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Forgot to check battery before gig

john_g

john_g

Sep 14, 2007
7,684
5,250
Pennsylvania
#1
Had a gig last night and decided I would use my Stringray. i thought earlier in the day that i should check the battery and then got sidetracked and forgot. As Im walking out of the house I remembered but everything was already in the car (including me), so I ran back in the house, grabbed a 9V, and took off. I dont remember exactly when i put in a new battery but I didnt "think it was all that long ago". I usually always take two basses too but this is a pretty small space so I only took one. I know...recipe for disaster.

Plugged in and it sounded fine so I didnt put in the new battery. Halfway through the first set it starts distorting. It was weird, I told the singer in between songs and he went out front said it sounded ok...? I finally had to tell them to tell a joke after a song so I can throw in the new battery. Thank god the stingray's battery compartment is like it is so it didnt take too long, but it felt like an eternity.

Learned my lesson.
 
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#10
john_g said:
Had a gig last night and decided I would use my Stringray. i thought earlier in the day that i should check the battery and then got sidetracked and forgot. As Im walking out of the house I remembered but everything was already in the car (including me), so I ran back in the house, grabbed a 9V, and took off. I dont remember exactly when i put in a new battery but I didnt "think it was all that long ago". I usually always take two basses too but this is a pretty small space so I only took one. I know...recipe for disaster.

Plugged in and it sounded fine so I didnt put in the new battery. Halfway through the first set it starts distorting. It was weird, I told the singer in between songs and he went out front said it sounded ok...? I finally had to tell them to tell a joke after a song so I can throw in the new battery. Thank god the stingray's battery compartment is like it is so it didnt take too long, but it felt like an eternity.
Learned my lesson.
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buldog5151bass said:
Why would you take any active bass anywhere without a spare battery in the case/bag? Ever...
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Leigh_D said:
On every gig I have a spare battery in my pocket. With my BSX Allegro it takes less than a minute to replace the battery.
**Leigh
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john_g said:
Content on TB ;)
Click to expand...


This is TALKBass, not READBass. We just read the title, not the post. BananaDancing.gif
 
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#11
When I played an active bass full time I kept a black sharpie in my case and whenever I changed my battery I wrote the date on a portion of the battery hang tag and tossed it in the accessory compartment where I’d see it every time I got my strap out to play. I’d already determined my bass would last about 6 months on a battery so I’d just keep an eye on the date and replace the battery when it got close to six months since the last battery change. Never had any problems or oh poopie moments due to battery going dead.
 
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#13
I usually play my bass in passive mode. But it does use the battery when plugged in. Once I was playing through my interface and I heard a bit of distortion for a moment. Then it went away. It was in passive mode. But despite that there was still a moment of distortion. The bass can run in passive mode without a battery, but I don't understand why I would still hear a moment of distorted sound when the battery fails. Bartolini NTBT preamp on my Ibanez GWB205
 
#14
Happened to me once.
I decided it was a pain in the butt to remember changing them / keeping spares / throwing away batteries with 50% power left just out of fear etc, so now I power the bass with 18V from the pedalboard, and would only use instruments with a preamp bypass, so it's never happening again.
 
#15
J Wilson said:
I played active basses for years, and this was my routine when I was gigging constantly:

Change them for New Year's

Change them for 4th of July

. . . . and ALWAYS have a spare with me just in case the ones I bought were already way old when I got them.
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That's a good cycle to keep. I usually change batteries when I feel like "it's time", eyeballing about half a year's time too, but I feel like I change them a bit too often in the end. Maybe I should keep a log or use fixed dates like you.
 
#16
Purchase a small multi-meter !! Mine has a 9V test setting - I have found that if the battery tests less than 9 volts it will not last long ! I have never had batteries last as long as some users, and I keep my bass unplugged as much as possible. Part of my ritual is to test batteries before each gig or practice.
 
#17
john_g said:
Had a gig last night and decided I would use my Stringray. i thought earlier in the day that i should check the battery and then got sidetracked and forgot. As Im walking out of the house I remembered but everything was already in the car (including me), so I ran back in the house, grabbed a 9V, and took off. I dont remember exactly when i put in a new battery but I didnt "think it was all that long ago". I usually always take two basses too but this is a pretty small space so I only took one. I know...recipe for disaster.

Plugged in and it sounded fine so I didnt put in the new battery. Halfway through the first set it starts distorting. It was weird, I told the singer in between songs and he went out front said it sounded ok...? I finally had to tell them to tell a joke after a song so I can throw in the new battery. Thank god the stingray's battery compartment is like it is so it didnt take too long, but it felt like an eternity.

Learned my lesson.
Click to expand...
I'm thankful for the active/passive switch on my Ibanez SR600E and -2600.
 
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