with the exception of some EMG pickups and a few other obscure pickup brands, most ALL bass pickups (guitar pickups, too, for that matter) are passive
most active preamps work best with passive pickups
if this was my bass (which it clearly is NOT) ... I'd slam a set of Nordstrand Big Splits in there and utilize a CTS 250k ohm Volume pot, CTS 250k ohm blend pot, and a CTS 250k ohm tone pot with a .047uf Orange Drop cap ... run all this into a Switchcraft mono jack and be done with it
if you simply HAD to have a pre-amp, consider an Aguilar OBP-1. And please, give consideration to a pre-amp only if you're willing to wire it with a bypass switch. nice thing on the OBP-1 is that it's about a transparent a pre-amp as you're going to find when everything is set flat - exactly what you want if you're the hired bassist holding the seat in studio sessons and backup gigs.
here's my time tested logic for this:
with very rare exception, basses sound best in the studio when utilized passively into a good quality direct box and straight into the mixing console. can't tell you why exactly, but there's just some kind of magic that happens when you run this kind of signal chain
for live purposes, having all of that passive glory at you beckoning command is pure nirvana - but some guys like to have a little more control at their fingertips, and this is where you'd make use of turning on the pre-amp and goosing it alittle to make a few MINOR adjustment to accommodate the dynamics of the specific room you're playing. the idea is usually to add a little crispness that will allow the definition of your notes to be heard, and to fill out the bottom so that you're keeping in step with the kick and keyboards.
all the best,
R
ccasion14:
