Thanks! Most of the songs from this video (and all of my videos) are TAB'ed out with bass-less jam tracks at www.jaymelewis.com/bassacademy - but unfortunately this one isn't. YET! If you'd like me to make it the next lesson to add just go sign up for the free 14 day trial and I'll make it happen :)
"...nobody would notice. And also they probably won't care either." That is so true. Same goes for string brands, amps, and pedals. Both bass and guitar. Only the musicians care about any of those things.
Of course, but hos point is that if there would be a rate, where all those tyny thing can ad up to 10/10 sound. From 8.5 to 10 normal listener would not have the slightests idea of what could improve. They just enjoy the feeling. So for them an 8.5 sound is as good as a 10. So yeah.... Tone print is more of and artist preference than most fans preference. Unless fan is a musician itself
I had a new (brand name) battery decide to leak acid during a gig. Felt something warm on my leg (dangerously close to Mr Sausage) tilted my bass a bit to see what it was and yep. I caught it in time, so only a slight burn... but it did scare the sh*t out of me. I won't be using an active bass again as I prefer my sausage uncooked.
The fact that you need a battery for an instrument that plugs into an amp with a cable is ridiculous. Why do they have phantom power for mics but not for guitars is beyond me.
Good basses are good basses. A good active can work anywhere. That said, there is much less to screw up with a passive bass as long as the basic tone and setup is good. Active basses with passive bypass can be life savers.
Active dean basses. Played 100s of shows with no amp. Just plugged straight into a D.I. box and used monitors. No need to haul anything else. Same with electric acoustics, built in pre-amp.🍻
"dies mid song"... Why not just change the battery before a gig? If you are cheap and don't wanna toss your last battery cause it still has juice, you can just swap it back. I seriously doubt a 9 volt battery will die in one gig
I prefer passive basses. I don't own any fully active basses. I do have a couple that are passive with an active preamp built in, which is kind of like the best of both worlds IMO.
90% of active bass's have passive pickups with a pre-amp ....i prefer Ibanez active bass's as i can make them play passively live & active in recording....sadly with a real active pickup bass you got to have spare batteries as they won't play passively.....i agree they are the best of both...
It doesn't sound true that active basses have no character. The Musicman bass is one of those basses that has a character that is so easy to recognize. At the same time it can be used in so many different genres. Just remember the sound of Pino Palladino with Paul Young in the 80's, Flea, Rage Against the Machine, Louis Johnson and so many more. So how can any reasonable person say that active basses have no character when in reality active basses have many characters not just one?
Active basses were a requirement of the past IMHO. Nowadays the pedals, mixers, speakers and amplifiers are much more versatile and you can bring out any tone by adjusting EQ and dynamics. I am very happy with my fully passive bass and I am getting amazing sound even using just a DI. The DI pedals are very comprehensive in terms of tone requirements, they have very good 4 band EQ, compressor and clarity settings. So why bother with a battery on the instrument.
I do not find that passive basses are as "a general rule" to be "quieter", meaning- lower output. I have some active Fender Jazz Basses that have LESS output than their passive versions, and yes, the pickups and such are properly and fairly adjusted. Conversely, while I don't have any passive versions of a Stingray, every one of my (active) Stingrays has more output than ANY Fender bass I own, active or passive. So... there is NO "general rule" regarding the idea that actives have more output than passive basses aspect. Regarding the active basses and the battery going dead, sorry that happened to you, but for some, and likely most that are watching, a yearly check and replace of a 9-volt in EVERY active bass you own is just simple basic maintenance, like replacing HVAC filters, and well... even 9 volt batteries in smoke alarms in the places you live. Yes, you might require a bi-annual or other schedule for replacing batteries if you are playing so much more but the solution to the problem is... to not use the tremendous performance and tonal virtues of an active bass live??? Ok. You do you. But... ...for those that need or seeking advice that are open to hearing a different experience and approach- I'm here to tell you as an active bass (and sometimes passive bass) user and professional/gigging musician of 30 years- don't shy away from active bass because you're scared about the battery going out. Replace your battery! Once a year at least. It's impossibly simple maintenance and is usually for about 98% of us need it changed so infrequently. My experience is only ONCE in 30 years of playing (and practices) did a battery ever go out on me in any situation. I take the blame, but it also happened ONLY ONCE (in a practice, btw) in probably 10,000 hours or more of playing/practicing, and that infinitesimally small failure rate against playing time DOES NOT invalidate the wisdom of playing active basses live or does not make for reasonable "risk" argument against playing an active bass, live. Play what you want. But don't be afraid to play what you want because of a battery fear. Interesting and thought-provoking video, thanks.
