Good Passive Pickup Bass?

[srinivassa]

I'm not knowledgeable in different basses. I was hoping to pick up a good passive pickup bass, but I don't know who makes one. It seems like most of the better basses have a lot of active electronics now. Anyway preferences are (in order

passive pickups
5-string (with a possible consideration to 6)
35" scale
<$1000
neck thru
active eq

Basses I already have are:
Ibanez GSR200, which I like a lot. It has passives which really growl more and take articulation better. Single bass boost knob that gives you a more deep/agressive rock tone. Good but I'd like a 5-string. Also it feels like a piece of plastic.
Peavey Millenium AC4. I keep this tuned to Eb and use it for stuff like STP, AIC, other hard/alternative downtune rock. It is all active and has a very deep and agressive sound. I like it, but I like the Ibanez better. The Peavy can't dial way back with those actives. It's not as articulate and punchy.

So what is the golden ticket? I have a hard time figuring out what basses are even passive from looking online. The Fender Jazz Basses look like they are passive, and maybe Warwick. I don't want to pay that much though. What stuff should I try if I can find it in a local music store?

Any help is appreaciated. Thanks!

 

[Shatter_The_Silence]

I would wait for BEZO to chime in here. Dude has A good working knowledge of basses, and only plays bartolini passive electronic.
He will tell you to buy a used spectre and put in bartolini's more than likely lol

 

[Spewnz]

http://schecterguitars.com/Products/Bas ... te-5.aspx#

 

[srinivassa]

http://schecterguitars.com/Products/Bass/Stiletto-Elite-5.aspx#

Are thos EMG pickups passive? I like Schecter instruments in general, but I thought they pretty much went over to active pickups.

I've seen Bartonlini in some Ibanez basses, but I was unclear which were passive. I think Bartolini makes some active, some passive, and maybe even some switchable. So I'm never sure what it is I'm looking at.

 

[mboogman]

The Ibanez BTB basses are rock monsters. They have passive pickups, but an 18 volt three band EQ/preamp. My wife has (yes my wife) an Ibanez BTB 5 string, and a warwick thumb 5 string. I go for the Ibanez for all my bass tracking that I do if that says anything.

 

[Spewnz]

http://schecterguitars.com/Products/Bass/Stiletto-Elite-5.aspx#

Are thos EMG pickups passive? I like Schecter instruments in general, but I thought they pretty much went over to active pickups.

I've seen Bartonlini in some Ibanez basses, but I was unclear which were passive. I think Bartolini makes some active, some passive, and maybe even some switchable. So I'm never sure what it is I'm looking at.

yes the emg HZ's are passive

 

[srinivassa]

I just bought one of these, since they're on sale, and it pretty much hits what I want on the nose. The EMG HZ get pretty good reviews. I did not know they were passive. I guess it turns out most nicer basses are passive pups unless otherwise noted, so I guess I really didn't have much of a question here.

 

[BeZo]

I would wait for BEZO to chime in here. Dude has A good working knowledge of basses, and only plays bartolini passive electronic.
He will tell you to buy a used spectre and put in bartolini's more than likely lol

Buy a Spector bass and put Bartolini bass pickups in it.

 

[BeZo]

No, seriously. Get a nicer Ibanez with Bartolinis in it. A Fender with Bartolinis in it. Fuck, pick up a Squire and put Bartolinis in it! Just put Bartolini bass pickups in it. Their active preamp is one of the best on the market too.

Seriously, Bartolini Bass Pickups!

 

[srinivassa]

Thanks. Really my cabs suck anyway, so there may not be a big gap between bartolini and what I bought. I'm probably going to stay a mediocre bass player. I just want a decent 5, so I can work on cover tunes. That's been my bass goal for a while, just to get in a decent hard rock/alternative cover band. No luck so far. I'm mostly hoping a 5 will help me with detune stuff without having to setup and maintain intonation on two 4 strings. (E, and Eb/drop Db)