Help! Passive Electronics Sterlings

[Songerd]

I am very interested in any reports of changing Sterlings into Passive Basses. I don't care for the way the sound is amplified with active electronics but I love to play my Sterlings. Has anyone changed the electronics in their Sterlings?

 

[mynan]

I think you'll find that the general consensus here is that we love the way they sound with the active electronics...

Every so often someone comes up with the bright idea to make one passive, but none of them have ever come back and said "WOW!...It sounds great!"

 

[73jbass]

Seems like the only difference it will make is lower output. What exactly is it that you think you'll gain by going passive? You definitely lower the value of the bass.

 

[Songerd]

I notice that the active electronics amplify the bass in an accross-the-board type of harmonic way and that my passive basses amplify the sound more naturally which means that the bass has a different sound "quality" or "timbre" or different harmonic content fretted up or down the fingerboard. They just sound different. I was thinking the basses are made so well how could it sound bad and I was curious if anyone had ever tried a passive Sterling. Thanks.

 

[maddog]

Others have inquired about this. In the least, they've asked about an option from the factory with no success. You should just be able to take the leads off the pickup straight to the output jack. Some put in a switch so they can jump back and forth.

Not sure if Dudley&Co. do any tone shaping. I'll just say, I haven't read of anyone bragging about a better passive sound after modding.

Edit: According to the gain chart:

flat gives you flat. So bypassing the preamp will most likely make no change in tone, just quieter.

 

[bob atherton]

I think maybe passive could sound good. My only active bass is my Stingray. That leaves 3 Fenders, 4 Rickenbackers and a Gibson, all passive. Is the Stingray the best sounding of them all? Not really, it sounds like a Stingray, which is great, but my P sounds like a P and the Ricks sounds like Ricks. They all sound good. I do find that active basses have a slightly synthetic quality to the sound. When you listen to James Jamerson you just know that it's a passive bass, really old school and fat.

I would have thought that a passive Sterling will not sound as good as the active version, after all that it how it was designed, but I for one would like to hear it.

 

[rhythmCity944]

i got a musicman mainly for the killer pre amp, then fell in love with everything else about it

 

[Old_Guy]

Flatten it out, scoop out the mids...almost gets to passive sound. I'll agree as it's been repeatedly stated..any bad technique moves become really obvious with active electronics. Ergo, I believe my active basses have forced me to be a better player.

 

[Songerd]

Passive Sterlings

I appreciate the feedback especially the one about taking the pickup leads right to the output jack. If I did that I could hear at least one sound out of it in a passive mode without really doing much else to it. Good thoughts, thanks again.

 

[Ken Baker]

I have a SUB5 here that I took passive as part of my "Evil Experiments" scheme to achieve world domination.

Yes, I know; different bass (obviously), different pickup (alnico SR), different preamp (2-band SR).

Not just passive, mind you. No, no; I also added a series/parallel mini-toggle.

How did it sound?

Less than stellar in parallel mode; which is how it was wired by EBMM, except through the preamp. Parallel with this pickup needs the help of the preamp.

It sounded great in series mode. Kinda nasty & snarly & bite your leg off. Very much in your face.

Here's the deal though: the bass got noisy. It picked up ambient EMI from the environment. This noise was much more noticeable in series mode, which is what I prefer, so this became a deal breaker for me.

The reason for all this is that the preamp changes the input impedance of the bass as seen by the amplifier. The preamp allows for quieter operation and over longer distances.

The SUB5 is back on its preamp. I just had to wire the pickup in series, though.

Ken...

 

[bdgotoh]

especially the one about taking the pickup leads right to the output jack. If I did that I could hear at least one sound out of it in a passive mode without really doing much else to it.

That's much easier on a Stingray than a Sterling. The Sterling pickup has 5 wires coming out of 3 coils, giving you series, single coil with humcancelling coil, and parallel. You'd have to decide which of those you want and then figure out which wires to take straight to the jack. Also, the Sterling pickup will have low output run passive, you're going to have to turn your amp way up.

 

[strummer]

I rode a Bongo 5HH passive for a while, and no it didn't sound bad. Didn't hear the kind of differences you are describing, the main thing was that I wanted my preamp back cause of lower output and the damn cable loading.

 

[Songerd]

Here is my reasoning. If you love the sound of passive basses and want a great quality instrument, better than Fender then it occured to me that the Sterling would be the perfect match for great passive pickups like Lindy Fralin's. I may purchase another Sterling just to experiment with. Thanks to all.

 

[5Stringer]

Here's the thing though ... the Sterling pickup will simply not work without the preamp. It would be necessary to replace the pickup with an aftermarket brand, and by the time you all that, it's not a Sterling anymore, imho.

Dan

 

[strummer]

Here is my reasoning. If you love the sound of passive basses and want a great quality instrument, better than Fender then it occured to me that the Sterling would be the perfect match for great passive pickups like Lindy Fralin's. I may purchase another Sterling just to experiment with. Thanks to all.

There are of course good quality pick ups out there, and of course you can experiment by gutting the Sterling and drop some other pick up in there. But whatever you do, DO NOT SELL THE PREAMP AND/OR PICK UP!
Chances are you'll want to go back, and as the only way for you to get a new preamp and/or pick up is to buy second hand, and that will not be cheap. The reason for it not being cheap? The pick up and preamp are just so damn good!

 

[5Stringer]

But whatever you do, DO NOT SELL THE PREAMP AND/OR PICK UP!
Chances are you'll want to go back, and as the only way for you to get a new preamp and/or pick up is to buy second hand, and that will not be cheap. The reason for it not being cheap? The pick up and preamp are just so damn good!

Not to mention the fact that EBMM pickups and preamps are not for sale separately. So yes, always hang onto those parts!

 

[strummer]

Not to mention the fact that EBMM pickups and preamps are not for sale separately. So yes, always hang onto those parts!

Didn't I write that lol
"the only way for you to get a new preamp and/or pick up is to buy second hand"

It's all good

 

[5Stringer]

Strummer, you did - just wanted to emphasize - I can't tell you how many times I have run across this situation: Boy buys bass, boy decides to try different electronics, boy somehow disposes of, sells, or somehow loses the original, boy dislikes "new" sound, boy decides to go back to original, boy discovers he has soooo messed up -

 

[73jbass]

As has been said many times before,they are perfect from the factory.Don't fix something that ain't broke.

 

[and lombardini]

Hello,

this is my first post here...chance is that I have a Sterling and I've tried bypassing all the electronics...so now the pickup is wired in series and connected directly to the output jack.

The bass has plenty of volume and shows the tipical sound of a series humbucker with slighly slower response, full bass and rolled trebles.

there are no noise at all.

It sounds pretty much the same as with the electronics on in flat setting, only less "glassy".

I justed wanted to know how much the electronics add to the MM sounds since sometimes people say they just "sound of electronics"...that's not true at all.

The only thing not 100% in this bass is that I would like to have more dynamics from the pu...it sounds a little to compressed to me, compared to some vintage axes I have.

glad to be here in this forum.

andrea