steantval Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I have a Musicman Stingray and I am interested in when you should change the battery, I know the obvious answer would be when its flat. I must have had this bass at least four years and the battery has not gone flat although I have just changed it for a new one this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Mine go flat and start distorting every couple of months but I do play them quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 [quote name='steve-soar' post='327983' date='Nov 12 2008, 10:12 PM']Mine go flat and start distorting every couple of months but I do play them quite a bit.[/quote] Wow, what basses do you use? Do you leave them plugged in all the time? Cos that will drain the battery. It takes most people 3 years or so to run one down. I have 3 active basses, had one for over a year and i've never had to change the batteries. Though i'd probably do it every year or two to be on the safe side and use duracells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray5 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Pretty much the same for me. I always use a good alkaline jobbie (Duracell+ etc) but they last forever. I changed my SR5 battery for a new one earlier this year for the first time in ages though there was [i]still[/i] life in the old one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I used to change my SR5 battery every year and put the old battery in my Korg pedal tuner. It would last another 2 years in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewsie Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='steve-soar' post='327983' date='Nov 12 2008, 10:12 PM']Mine go flat and start distorting every couple of months but I do play them quite a bit.[/quote] mmm, i had that happen with my sterling til it twigged that leaving the lead plugged in was draining the battery. haven't had to change it since (almost a year) x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveO Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hmmm Mine used to go flat every three months too, and I though that was reasonable (not having any other active basses to compare against ) These days I use rechargeables, and stick a full one in every gig. There's no reason why all preamps should have the same current drain though. I guess cheap basses (mines the yamaha 375) have cheap preamps with higher drain?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='SteveO' post='328084' date='Nov 13 2008, 07:21 AM']These days I use rechargeables, and stick a full one in every gig. There's no reason why all preamps should have the same current drain though. I guess cheap basses (mines the yamaha 375) have cheap preamps with higher drain?.[/quote] Same here. All my actives (apart from the Eagle) are oldies and suck batteries dry in no time compared to modern pre-amps. The new Ni-Mh rechargables hold much more charge than the old Ni-Cd ones and are pretty cheap now - use them in my pedal too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='SteveO' post='328084' date='Nov 13 2008, 07:21 AM']There's no reason why all preamps should have the same current drain though. I guess cheap basses (mines the yamaha 375) have cheap preamps with higher drain?.[/quote] Some of the 'higher spec' preamps actually have a higher drain too! I prefer the sound of running mine on an 18v system.. which is unfortunately a case of having to replace two batteries at a time. However, thankfully I don't need to do that for a very long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Yes, I always check my batteries with my tongue to see if they are running down, and it wakes me up before a gig... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Older circuits are definitely less kind to batteries than the newer designs. When I was regularly rehearsing and gigging with my Overwater Original bass, it's 80s active electronics would get through a battery every couple of months (approx 1-2 hours use per day). In all of my basses with pre-amps made since the mid 90s the batteries last well over a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='yorks5stringer' post='328113' date='Nov 13 2008, 08:43 AM']Yes, I always check my batteries with my tongue to see if they are running down, and it wakes me up before a gig...[/quote] There's a thread somewhere called 'pre-gig rituals'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 feck...rumbled again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 My old Precision Lyte used to eat batteries with amazing ferocity, so then had a £10 mod done and it was sorted. This was after an embarassing gig when I had about 20 secs of fuzzy output, and then nothing!! Always think an active/passive switch on a bass makes perfect sense for these situations so you can at least finish the set in passive mode. Now using a Sterling, and I usually change the battery when i re-string to be on the safe side to prevent the above.(Am guessing Musicman circuits don't operate with no battery power?). Never yet had a problem with this method. Like previous post, I then put my used battery in a tuner etc when they still go on for ages! After trying various brands, think Duracell ProCells are the best 9volt batteries- available on ebay etc for around a quid a throw if you buy a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='SteveO' post='328084' date='Nov 13 2008, 07:21 AM']Hmmm Mine used to go flat every three months too, and I though that was reasonable (not having any other active basses to compare against ) These days I use rechargeables, and stick a full one in every gig. There's no reason why all preamps should have the same current drain though. I guess cheap basses (mines the yamaha 375) have cheap preamps with higher drain?.[/quote] The peavey millenium series are famous for draining batteries in a couple of months. My tobias is a cheap bass though and i've had the same battery in for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I'm a tongue checker too when it comes to PP3s. Think it's become (yet another) fetish! Change times. I change mine on my birthday. 3 reasons It's once a year I won't forget the date Somebody who doesn't like me that much can buy me them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I have a Vintage Stingray copy and I've changed the battery once in 3 years. Duracell+ as it happens. The cheap alkalines form teh PoundShop last just as well in my active guitar though so I dont think its the brand. Just remember to unplug and they last for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 My old thrown together Status/homemade Bass would take 2 years,and that was a 18v...My EMG'd fretless is the same...saying that my old 9v Ibanez from 84 like a fresh one once a year,but I often just run that in Passive mode. I prefer 18v circuits,just do,I just feel more confident with them,though onstage...its psycological superstition on my part methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I change the batteries in the Status basses anually. They're not dead by that point by any means, but it makes sure I never go distorted or dead on a gig! People have said that the Yamaha TRB's use a lot of power, but I use mine a lot for shows & jazz jobs. Again, the batteries seem to last for a very long time. On the plus side (geddit?!), I'm doing a week of "Anything Goes" this week & the engineer gave me a whole box of part used 9v batteries. (They use them for one night only in the radio mics! So they're only slightly used.) Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='328743' date='Nov 13 2008, 11:07 PM']I change the batteries in the Status basses anually. They're not dead by that point by any means, but it makes sure I never go distorted or dead on a gig! People have said that the Yamaha TRB's use a lot of power, but I use mine a lot for shows & jazz jobs. Again, the batteries seem to last for a very long time. On the plus side (geddit?!), I'm doing a week of "Anything Goes" this week & the engineer gave me a whole box of part used 9v batteries. (They use them for one night only in the radio mics! So they're only slightly used.) Rich.[/quote] Do you get a weird 'Whistley' noise on Yammies when the actives are just about to die? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 [quote name='Shaggy' post='328096' date='Nov 13 2008, 07:54 AM']Same here. All my actives (apart from the Eagle) are oldies and suck batteries dry in no time compared to modern pre-amps. The new Ni-Mh rechargables hold much more charge than the old Ni-Cd ones and are pretty cheap now - use them in my pedal too[/quote] Based on personal experience I would recommend against using rechargables in a bass unless you have a passive mode. When the rechargables lose current they collapse in minutes. With non-rechargables, the power drains more slowly giving you more warning to change. I buy 9v Durcel Procells in bulk off Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Or you could get a bass that tells you when the batteries are getting low Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 I've been using "Power Bugs" for a while now and they last an eternity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 [quote name='ARGH' post='328738' date='Nov 13 2008, 10:52 PM']My old thrown together Status/homemade Bass would take 2 years,and that was a 18v...My EMG'd fretless is the same...saying that my old 9v Ibanez from 84 like a fresh one once a year,but I often just run that in Passive mode. I prefer 18v circuits,just do,I just feel more confident with them,though onstage...its psycological superstition on my part methinks.[/quote] I dont think 18V ones last longer... they just have more output... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 if my batteries pass the tongue check, they are good to use! when a battery is running low, your sound will start to distort, particularly the bassier strings, just make sure it suitably zaps your tongue before going on stage and its all good. change once a year-18months should be about right for a standard active Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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