Freddy-Bl00D
So im thinking of modding a j bass a lil.. I want to install a onboard preamp, hopefully the j-retro if i can manage to get my hands on one without spending too much... So ive read arround on different forums and everywhere they say you can still use you stock passive pups with the preamp.. But i have the desire to upgrade pups aswel.. The preamp has a Active/ Passive switch so if i get battery problems or something on stage i can switch to passive mode...
So which pickups should i get? Will active pickups work in passive mode? And will the passive pups sound descent in active mode?
Thanks, im a newbie to active electronics so any advice or knowledge wil help
guidothepimmp
I speak under correction but actives cannot work as passives if we are talking traditional active and passive.
Actiives need the batteries to produce the signal while passives use the magnet and the windings to generate their signal.
What I have heard of are passive pups working together with active circuitry, but that serves a different purpose like boosting mids and things like that. Also, active and passive pups used in combination. My bass has that, where the active pup is marginally higher out put than the passive.
Shees, I'm actually confusing myself typing this.. Errrmm, I'm sure someone more helpful will be along shortly :-[
AlanRatcliffe
Got to be honest, I'm a die-hard passive fan, but I can appreciate some of the active tones (Stingrays, Alembics).
Passive pickups with an active preamp or tone circuit is a fairly common combo - at the end of the day you have a low impedance output with either, which is what makes the real difference. Gives you a wider range of pickups to choose from too.
As to which passives... what do you like? What does the bass sound like now and how would you like it to change? I'd usually recommend fitting the preamp first and seeing where that takes you, but if you aren't happy with the passive tone, start there and get it where you want it to be and then go active.
Freddy-Bl00D
Awesome thanks a million... The plan is to get the preamp firts and if that makes me happy i'll stick to it, if i feel have the need for more ill go bigger.. But the botomline is i'll need passives when that day comes and thats al I wanted to know ? thanks a million