I own passive and active bass guitars my G&L L-2500 tribute five string bass guitar is active and passive and has a bass boost and I really like passive bass guitar sounds my fender player series and my classic vibe 70's jazz bass and classic vibe 70's precision bass are passive 👌
I personally prefer passive basses. If I wanna mess with my tone in a more impactful way than the tone knob, I'll do that over on my amp or in post. Active basses are great, but when I had one I found myself fighting the electronics more than actually playing the damn thing. Whether you like one or the other more is entirely up to you, in my opinion neither is inherently better or worse than the other.
Have to agree, and I prefer passive setups, too, with Bartolini pickups in particular. I recently bought an Ibanez BTB 6 and it was out for work two days later to remove the preamp. It sounds far better now full-passive, and has become my main bass. Preference will depend so much on style and technique overall.
My point exactly. Whatever gets me playing the fastest is best for me. I can have a passive bass "dialed in" within 10 seconds and I'm grooving with the band. An active bass can take me 2 songs before I've got it figured out haha
Most of my basses are both active-passive. I still prefer the active in seeking sonic soundscapes & experimentation. Plus when battery 🪫 runs out, just switch to passive.😂
No engineers want to record an active bass. Record passive. The reasons are gain staging and high frequencies. We roll it all off in the mix 98% of the time.
Great Video Jayme! I couldn't agree more my BBP34 is my main however I have found myself playing active so much more just for the adjustability. BBP Wide Open, Active = More Control. 🤘🤘🤘🎸🎸🎸
I tended to prefer passive tone controls on most basses, until I got my Sadowsky recently. That boost-only preamp is MAGICAL! It just makes everything better. It’s not just that it’s louder, either, it also changes the character of the bass in an extremely pleasant way.
I have the best of both worlds my my Aria SB-1000 bass which has an 18v preamp with two 9v batteries but also functions as a passive bass if the batteries die. In this case the preamp isnt merely for EQ but it also adds a very unique character to the sound which makes it really stand out. To me it’s like the Rickenbacker of Japanese basses. A “character bass” for when you want a special unique flavor you cant really replicate easily.
I'm an active Bass Player for years. Mainly Fender Jazz (American Deluxe and Marcus Miller) and a StingRay. Love them Also owning a P Bass, which Works great for recording. But Just purchased reasently a Dingwall NG3. Don't like the active circut at all, but love the Passive sounds. But yeah, what ever works for you is fine. :)
solution: get a passive bass and a preamp pedal. both in one (kind of). Been using my jazz bass with a sadowsky preamp pedal which is the same they have on their active basses.
Wow! You are quite the versatile and talented bassist. To address the subject - I have a passive Jazz with stock pickups, a purely active bass with EMG DC&J and 3 band EQ, a bass with passive stock HBs and a 3 band eq with the midsweep, and a formerly passive bass that now was EMG PX x2 and the typical VVT setup. I am a bedroom guy , I like metal and RnB, i am not a pro , so take my words with salt, I prefer a simple sound that just works. I don't necessarily need crazy EQ. I just need good pickups + the right strings , fed into the right chain. THAT IS IT! I prefer to keep it simple. Perhaps if i were going live, I would rethink things. For tone or sound, it depends. I love the clarity of active EMG but I appreciate passive tones also! You can absolutely slam it with passives! Yes, a PBass has less tonal shaping on board, but, You can always use a graphic EQ to mold it!
Battery really is the problem with the Active Bass!! Specially if you only have 1 Bass used in practiced and Live Gigs!! So every 3 months i change the Battery!! or my Gutfeel says its going to drain already.. 😆
The battery thing is legit. Playing active isn't for everyone but if you choose to, discipline is needed to be on top of changing your battery regularly and not getting caught up on tone shaping.
What I don't like about most active basses, besides the potential for failure due to the battery (been there, done that XD), is the the choice of frequencies of many preamps. I consider having the lows central frequency below 80 hz useful only for cutting (at least live) and the highs above 6k completely useless (I often put a low pass filter at 6k!). The mids are a mixed bag: while 800 hz can be useful for boosting and 4-500 for cutting to control boxiness and mud, I simply wish there were more preamps controlling the 1-1.5k hz area, that is super useful for cutting through the mix. The first onboard preamp I really liked is a custom one that I had made according to my specifications (lows at 100 hz, mids at 1k and highs at 4k)
I love my Chapman 5 string with its 4 jazz bass style pickups, 2 at the neck and 2 at the bridge and a cut out switch on the tone control gives me 1 pick up at the neck in the off position and 1 at the bridge or all 4 pickups in the on position. Makes it great for solos as I dont have to touch my settings. The band I play in is s bit of an oddity as we all take solos, guitar, fiddle, keyboards, bass and drums.
i heard, the people who dont like active basses are the sound engineers. makes sense, though. so, id go for passive. thanks for making this very informative video!
I have found that messing with your tone and volume on stage is a fight with the front of house and that is just going to get them less motivated to make you sound better. Be the "set it and forget it" player. With that being said I see no value in an active bass that I cant get done better with a DI or pedal.
