Fender Precision Lyte (MIJ) - is there a passive version?

[Marc S]

Hi all. I took this bass in trade some time back, and I have a question about its electronics.

 

I previously had one of these, and it had active electronics. My memory might be failing me - but I thought they were all active. However this one is passive.

 

I can see that some soldering has taken place - but i can't tell whether this was once active or not? I'm not sure there's room for a battery? I removed the pickup covers a while back, and couldn't see evidence of tampering, or tell if these were replacements.

 

Did Fender Japan make a passive P Lyte? Or has someone converted this one?

 

I'm sure someone in here will know. Cheers all

 

Edit: The output from the pickups / electronics is loud btw.

Edited May 28 by Marc S

[Stub Mandrel]

That doesn't look like factory wiring and there's a suspiciously 'battery shaped' space in the contol cavity.

 

 

[dudewheresmybass]

As mentioned above by @Stub Mandrel, I'm not aware of a passive version. 

Mine has the battery space as well, although I do know of a few that were 'fixed' - I've been tempted to cure mine many times.

[casapete]

AFAIK all Precision Lytes have been active. 
 

3 models , all MIJ.

 

Precision Lyte - late 80’s to mid 90’s. Active 2 band eq ( bass and treble cut/boost) plus a pan and volume control. 
                           First editions had gold hardware, later ones had chrome. Both came in a number of colours. 
 

Precision Lyte Deluxe - mid 90’s. Humbucking bridge pickup , as above plus a mid cut/boost. Natural finish. 

 

Precision Lyte - recent ‘reissue’. Like the original but with 3 band active eq and a separate battery compartment

                            ( unlike the original where the battery was included in the preamp cavity). Currently one of

                             these is for sale at The Bass Gallery. 
 

I’ve had a fair number of Lytes, and my current sunburst one has been converted to passive after the original

preamp failed. I actually prefer it passive now, but they’re all great basses IMO. 

 

 

[Marc S]

Thanks for your responses folks. I had thought they were all active - just thought I'd check. I had wondered whether the pickups would work well, without power, which I why I wondered whether they'd been swapped. TBH I still haven't removed them to check properly. They seem absolutely fine - so I guess if that bit ain't broke...

 

Like you @casapete I think I prefer the bass as passive, which is generally my preference anyway.

 

i need to get some fretwork done. They're all in good shape, with plenty of life left in them, but the ones at the heel end are a tad higher than the rest. I just need to get the action down a bit more, and this will be an amazing bass. These are so light for a 34" scale bass. The necks are also slim and Jazz-like, which I prefer, especially lately.

[casapete]

6 hours ago, Marc S said:

Thanks for your responses folks. I had thought they were all active - just thought I'd check. I had wondered whether the pickups would work well, without power, which I why I wondered whether they'd been swapped. TBH I still haven't removed them to check properly. They seem absolutely fine - so I guess if that bit ain't broke...

 

Like you @casapete I think I prefer the bass as passive, which is generally my preference anyway.

 

i need to get some fretwork done. They're all in good shape, with plenty of life left in them, but the ones at the heel end are a tad higher than the rest. I just need to get the action down a bit more, and this will be an amazing bass. These are so light for a 34" scale bass. The necks are also slim and Jazz-like, which I prefer, especially lately.

As you say Marc, they have ‘standard’ pickups but an active preamp, so will work fine if the preamp

is disconnected. I had a Fender ‘Noiseless’ bridge pickup fitted in mine, as some venues I used to play

caused interference issues , and I left it in - still got the original though.

 

I used mine for nearly 15 years touring theatres with a tribute band, and it proved to be great. The light 

weight meant I could do nightly sets of around two hours with no discomfort to my problematic shoulder.

I set it with a lower action too, and learned not to dig in so much and let the amp do the work, which 

again worked fine for me. In all that time I never had to adjust the neck once, just using the same gauge

sets of D’Addarios. The thin neck on it is sublime ( and this was for someone used to standard Precision

necks!) It’s still my main electric bass, and I can’t ever see me parting with it. 

[SuperSeagull]

I have the exact same bass also in Frost Red and had it converted to passive a few years ago when the pre amp failed. I much prefer it in a passive format, sounds more like a Fender. I went with vol per pickup and tone per pickup to use all 4 knobs. 

[Marc S]

9 hours ago, SuperSeagull said:

I have the exact same bass also in Frost Red and had it converted to passive a few years ago when the pre amp failed. I much prefer it in a passive format, sounds more like a Fender. I went with vol per pickup and tone per pickup to use all 4 knobs. 

 

Thanks for that @SuperSeagull

Mine still has the same functions to the controls - but I think I'd prefer the arrangement you have, with 2x vol and 2x tone.

 

I definitely prefer a passive bass. Only once did a battery fail on me at a gig... but it's a lasting memory. It was quick enough to fix at the time (I usually carry a spare battery) but a pre-amp fail - ooh, that's a scary thought for a live gig, even though I'm sure it doesn't happen often.

[Marc S]

On 08/06/2025 at 00:28, casapete said:

....I set it with a lower action too, and learned not to dig in so much and let the amp do the work, which 

again worked fine for me....

 

I really should try to do this more @casapete - but I think the old punk bassist in me just likes digging in too much! Lol 😀 

[casapete]

11 hours ago, SuperSeagull said:

I have the exact same bass also in Frost Red and had it converted to passive a few years ago when the pre amp failed. I much prefer it in a passive format, sounds more like a Fender. I went with vol per pickup and tone per pickup to use all 4 knobs. 

 

2 hours ago, Marc S said:

 

Thanks for that @SuperSeagull

Mine still has the same functions to the controls - but I think I'd prefer the arrangement you have, with 2x vol and 2x tone.

 

I definitely prefer a passive bass. Only once did a battery fail on me at a gig... but it's a lasting memory. It was quick enough to fix at the time (I usually carry a spare battery) but a pre-amp fail - ooh, that's a scary thought for a live gig, even though I'm sure it doesn't happen often.

When mine was converted to passive, I opted for a master volume / master tone / pickup pan. 
Did this because I needed to mute quickly at time, and having two volumes made it a bit harder.

 

2 hours ago, Marc S said:

 

I really should try to do this more @casapete - but I think the old punk bassist in me just likes digging in too much! Lol 😀 

It’s been a bit of a learning curve, but as I’ve got older it’s been beneficial to my hands. 😄

[SuperSeagull]

1 hour ago, casapete said:

 

When mine was converted to passive, I opted for a master volume / master tone / pickup pan. 
Did this because I needed to mute quickly at time, and having two volumes made it a bit harder.

 

It’s been a bit of a learning curve, but as I’ve got older it’s been beneficial to my hands. 😄

Understand and a good layout. Considered the same but I wanted (possibly irrationally!) to use all four knobs.