Best Battery for Active basses

[Giffro]

Yeah, but what's the best battery for metal?

A METAL oxide Battery?

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Longest lasting and least likely to leak is what you want. I wish I could tell you which brand does that, but I can't.

I can tell you that every battery mentioned in this thread so far will leak with the exception of any lithium battery, and they might leak, but I don't know.

I did use nothing but Duracell in everything because I thought they lasted longer than Energizer. I've had Duracell cylindrical batteries AAAA (pen light) AAA, AA, C, & D all leak in some device. I've also had Energizers leak, so I don't know if there's a brand that's "leak proof".

I don't think I've had either of their 9v batts leak.

I know the lithium batteries are expensive, but with their shelf life being so long, they are probably the least likely to leak, and could be the longest lasting also.

I guess somebody needs to check with the Project Farm guy on YouTube & see if he's compared 9v batts….

 

[Giffro]

Ive had this battery discussion before quite a few times along with others like @Geri O in this latest thread. I saved all the TB links about 9V batteries, their usage, problems, longevity etc etc
I'll relist all the old links..you will find them interesting and informative as I have over the years.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/new-duracell-9v-wont-fit-in-my-musicman.351991/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/is-a-lithium-9-volt-o-k-to-use.298562/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/what-batteries-do-you-guys-like-in-your-active-basses.1243657/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/what-kind-of-battery-do-you-use.657875/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/what-battery-do-you-trust-for-your-active.1158341/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/battery-recommendation.474432/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/batteries.531853/
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/how-long-does-your-9v-last.391090/

 

[Jefenator]

I get 12-packs of the "industrial" Duracell or Energizer on eBay. Saves money & keeps the battery shopping & changing to a minimum.

 

[Rickplaysbass]

Whatever is near me in the store when I walk past the battery endcap and remember I need to buy a 9v.

 

[Geddaric]

I`ve found that my best answer is to go strictly passive.

 

[JazznFunk]

Name-brands. Duracell or Energizer. I use lithium or alkaline. Lithiums sometimes fit a bit snug, but you can work around that if you stick a small piece of fabric or string under the battery when you wedge it in there, so you can pull on it to pop the battery out more easily. Don't use non-alkaline or rechargable batteries unless you want to deal with possible leaks or voltage weirdness. We're talking a buck or 2 per battery to have fresh power. Don't cheap out. I've never had a battery leak inside a bass, usually because I change batteries well before they die or could get to a point where they're old enough to leak. Also, remove the battery if you anticipate not playing a bass for a long time, or going into long-term storage. Preventive maintenance.

 

[onda'bass]

gee that helps a lot....

I`ve found that my best answer is to go strictly passive.

 

[onda'bass]

i have had success with regular energizer/Duracell. Change them every 6months regardless, never had an issues of failure.

 

[BassNugget]

From the Ernie Ball FAQ:

"Average alkaline battery life is 6 months. We recommend Duracell batteries as replacements mostly due to size inconsistencies between battery manufacturers. Do not leave your bass plugged in when you have finished playing, as this will drain your battery faster. Battery life of course depends on how often and how long you play. When the sound of your bass becomes distorted, it's ready for a new battery."

FAQ | Ernie Ball Music Man

 

[Geddaric]

gee that helps a lot....

Forgive my Monday snideness.
IME most batteries are created equal and practically all will go dead when you forget to unplug your instrument cord from your output jack.
Fresh batteries are your best answer, and to get the freshest, you should look into venues that sell A Lot of batteries. I hate Kroger (or similar) prices, but happy homemakers don`t make special stops for batteries and likely will grab what`s convenient, resulting in more frequent restocking of batteries. I also feel better about buying name brands. I got tired of changing batteries so, as implied by my original posting, I got away from actives altogether.
In other words, I shoulda just kept my big mouth shut.

 

[JC BASS 91]

This is what I use in every active bass I have. When I get a new bass with active electronics, I will pull whatever battery is in there and put one of these in.

Duracell Procell
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[coy garcia]

The one that's on sale always seem to work best for me....and of course having back ups in the gig bag.

 

[jeff62]

I use Energizer Lithium 9v

View attachment 5468048

This. If for the only reason is because they can't go bad and leak acid like a normal battery. I've had one too many batteries leak unexpectedly (yes, quality batteries like Duracell and Energizer) and damage the resulting electronic connections. It's a pain in the rear to change those out.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Yeah, but what's the best battery for metal?

Lithium. Because it's a metal...

BBB

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

The only real issue I've ever had with any was a pack I had, unopened, wayyyyyy past it's "good until" date. They were dead. I need to stop buying them whenever they're on sale. I have more than enough.

BBB

 

[Parzival]

I use the regular Energizers. I don't trust Duracell anymore. I used to use their AA in my wireless mouse at home but over the last few years the quality has gone way down and they just don't last long at all. Cheap generic batteries perform better than Duracell IMO.

 

[brianrost]

I used Duracells for years but now in interest of saving some money I've been trying out Amazon Basics instead. An 8 pack is only $12.59 ($1.53 per battery), half the price of Duracells. So far, they've been fine. I use them in my NS Radius and Steinberger L2 basses, and my fdeck, L.R. Baggs and Sadowsky preamp pedals.

 

[CascadeBass]

Yeah, but what's the best battery for metal?

Ugh! At least I checked first before making the same comment. Lol.

 

[sabre79]

Yeah, but what's the best battery for metal?

Use two of them for added headroom.