Interesting.... I'm trying to decide on which way to go for a custom bass. The 2 basses I have are active (EMGs with Eshtronic) so I don't really have a lot of experience with passives. however, I tried a passive bass with custom Kent Armstrong pickups on a convention and didn't find myself missing anything compared to my EMGs. That being said I of course wasn't able to directly a/b them against each other. I play metal and like a clear but still chracterful bass tone and I usually use an overdrive or even fuzz pedal (though still keeping some clean in the mix to keep the clarity). I'm not someone who usually changes their tone a whole lot on the fly. I typically find the setting I like most and stick with it for the most part. Plus, even though those batteries last a LONG time, I am constantly a little concerned about them crapping out at the wrong moment. had that happen once before when the battery died on my saturday afternoon while doing a last playthrough of my stuff before a gig in the evening. So I kinda lean towards getting a passive (probably with dual Nordstrand MM-style buckers, Bigman maybe? or a Bigman and a Splitman?) but would I miss something in sound as opposed to my active EMG-equipped Esh basses? It's not like they have a lot of additional tone-shaping, other than all the pickup-combinations and piezos, they only have a volume and a tone knob.
I really want a passive bass in my life. I bought my bass because i love the look of it. But, if I'm honest with myself, I never EVER take the dial above the mid notch. I'm just battery-ing up for batteries sake. And, with my ADHD, and when I'm goofing off, I fumble to remember which knob does what.
I'm active just make sure you have extra battery's, I learned that quick when I was a 16 ,we had a gig had to stop while I walk to a 7-Eleven,to get one funny times.
Passive is the best unless your after that active Bass tone. Passive doesn't need batteries, but an Active needs you to remember to change the batteries which is annoying. Passive Bass Wins in My opinion too
Love active EMGs. Alot more versatile. I also like passive pups w an active preamp. I gotta play it so I want to sound like I want, whether anybody cares or notices or not.
I personally like both active and passive basses. One of my most treasured bass guitars is a Yamaha trbx505. It’s the first bass I own that has a passive/active switching. I personally like this feature. Not only does it save my performance from a drained battery, but it also gives me the best of both worlds on going active and passive on one bass. I also have a modified Ibanez bass that has an onboard preamp containing active/passive switching. And I plan to do the same modifications on some of my other basses sometime soon.
I prefer active but I also play in a cover band that plays everything from 60s pop to todays hits. Plus I play through a DI. Just set the tone controls on the DI to neutral and use the eq on my bass to change the tone. Not very complicated really. But yes, fresh batteries are a must lol.
If you like the way an active plays there's basically no downside other than changing a battery every couple of months, maybe even years if you rarely play. Many actives also have the option to use them in a passive mode. My Warwick Thumb sounds the same in passive mode as it does in active with neutral settings. As always: Gear won't make you better, only practice does. You want to sound better? Practice more!
Most of my band doesn't even know if i screw up let alone the crowd ...let alone what I sound like. But i must say, i go for active/passive basses mostly, then passive ...if i need a boost, i have a preamp pedal. Love it!!
One of the great things about a G&L L2000 is that all the tone controls and series / parallel work in both passive and active modes. Many active basses don’t have “passive” tone controls. Anyway the whole active v passive debate is a bit academic. If you’re playing using amplification, the “active” bit is just amplification at a different part of the signal chain 😊😎
Having an active bass just means you’ve got EQ and amplification at a different part of the signal path - no great deal. The best functionality for me is the G&L L2000 or 2500. The tone controls are cut only and work the same in active or passive modes - actually begs the question why bother with the pre-amp except it has a treble boost setting. Most of the time I use a Mike Lull M5 and it’s usually all flat or sometimes the treble rolled back. Amp is usually flat too. I think you can get enough variation just by changing your plucking style / aggression
Do you plan to review that Stiletto Stealth in a more compact format (without patching it through the EHX Overlord)? There's more deluxe Pro vesrion (mahogany body, EMG pups & preamp, neck-through...) comming out right now, so how about a side by side test of the two?
It doesn’t matter…when you’re as good as Jayme and makes every instrument I’ve ever seen him play sound ridiculously good regardless of price,specs etc 🤘
Then the sound guy shoves 95% of your bass into the sub woofers of the PA via an aux send….with the fader on 2 1/2…. Nothing in the house above 150hz…. Nightmare….been there. With that said, I have a feeling that a great Passive Bass is going to be more audible in the house….what do you think? I mean about note clarity. I use Musicman’s on most gigs. I record on the stage and it sounds great with the drums and band….but a recording in the audience sounds disappointing sometimes. So, I think it’s cool you choose a passive bass often. I dig your playing! You are in Vegas? Do you ever hang out with the guys in Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns? Rochon, Keith, and Danny are some of the most workin’ Bass guys I know out there.
First off I enjoy watching all your videos. To be forthright I love passive basses, especially Precision Basses. When I play rhythm guitar I'm exactly the opposite I love the active EMG 81 and 85 set. However bass is my primary instrument and nothing beats the good ol' standby basics.
