active pick up stories

Casting Thunder · #1 02-09-2013, 04:26 PM

My battery died today for the second time. The first time it happened I was had a heart attack thinking something was wrong with my amp; this time I thought I had messed with my volume knob randomly, all the more odd since I haven't plugged in in a few weeks.

Anyone else think something else is wrong with your bass?

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #2 02-09-2013, 05:02 PM

Never had my bass' battery die while playing. I've screwed up a few songs during practice when my wireless batteries went dead though.

Does your bass actually have active pickups, or just an active EQ? The only active pickup stories I have involve explaining the difference between the two to about a thousand people

**speak2planets** · #3 02-09-2013, 06:59 PM

My John East preamp has a passive/active toggle in case just such a thing occurs

mellowinman · #4 02-09-2013, 07:20 PM

One time I was at Jose's bar and Bistro, with seven of my friends, and there was this blonde.

El-Bob · #5 02-09-2013, 07:29 PM

Only happened to me once... just pulled the volume pot on my 'wick and finished the set passive.

Vince Klortho · #6 02-09-2013, 07:46 PM

It happened to me once. I had forgotten to change the battery when I changed my strings as I always do and I to went start the first song at a gig with a dead guitar. It was quite embarrassing to be removing the back plate while the band was playing the first song. That never happened again.

Be sure to always unplug your bass when you are not playing it. This is one reason I hate DIs. They make a big pop in the PA when I unplug.

FrenchBassQC · #7 02-09-2013, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellowinman

One time I was at Jose's bar and Bistro, with seven of my friends, and there was this blonde.

And?

Edit: I want to hear the rest of it....

Tupac · #8 02-09-2013, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrenchBassQC

And?

Edit: I want to hear the rest of it....

He picked her up. And then put her down.

FrenchBassQC · #9 02-09-2013, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tupac

He picked her up. And then put her down.

No pictures, it didn't happened....

Hobobob · #10 02-09-2013, 07:56 PM

Every time I've played an active bass, I've gotten great tone with awesome flexibility. Never had a battery go out on me, onstage or in rehearsal. I change my battery once every few string changes, around every 9 months. I have absolutely no fear of playing an active (as long a it's one of mine!)

spade2you · #11 02-10-2013, 07:12 AM

Never had a battery die on me at practice or live. I check the batteries from time to time. I bring extra 9v batteries and a battery tester with me.

If your batteries are dying all the time, there's a chance that something is completing the circuit, usually in the output jack. Otherwise, I've had many 9v batteries last for many years.

agreatheight · #12 02-10-2013, 07:20 AM

Had one battery die live once, about 30 years ago, in a wireless. Crap battery I expect. I have been playing active basses for 25 years, and never have a problem. I always am sure to remove the cable when I am not playing, though, including gig breaks.

rubbadubdub · #13 02-13-2013, 09:32 AM

Two things that Iv'e witnessed at gigs puts me off them. I remember watching a dude playing a Stingray with a great tone until he fiddled with the eq and buried himself in the mix. From then on I prefer to avoid adjusting anything more than a passive tone roll off before my di. If I need to change volume or eq I will adjust my amp. The rest is up to the sound dude.
The second lesson I learned was when we did a gig in front of several thousand people and our acoustic guitarists battery failed a few bars in. I now have two pickups in my acoustic guitar and have passive / active switches fitted to my active basses.

keiththebassist · #14 02-13-2013, 11:04 AM

My Actives are EMG's, in the spec's it says a high quality 9v should be good for 1,500 hours of playing time. When I'm not sure about battery life I throw in a new one right before a gig just to be safe. But it's not a bad idea to have a Digital volt/ohm meter handy so you can see what it's actually got left in it.

oniman7 · #15 02-13-2013, 02:44 PM

I keep 9 volt batteries in my gig bag but in 3 years have only replaced.2 batteries out of choice before big shows. I own 3 active bases

oniman7 · #16 02-13-2013, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubbadubdub

Two things that Iv'e witnessed at gigs puts me off them. I remember watching a dude playing a Stingray with a great tone until he fiddled with the eq and buried himself in the mix. From then on I prefer to avoid adjusting anything more than a passive tone roll off before my di. If I need to change volume or eq I will adjust my amp. The rest is up to the sound dude.
The second lesson I learned was when we did a gig in front of several thousand people and our acoustic guitarists battery failed a few bars in. I now have two pickups in my acoustic guitar and have passive / active switches fitted to my active basses.

I keep my stingray at max controls. Pickup switching and amp EQ is all I've ever needed

Nashrakh · #17 02-13-2013, 02:51 PM

One time a few years ago I had a battery die on me at home. I was freaked out because that was a first for me and the thing sounded like it was dying... I change the battery, and... Nothing happens! Still sounds all weird and ****ed up. In my panic I took it down to the store.

Clerk checks it out. First thing he tells me, my bass is way outta tune (duh it was tuned BEAD man!). I tell him I tried a battery swap already.

He tries a new 9v and voila ... It works again. Man that was so embarrassing...

Was not the first time a fresh battery was dead right out of the package. I keep more than one around in case it happensnagain...

IronLung1986 · #18 02-13-2013, 03:04 PM

I have a question for you guys who max out your active EQ's...doesn't that really hit the amp hard? or the recording interface? I've only tried doing that a couple times on my active basses and it was way too extreme. I got the sense that the amp or speaker (maybe both) couldn't handle it, and I had no control over dynamics. but it seems like a lot of people do it

im not trying to troll, im just curious.

elgecko · #19 02-13-2013, 03:32 PM

That's weird, I've never had a battery "die" while playing. I get plenty of advance warning in the form of a slight distortion during the decay of a note. Even then, I could go another week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronLung1986

I have a question for you guys who max out your active EQ's...doesn't that really hit the amp hard? or the recording interface? I've only tried doing that a couple times on my active basses and it was way too extreme. I got the sense that the amp or speaker (maybe both) couldn't handle it, and I had no control over dynamics. but it seems like a lot of people's do it

im not trying to troll, im just curious.

I've heard of people maxing passive tone controls but never active. That's just asking for trouble.

spade2you · #20 02-13-2013, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronLung1986

I have a question for you guys who max out your active EQ's...doesn't that really hit the amp hard? or the recording interface? I've only tried doing that a couple times on my active basses and it was way too extreme. I got the sense that the amp or speaker (maybe both) couldn't handle it, and I had no control over dynamics. but it seems like a lot of people's do it

im not trying to troll, im just curious.

Usually a sign you need to cut the gain or push the active switch on the amp, which subtracts a little input volume.