Making my active bass passive

[Shane Dubya]

I have a SUB and it's a nice sounding bass for the most part, but there's just something about the brittle, trebly highs I get that are bugging me to no end. On a side not, I played a G&L L-2000 yesterday and it pretty much sounded brittle and lacked any lows, of course it coulda been the crummy Peavy amp I was playing through. I think I've pretty much realized I do not care for active basses.

Anyways, is it possible to bypass the preamp in the bass and run it passively? I've been playing my P-Bass almost exclusively now, the reason being is I plug it in and it sounds good. I want to play the SUB more, but I just can't sit there and fiddle with knobs and still be unhappy with the tone I get. I've also been toying with the idea of swapping the pickups.

What do you all think?

Shane

 

[bovinehost]

I think it's not a question of active versus passive.

Active basses do NOT inherently sound tinny nor brittle. I'd first suggest you compare what strings you have on your P bass to the strings on the SUB.

 

[Shane Dubya]

I'm using the same strings on both bases, EB Super Slinky's.

The SUB pickup is ceramic from what I understand and it is terribly trebly. Since the preamp is a boost only, rolling the treble off using the same settings on my amp that I use with the P Bass, the thing sounds terribly muddy and clangy. Like I said, I don't want to fiddle with knobs when I can just plug the P Bass in and start playing. I want to keep the SUB, I just want it to be a little more "full."

 

[bdgotoh]

The SUB I had was an alnico pickup, a ceramic will have long bar magnets across the underside of all 4 poles of a coil.
Active basses should only sound brittle and tinny if they are improperly adjusted. I'd guess your amp may have been the issue.
Having said that, I wasn't very impressed with the SUB5 I had. It was active but the preamp didn't sound as good as my 3 band Stingray. It definitely wasn't tinny or brittle though, more slightly muddy and a lack of low end compared to the SR.

 

[bovinehost]

Ceramic magnets are generally higher output than alnico, but - again - shouldn't in any way cause your tone to be harsh or trebley or tinny.

But I have no idea what you're looking for, tone-wise, so I got no good advice for you. I can only say that I prefer thump to zing, do not like clangy in any way, and I played an active SUB yesterday that sounded great.

So....I leave this question to others.

 

[Shane Dubya]

I guess I just want it to sound like my P Bass, but it's sounding like it isn't going to happen. Oh well, thanks for the replies, dudes.

 

[midopa]

From what I understand, the preamp on the active SUBs is in fact boost/cut, but there is no center detente in the pots.

 

[Shane Dubya]

You are correct, midopa. There is no center detent.

 

[barkatozz]

I'll trade you a P-Bass for that SUB.

 

[Shane Dubya]

What do you have?

Show me. Talk to me, you silly little freak.

 

[barkatozz]

What do you have?

Show me. Talk to me, you silly little freak.

'84 P-bass with 60's pickup. Nice playing bass......I don't use it much because it's not active.

 

[bovinehost]

Gear whores!

 

[Shane Dubya]

'84 P-bass with 60's pickup. Nice playing bass......I don't use it much because it's not active.

You have piqued my interest, sir. Do you have any pictures of this lovely lady?

 

[barkatozz]

You have piqued my interest, sir. Do you have any pictures of this lovely lady?

PM sent!!!!!!

 

[Dees]

I don't get it, why do you need to fiddle with knobs to get a decent sound. I own a stingray 2 band EQ, and always getthe sound I want, the fact that it's active makes it sound even better, and gives it more punch an character.
Anyway, I see you're already negotiating for a P-bass, good luck on the deal













But I prefer a Musicman (as most of us do I suppose)

 

[Shane Dubya]

Dees, I fiddle with knobs because my particular bass is very trebly and brittle and I can't dial in the sound I want with the settings that work PERFECTLY with my P Bass.

Read some threads over at talkbass and you'll find that I'm not the only one who has experienced this. I can get a somewhat decent tone out of it, but it's still a little harsh for my tastes. At first I didn't mind it so much, but I mind it now. And besides, your 2 band 'Ray has a different pre than my SUB. I also think the pickups are different, so it's apples to oranges.

I'm not bad mouthing EB by any means, but that doesn't meant I can't voice my displeasure with the way my bass sounds. It is MY bass, you know.

 

[Mobay45]

Well you can say one thing: You did find out how to make your bass passive. Just trade it for a passive bass!

 

[bovinehost]

You can sure say what you want about your own bass, but I wish I had a P bass to trade you. I played some SUBs the other day and figure I could get what I want out of one.

But hey, life is like a bowl of basses.

 

[dlloyd]

I'm using the same strings on both bases, EB Super Slinky's.

The SUB pickup is ceramic from what I understand and it is terribly trebly. Since the preamp is a boost only, rolling the treble off using the same settings on my amp that I use with the P Bass, the thing sounds terribly muddy and clangy. Like I said, I don't want to fiddle with knobs when I can just plug the P Bass in and start playing. I want to keep the SUB, I just want it to be a little more "full."

The SUB pickup, from what I understand, is identical to that on the SR4. Which makes it Alnico.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>The SUB pickup, from what I understand, is identical to that on the SR4. Which makes it Alnico.

My understanding aswell. I believe the 2 band EQ is the same as the SR4 also.

.