Will this make my passive bass active?

[redzombie]

Sorry for the dumb question, but if I put one of these at the beginning of my effects chain, will it effectively make my passive bass an EQ-less active?

I'm thinking of getting one, so I can keep volume levels the same when I change basses. Since it can increase volume, it made me wonder.

Edited December 17, 2008 by redzombie

[cheddatom]

I would imagine it reduces signal level, rather than increasing it. You would have it turned on to reduce the level of your actives, and off to balance with your passives.

[BOD2]

No - not if I understand the blurb about it correctly.

It's an "attenuator". That means it CUTS volume rather than adds volume. I think the idea here is that you can preset a lower volume setting using this box and switch to that or full volume (box bypassed) with the footswitch.

[redzombie]

Ah gotcha, thank you both for your help, you've saved me some potential disappointment. I think I'll just pick up a clean boost instead

[~tl]

I think the phrase "[b]Passive[/b] Attenuator" on the front of the pedal says it all...

[redzombie]

[quote name='~tl' post='357211' date='Dec 17 2008, 06:11 PM']I think the phrase "[b]Passive[/b] Attenuator" on the front of the pedal says it all...[/quote]

LOL I should've read the effing small print!

It's honestly barely readable to me, unless I get right up close to my monitor.

Edited December 17, 2008 by redzombie

[OutToPlayJazz]

The Sadowsky Preamp pedal/di or the new Aguilar Tone Hammer are other ways of doing it.

[bass_ferret]

Or Sansamp, EBS MBII, MXR etc. Lots of products to suit any budget.

Perhaps you should get a new monitor first though

Edited December 18, 2008 by bass_ferret

[redzombie]

LOL, I'll be getting a new monitor in Feburary hopefully once I've finished off my pedalboard (nearly there).

I already have 2 Sansamps always on, I do a pseudo bi-amping thing with an LS-2, one Sansamp in each loop. An extra Sansamp-type device is a bit overkill for what I'm looking for

I might give the MXR Micro Amp a go, though I've heard it can be a tad noisy. TBH I didn't really wanna spend much more than £50. I know there's the EHX LBP-1 but, a few people have told me that it adds it's own character to your tone I want something as clean as possible.

I might just get a cheap EQ pedal and only use the level control. Harley Benton do a decent enough GEB7 knock off, I already own one so I'll have to try it at rehersal tomorrow.

EDIT: Actually bollocks, I'm being completely thick. I'll just get another EQ and put it between my board and passive bass, whenever I use it. That way it has an outboard EQ as well as something to keep the volume equal with my active (provided 15db of boost is enough). Thanks for the suggestions

Edited December 18, 2008 by redzombie

[Silent Fly]

[quote name='redzombie' post='356982' date='Dec 17 2008, 02:27 PM']Sorry for the dumb question, but if I put one of these at the beginning of my effects chain, will it effectively make my passive bass an EQ-less active?

I'm thinking of getting one, so I can keep volume levels the same when I change basses. Since it can increase volume, it made me wonder.

[...][/quote]

I think this might be exactly what you’re looking for but you need to make it work in "reverse".

If you have two basses (e.g. #1 active-hot output, #2 passive), you need to keep the pedal on when you use bass #1 and off when you use bass #2.

Compared to other solutions, this pedal, thanks to its simplicity, does not alter the sound in any way. As far as I can understand, the signal goes only through a passive attenuator, without any transistor-based circuit/component. In a nutshell, apart from a different volume level, the pedal shouldn’t affect the signal or add any noise.

I have been building similar pedals (in a smaller size) and users always find them very effective.

I hope the above helps.

[dannybuoy]

Also check to see if your active bass has an internal trimpot to reduce the volume to match your passive bass.

[ahpook]

[quote name='redzombie' post='357683' date='Dec 18 2008, 11:14 AM']I might give the MXR Micro Amp a go, though I've heard it can be a tad noisy.[/quote]

not in my experience - i've owned two and they were both fine...no noise issues at all.

[umph]

[quote name='Silent Fly' post='357804' date='Dec 18 2008, 12:29 PM']I think this might be exactly what you’re looking for but you need to make it work in "reverse".

If you have two basses (e.g. #1 active-hot output, #2 passive), you need to keep the pedal on when you use bass #1 and off when you use bass #2.

Compared to other solutions, this pedal, thanks to its simplicity, does not alter the sound in any way. As far as I can understand, the signal goes only through a passive attenuator, without any transistor-based circuit/component. In a nutshell, apart from a different volume level, the pedal shouldn’t affect the signal or add any noise.

I have been building similar pedals (in a smaller size) and users always find them very effective.

I hope the above helps.[/quote]
you do lose some treble bleeding signal to the ground but thats about it

[Silent Fly]

[quote name='umph' post='357934' date='Dec 18 2008, 02:16 PM']you do lose some treble bleeding signal to the ground but thats about it[/quote]

Good point - but this happens only if the source is a passive bass. If the bass is active like in this case, the pedal will not affect the sound.

[rmorris]

if you're handy, or know someone who is, with a soldering iron and resistors etc it might be worth rewiring the volume pot on the active bass so that its maximum output matches that of the passive.
Assuming the active doesn't have a trimpot to do that anyway.

[umph]

or just get someone to make you a preamp in a box thats switchable?