Active Basses and the 9V Battery

amoorejr · #1 01-22-2009, 09:32 PM

I'm kind of new to active basses and it seems like a huge inconvenience to have a bass where you have to unscrew the rear panel to replace the 9v battery in order to play at all. All this without having the ability to switch to a passive mode. I bought a cheap Rogue bass a few years ago with active electronics and it had a pop up knob to switch to passive mode and only a clip holding the 9v battery on the back. Then I ordered a beautiful ESP D5 and it had a screwed on back panel and no way of playing the bass without the battery in it. Someone please help me with this. Is it just me or is there something wrong? Are most active basses made like this?

rayzak · #2 01-23-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoorejr

Are most active basses made like this?

I don't know if most basses are like that or not. I've had both types. Sadowsky has the passive switch that can run without a battery, but you have to take the rear plate off to change it.
My Stingray won't run without a battery, and has no passive switch but has a pop-up battery compartment which makes it very easy to change. Just the nature of the beast, I guess.

ThePerfectBass · #3 01-23-2009, 02:25 PM

YEs, there are many basses that have the 9 volt batteries located in the electronic cavity with access being through the back plate, requiring you to unscrew the back plate.

Some basses, like Music Man have a convenient little pop out batter compartment that makes changing them a little easier.

But the short answer is yes, it's very common and the design just varies from manufacturer to manufacturer...

Peace!

Fat-N-Tasty · #4 03-12-2009, 09:01 PM

If the plastic cover is thick enough you can counter sink a depression about half way through and do the same on the guitar body and use magnets. You will be surprised how strong they can make tiny thin shiny magnets so strong but they do. Then all you will need is something thin enough to slip between the cover and body to lift a corner. Or buy a flip open battery box and route enough wood out to make it fit. Either one of these is very easy to find but unless you have skills with the power tools and want the battery box let someone else do that. I have three Ibanez SR's 2 prestige and one a 535 all flip tops but my SRX Was a screw down now its magnetic. Take it easy bro...

dysbtwn · #5 03-11-2010, 07:10 PM

hey active bass players, checkout the Batt-O-Meter from KeithMcMillen Instruments. you plug it into your input jack and it tests the load and battery hours left, you don't have to take out your battery.. http://battometer.com, a great way to save 9V batteries and the environment ...only $30 and available form Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, etc..

brachal · #6 03-11-2010, 07:23 PM

I had active EMGs put in my P-bass back in 1985. I have to remove the entire pick guard to change the battery.

ThePerfectBass · #7 03-11-2010, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat-N-Tasty

If the plastic cover is thick enough you can counter sink a depression about half way through and do the same on the guitar body and use magnets....

This is the Dingwall design and it does indeed work fantastically! I'm not sure why more manufacturers haven't created their own version of this design...it's extremely convenient!

Peace!

improvpwnd · #8 04-25-2010, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat-N-Tasty

If the plastic cover is thick enough you can counter sink a depression about half way through and do the same on the guitar body and use magnets.

Such a great idea. Going to do this to my Roscoe next time I have a free day.

K-ALEMAN · #9 09-05-2010, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dysbtwn

hey active bass players, checkout the Batt-O-Meter from KeithMcMillen Instruments. you plug it into your input jack and it tests the load and battery hours left, you don't have to take out your battery.. http://battometer.com, a great way to save 9V batteries and the environment ...only $30 and available form Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, etc..

+1!
I have one of these and it is awesome. It even works on my Modulus which requires 2 9v batteries. It also works on my Chapman Stick!

**Staccato** · #10 09-05-2010, 06:01 PM

The 9V batteries are supposed to last a long time. And, active basses are equipped with 1, 2, or sometimes 3 of them.

If you want the benefits of an 'active' circuit in a bass, go for it!

BassesForTheWin · #11 09-06-2010, 04:25 PM

some basses like mentioned have a little flip up compartment to put the battery in, and some you have to remove the control plate.

