9v battery for active bass

[pbass2]

Any alkaline 9v will suffice. Avoid batteries labeled “heavy duty” or “general purpose”.

I stopped forking over for the "heavy duty" Duracells, etc years ago, when I found that the way cheaper Radio Shack branded ones actually lasted longer in my case.

 

[red_rhino]

I just use whatever is in the smoke detector

That got funnier the longer I thought about it.

 

[gstaats]

I use the EBL rechargeable 9V whenever I can. (Dollar Store Panasonic's for the others)

EBL 9V Rechargeable Batteries Lithium ion 9V 600mAh Batteries

Mine is a 2 pack with the recharger and it was inexpensive to buy, and they've save me from tossing many 9V single use batteries into the garbage.

For those talking about the drain curve... these are rechargeable, so much of that does not matter. We don't have to wait months to recharge, you can charge the day before the big gig, or every 4 weeks. Lithiums don't have memory effect, so "topping up" before a gig is great.

Mainly, have more rechargeable batteries than instruments/pedals needing them, and rotate their use. I numbered my batteries with a marker, to help me track that.

I still use single use 9V for some instruments, because the above rechargeable is physically a little larger than a single use 9V, and they do not fit inside the battery compartment for my acoustic Takemine guitar, and 1 pedal IIRC.

When I do buy single use, I go to the dollar store and buy Panasonic. Cheap. Works as well as the others to me.

That is a lot of my beef with non-rechargable batteries too - I hate tossing batteries, but don't want to run them dead. It's nice never worrying about a battery before a gig... have a lot of rechargeable batteries in rotation. I always put fresh batteries in before a gig, and keep extras in my case.

Even the newer low-self-discharge nimh batteries are light-years ahead of older nimh batteries. We use them in most everything else.

 

[CryingBass]

While a little harder to find, and not cheep, ProCell Extreme batteries claim a 10 year shelf life. On Amazon.

I will check back in a decade…

 

[ELG60]

Sam's and Costco have their own brands which are made by either Everready or Duracell. They come in multi-packs for a low unit cost. That being said, I usually end up with a sleeve of Duracells on hand, and keep a couple of spares in each soft case. Guitarists invariably end up hitting me up for one about every 4th gig.

 

[brianrost]

Another one states it's designated for electric instruments, that it will produce less noise, and has good reviews in this respect

As an electrical engineer I'm trying to understand how one battery could be lower noise than another. Is it made by Monster?

Danelectro DB-2 Vintage 9V Battery (2-pack) | Sweetwater
Adds more "mojo"

Carbon batteries sound different because of the way they drop in voltage. Some people argue that since vintage pedals from the 60s were designed before alkalines became widely used that carbon batteries work better, with a more musical "sag" as they age. If your ears can hear it and like it, go for it. Many modern pedals and active basses don't work well at all with carbon batteries.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Yep, dont over-think it. Eveready, Duracell 9v from anywhere is the easiest route. Keep an extra in your case. PLEASE do not use rechargeable batteries.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I always felt that Energizers sounded better than Duracells, a more pleasing top end ,less harsh, sustain for days, makes the bass play like butter with less dead spots and better balance on a strap, if you’re playing a Stingray though you’re better off with a Ray-O- Vac

Yeah, I noticed more neck-dive with Duracell. Plus the Energizer color compliments my TORT pickguard!

 

[groooooove]

one that fits and isn't dead will sound pretty good.

 

[Rojd]

Wouldn’t dream of using anything else.

These are exactly what I use.

 

[Inverstone]

Yes, any over the counter name brand (mostly) standard 9v alkaline will work just fine....BUT... be aware (as I wasn't) that different brands actually have different outside dimensions!!! I removed a Ray-0-Vac from my bass and replaced it with a Duracell and it did not fit the battery retaining clip inside the bass! I had to duct tape it in to be sure it would stay put. There are size comparison charts online between brands. My bass and battery clip are 16 yrs. old now so don't know if the clips differ these days or not. I do NOT have a battery door on this bass and have to remove the matching wood controls cover so the duct tape will stay for awhile. Bottom line not all 9vs from all manufacturers are the same exact sizes/dimensions.

 

[gstaats]

PLEASE do not use rechargeable batteries.

Why not? I've been using them for years without issue.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Why not? I've been using them for years without issue.

easier
plus (per amazon and other sources) Note:The standard voltage of All brands' 9V lithium-ion rechargeable batteries is 7.6V-8.7V and can't reach the true 9V.

 

[vvvmmm]

...the embarrassment of sudden and complete discharge in front of an audience.

Always a problem.

Now, what is the best battery for this or that, what's it weigh, and and do any come in tort?

 

[Aloe]

I don't recommend this, your smoke detector won't work if you take the battery out for your bass.

just plug it back when you’re finished playing

 

[gstaats]

easier
plus (per amazon and other sources) Note:The standard voltage of All brands' 9V lithium-ion rechargeable batteries is 7.6V-8.7V and can't reach the true 9V.

For many applications, such as a bass guitar, or acoustic guitar, that has no meaningful impact.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

For many applications, such as a bass guitar, or acoustic guitar, that has no meaningful impact.

Cool, to me its one less thing to worry about! To each their own!! Peace !!

 

[Medicine Man]

Copper top is the end all in tone batteries. They are the tort of batteries.

 

[moon-bass]

There are only three battery manufacturers on the planet - all batteries are made by one of these three, they just have different wrappers/labels. I've seen the manufacturers change the labels in person. Amazon, Costco, etc. brands are made by either Duracell, Energizer, or Rayovac. My information is a few years old so there may be a smaller player (maybe a smaller one off in China making low cost, generic batteries that would be OEM in cheap electronics), but in general setting up battery manufacturing is very expensive and time consuming, so these three have been making all of the batteries for decades.

Also, the newest generation of rechargeables are vastly improved over the ones from the last few years, but IME you're replacing a battery every few years or so the recyclables are more trouble than they are worth.

 

[HHudson]

@brianrost

>it's designated for electric instruments, that it will produce less noise

No question that the second part of that sentence is snakeoil nonsense... it is the first half which baffles me...

What kind of batteries is that marketing department referring to, which are *NOT* designed for "electrical instruments" ... one must assume batteries for non electrical instruments..