Two of my active basses have active/passive switches. My practice Ibanez SR600E is kept passive to spare unplugging after practice. I gig my SR2600 in active.
My main basses are an active/passive 'vette and a passive J (both 5s), though I prefer the feel of the Warwick. I play country/rock and love the deep tone you get on a lot of the basses in the video. With both basses, (all my basses, really) I run into muddy when I try to get the deep and smooth tone (through a Lil Mark 800). I love that Spector tone @5:20. Any tips to get that clear, deep tone?
Best gear vid ive ever seen. In and out of the mix, different styles, different techniques, different basses to illustrate a concept, examples are to the point, live vs in studio, etc. This was perfect.
I love (great) passive basses! Who doesn’t? But in certain situations (when I have to us more than a few pedals), I really love active pickups by EMG, but without the mostly shitty active onboard electronics (I just use volumes and tone). I use various preamps or preamp pedals for tone, that are way better. Pedals just love old style active EMG’s without active electronics! Especially octavers and other dynamic sensitive pedals! Way better than passive pickups. The only basses I love active electronics in, are my various EB MusicMan StingRays. And, I used to love my ‘80’s Spector NS-2 by Kramer. Stupid me sold it years ago! Never will forget that bass... 🖖
I play metal I prefer active because I can control the tone of my distortion without having to mess with my pedal but when I’m in the studio I use passive active is better live in my opinion.
My Sire M2 has a great preamp, 18v , variable mid, passive tone control. But as soon as I change somethin on my bass preamp, then the setting for the other pedals also change... Also the preamp got so much 'color', it affects other things in signal chain (less clarity). I even turn the preamp gain down low, but to no effect. Then I took the preamp out, wired it J bass style, VVT. Like it so much better. I still use active basses tho, if I went direct with just the bass and nothing else in the signal chain. Learn something new about myself. I love passive bass !
I find most, not all, active bass's stick out live to much & most active bass's have a weird tone that grates my ears ,no matter the maker...i think passive bass's sound more organic,real...active bass's are great for a couple of songs ,a gig of them & i'm bored with the same tone poking out on every song..& what a waste of beautiful woods on active bass's as their is no such thing as tonewoods with active bass's ....with passive bass's yes the wood helps define the tone but not on active bass's...yes i have both ,mostly Fender passive bass's but use my active bass's passively, Ibanez E600 & got an old SRX360 which i ripped out the pre-amp & use passively now, sounds better imo... and who cares if i forgot to get a fresh battery...seen live 3 times now the bass players bass stops playing as they never checked their battery... embarrasing
Absolutely loving the content!!! One question though at 4:22 is there any tabs on this song? It sounds very funky and would be amazing to play!
Thanks! Most of the songs from this video (and all of my videos) are TAB'ed out with bass-less jam tracks at www.jaymelewis.com/bassacademy - but unfortunately this one isn't. YET! If you'd like me to make it the next lesson to add just go sign up for the free 14 day trial and I'll make it happen :)
"...nobody would notice. And also they probably won't care either." That is so true. Same goes for string brands, amps, and pedals. Both bass and guitar. Only the musicians care about any of those things.
But people can feel it.Musicians do many many tiny things right,so they make arts happen.
Of course, but hos point is that if there would be a rate, where all those tyny thing can ad up to 10/10 sound. From 8.5 to 10 normal listener would not have the slightests idea of what could improve. They just enjoy the feeling. So for them an 8.5 sound is as good as a 10.
So yeah.... Tone print is more of and artist preference than most fans preference. Unless fan is a musician itself
They can hear though, even if they don't know what they're hearing. And most importantly, it's how the musician feels when playing.
Something's wrong with your hearing
Ian Martin Allison from Scott’s Bass Lessons always says in the end they all just go boom boom boom 🤣
I had a new (brand name) battery decide to leak acid during a gig.
Felt something warm on my leg (dangerously close to Mr Sausage) tilted my bass a bit to see what it was and yep.
I caught it in time, so only a slight burn... but it did scare the sh*t out of me.
I won't be using an active bass again as
I prefer my sausage uncooked.
IMHO, better to have an Active Bass with an Active/Passive switch; best of both worlds.
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
man, you're such a great bass player. thanks for making these!
Thank you!
The fact that you need a battery for an instrument that plugs into an amp with a cable is ridiculous. Why do they have phantom power for mics but not for guitars is beyond me.
Good basses are good basses. A good active can work anywhere. That said, there is much less to screw up with a passive bass as long as the basic tone and setup is good. Active basses with passive bypass can be life savers.
