battery life in active basses

Toki987

Toki987

Rock Steady
I`ve been using active basses for quite a few years now. Changing the battery was something I did on a very infrequent basis because they lasted such a long time.
I've been using a Fender active bass for a couple of years now and it seems as if the battery lasts only a couple of months before the bass starts getting a weak gritty sound which is only corrrected by putting in a new battery. I play 2 to 3 times a week every week now which is more than I was doing a couple of years ago so I`m sure this is a factor in it as well. However, it is aggrevating to have to put a $3 battery in every couple of months. 'anybody else dealing with this?

I`v been pondering a method of making a shielded cable with lines for delivering dc current from a power supply and lines for the instrument signal, having 2 connectors at each end with a dc plug-in on the control surface of the bass to power the preamp.

I wonder if Harvey has ever thought of this, and how would he do it?
 
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For someone playing every day, they usually will last about six months. But if something is wrong, then they usually only last a few minutes, or maybe a few days at most.



But I mean, come on, it's three bucks (less if you buy a big bulk pack of batteries and keep them in your fridge). How cheap can you be? If it was every day, then sure, that is a problem, but every few months? How often do you have to change the batteries in your stomp boxes? Or your TV remote? Or your wireless mouse?


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I bought a 9v adapter from The Sound Professionals, solder on a connector from radio shack, and attach the adapters 9x battery cap to the 9v battery cap inside the bass. The adapter is flat line 9v and is completely quiet. Dont use a radio shack adapter or you'll get window rattling hum and buzz.

You can do the same thing with something like a 1 Spot, just hook the two 9v battery caps together and never use another battery in your bass again......

Both ideas are about $30.....
 
soundchaser59 said:
I bought a 9v adapter from The Sound Professionals, solder on a connector from radio shack, and attach the adapters 9x battery cap to the 9v battery cap inside the bass. The adapter is flat line 9v and is completely quiet. Dont use a radio shack adapter or you'll get window rattling hum and buzz.

You can do the same thing with something like a 1 Spot, just hook the two 9v battery caps together and never use another battery in your bass again......

Both ideas are about $30.....
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Quite possibly I'm missing something, but how would one get the DC from the wall mounted supply to the bass?
 
How about wiring a "just incase" active/passive switch. Then if the battery goes bad and you can't get ahold of an extra, you can just switch to passive?
 
Speaking of active basses, I have a question that Light may be able to answer.

I have a Fender Marcus Miller J-Bass, which has a switch to go between active eq and passive. However, something is not right because it only produces a usable sound in active mode. In passive, there is a very faint signal, but every now and then a note will jump out with serious hard clipping. The bass has 4 knobs. 2 of them are always volumes for the pickups. In passive mode, the other 2 knobs are inactive, and in active mode, those 2 knobs SHOULD be tone controls. Except on mine, they don't do anything at all, regardless of active or passive. Any ideas?
 
David Katauskas said:
I'm sure you do, but I gotta ask...do you unplug the 1/4" cord from your bass when it's not in use?
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I unplug it at the end of each night gigging, but I forget and leave it plugged up in the studio occasionaly. I put a Bartolini in the neck position, now I`m wondering if there is some kind of change in the current draw that might be causing it, from having the Fender and the Bartolini together.
 
Light said:
For someone playing every day, they usually will last about six months. But if something is wrong, then they usually only last a few minutes, or maybe a few days at most.

But I mean, come on, it's three bucks (less if you buy a big bulk pack of batteries and keep them in your fridge). How cheap can you be? If it was every day, then sure, that is a problem, but every few months? How often do you have to change the batteries in your stomp boxes? Or your TV remote? Or your wireless mouse?
Light
Click to expand...

But..., uh... there`s 4 screws in that plate... 'maybe if I modified it so it just snaps off. :)
 
Toki987 said:
I unplug it at the end of each night gigging, but I forget and leave it plugged up in the studio occasionaly. I put a Bartolini in the neck position, now I`m wondering if there is some kind of change in the current draw that might be causing it, from having the Fender and the Bartolini together.
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My Alembic active bass will eat a battery in about a week if I leave it plugged in all the time.
 
Toki987 said:
I unplug it at the end of each night gigging, but I forget and leave it plugged up in the studio occasionaly. I put a Bartolini in the neck position, now I`m wondering if there is some kind of change in the current draw that might be causing it, from having the Fender and the Bartolini together.
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Some active systems will drain when plugged in. Try unplugging it ALL the time...I'll bet your battery lasts much longer. Mine tend to last upwards of a year...sometimes more.
 
My Carl Tompson 6-string and fernandes tremor 5 dlx will drain overnight if I leave them plugged in, my conklin basses (gt5, gt7) will take a few days to drain of left plugged in.

I usually replace the battery every month or so sometimes sooner if it starts to sound like shit.

-C$

ps:
Toki987 said:
I put a Bartolini in the neck position, now I`m wondering if there is some kind of change in the current draw that might be causing it, from having the Fender and the Bartolini together.
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I have barts in my basses, except for the CT, thats all emg (Les Claypools setup)
 
sile2001 said:
Speaking of active basses, I have a question that Light may be able to answer.

I have a Fender Marcus Miller J-Bass, which has a switch to go between active eq and passive. However, something is not right because it only produces a usable sound in active mode. In passive, there is a very faint signal, but every now and then a note will jump out with serious hard clipping. The bass has 4 knobs. 2 of them are always volumes for the pickups. In passive mode, the other 2 knobs are inactive, and in active mode, those 2 knobs SHOULD be tone controls. Except on mine, they don't do anything at all, regardless of active or passive. Any ideas?
Click to expand...


Without actually seeing them, electronics things are just impossible to figure out. Get it to a good repair guy and have them check it out.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
sile2001 said:
Speaking of active basses, I have a question that Light may be able to answer.

I have a Fender Marcus Miller J-Bass, which has a switch to go between active eq and passive. However, something is not right because it only produces a usable sound in active mode. In passive, there is a very faint signal, but every now and then a note will jump out with serious hard clipping. The bass has 4 knobs. 2 of them are always volumes for the pickups. In passive mode, the other 2 knobs are inactive, and in active mode, those 2 knobs SHOULD be tone controls. Except on mine, they don't do anything at all, regardless of active or passive. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

I'm just throwing this out there, but what kind of amp do you have and how is it set up? Most amps have a passive/actice switch, also comonly labeled as "-15db" because when using an active bass your signal runs much hotter, so you need to cut your amp power down a tad. Take a look and see what you can find.
 
Sloan said:
How about wiring a "just incase" active/passive switch. Then if the battery goes bad and you can't get ahold of an extra, you can just switch to passive?
Click to expand...



I haven`t thought of that much work, but if they'll work in passive mode it might be worth it. The bass is wired to go through the preamp now so it won`t allow for passive use unless it`s bypassed.
 
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