Artec SE-3 Bass Electronics Set
Bass electronics
- With 3-band EQ
- 5 Knobs for volume, treble, middle, bass, balance control
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Available since September 2004
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Item number 173911
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Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
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Equalizer 3-Band
Pick up the bass
The Artec SE-3 is a very affordable way of turning any five-knob bass guitar into an active bass guitar. Many more inexpensive basses tend to come factory-fitted with passive circuitry. Now, for a very modest outlay and a bit of DIY handiwork, the Artec three‑band system can massively expand the tonal range of these instruments. As well as letting bassists fine-tune their pickups' volume and balance, it provides dedicated controls for bass and treble. These two controls make it easy to shape the sound to suit different styles, playing techniques, and personal preferences. Power comes from a single 9V battery, which typically lasts for several hundred hours of playing. One particularly appealing aspect of the Artec SE-3 system is its price – low enough that upgrading any bass to active electronics doesn't feel like a risk.
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Upgrade that passive bass
The Artec three‑band bass guitar electronics set is pre-wired out of the box. All that musicians themselves need to do is to connect up the SE-3 to their instrument's pickups and output jack. The five potentiometers have the following functions: volume, balance, bass, mids, and treble. As such, the SE-3 is best suited to basses that already have five controls. Thanks to SMT (Surface-Mount Technology), the circuit board is very compact. In practice, this means it fits into almost any control cavity without the need for additional routing. The bass control operates at 100Hz (±12 dB), the mids sit at 800Hz (±12 dB) while the treble control is set at 4kHz (±12 dB), giving bass players considerable flexibility in shaping their own sound. Another major advantage of active electronics is their capacity to transform the pick-ups' high‑impedance signal into a low‑impedance signal. This ensures that there's no noticeable loss of audio quality, even when using longer cables.
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For active bassists
A three‑band active system like the Artec SE-3 gives musicians a broader palette of sounds than a purely passive bass, simply by offering bass, mids and treble controls. Being able to shape the tone directly on the instrument is, in itself, a practical and appealing option. On top of that, active electronics prevent the signal loss already mentioned over longer cable runs. Combining all these advantages, the Artec three‑band system provides a very cost‑effective way to "activate" a passive bass. It's also an accessible and affordable choice for hobbyists who enjoy building instruments themselves – whether from a DIY kit or from an individual selection of parts.
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About Artec
Artec Sound is a Korean company that has dedicated itself fully to the field of guitar and bass equipment with a mission to offer high-quality yet affordable products for modern musicians. These include various pickups and preamps for acoustic guitars, pickups for electric guitar, and active electronics for electric bass guitars. Amplifiers are also part of Artec’s product range, of course, from simple practice combos through to full all-tube stacks. The company focuses particularly on effects, however, and offers an impressive selection of different series that encompass over 60 different pedals.
More flexibility
So how does having a bass guitar equipped with an Artec SE-3 active electronics set actually change a bassist's day‑to‑day playing? The bass control is set relatively high, at 100Hz, which gives plenty of punch and a strong low end that sits just above the bass drum's frequency range. This tends to work well across a wide range of musical styles and mixes: Slap grooves, in particular, really come to life with a boost in the bass range. Paired with an increase in treble, this delivers that familiar, authentic slap sound. Meanwhile, the 4kHz treble control highlights the attack of each note – whether played with fingers or a pick – while also adding the bite and edge needed for modern Rock and Metal tones. Then, the mids at 800Hz can either be boosted, for more cut-through in a busy mix, or reduced for a more modern, transparent tone.