Active dean basses. Played 100s of shows with no amp. Just plugged straight into a D.I. box and used monitors. No need to haul anything else. Same with electric acoustics, built in pre-amp.🍻
"dies mid song"... Why not just change the battery before a gig? If you are cheap and don't wanna toss your last battery cause it still has juice, you can just swap it back. I seriously doubt a 9 volt battery will die in one gig
My battery takes a long time to die. It will get distorted for a week or two before death. Plenty of warning time.🍻
Came for the education, stayed for the classic horror movies in the background. 10/10 fricheks
Haha thanks!
I prefer an active bass player. The passive ones need to contribute more to the show.
I prefer passive basses. I don't own any fully active basses. I do have a couple that are passive with an active preamp built in, which is kind of like the best of both worlds IMO.
90% of active bass's have passive pickups with a pre-amp ....i prefer Ibanez active bass's as i can make them play passively live & active in recording....sadly with a real active pickup bass you got to have spare batteries as they won't play passively.....i agree they are the best of both...
It doesn't sound true that active basses have no character. The Musicman bass is one of those basses that has a character that is so easy to recognize. At the same time it can be used in so many different genres. Just remember the sound of Pino Palladino with Paul Young in the 80's, Flea, Rage Against the Machine, Louis Johnson and so many more. So how can any reasonable person say that active basses have no character when in reality active basses have many characters not just one?
I made my Ibanez passive. Screw batteries, save the planet 😂
You are such a versatile and technically accurate player! Always enjoy listening!
thank you!
Active basses were a requirement of the past IMHO. Nowadays the pedals, mixers, speakers and amplifiers are much more versatile and you can bring out any tone by adjusting EQ and dynamics. I am very happy with my fully passive bass and I am getting amazing sound even using just a DI. The DI pedals are very comprehensive in terms of tone requirements, they have very good 4 band EQ, compressor and clarity settings. So why bother with a battery on the instrument.
to my ears, passive sounds prettier.
I do not find that passive basses are as "a general rule" to be "quieter", meaning- lower output. I have some active Fender Jazz Basses that have LESS output than their passive versions, and yes, the pickups and such are properly and fairly adjusted. Conversely, while I don't have any passive versions of a Stingray, every one of my (active) Stingrays has more output than ANY Fender bass I own, active or passive. So... there is NO "general rule" regarding the idea that actives have more output than passive basses aspect. Regarding the active basses and the battery going dead, sorry that happened to you, but for some, and likely most that are watching, a yearly check and replace of a 9-volt in EVERY active bass you own is just simple basic maintenance, like replacing HVAC filters, and well... even 9 volt batteries in smoke alarms in the places you live. Yes, you might require a bi-annual or other schedule for replacing batteries if you are playing so much more but the solution to the problem is... to not use the tremendous performance and tonal virtues of an active bass live??? Ok. You do you. But... ...for those that need or seeking advice that are open to hearing a different experience and approach- I'm here to tell you as an active bass (and sometimes passive bass) user and professional/gigging musician of 30 years- don't shy away from active bass because you're scared about the battery going out. Replace your battery! Once a year at least. It's impossibly simple maintenance and is usually for about 98% of us need it changed so infrequently. My experience is only ONCE in 30 years of playing (and practices) did a battery ever go out on me in any situation. I take the blame, but it also happened ONLY ONCE (in a practice, btw) in probably 10,000 hours or more of playing/practicing, and that infinitesimally small failure rate against playing time DOES NOT invalidate the wisdom of playing active basses live or does not make for reasonable "risk" argument against playing an active bass, live. Play what you want. But don't be afraid to play what you want because of a battery fear. Interesting and thought-provoking video, thanks.
I own passive and active bass guitars my G&L L-2500 tribute five string bass guitar is active and passive and has a bass boost and I really like passive bass guitar sounds my fender player series and my classic vibe 70's jazz bass and classic vibe 70's precision bass are passive 👌
I have an active with a switch. I typically run passive and switch on the preamp when I slap.
active basses are stupid. active basses are for narcissists.
Oh, this guy can friggin play! 🔥🔥🔥
An active bass often has a switch to be active or passive. So buy an active bass and use it as a passive bass.
I personally prefer passive basses. If I wanna mess with my tone in a more impactful way than the tone knob, I'll do that over on my amp or in post. Active basses are great, but when I had one I found myself fighting the electronics more than actually playing the damn thing. Whether you like one or the other more is entirely up to you, in my opinion neither is inherently better or worse than the other.
Have to agree, and I prefer passive setups, too, with Bartolini pickups in particular. I recently bought an Ibanez BTB 6 and it was out for work two days later to remove the preamp. It sounds far better now full-passive, and has become my main bass. Preference will depend so much on style and technique overall.
My point exactly. Whatever gets me playing the fastest is best for me. I can have a passive bass "dialed in" within 10 seconds and I'm grooving with the band. An active bass can take me 2 songs before I've got it figured out haha
Most of my basses are both active-passive. I still prefer the active in seeking sonic soundscapes & experimentation. Plus when battery 🪫 runs out, just switch to passive.😂
No engineers want to record an active bass. Record passive. The reasons are gain staging and high frequencies. We roll it all off in the mix 98% of the time.
