The DijonStock Digital Home Recording Support Forum

I just abought an Ibanez GSR200 (nice entry level instrument). It has "active" electronics and has 9volt battery inside. Are there ANY special considerations for recording in this situation? I am using a direct box before going into AW1600 directly (no mic used).

Does "active electronics" change the amount of output signal in any way? or just the "sound" of the bass?

thanks.

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An "active" pickup (with a battery) puts out a much higher level signal than a pickup w/o it. You really don't need a DI box with an active pickup. The main purpose of a DI box is to transform the non-active pickup output "impedance", which is high, to a lower one that the recorder wants. It might also boost the signal level, if it has a battery. Input #8 of the G has a "high Z" input. "Z" is shorthand for impedance. Therefore, you could go from a non-active pickup directly into the G #8 w/o a DI box. BTW, with the active pickup you can plug into any input of the G.

The above is subject to change by those more knowledgeable than me on pickups/DIs.

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So IF I use the direct box with bass with active electronics am I boosting the signal twice? Would it matter if input level were set correctly?

I was using the Direct Box for guitars because it cut down line noise and static from guitars. I am not sure if the active electronics affects BOTH pickups or not.

ANYONE OUT THERE HAVE AN IBANEZ BASS GSR200? advice? Exactlly what does active electronics due besides changing impedence and boosting signal level? Does it affect tone or just make the guitar "hotter" signal?

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In my experience with an active fender jazz japanese circa 1986, it changes the output thus affecting the tone greatly i would imagince since there no middle man..its just you and the bass.

I say, if u wanna crank it thru a di and even into the hi-z..thats three times the power, maybe you'll be sounding like chris squire in no time. (rickenbacker)
providing you're under 0 db in the end..play around.

if you're having a lazy day, rest assured that JUST the active electronic is gonna be more than enough to squeeze out a killer tone and signal

and of course i could be totally wrong about this but...

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I have used active basses for years and you do not have to worry about "boosting" twice. An good Di will make the bass sound better either way.
The only special consideration I would point out is that the EQ is cut/boost versus a passive instruments cut only. Applying bass boost can send the signal through the roof, particularly if full up. Applying full on treble boost can create a lot of hiss. If you are going to use the active instrument EQ, use judiciously or you can end up with a pretty lopsided and unmanageable bass track.

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So the active function BOOSTS tremble or bass way beyond a non passive? More or less like the boost of eq section of AW1600?

I'm going to redo the bass track (completely unmanageable) with a more treble/less bass setting to see if the works better on the master mixdown.

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i record with active and non-active basses.
with my EB stingray 5 i record with tvolume on full and the 3 eq knobs set to flat (midway notch)
with the other basses i record with everything on full except tone pot will either be full right or full left.
this eliminates hum.
i'll adjust the eq on mixdown.
there has been exceptions to this rule, tho.
i f i want a grindy pick sound ala chris squire or something then i set the bass differently.
also if i want a jaco-y sound the treble pickup is full but the bass pickup is turned left a bit.
if the song a is a quiet one where hum might be noticed i use a behringer noise filter.

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"Let there be bass." - Leo Fender

Is the EB Stingray the bass with active? (don't know much about bass models)

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Excellent advice sir. I also tend to keep the EQ's flat, and use for minor boost, particularly on the back pickup, to add al little bottom to the Jaco "bark"

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Yes...Stacy IS a guy!

i believe all Music Man Stingrays have always been active - even before Ernie Ball.
and yes - all 3 cut / boost eq pots have a very noticeable effect on perceived tone and measurable output level..

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"Let there be bass." - Leo Fender

Music Man may have been the first commercially available active basses after Alembic.

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Yes...Stacy IS a guy!

Does anyone have an Ibanez GRS200. Please tell which controlls do what...

dennyc765

P.S. merry holiday christmas (and Kwanza) & Hannachak

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i thought that might be true.
i had one of those firsts.
i didn't like the sound of it.
i later got an ibanez alembic copy after that.
it had a lot of tonal variation, but still not for me.
i went back to fender jazz and stayed with it for a couple of decades or so.
my current music man is a great all purpose bass.
it is totally consistent from fret one on the low B to the last fret on the G.


phat II EQ, tone, front pick up volume and rear pick up volume.

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"Let there be bass." - Leo Fender

I had one of the first Music Man Sabres, a rare two pickup even more rare as a fretless...stolen of course!

As for which controls do what, here's a way to figure it out.

Turn all of the knobs all the way up-fully to the left (be careful your amp is not up to loud).More than likely, your bass has four (or five) knobs, but not all of them will have a center detent (a little notch that clicks in the Halfway on Halfway off position). The knob without the detent is the volume
Take a small screwdriver and tap on the front pickup- you should hear a clicking. Try turning each knob with a detent down one at a time while clicking the screwdriver on the pick up until you find the knobthat makes the clicking stop. When you find that knob and you have turned the sound off, click the back pickup with the driver...you should here the tapping there and you have found the pick up pan pot, which sweeps between all one pickup and all of the other or blend of the two sounds-in rare cases the throw of that knob is reversed.
Set the pickup knob to the center detent position. Now, playing a note while turning one of the remaining knobs will tell you whether it is treble, bass (easy to hear) of mid (if you have 5 knobs).
Sounds complicated but you'll figure it out fast.
A good analogy is your home stereo. The pick up pan is like the balance knob (except it is pickups instead if L/R speakers). The tone knobs are just like the treble and bass on your stereo, except they effect only the instrument, not the whole record (sorry-showing my age).
The volume knob is...well it is the volume knob.
I find that to get the most use of the active eq system, I set my amp settings with the volume all the way up, and the bass and treble control in the middle (neither cut or boost).
Hope this helps...

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Yes...Stacy IS a guy!

Ooops. I just realized you told him specifically for his bass....sorry.

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Yes...Stacy IS a guy!

the phat II is a HUGE bass boost


everybody needs one

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"Let there be bass." - Leo Fender

Sadly I have to worry about having too much "bottom" these days as I approach 50...

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Yes...Stacy IS a guy!

Someone say Music Man bass?

I've had this MM Sterling on permanent loan for almost 4 years. The bass boost can be overwhelming. Flat EQ sounds good. Full bass rolloff with a little added distortion sounds real nasty on hard rock stuff.



It is nice to have musician friends who also own a music store.

Gary

Thanks for all the info! (especially Stacy (yes, he's a guy!) for taking time to write that LONG and wonderful way to figure it all out!

I don't get much bottom anymore (I'm 57), especially younger bottom, most get phat. (ooh! rude!)

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