K-ALEMAN · #12 09-06-2010, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGLbass

Do you know why sometimes basses have 2 or 3 batteries?

The Barts on my Modulus require a 18v power supply thus needing 2 batteries. The more complicated the circuitry in the pick-ups requires more power. At least I think how it works.

ThePerfectBass · #13 09-07-2010, 08:03 AM

I don't think adding a 2nd battery would reduce your volume. You may want to check your wiring...

TGLbass · #14 09-07-2010, 09:24 AM

I did the 18v thing without a preamp set up or any of that. I think it was EMG's. They had an example of how to wire the pickups 18v so I did it and the result was less volume and more headroom . It didn't sound good. I switched it back, It was just the nature of the 18v wired (2) pickups--no board/preamp/ etc. 2 batts-- 2 pickups-- passive vol --treb--blend.

fhm555 · #15 03-27-2011, 11:40 AM

Magnetic hatches and latch magnets are an established part of flying model aviation so if you are interested in going that route, a wide variety of sizes and styles of purpose made strong hatch magnets can be had at your local r/c hobby shop or mail order house.
If the hatch in question is too thin to mount a magnet in, a steel washer can be used with good results.
In a flush mount situation, trim an RCH extra from one edge of the hatch to make it easier to get something under it to pry it open. I use a small, thin, clear lexan handle on my model airplane hatches, but such might cause the hatch to flip out of place or irritate one's belly if used on the back of a bass so some sort of slot and "key" arrangement or wide seam will be needed to make removing the hatch less hassle than dealing with a few screws.

bigthor · #16 04-08-2011, 09:32 AM

Thor Say:
Ok, active stuff can be cool, but there are a lot of working pros who just wont have it. Im not sure as I have both active and passive basses. I have some high end active basses and some passive Fenders. In my live bands I am most always asked to use my Fenders. In the studio I notice that the passive stuff sounds better. So where does that leave the stuff with batteries? Bass sound=punch and tone. If you have an eq on your bass going into an eq on and amp going into an eq at the board, not to mention effects if you use them, then its inevitable that you are going lose or over-enhance certain frequencies resulting in more tweeking at the board or during mix down . I think in the future we will see more passive basses. But I could be wrong.

**JxBass** · #17 04-08-2011, 09:43 AM

I've had my share of active basses and, while a minor inconvenience, I've never been caught high-and-dry with a dead battery. Changing it every six months or so worked for me.

That said, I decided that I can get the tone I want with the right passive bass. As a result, haven't owned an active bass for many, many years. Just my personal choice and opinion.

oldbassplayergu · #18 04-08-2011, 09:51 AM

I had a carvin B5 with a push-pull pot for active passive switching, and a battery flipout door. Really easy to change on the fly. but the active sound was so much louder. You couldn't use the passive option in a pinch unless you bumped the amp up some. recording with it was a hassle too(hums, buzzes). My Ibanez ATK is a pain in the neck. Two screws and the wires are short and tight. Its a $300 bass so the electronics are kind of cheap. Sold the B5 cause I don't play 5er's anymore. The ATK is a great bass for the money, but I don't count on it like I wound a passive bass. There is just too much to go wrong, and for high paying gigs too much on the line.

Marko5657 · #19 05-16-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dysbtwn

hey active bass players, checkout the Batt-O-Meter from KeithMcMillen Instruments. you plug it into your input jack and it tests the load and battery hours left, you don't have to take out your battery.. Keith McMillen, a great way to save 9V batteries and the environment ...only $30 and available form Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, etc..

I prefer a passive bass, but started gigging an Ibanez ATK305, and I really like it.

I just read reviews on the batt-o-meter, and many said it doesn’t work on their guitars/basses.

I wish we could know what guitars/basses they do and don’t work on.

kokoshmusun · #20 05-27-2011, 11:46 AM

I refuse to buy an active bass. I don't really understand it's benefits and I don't care too much. I'm not too picky about tone. A bunch of passives I've owned work well enough for my purposes. I just don't want another thing to worry about. To each his own...