I currently play a passive bass, but I like the active sound so much better
Get some high capacity accus without memory effect, swap em over at each gig...oh, and a bass with active passive switching...job done, now go play.
Great Video Jayme! I couldn't agree more my BBP34 is my main however I have found myself playing active so much more just for the adjustability. BBP Wide Open, Active = More Control. 🤘🤘🤘🎸🎸🎸
I tended to prefer passive tone controls on most basses, until I got my Sadowsky recently. That boost-only preamp is MAGICAL! It just makes everything better. It’s not just that it’s louder, either, it also changes the character of the bass in an extremely pleasant way.
I have the best of both worlds my my Aria SB-1000 bass which has an 18v preamp with two 9v batteries but also functions as a passive bass if the batteries die. In this case the preamp isnt merely for EQ but it also adds a very unique character to the sound which makes it really stand out. To me it’s like the Rickenbacker of Japanese basses. A “character bass” for when you want a special unique flavor you cant really replicate easily.
man I really like that you took us in and out of the mix to hear what the bass tone was doing... smart! thanks
I'm an active Bass Player for years. Mainly Fender Jazz (American Deluxe and Marcus Miller) and a StingRay. Love them Also owning a P Bass, which Works great for recording. But Just purchased reasently a Dingwall NG3. Don't like the active circut at all, but love the Passive sounds.
But yeah, what ever works for you is fine. :)
solution: get a passive bass and a preamp pedal. both in one (kind of). Been using my jazz bass with a sadowsky preamp pedal which is the same they have on their active basses.
Wow! You are quite the versatile and talented bassist.
To address the subject - I have a passive Jazz with stock pickups, a purely active bass with EMG DC&J and 3 band EQ, a bass with passive stock HBs and a 3 band eq with the midsweep, and a formerly passive bass that now was EMG PX x2 and the typical VVT setup.
I am a bedroom guy , I like metal and RnB, i am not a pro , so take my words with salt, I prefer a simple sound that just works. I don't necessarily need crazy EQ. I just need good pickups + the right strings , fed into the right chain. THAT IS IT! I prefer to keep it simple. Perhaps if i were going live, I would rethink things.
For tone or sound, it depends. I love the clarity of active EMG but I appreciate passive tones also! You can absolutely slam it with passives! Yes, a PBass has less tonal shaping on board, but, You can always use a graphic EQ to mold it!
Battery really is the problem with the Active Bass!! Specially if you only have 1 Bass used in practiced and Live Gigs!! So every 3 months i change the Battery!! or my Gutfeel says its going to drain already.. 😆
The battery thing is legit. Playing active isn't for everyone but if you choose to, discipline is needed to be on top of changing your battery regularly and not getting caught up on tone shaping.
What I don't like about most active basses, besides the potential for failure due to the battery (been there, done that XD), is the the choice of frequencies of many preamps. I consider having the lows central frequency below 80 hz useful only for cutting (at least live) and the highs above 6k completely useless (I often put a low pass filter at 6k!). The mids are a mixed bag: while 800 hz can be useful for boosting and 4-500 for cutting to control boxiness and mud, I simply wish there were more preamps controlling the 1-1.5k hz area, that is super useful for cutting through the mix. The first onboard preamp I really liked is a custom one that I had made according to my specifications (lows at 100 hz, mids at 1k and highs at 4k)
I love my Chapman 5 string with its 4 jazz bass style pickups, 2 at the neck and 2 at the bridge and a cut out switch on the tone control gives me 1 pick up at the neck in the off position and 1 at the bridge or all 4 pickups in the on position. Makes it great for solos as I dont have to touch my settings. The band I play in is s bit of an oddity as we all take solos, guitar, fiddle, keyboards, bass and drums.
i heard, the people who dont like active basses are the sound engineers. makes sense, though. so, id go for passive. thanks for making this very informative video!
I have found that messing with your tone and volume on stage is a fight with the front of house and that is just going to get them less motivated to make you sound better. Be the "set it and forget it" player. With that being said I see no value in an active bass that I cant get done better with a DI or pedal.
Interesting.... I'm trying to decide on which way to go for a custom bass. The 2 basses I have are active (EMGs with Eshtronic) so I don't really have a lot of experience with passives. however, I tried a passive bass with custom Kent Armstrong pickups on a convention and didn't find myself missing anything compared to my EMGs. That being said I of course wasn't able to directly a/b them against each other. I play metal and like a clear but still chracterful bass tone and I usually use an overdrive or even fuzz pedal (though still keeping some clean in the mix to keep the clarity). I'm not someone who usually changes their tone a whole lot on the fly. I typically find the setting I like most and stick with it for the most part. Plus, even though those batteries last a LONG time, I am constantly a little concerned about them crapping out at the wrong moment. had that happen once before when the battery died on my saturday afternoon while doing a last playthrough of my stuff before a gig in the evening. So I kinda lean towards getting a passive (probably with dual Nordstrand MM-style buckers, Bigman maybe? or a Bigman and a Splitman?) but would I miss something in sound as opposed to my active EMG-equipped Esh basses? It's not like they have a lot of additional tone-shaping, other than all the pickup-combinations and piezos, they only have a volume and a tone knob.
