bass problem?

[esp50]

i just got my esp f104 about a week or two ago,and when i went to play it last night it made a farting noise,and i have to hit the strings really hard to get a sound...im pretty sure its the pickups....what do i do? replace the pickups or get some sort of warrenty?

 

[BigMcLargehuge]

Most likely the battery powering the preamp is nearly drained. Replace it with a fresh one and see if that helps the situation. If not, you have a warranty issue, provided you bought the bass new.

 

[tim4003]

If your battery is dead, it's likely that you've left the cable plugged into the bass while not playing.
FYI, the cable is what turns the pre-amp in your bass off/on, so the battery is always draining when the cable is plugged into the bass.