Keith McMillen Batt-O-Meter @ BassStringsOnline.com

SLaPiNFuNK · #1 07-09-2011, 07:56 PM

Active Bass Players and Effects Pedal Users...

Now available at Bass Strings Online - Keith McMillen Batt-O-Meter!

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The Keith McMillen Instruments "Batt-O-Meter" is a MUST for any Bass Player who plays active basses and a MUST for any Guitar or Bass Player that uses Electronic Effects Pedals! Quickly test your battery life on the fly by inserting the Power Probe into any 1/4" Active Instrument or Pedal jack. Test the battery life of most any instrument with a Battery and a 1/4" Jack! You never need to take anything apart to test your instrument or pedal battery again!

The Batt-O-Meter is no ordinary battery tester. The Batt-O-Meter will measure how many volts a battery is delivering. How many hours left before the battery runs out of power and needs to be replaced. The Batt-O-Meter also reads out the remaining life of any 1.5-volt or 9-volt battery. Accurately test Alkaline, Rechargeable, and Carbon Zinc battery types with increased accuracy with a convenient slide switch. The Batt-O-Meter has a Right Angle 1/4" Gold Plated jack which enables you to quickly and accurately measure a hard to reach battery installed inside of equipment. The Batt-O-Meter even tests 1.5-volt and 9-volt batteries not installed with side mounted contacts.

Easily fits in any gig bag or case.

Keep an eye out for more accessories being added soon!

relwof · #2 07-19-2011, 03:30 PM

Really cool gadget, IF it works with your gear. I didn't test any pedals, but if I remember correctly when I tried one about a year ago it worked fine with my old Alembic and Tune four strings. Unfortunately it had problems with other basses - didn't like my Carvin at all and couldn't measure past 10.23V (max range) on the 18V preamp circuits in my Peavey Cirrus. It also couldn't read the battery in the built it preamp of a friend's Ovation 6 string.

It would be helpful if they provided a list of instruments the Batt-O-Meter is known to have problems with, instead of claiming it works with "almost any active instrument" . I've seen mention of issues with some MTDs and MM Sterlings, and the range limits it's usefulness for 18V setups.

That said, it is a great concept, and it worked well on the basses it was compatible with - might have kept it if I actually were playing out with those. If KM releases a version that handles 18V, or I get around to seeing if it works with some of my newer active basses, I might buy one again.

SLaPiNFuNK · #3 07-19-2011, 03:45 PM

Yeah, that is the only issue with it. "Most" instruments.

The pedals I have that I tried it with are all 9V, worked fine in those.

Not all basses are 18V though.

carl h. · #4 07-19-2011, 03:48 PM

Is this compatible with wireless units? It would be great to check batteries before a rehearsal or shorter gig.

stflbn · #5 07-19-2011, 03:50 PM

I trust my tongue enough for my ongoing needs.

SLaPiNFuNK · #6 07-19-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carl h.

Is this compatible with wireless units? It would be great to check batteries before a rehearsal or shorter gig.

It will work with "Most" devices with a 1/4" jack.

The only wireless unit I have here is for an 1/8" so I can't test it.

SLaPiNFuNK · #7 07-19-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

I trust my tongue enough for my ongoing needs.

The point of this is to not have to take a battery out at all...

Some of my pedals, it feels like I am going to rip off the 9V plug every time I go to switch batteries... id rather not rip off the contacts just to test a battery.

Reaper Man · #8 08-21-2011, 01:08 PM

I love mine

Ebelow · #9 09-06-2011, 03:38 PM

It's not working with MusicMan stingray5 and MusicMan bongo, when I bought I had a Sadowsky and worked great with it!

SLaPiNFuNK · #10 09-06-2011, 03:41 PM

Is your stingray an 18v pre?

What is the Sadowsky? 9v?

That may be the issue...

Ebelow · #11 09-06-2011, 04:39 PM

-my ray is 9v of corse! But went back and tried out at the store with all rays to find out if I just bought a faulty one, but not, even tried an other with all rays, same result. I would say it happens because how these basses wired.
-Yes the bongos are 18Volts
Sadowskys are 9volts, and wired the regular way, that is why works with them.

SLaPiNFuNK · #12 09-06-2011, 04:42 PM

With the Bongo's being 18, I gotta ask about all of them now.

But I have heard this that they don't really work with the rays.

I wish I had more instruments to try them in, but I don't...

I wonder if they use a different type of input jack of some kind?

Ebelow · #13 09-06-2011, 04:55 PM

I think so, they using a different input jack, different wiring to the built in preamp section. Anyway, I like this great, little unit, and it was a great idea to put a side connection to the 9v batteries, much smaller and easier to use than my multimeter! It's a must in a gig bag!

pharaohamps · #14 12-25-2011, 07:12 PM

Music Man basses use a dedicated switching contact on the jack for disconnecting the battery. Most other basses and pedals use the "ring" connection of a stereo tip / ring / sleeve 1/4" jack and rely on the sleeve of the 1/4" mono plug to short tip and ring. This is the reason that stereo cables don't often work when connected to pedal and bass inputs.

Music Man basses have quick-change battery compartments and this battery meter would be good to test the batteries if you pop them out of the bass before a gig. You can test your Bongo batteries one at a time, I do

AndGabrielFell · #15 01-30-2012, 09:03 AM

I was totally let down by this. I tried it with my G&L L-2000 Tribute and it wouldn't read. I e-mailed their Tech Support & they suggested I take the 9-volt out of the bass and test it that way. =/

SLaPiNFuNK · #16 01-30-2012, 09:13 AM

I don't like hearing that...

Is the G&L a 9-volt system?

4-string · #17 04-26-2012, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndGabrielFell

I was totally let down by this. I tried it with my G&L L-2000 Tribute and it wouldn't read. I e-mailed their Tech Support & they suggested I take the 9-volt out of the bass and test it that way. =/

Had a similar problem with my Jazz with a J-Retro. It reeds, but even new batteries read as "LO". Battery out of the bass and it reads correct.

Works perfect with my other basses and pedals though.