Active or Passive

>Andrew,
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>
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>I was searching the internet for an answer to what does an
>Active or Passive bass guitar mean – came across your info in the
>About.com site – can you answer the question? Or could you point me at a
>good source of information on this and other Bass Guitar fundamentals.
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>
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>Many thanks
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>
>S.C.

Dear S.,
"Active" and "passive" refer to the electronics in a guitar or bass. An active circuit means the instrument has an internal preamp which is powered by a battery -- usually a 9-volt. These batteries have to be replaced every so often or the signal gets weak and distorted. Passive, on the other hand, is the older and more traditional circuitry which requires no battery in the guitar.
Active and passive electronics both have their pros and cons. If you are shopping for an instrument you will want to try out some examples of both and let your ears be the judge.

Hope this helps,
Andrew Pfaff

andrewpfaff.com