[quote name='mart' timestamp='1324291293' post='1472509']
One of my basses has LEDs installed in the neck as the side fretmarkers. There are three 9v batteries used to power these, and I've been wondering why it needs so many - there are only 12 LEDs in total, and they don't use much power, do they?
The other odd thing about this bass is that although it's a fretless, the fretmarkers on the fingerboard (and the LEDs on the side) are in the position they'd be on a fretted bass, i.e., between where the fretlines would be rather than at the fret position itself. This bugs me slightly, but I have no idea what to do about it. Would it be possible to get the markers (and the side LEDs) moved, or is that going to cost an arm and a leg? Or could I get the bass fretted so that the markers and LEDS are in the right positions? (Or are there going to be wires running up the fingerboard that would get sliced if I put frets in the board). Any other suggestions?
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Do a bunch of LEDs really need 27V? Is the bass active anyway and some of the batteries are used to power the preamp (say 2 for the preamp and 1 for the LEDs)? Until you trace the wires, you won't know what the scoop is.
Regarding the surgery, sounds expensive and invasive to me any way you slice it (pardon the pun). I'd guess that it would definitely be cheaper to fret it than move the LEDs based upon the amount of faffing around I'd say is involved.