Do you unplug between sets?

[Joe Louvar]

The trip on the cable scene is my reason to unplug too. Even Passive. Usually I play G&L 2500 these days, which though it still drains the battery in passive mode if plugged in, at least lets you play in passive (and sound great too) if the battery does go dead.

But the real fear isn't batteries, (every active case has a spare) but the famous bumbler tripping over cables on the stage floor and taking your instrument(s) with him. Yes, if the worst happens I do have a back-up bass in the truck, but I'd just as soon not see my babies falling over.

+1 Yep. I always unplug too.

 

[Ewo]

Well, seems like a lot of trouble just to save just a little time on the battery. Wouldn't be worth it to me, except with a bass that chews through batts _very_ quickly.

Added: My go-on-break drill is turn the volume down on the bass, mute the amp, put the bass on the stand right next to my amp, and check that my cable is out of the footpath. Never had any problems, that way.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Yes. Bacause of the cable-catching reason.

 

[SpecialBlender]

I've always unplugged my bass between sets even when I used passive basses oh so many years ago. Mostly due to the tripping hazard. I went wireless about the same time I started using active basses and have followed the same sequence since then.
Mute amp, wireless off, unplug bass, put it on the stand.

My practice bass at home is active and stays unplugged until I use it as I don't play it every day due work/life demands.

I have a friend who runs a battery store, get my 9 volt alkaline batteries by the box of 12 for under 20.00 and will last me several months. I spend more on coffee than batteries during that time.

 

[JTE]

Never. I put my instruments in the stand next to the amp and route cables away from traffic. Batteries last a year or more, playing 60+ gigs of four hours or more, plus rehearsals and practicing. You're being too anal.

John

 

[Matt R]

I tended to unplug the bass, save some battery life, less risk for accidents.

+1

 

[Baird6869]

I unplug if I am switching basses between sets. Step on the tuner to mute and unplug. Done. Amp always stays on too.

If I am using the same bass for the next set, I will leave it plugged in. I buy 9v Duracells or Energizers when they are on sale for under $2 each, so battery cost isn't an issue at all. Also, my main gigging bass is a Fodera with an 18v pre..... I haven't changed batteries in almost a year of heavy playing/gigging.

 

[Philonius]

Not a battery issue, but I do unplug to eliminate the danger of someone tripping over the cord.

 

[MegaSwing]

I only unplug at home. At a gig the bass is always at the ready.

 

[M Sterling]

I used to keep my bass plugged in until an especially clumsy sound guy tripped over the cord and pulled it to the ground, snapping the headstock. I will never leave my bass plugged in in a stand again. I've seen it happen to others as well. It serves no purpose and only sets you up for despair. Trust me.

 

[Gaolee]

Well, seems like a lot of trouble just to save just a little time on the battery. Wouldn't be worth it to me, except with a bass that chews through batts _very_ quickly.

Added: My go-on-break drill is turn the volume down on the bass, mute the amp, put the bass on the stand right next to my amp, and check that my cable is out of the footpath. Never had any problems, that way.

This is what used to I do. So far so good. It helps that I put the bass immediately next to the amp and make sure the cord is out of the way. I have had more problems stepping on it myself or having other people step on it during the show than having people trip on it when it isn't being used. That said, our drummer tripped over a cord the singer/sometime guitar player left plugged into a small amp she set on top of my preamp. The small amp fell and whacked the drummer in the back pretty hard. That was Thursday night, so it will be interesting to see how she it next time we all get together. So, I'm probably going to change my way of doing things because of that. The upright would get broken if it fell, the P would break somebody else if it fell, and I'm not sure I want to find out what would happen to any of the others. And, if it fell and broke itself on somebody, the upright could do some damage. No thanks. None of us is too old to learn.

 

[Sid Fang]

I used to always, always unplug actives from the amp before putting them on a stand, partly for battery life - in particular my Steinberger has a damaged battery compartment door and I want to minimize further wear - and for the gear safety reasons Lyske mentioned.

The odd wrinkle in this is going wireless. Since I've started playing over a Line6 G50 rig, I seem to have transferred my fussiness to the transmitter, which drains batteries MUCH faster than an active bass. That gets turned off between sets, but I notice that I am now less consistent about disconnecting the bass from the transmitter at the same time.

 

[xbud]

The odd wrinkle in this is going wireless. Since I've started playing over a Line6 G50 rig, I seem to have transferred my fussiness to the transmitter, which drains batteries MUCH faster than an active bass. That gets turned off between sets, but I notice that I am now less consistent about disconnecting the bass from the transmitter at the same time.

I have the same exact issue, my wireless has been draining AA batteries faster than I can buy them. So I switched to rechargeable batteries and I now have the ability to play a 14 hour gig (Not Physically, just in wireless theory). I figured that it if the 9 Volt fund starts draining fast I will move them to rechargeable as well.

 

[Sid Fang]

I have the same exact issue, my wireless has been draining AA batteries faster than I can buy them. So I switched to rechargeable batteries and I now have the ability to play a 14 hour gig (Not Physically, just in wireless theory). I figured that it if the 9 Volt fund starts draining fast I will move them to rechargeable as well.

A couple things here:

I bought two pairs of rechargeables as soon as I got the G50, because I knew they would pay for themselves, and they have. But one thing that people should keep in mind about rechargeables is that they don't hold their charge in storage as well as conventional, disposable, alkaline cells. If you play an active bass infrequently, you'll very likely find that you'll need to swap out rechargeable 9Vs far more often than you would need to replace standard alkalines. I use rechargeables for my wireless transmitter, and for my Zoom recorder, but never in my basses.

On the other hand, something I haven't seen come up on this thread is that, if you're really trying to avoid battery changes on active basses, for whatever reason, consider buying 9V Lithium cells, the ones that are made for smoke detectors. They cost about twice as much as alkaline cells, but last several times as long. My Steinberger has gone as much as 3 years on one.

 

[godofthunder59]

Bingo! I always unplug.

I work for a band and I ALWAYS unplug every guitar/bass.
It wouldn't be the first time someone walks across the stage, gets stuck behind a cable and pulls the guitar out of a stand.
Not only for damage on the body, but also the electronics inside.
I can fix much before a show but if you pull out your electronics and the venue has no soldering iron you're screwed...

 

[iriegnome]

Nope.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I unplug if I am switching basses between sets. Step on the tuner to mute and unplug. Done. Amp always stays on too.

If I am using the same bass for the next set, I will leave it plugged in. I buy 9v Duracells or Energizers when they are on sale for under $2 each, so battery cost isn't an issue at all. Also, my main gigging bass is a Fodera with an 18v pre..... I haven't changed batteries in almost a year of heavy playing/gigging.

This is what I do since I have been gigging active basses lately, when I use a passive I leave it plugged in.

I do it because I am a mild hippy, the less batteries I toss in the landfill, the happier I am.

I really do not know why that mod that allows your amp to power your active bass has not caught more wide spread attention.

 

[Baker69]

My Active Sandberg California has a push pull switch on the master volume which switches between active and passive mode and as such takes the battery out of line. I sometimes do this instead of unplugging.

Most of the time I play through a wireless system though, so the battery gets disconnected anyway once I take my bass off as the transmitter is fastened to my trousers not my strap!

 

[Turock]

I turn the volume down and set it on its stand, move the cable out of the way, active or passive.

 

[grendle]

I leave em plugged in and turn the Vol down. No need to unplug.