Rechargeable batteries in active basses?

[kiat]

Hi,

 

I go through batteries a lot (yes, I take out my cable when not playing) and am thinking about putting a rechargeable battery in and carefully routing an approriate USB-C extension cable through the body with the socket tidy and flush with the bass surfece, intending to simply plug a powered USB-C into the socket. It would be handy to simply and fully charge the battery before each gig without the faceplate screw dance everytime.  I'd read before somewhere that for some the electronics within these USB-C chargeable 9V batteries can interfere with the active electronics. 

 

Has anyone tried this?

The bass I'm thinking of doing this to is a Lakland JO5 with a East J-Tone (Volume / Blend / Tone).  It's my main gigging bass so I'm being careful.

 

 

 

[Stub Mandrel]

I tried some in my Sire (as it uses two) but the high frequency noise from them was intolerable. 

[Geek99]

Why the screwdriver issue? Why not simply change the battery holder for one you can open easily without tools? That’s a whole lot easier 

Click

 

I’ve had my sire 9 months and I’ve changed batteries once - why make your life hard doing routing ? Sire has these x 2

Edited December 29, 2025 by Geek99

[Jerry C]

Don't do it. USB-rechargeables have built-in electronics that make a lot of audio-band noise. A decent onboard bass preamp should last at least some months, if not a year or so, on a good battery if you turn it off when not playing. An alkaline 9V battery has a capacity of some 500mAh and a decent preamp should draw no more than 1 or 2 mA. That's hundreds of hours of play time.

[tauzero]

On 29/12/2025 at 23:52, Geek99 said:

Why the screwdriver issue? Why not simply change the battery holder for one you can open easily without tools? That’s a whole lot easier 

Click

 

I’ve had my sire 9 months and I’ve changed batteries once - why make your life hard doing routing ? Sire has these x 2

 

Looking at the JO5, it hasn't got a separate battery compartment so it means removing the control plate to change the battery.

 

@kiat, what batteries are you using, and where do you get them from? And how many hours of playing do you get out of them?

[stevel]

Also, speak to Mr East as to why you’re going through batteries so much - the battery in mine is still going ok after 2 yrs playing 1-2 hrs per week on average.

[kiat]

On 29/12/2025 at 23:52, Geek99 said:

Why the screwdriver issue? Why not simply change the battery holder for one you can open easily without tools? That’s a whole lot easier 

Click

 

I’ve had my sire 9 months and I’ve changed batteries once - why make your life hard doing routing ? Sire has these x 2

 

Yep, what @tauzero said. Now you mention it I'm tempted to put one of those battery holders in the back, but I'm loathe to do any kind of customisations to the wood of the bass.

 

 

[kiat]

On 30/12/2025 at 02:48, Jerry C said:

Don't do it. USB-rechargeables have built-in electronics that make a lot of audio-band noise. A decent onboard bass preamp should last at least some months, if not a year or so, on a good battery if you turn it off when not playing. An alkaline 9V battery has a capacity of some 500mAh and a decent preamp should draw no more than 1 or 2 mA. That's hundreds of hours of play time.

 

 

Thanks all. 

 

I play 20-30 hrs a week, so maybe 15-25 weeks on a decent battery then. It seems like less, so maybe I'm playing more than that 

 

The bass is switched off when I'm not playing it (the preamp turns off when the 1/4" jack is removed).

 

On 01/01/2026 at 15:55, tauzero said:

 

Looking at the JO5, it hasn't got a separate battery compartment so it means removing the control plate to change the battery.

 

@kiat, what batteries are you using, and where do you get them from? And how many hours of playing do you get out of them?

@tauzero I'm glad you asked! I'd not looked deeply at the capacity before, many sites didn't give them. I've tried a variety, my last set are these Thomann batteries and they seem to last longer, though it is hard to tell objectively as I don't log my playing hours and daily it can be 0 or 16+ depending on deps or gigs.

 

 

 

On 03/01/2026 at 18:35, stevel said:

Also, speak to Mr East as to why you’re going through batteries so much - the battery in mine is still going ok after 2 yrs playing 1-2 hrs per week on average.

 

I'll try John again. I'm playing, approximately, 15 times more than you per week, so maybe lasting a couple of months sounds reasonable.

 

On 29/12/2025 at 22:08, Stub Mandrel said:

I tried some in my Sire (as it uses two) but the high frequency noise from them was intolerable. 

I've got a couple on their way to test, just in case. I suspect they will add noise, but it they miraculously don't, then I'll consider making a small hole to accommodate on bass charging.

Edited Monday at 17:02 by kiat

[kiat]

For now, rather stick a brand new battery in for every gig, I'm keeping one "gig only" battery and swapping that in for gigs, then out again afterwards for non-gig batteries.  All other times outside gigs it's no big deal if a battery dies, so changing my process might just solve this for me, but I'll give the rechargeables a go.  If they don't work out in the bass I can use them elsewhere in electronics projects and tools.

[Jerry C]

I built myself this little gadget a while ago to end battery anxiety once and for all:
 

 

 

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, kiat said:

For now, rather stick a brand new battery in for every gig, I'm keeping one "gig only" battery and swapping that in for gigs, then out again afterwards for non-gig batteries.  All other times outside gigs it's no big deal if a battery dies, so changing my process might just solve this for me, but I'll give the rechargeables a go.  If they don't work out in the bass I can use them elsewhere in electronics projects and tools.

 

Why not fit the charge socket but use an Nimh 9V cell?

 

Low noise only issue is needing a dedicated charger.

Edited Monday at 19:39 by Stub Mandrel

[Stub Mandrel]

Another idea for rechargables... put an inductor in the +ve lead with two capacitors of different construction to ground either side. Choose extra low leakage types (avoid electrolytics) to avoid draining the  battery. A polypropylene and a ceramic type would be good.

 

Values are not critical and can be quite small as you are looking to filter high frequency noise not mains hum.

 

As long as they are good for 20V or so you should be fine

 

 

I used this calculator and it says caps about 2.2uF and a 10uH inductor should cut noise above 1.5kHz. 

 

https://resources.altium.com/p/pi-filter-circuit-design-formulas-and-calculator

 

I'd get a 10uH inductor and experiment with different capacitors either side of it, just avoid electrolytics. They don't need to be exactly the same value.

[itu]

As you said you play a lot, use quality batteries. Duracell may cost a bit more, but it has more chemically packed electrons than most other brands. 

 

Cheapo batteries are a total waste just like cheapo basses. 

[stevel]

3 hours ago, itu said:

As you said you play a lot, use quality batteries. Duracell may cost a bit more, but it has more chemically packed electrons than most other brands. 

 

Cheapo batteries are a total waste just like cheapo basses. 

Yup, I reckon this is your problem - stick to Duracell Ultra batteries - they’ll last a lot longer. 
 

Does your preamp have the passive mode switch? Ok, you lose a lot of output and tone etc, but at least it keeps you playing.

[tauzero]

I use Procell batteries which are Duracells, and take my life in my hands[1] by getting them off Ebay, and they last (literally) years. But my basses get far less use than @kiat's, on a busy open mic week with a gig and learning a song or two as well I'd probably be looking at six or eight hours, and that would be on whichever of three (or so) basses I picked up. And maybe that also explains a lot about the quality of my playing.

 

[1] Hyperbole, OK?