Active Bass Owners:

[bassninja7]

how long in between each battery change?

also how long would a battery last if i practice 4 days a week at 3hrs each day?

might be looking into a new bass just for kicks(MM)

 

[frankie5string]

On my Sray I can get about 6 months to a battery with nearly daily playing about what you're doing...

My MTD with its old electronics got about the same timeline with its battery.

 

[bassninja7]

holy crap!
i was expecting like 2 weeks!!
...if only my X2 could do the same...

 

[cjbhunter]

i use rechargeable battery's and just charge them every Sunday even if there not dead or low, i just like knowing they wont die. also if you dont leave your bass cord in they will last a long time

 

[bassninja7]

^yea thats what i was thinking about doing.
getting like 3 rech. batts. one in the bass, one in the transmitter, and one charged up.
i know at some point they will die together, but if the active will last as long as frankie says, it will be predictable.

 

[frankie5string]

I wouldn't count on the rechargeable being as usable. I found they have a different plateau and will tend to "duck" or drop power if you've got fairly hot pickups... I didn't have that sort of problem using Alkalines...

Let us know how you make out...

 

[bassninja7]

I wouldn't count on the rechargeable being as usable. I found they have a different plateau and will tend to "duck" or drop power if you've got fairly hot pickups... I didn't have that sort of problem using Alkalines...

Let us know how you make out...

thanks for the info

and sure will, but i think a MM is a little outta my reach as of now. but the jag has been getting a lot of attention in the last month or so. might own one in the near future.

 

[JazzyJames]

Usually a month or two. Sometimes three.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I think I changed the battery in my SR4 twice or three times (at most) since 1995...
Maybe twice in my G&L since 1997...

 

[stflbn]

I go 6 months between batteries in my Schecters with Aguilar OBP-3's in them, but I always unplug my active basses when I'm not playing them.

 

[voodoobassist]

I usualy got about a years worth out of all my actives when I was playing fulltime. Now if you leave them plugged in at your house all the time,....welllllllll,...2 or 3 weeks at best maybe? dunno,..have never done that.

 

[bassninja7]

amazing!!

rethinking my choice of the jag, might go with a MM.

time to start saving :/

 

[JTE]

I change the batteries in my active basses once a year. That's been my practice since my first active bass, an Music Man StingRay I got in 1978 or early '79. The only time I've ever had a battery issue with any of my active instruments was that StingRay the one time I used an EverReady alkaline. Going back to Duracells and I've not ever had a problem with annual changes. That's experience with two pre EB StingRays (that did NOT have the switching jacks), two Guild Pilots (one regular, one Pro with an internal pre-amp in addition to the two EMG active PUPS), two US Lakland 4-94s, a Skyline 55-01, a DeArmond Ashbory, and my fretless which has a Duncan/Basslines Steve Bailey pre-amp in it.

Less than 6 months and I'd be getting things looked at- most active circuits in basses just aren't that high of a current draw. Of course if you're using rechargables (which are never 9 VDC when "fully charged" or regular carbon/zinc batteries you're gonna go through them faster.

jte

 

[amimbari]

you know almost all of mine have batteries, and ya for me pretty much once a year... the wireless? a few hours if I'm lucky in the transmitter. I always keep a 2 pack in the cordbag, and in all my years never had a battery go dead while I was playing.

 

[frankie5string]

you know almost all of mine have batteries, and ya for me pretty much once a year... the wireless? a few hours if I'm lucky in the transmitter. I always keep a 2 pack in the cordbag, and in all my years never had a battery go dead while I was playing.

It would stand to reason that your wireless pack wouldn't last very long...that's a very different animal and draws lots of battery power.

 

[PilbaraBass]

specs on my squier say 300 hours...
I know I've gotten at least 2 years from my carvin.

I change my batteries like twice a year, regardless...

 

[mrtn400]

Throw an extra 9v in your case and don't worry about it.