I really want a passive bass in my life. I bought my bass because i love the look of it. But, if I'm honest with myself, I never EVER take the dial above the mid notch. I'm just battery-ing up for batteries sake. And, with my ADHD, and when I'm goofing off, I fumble to remember which knob does what.
I'm active just make sure you have extra battery's, I learned that quick when I was a 16 ,we had a gig had to stop while I walk to a 7-Eleven,to get one funny times.
What do you think of passive 5 string basses? Ever played any?
Passive is the best unless your after that active Bass tone. Passive doesn't need batteries, but an Active needs you to remember to change the batteries which is annoying. Passive Bass Wins in My opinion too
Nicely done, with a balanced perspective. Something that’s seems to be missing in a lot of today’s culture.
Are there passive-aggressive basses?
Awesome video. Definitely acitve, by my standards.
active or passive? depends on your style I think... personally i only use passive for many years.
Active... Passive is to bland and mild. If I played blues or country I might find a passive more suitable but not so much for progressive metal
Ya for prog metal I'd prefer an active 5 too
When I was starting for me it was the active basses but as I got older I went back to my P bass.
i thougth the freddy kruger on the corner was a real dude 😥😥😥
Absolutely excellent video content!🎯✌️🎯
Bull there's a big difference if you can't hear the difference go see you docter
Love active EMGs. Alot more versatile. I also like passive pups w an active preamp. I gotta play it so I want to sound like I want, whether anybody cares or notices or not.
I personally like both active and passive basses. One of my most treasured bass guitars is a Yamaha trbx505. It’s the first bass I own that has a passive/active switching. I personally like this feature. Not only does it save my performance from a drained battery, but it also gives me the best of both worlds on going active and passive on one bass. I also have a modified Ibanez bass that has an onboard preamp containing active/passive switching. And I plan to do the same modifications on some of my other basses sometime soon.
My treasure is fender flea usa active bass
Agreed, the switch is definitely a plus if the extra weight of an active bass isn't an issue
That HB PJ sounded great! Like wow!
You could just not buy cheap batteries...
passive. i dont like thinking about when the battery will die
I prefer active but I also play in a cover band that plays everything from 60s pop to todays hits. Plus I play through a DI. Just set the tone controls on the DI to neutral and use the eq on my bass to change the tone. Not very complicated really. But yes, fresh batteries are a must lol.
I like when my battery is going. I get a kind of black Sabbath distortion.🍻
5-strings = active
4-strings = passive
7:27 Does anyone know the name of this song
What's the name of the song at 9:08?
Passive is the way to go.
If you like the way an active plays there's basically no downside other than changing a battery every couple of months, maybe even years if you rarely play. Many actives also have the option to use them in a passive mode. My Warwick Thumb sounds the same in passive mode as it does in active with neutral settings. As always: Gear won't make you better, only practice does. You want to sound better? Practice more!
Most of my band doesn't even know if i screw up let alone the crowd ...let alone what I sound like. But i must say, i go for active/passive basses mostly, then passive ...if i need a boost, i have a preamp pedal. Love it!!
Thanks!
2:52 song name?
There is a difference...?😅
One of the great things about a G&L L2000 is that all the tone controls and series / parallel work in both passive and active modes. Many active basses don’t have “passive” tone controls.
Anyway the whole active v passive debate is a bit academic. If you’re playing using amplification, the “active” bit is just amplification at a different part of the signal chain 😊😎
I love the passive treble and bass cut tone control on the L2000. G&L L2000 is a passive tonal beast.
@@wei-chengfang9904 I had a USA L2500 for a while. Totally awesome but for one drawback. It weighed 12 lbs. Ungiggable for an old timer like me 😎😄
Passive
What a nama song start at 2:50?
Dude, the control and mastery you have over so many different techniques is amazing! Excellent content!
Having an active bass just means you’ve got EQ and amplification at a different part of the signal path - no great deal. The best functionality for me is the G&L L2000 or 2500. The tone controls are cut only and work the same in active or passive modes - actually begs the question why bother with the pre-amp except it has a treble boost setting.
Most of the time I use a Mike Lull M5 and it’s usually all flat or sometimes the treble rolled back. Amp is usually flat too. I think you can get enough variation just by changing your plucking style / aggression
Jayme I play a passive bass J bass , I never played an active one can I play one of yours, please,
PLEASE, I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT
Passive with a preamp. Ex. P or J Bass thru a SansAmp or MXR Bass M-80. No batteries mishaps. You do need a good amp of course.
