Had My P Dlx De-Active-ized

[FrankJohnson]

So I love this bass, but the active system just wasn't me. I will probably regret it, but it won't be the first time. Had a friend who loves to dabble pull the preamp so it could be reinstalled if I want, and wired it like a Jazz, but put a phase inversion to the bridge pup to bass-en it up some. My Jag has this setup for the neck pup to make it more P Like, but I think it just adds more low end and oooomph. I like it.

At any rate - It comes back to me thursday and I will play it in at our jam. It won't look any different, except the bottom knob becomes a micro switch for phase inversion . I am more than a little stoked.

[melody]

Nice looking bass Frank...
Yeah active electronics has nevre been my bag either..

[FrankJohnson]

I never had an issue with it - and it wasn't broke.

I guess I am getting older or something

[ch willie]

My band's other guitarist swears that active pups take the dynamics out of the sound. I had some in my Strat for a short time. I didn't care for them.

[FrankJohnson]

I dont' really agree with it - not all together.

I had a jazz dlx with active setup - and LOVED it
I should have never gotten rid of that bass!

This setup sounded good - but was not the BE ALL

My Jag sounds exactly like I want with its active setup -
my friend has a jazz he re-fit and also another (I can't recall which make) which he did a stellar job on. the are great!!!

My hope is - that this becomes one of the top five again in the arsenal - joining the Roadworn Jazz, Yamaha BB2000, Jag and don't laugh - SX and also my Frankenjazz

[chuckocaster]

They have a time and place. I personally only care for the Stingray circuit. But have mixed plenty of guys who make them sound good. I think the problem is overuse.

[S. Cane]

Curse me if you will, but I won't play anything active, my fingers and my style are the batteries I need for my tone.

[FrankJohnson]

Your Kung Fu is strong de melo!

my claptoon strat has great sounds - coaxed by a battery and circuit - its just how it works. each instrument its own universe.

Speak carefully of always and never - they forgive little
(I just thunk of that - kind of wise sounding I think!)

[ch willie]

I know active pups can sound great. I was just disappointed by the sets I put in my Strat and Tele about a year ago. They were powerful, but I couldn't get used to them and didn't want to I realized.

I am sure that they can sound wonderful in a bass too.

Maybe because I long for inactivity in my life, I look for it in my guitars??????

[FrankJohnson]

I have a friend with a strat that he had wired with an active system of some type - and it ALWAYS sounds amazing! I couldn't tell you what he has in it - but WOW!!! That said - he sounds great through anything and I bow in subservience to him!

[smitty_p]

Unless the music is very high-gain fare like heavy metal, I don't usually like actives in guitars. But, I do sort of like actives in bass. I guess actives tend to give a bass a crisper punch.

However, the right passives can sound good in bass, too.

[FrankJohnson]

that strat was clear as a bell! Same on the Clapton - bbut it gets real greazy through a tweed like a bassman or a Blues Jr. and then really pushed with the active circuit

[Heket]

I have one active bass (Stingray type) and one passive (P-bass). I'm glad I have at least one of each as I do play rock and metal and like the extra push. The Ray is easily twice as loud as the P-bass with a heck of a lot more tonal options even with a 2-band EQ. I like it but it is really super hot. Funny though I don't like active guitars so much.

[FrankJohnson]

Ok - so far - it is ok - most sensitive in the last 9-10 range of the volume and tone pots.

I can work with that - the bass sets up great - and the phase switch adds some oooomph while rolling off highs for a more vintagy - flats kind of sound.

all of that said - it plays great - and I like it. I probably wouldn't have gutted it though if I had been able to a/b them.

[chuckocaster]

There are some systems where you can switch from active to passive, that way you can A/B them or use them judiciously. I'm of the ilk though of keeping things as simple as possible. Honestly, I don't really ever change the settings on my basses. More often than not, I have the knobs turned all of the way up and vary my technique to change the tone.

Did you change the pots? I ask simply for the fact that you may not be loading the pickups properly. That might be why you don't have much of a taper on the pots.

Best of luck to you amigo!

[FrankJohnson]

yep had to change the pots - the ones in the circuit were not standard ones. I can't remember - are the typical pots audio or linear taper? That being the case I may need to switch to the opposite - but I agree - I am usually a set it and forget it guy. The cool thing is - the bass still plays and sounds great.

[Gravity Jim]

Disdain for actives and the belief that they are only for high-gain sounds is based on myth, and perpetuated by pictures in guitar mags and the Interweb echo chamber. Active systems are common among pro players. If Vince Gill is metal...

The P-Deluxe uses passive pickups and an active tone control. This doesn't change the character of the pups: it just allows you to both boost and cut frequencies, instead of only cutting them by shunting them to ground. It's a good thing.

This makes the P-Deluxe amazingly versatile. I replaced the P-pup in mine with a Fender 57/62, and with the tone controls set flat and some foam jammed in the bridge cover, it's as "vintage" - whatever that means - as any passive Precision. I agree that you'll likely regret the change. My 1996 American P-Deluxe is the best bass ever.