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Thread: Fender Highway One v. American Standard basses.

  1. Default Fender Highway One v. American Standard basses.

    I've been looking at Fender Highway One and Am. Standard basses (particularly the Precision models) online and was wondering what some of the differences are. I know they both have a different finish on the body and the Highway One's are available only with rosewood FB's while the Am. Standard can be had with maple or rosewood but is that the only difference?

  2. #2
    Lane on Bass Guest

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    Hey, Eddie. I'm not certain of the differences either. Did the Fender site offer no help there?

  3. Default

    I looked at Fender's site andthere does seem to be some differences in the body finish, pups, tuners and (perhaps most significantly) the tone control but I'm wondering what really sets them apart from each other, other than these.

  4. #4
    Lane on Bass Guest

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    Well, you've pretty much hit all the differences. Fender has a tendency to designate a new model every time they change anything small... except for finish colors. So, other than details like the ones you describe are often the only differences.

  5. #5

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    The American Standard is built in Fender's American facility. The Highway One basses are American parts assembled in Fenders Mexican factory. That explains the lower price. They are both nice basses. I particularly like the P-J configuration available in the Highway One as a passive bass. It's reminiscent of my first Nashville studio bass which was a modified '66 P-Bass with J pickup.

  6. #6

    Default Active v passive

    Here's a dumb newbie question, but what's the difference between active and passive basses? I am looking to trade up to a nice 5-string at around $500-750 second hand. More R&B / jazz than R&R / metal. What brands should I look at?

    Thanks for your advice.
    BBB

  7. #7

    Default

    I'm no expert...but here's some info that might help ya....or one of our smarter people could weigh in...


    http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ctive_and.html

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Westminster, CA
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    BBB:

    You might preview the Carvin SB4000. The SB stands for Sekou Bunch. If you go to the site posted below, the Carvin Video on the upper right of your screen will walk you through the features of the instrument...one of which is the ability to switch from passive to active electronics using one of the control knobs. You get the best of both worlds with this $60.00 option. Carvin instruments are manufactured in San Diego, CA, not overseas or in Mexico.

    http://www.carvinguitars.com/customs...neckbasses.php
    Last edited by Greg Jewell; 12-16-2010 at 12:47 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
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    2,088

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    Greg,
    The SB4000 comes standard with passive electronics and it appears that it can be upgraded to active electronics, but didn't see where there was an option for it to be a switched passive/active setup. Because it is Carvin's custom shop, perhaps its available as an extra cost option.

    Passive systems have passive style PUPs which typically have larger magnets to generate sufficient signal and feed the signal directly to the amp. Passive systems only allow for cutting of signal with the tone controls or the volume control (like my old Fender P bass).

    Active systems can come in a couple of variations. Some have passive style PUPs, with the inherent tone of a passive pickup design, but the signal passes through an active preamp (battery power supply). The active preamp provides the increased tone shaping ability to not just cut signal but also boost the signal, providing a wider range of tonal variations. Some active only basses come set up like this because users want the characteristics of the passive PUPs with the tone shaping ability of the active preamp.

    I believe that the switchable active/passive basses are also set up this way with the switch simply bypassing the active preamp and feeding the PUP signal directly to the amp. Sometimes switching requires some volume adjustments due to the different signal strength from the passive and the active electronics.

    Other active basses have PUPs designed for the active circuitry and can only operate when the PUP signal is amplified by the battery powered preamplifier.

    The combinations of PUPs/pickups/nonpickups are mind boggling. Best advice is to take a rig with a known sound and try them out. If you find a passive that works for you, they can pretty much relied upon to produce that sound, every time, but are somewhat restricted in the range of tones they can produce.

    If the range of tones available from an active set up is what tickles your ear, then that is what you want to acquire. Just have batteries on hand.

    The batteries in my MTD last a year and in the Tobias KillerB 6, about 6 - 8 months. Don't know if that is typical or not, but the cost of batteries for them doesn't break the bank.
    ___________________________________
    Steinberger NXT5 EUB, MTD 535 Fretless, Tobias Killer B6, 72 Fender Precision
    Eden WT500, WTX1000N & WP100, QSC PL230
    Eden D410XLT, D410XST, 215, Fender Bassman 10

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    TobiasMan:

    You are spot on with your assessment. The Active / Passive electronics is an option, and a relatively inexpensive one. Kinda takes the mystery out of which one to buy.

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