Notes clipping when preamp bypassed

[Greggo]

I've got a stingray copy bass with one humbucker and a 3 band preamp and recently I pulled battery on preamp and started using passive. I personally think that it sounds better this way as the preamp adds too much bass and loses treble.

Anyway, only snag is that in passive "mode" the lower notes (low b, we and a) clip when played hard with finger. I'd this clipping likely to be with it still being connected to preamp albeit with no battery? If I hard wired it passive would this rid problem? I'm not very technical but didn't know if it is an impedance mismatch in wiring.

Thanks

[lettsguitars]

I think you're right. Not sure, but a preamp with a dead battery (no battery) is not what you want. You need a bypass switch.

[bremen]

Mr Guitars is correct. Running the pickups through an unpowered pre will add bad, bad distortion.

If you want to do it passive properly you'll need to bypass the pre completely and replace the pots as they'll be too low impedance and will suck tone.

[Greggo]

Thanks for replies. I think I will definitely do a passive wire up for preference (I think someone on basschat in a previous query did mention they can do solderless kits which may help me!). Does make me realise the preamp itself does take away a lot of character from pickups and arguably sounds closer to a ray passive than with preamp, bizarrely.

[bremen]

Kiogon is your man for solderless kits. I may have spelled his name wrong. Anyway, he's the guy looks uncannily like Duck Dunn.