About a year and a half ago, i really loved the idea of having an onboard EQ on my bass due to it being so versatile, so i wanted one and did get one. However now, i think that onboard EQ is completely useless, since you can just use your amp's EQ or preamps or pedals for building your tone in general. However, i don't think bass manufacturers added it for no reason or just because they can. Can someone explain how i should utilize the bass EQ ASWELL as the amp EQ or is it really that useless? What am i missing?
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I think you'll get a variety of answers.
I don't use an amp, or many pedals. Most of my gigs are IEM/DI/Silent Stage. I use the preamp on my bass for any tweaks I need to make. I will admit though, that I don't tweak very often. I find a setting I like and I leave it. I like having the option though, just in case. Same reason I pay a 5 instead of a 4. I don't always use the B string, but I like it there, just in case.
When I do use an amp, I like setting the amp for "the room" and then making any song specific or minor tweaks at the bass. Easier and quicker than going back to your amp.
Some don't want to deal with lots of pedals or additional potential noise and gain stages that a preamp pedal may bring so they use an active bass.
I don't use an amp, or many pedals. Most of my gigs are IEM/DI/Silent Stage. I use the preamp on my bass for any tweaks I need to make. I will admit though, that I don't tweak very often. I find a setting I like and I leave it. I like having the option though, just in case. Same reason I pay a 5 instead of a 4. I don't always use the B string, but I like it there, just in case.
When I do use an amp, I like setting the amp for "the room" and then making any song specific or minor tweaks at the bass. Easier and quicker than going back to your amp.
Some don't want to deal with lots of pedals or additional potential noise and gain stages that a preamp pedal may bring so they use an active bass.
Cables act as capacitors, causing high frequencies loss as cable length increases. Onboard preamps do not have this problem. Another point is that with a passive setup changing volume knob also affects tone, which is not the case on an active (with preamp) bass. If you have or come across a bass that has both active and passive setting, listen to both modes (with active EQ flat). You'll hear a difference (I do not say one is better than the other it's just different). Being able to dial the EQ on an active bass is the 'active' equivalent of the tone knob.
A passive bass is capable of cutting certain frequencies, through the tone knob, but an active bass is able to boost or cut frequencies. As far as the difference between an onboard preamp and an amp preamp, you are essentially correct: they both offer a way to change tone during a performance. So which should you use? Should you use both?
You have to be very careful when using both. If you boost similar frequencies on both, you run the risk of overloading and damaging a speaker. And if you boost one, but cut the other, you are cancelling your own efforts. So best to use one or the other for tonal adjustments. So which one?
Well imagine you’re standing up there on stage, and every audience member is riveted by your last bassline, and still looking directly at you. Do you turn your back to them and fiddle with your amp EQ? Or do you just reach down and make the adjustment on your bass? This is the number one reason for getting an active bass, by the way.
So, common practice has you setting the amp to a general good sound, and leaving it. Then make your tonal adjustments on the bass.
What tonal adjustments? Pan to neck pickup for a Precision sound, to bridge pickup for a trebly Latin sound, and blend for most normal playing. Boost lows for country, jazz, and reggae, boost mids for Latin or a Steinberger sound, and boost highs for slap or sizzly rock.
Onboard EQ is for fine tuning from one song to the next or within a song, always pre-DI and within arm's reach. Amp EQ is for the room and/or to hear yourself best. Pedal EQ is for instant on/off.
Not everyone needs all those options. Some people don't need any. Choose what's appropriate to your context.
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On a bass with an active EQ onboard, the controls are at your fingertips. Maybe they're not too far away on your amp, depending on your setup, but I find it's nice having them where I can reach them mid-song.
I play Jaguars exclusively and thank my lucky stars that I can turn off the EQ because I can never remember what all the knobs and switches do.
IF you're standing right in front of your amp for your entire performance, it is kind of useless, but...
If you're bouncing around all over with a wireless setup, you'd want to be able to adjust your sound between songs.
If you're bouncing around all over with a wireless setup, you'd want to be able to adjust your sound between songs.
Far as I can tell; for you, it's more knobs to fiddle with. For the manufacturer? It's
. I have one, 'cause it fills a spot in my herd. And, in all honesty? That's just about all it does. It doesn't really do anything that any of my other passive basses don't/can't. But, lots of other people seem to like them, cause they seem to sell a s@*t load of them...