bass now works without batteries, I have volume and pan control, but when batteries are installed a big loud noise comes from using the switch, and I'm pretty sure this could damage something (my ears if nothing else :lol: ), so did you ever accomplished it?


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