Your playing is so damn good my man
thank you!
Do you plan to review that Stiletto Stealth in a more compact format (without patching it through the EHX Overlord)? There's more deluxe Pro vesrion (mahogany body, EMG pups & preamp, neck-through...) comming out right now, so how about a side by side test of the two?
It doesn’t matter…when you’re as good as Jayme and makes every instrument I’ve ever seen him play sound ridiculously good regardless of price,specs etc 🤘
Then the sound guy shoves 95% of your bass into the sub woofers of the PA via an aux send….with the fader on 2 1/2…. Nothing in the house above 150hz…. Nightmare….been there. With that said, I have a feeling that a great Passive Bass is going to be more audible in the house….what do you think? I mean about note clarity. I use Musicman’s on most gigs. I record on the stage and it sounds great with the drums and band….but a recording in the audience sounds disappointing sometimes. So, I think it’s cool you choose a passive bass often. I dig your playing! You are in Vegas? Do you ever hang out with the guys in Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns? Rochon, Keith, and Danny are some of the most workin’ Bass guys I know out there.
First off I enjoy watching all your videos. To be forthright I love passive basses, especially Precision Basses. When I play rhythm guitar I'm exactly the opposite I love the active EMG 81 and 85 set. However bass is my primary instrument and nothing beats the good ol' standby basics.
I use passive together with my b3n. My theory is, effects has a preamps and pedal options. Thoughts?
Amazing video! Wry informative, thank you!
P.s- May I ask who does your tattoos !?
Two of my active basses have active/passive switches. My practice Ibanez SR600E is kept passive to spare unplugging after practice. I gig my SR2600 in active.
My main basses are an active/passive 'vette and a passive J (both 5s), though I prefer the feel of the Warwick. I play country/rock and love the deep tone you get on a lot of the basses in the video. With both basses, (all my basses, really) I run into muddy when I try to get the deep and smooth tone (through a Lil Mark 800). I love that Spector tone @5:20. Any tips to get that clear, deep tone?
That little clip of you playing live with the gibson grabber sounded great...I guess Gene Simmons was really onto something...
Sterile clinical silent polite stages= active preamp.
Where cut through vocal midrange is needed any love stage with monitors = passive electronics
Best gear vid ive ever seen. In and out of the mix, different styles, different techniques, different basses to illustrate a concept, examples are to the point, live vs in studio, etc. This was perfect.
I love (great) passive basses! Who doesn’t?
But in certain situations (when I have to us more than a few pedals), I really love active pickups by EMG, but without the mostly shitty active onboard electronics (I just use volumes and tone). I use various preamps or preamp pedals for tone, that are way better. Pedals just love old style active EMG’s without active electronics! Especially octavers and other dynamic sensitive pedals! Way better than passive pickups.
The only basses I love active electronics in, are my various EB MusicMan StingRays.
And, I used to love my ‘80’s Spector NS-2 by Kramer. Stupid me sold it years ago! Never will forget that bass...
🖖
You already know the motto; all passive err'thang. Active and noiseless pickups can kick rocks.
I play metal I prefer active because I can control the tone of my distortion without having to mess with my pedal but when I’m in the studio I use passive active is better live in my opinion.
My Sire M2 has a great preamp, 18v , variable mid, passive tone control.
But as soon as I change somethin on my bass preamp, then the setting for the other pedals also change... Also the preamp got so much 'color', it affects other things in signal chain (less clarity). I even turn the preamp gain down low, but to no effect.
Then I took the preamp out, wired it J bass style, VVT. Like it so much better.
I still use active basses tho, if I went direct with just the bass and nothing else in the signal chain.
Learn something new about myself. I love passive bass !
I find most, not all, active bass's stick out live to much & most active bass's have a weird tone that grates my ears ,no matter the maker...i think passive bass's sound more organic,real...active bass's are great for a couple of songs ,a gig of them & i'm bored with the same tone poking out on every song..& what a waste of beautiful woods on active bass's as their is no such thing as tonewoods with active bass's
....with passive bass's yes the wood helps define the tone but not on active bass's...yes i have both ,mostly Fender passive bass's but use my active bass's passively, Ibanez E600 & got an old SRX360 which i ripped out the pre-amp & use passively now, sounds better imo...
and who cares if i forgot to get a fresh battery...seen live 3 times now the bass players bass stops playing as they never checked their battery... embarrasing
Your P bass has 2 knobs? What a fancy man. Mine has 1. The slick p bass.
Thanks Jayme,I just installed EMG's on my P Bass ,sounds modern yet still can sound old school!
Active jazz bass with ability to turn of active electronics.
I prefer the natural midrange of a good passive pickup pickup
For me I like active basses with a passive switch. I barely ever play active but they look cooler
Why not have a bass with push/pull option? That's how I roll
Nice video, and like your playing very much Who ever you are