Active electronics/pickups

[Phil513]

OK, this thread is inspired by my Ibanez Bass, all i REALLY know is it takes a 9 volt battery to work.

Does this mean it has active pickups? what exactly does it do, and why is it supposed to help?

(i bought it off my cousin btw, so its not like i was searching this type of thing out, it just was a great deal)

[Mark Wein]

I am probably the worst person to answer this since I dislike active pickups in guitars, but if it needs a battery then there are active pickups and a preamp in the bass.

I am woefully undereducated about active electronics in instruments...I absolutely hate actives in guitars although many metal guitarists like EMG active pickups like th EMG 81 and 85 models.

[Phil513]

Yeah, from what i understand with guitars, it really helps with any hum or other electronic noise.


As far as the bass is concerned, im sure its less of a tone-sucker, i dont think at those low frequencies its quite the same compromise as it would be on a guitar.

[thredlok]

OK, this thread is inspired by my Ibanez Bass, all i REALLY know is it takes a 9 volt battery to work.

Does this mean it has active pickups? what exactly does it do, and why is it supposed to help?

(i bought it off my cousin btw, so its not like i was searching this type of thing out, it just was a great deal)

I'd like to help you son, but I got no active pups.

I know they have hotter outputs, and you can get teh brutal gainz from them, but for me the low output pups and a hot dirty amp are the combo

[Phil513]

Well gain is kinda wasted on a bass. hahaha


I think mine has active electronics, vs pickups. I think there is a difference, but im not altogether sure.

[thredlok]

Well gain is kinda wasted on a bass. hahaha


I think mine has active electronics, vs pickups. I think there is a difference, but im not altogether sure.

I did wire up a bass with active circuits, had a built in preamp that you could get some phenomenal tones out of. can't remember the make of it though.

[CGord]

In basses, the pickups are passive; it's the tone controls that are active.

Here are both of mine as examples:

http://www.ibanez.com/bass/guitar.aspx?m=SR500

http://www.schecterguitars.com/spec.asp?id=99

[Phil513]

I dont know what model Ibanez mine is. Its blue. hahaha

What is the benefit of active tone controls?

[thredlok]

I dont know what model Ibanez mine is. Its blue. hahaha

What is the benefit of active tone controls?

This will explain it better than I can:

An active circuit on the other hand, uses an electronic amplifier and filter system to boost or retard selected frequencies and generally increase the output of the pickups, resulting in a much higher signal to noise ratio and transmission of harmonics and partials that might normally be lost to the impedance of your guitar cable. Your amplifier receives a much hotter signal and you have much more control over tone. Preamps built today are sometimes built right into the pickup itself and if any additional circuitry or switching, etc. is required special components must be used to facilitate the desired changes, and basically the sound they create is the sound you get. The preamps that I use are manufactured by Bill Bartolini. He has been making active pickups, tone circuits, and polyphonic pickups since 1974 (few realize that Bill is a flamenco guitar builder as well). His preamps allow the builder to design and configure a myriad of tone circuits while still retaining the "character" of passive pickups. Bartolini pickups are superbly made; they're internally shielded to reduce noise and unwanted hum and are visibly superior in quality of design and materials to almost every other pickup on the market. I use Bartolini pickups on my finest instruments and I have used his active tone circuits to satisfy the "critical ear" of many of working professional musicians. Here is their address:
Bartolini Pickups and Electronics
2133 Research Drive, # 16
Livermore, California 94550
(510) 443-1037

[Phil513]

Thanks bro! That explained a lot.


*thumbs up smilie*

[thredlok]

I'm here to please



and bother Wein ;D

[Mark Wein]

I'm here to please



and bother Wein ;D

[Phil513]

Thredlok gives you plenty of excuses for the cop smilie, doesnt he? hahahahaha

[Mark Wein]

Thredlok gives you plenty of excuses for the cop smilie, doesnt he? hahahahaha

;D

[Prages]

I don't have a lot of experience with active pickups or electronics, but...

A buddy of mine has an EBMM Luke, which has EMGs (an 81 humbucker in the bridge and two singles in the middle and neck). It is a good sounding guitar...I probably couldn't pick out that it was active by listening to it.

I used to have a Fender P-Bass Special Deluxe that had an active EQ in it. I really didn't care for it the active EQ. I usually kept it set pretty flat because if you boosted anything too much, it would start to overdrive the amp input, which IMO isn't a good thing for bass guitar...especially with a SS bass amp.

I've also got a Fernandes Revolver Pro, which has the Fernandes sustainer, which is battery powered, but the pickups are actually passive. The battery just drives the sustainer. I don't really think that counts as active electronics, though.