Pestie Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Hello Everyone Another daft question from me please. I have a couple of active basses that have no battery indicators on them. How will I know when the batteries need changing, what signs will I get when the battery is getting low. Thank you Mike(Pestie) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 (edited) With luck you will get a distorted sound first then it will go dead. Some change the batteries every X months as a matter of course. The key thing ( as I'm sure you know) is not to leave a lead plugged into the jack when not in use..... Edited April 26, 2014 by yorks5stringer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 You need to get a sense of how long the battery will last and I have basses that will run for a year on the same battery and then I change it as a matter of course. I don't leave a lead plugged in but my basses can also run passive as well so when I hear the battery going, I have that option. When the battery does go.... I start to get pops and cut outs through the amp and this will panic you into shutting the bass down and it is an obvious sign as well. If your bass has decent wiring, then I would expect a year to be an easy target for batt life and there is no need to a warning light either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 [quote name='Pestie' timestamp='1398519084' post='2434905'] Hello Everyone Another daft question from me please. [/quote] There is no such thing as a daft question! I agree with the previously posted sentiments...change the battery every 12 months and don't leave the lead plugged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thank you all very much I fell much better about them now. I just didn't have a clue. Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Not a daft question at all - I've been wondering the same thing. I've had my Fender J active for a couple of years now and haven't changed the batteries but it's been preying on my mind. I've got a gig tonight so I decided I would change them anyway. Bought a new pair of Duracells and took the old ones out (Duracell Pro Cell). I put them on my tongue to gauge their remaining strength (not a scientific test and probably not to be recommended for those of a nervous disposition!) and POW, I've still got a bit of a tingly tongue. So I left the old ones in and have the new ones as spare. I guess I don't play the bass as much as some people and therein lies the answer I think - the battery life will vary a lot from person to person . . . . unless you leave the lead plugged in of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 It's a bit like asking the length of a piece of string. It depends how often you use the bass. If you play it for 3 hours every day they won't last long. If you play it less they will last longer. Best rule of thumb is to keep spare batteries in the case all the time then you won't get caught out. I didn't have spares once and had the rise taken out of me by the guitarist. The shame of it. [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Adams Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Simple. Leave the jack lead plugged in. You'll know soon enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pestie Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Although both my active basses can quickly be switched into passive mode, I tend to check the voltage occasionally. Most alkaline batteries start out at about 9.6V (no load), but if it's dropped below 9V I will install a fresh one and move the old one to non-critical duties e.g. for giving to guitarists when theirs have gone flat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 [quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1398520490' post='2434929'] There is no such thing as a daft question! [/quote] Are you sure?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theyellowcar Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I tend to just carry a spare battery to anywhere that a failure would be problematic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenBasses Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 (edited) [quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1398524331' post='2434975'] It's a bit like asking the length of a piece of string[size=4] [/size] [/quote] That's easy Twice the distance from the middle to the end Sorry I couldn't resist... My GB has a battery indicators so I am all right Mainly as mentioned you get a distorted edge to your sound.. A drop off in eq and overall volume. I change my batteries every time I change my strings (about every 3 months) I don't spend stupid money on duracells just whatever is on offer.. I keep the old ones for a while and then recycle them at work. I have had the unnerving experience at a gig once that resulted in 'roulette' praying it didn't die before the end of the gig. It didn't and the result was. "I like when you added a bit off distortion to your sound part way through the gig" Pah shows I nothing about sound. Edited April 26, 2014 by ZenBasses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I'd be interested to find out what the voltage needs to drop to before an active EQ starts misbehaving. I realise that this will likely vary from bass to bass (circuit to circuit) but I'm sure I've seen somewhere that voltages can drop down by a volt or so and the EQ circuit isn't fussed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 If you happen to be lucky enough to own an early Fender Precision Lyte you will need to replace the battery every other month without fail, mine is fantastic is gives you precisely no warning what so ever that the battery is dying, literally plugged it in for the sound check it worked perfectly, unplugged it again, went onstage twenty minutes later played the first note and it died! (apparently it is a known fault on these basses and again apparently there is a fix for it but the guy who mentioned it couldn't remember what the fix was!) Still one of my favourite basses but I always have a spare bass close to hand if I am gigging it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza 2905 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1398522511' post='2434955'] I put them on my tongue to gauge their remaining strength (not a scientific test and probably not to be recommended for those of a nervous disposition!) and POW, I've still got a bit of a tingly tongue. [/quote] Probably better off to use a battery tester! I got one on Amazon for a daft price, about 2 quid inc. delivery, and it does the job perfectly. Check your batteries peroidically with one of these and you should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 [quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1398542897' post='2435152'] If you happen to be lucky enough to own an early Fender Precision Lyte you will need to replace the battery every other month without fail, mine is fantastic is gives you precisely no warning what so ever that the battery is dying, literally plugged it in for the sound check it worked perfectly, unplugged it again, went onstage twenty minutes later played the first note and it died! (apparently it is a known fault on these basses and again apparently there is a fix for it but the guy who mentioned it couldn't remember what the fix was!) Still one of my favourite basses but I always have a spare bass close to hand if I am gigging it [/quote] I had similar issues with my Aria Pro II SB-1000 and used to have to change batteries at least every 2 months - which involved removing 3 screws to get the cover off. With dead batteries there was no sound, even in 'passive' mode! Having to remove the cover meant there was no such thing as a 'quick' change. All of my basses have been passive since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 My wife buys me a 2 pack of Duracell batteries for my birthday every year, works a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 My only active bass (a Thumb) only requires a quick tug on the volume knob to run as a passive bass so I don't worry about it, but still, carry spare batteries like you'd carry spare strings and you won't need to worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 (edited) A little off-topic, but I thought this was a good deal: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/DURACELL-PROCELL-ALKALINE-PLUS-BATTERIES/dp/B000NL8LUW"]http://www.amazon.co...S/dp/B000NL8LUW[/url] Edited May 2, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I get my batteries from Lidl or Aldi as they roll out of the same (and only european) battery factory as duracel. Cost me about £1.50 a pair. The StingRay has a flip-open battery compartment, it takes less than ten seconds to change one. Still, much like showers, necessary or not I take one every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 I usually get boxes of 20 Duracell Procells off ebay - around £14 delivered, use by dates good for around 3 years, job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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