Active Electronics...?

[fenderBOYroy]

I'm a guitar player, new to bass. I played this Fender Deluxe Jazz Bass V the other day and I loved it. http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0136860309

I think I want to buy it. But it has active electronics and I don't know anything about that. It gave off this buzz kinda like 60 cycle hum that the other single coil basses didn't give off and I did NOT like that. Can someone please explain Active Electronics to me in detail... and passive too. Thanks

[PaulyWally]

Active electronics have an onboard pre-amp. Many times, you'll also find more tone controls... not just the "tone knob".

 

Aside from giving you more tone options (in many cases), active electronics will send a hotter signal to the amp. Many times, the signal is also cleaner because they can take a weaker signal from the PUP's and boost it. They will also alter/color the sound based on the design of the pre amp. Some companies that make guitar/bass pre amps are known for having that "certain sound" to them. And hence, becomes their calling card.

 

With a Jazz bass, you should have absolutely ZERO hum when both pickups are turned all the way up (or obviously all the way down). If either one is up and the other is down, you should get some hum. They are single coil pickups... that's just the nature of the beast. Just like a Strat or a Tele.

[Grumpy_Polecat]

One of the key elements to 'active' electronics is the fact that the tone controls can both boost and cut the signal.

 

A passive tone control really only subtracts treble; it doesn't ADD any bass.'

 

You see this on higher end stereos: The controls have a 'zero' center setting; clockwise is + and Counter clockwise is -.