Halloween Scare!

[Michedelic]

not to disparage, but this is reason number 2 for avoiding basses that require a battery on a paying job

No, this is the reason you check all your gear at home beforehand, plus, as a matter of course, bring all the necessary back-up/emergency items(and it doesn’t have to be much)with you to the gig.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

No, this is the reason you check all your gear at home beforehand, plus, as a matter of course, bring all the necessary back-up/emergency items(and it doesn’t have to be much)with you to the gig.

Yes, not all of us have that luxury. I prefer to eliminate the problem alltogether by playing great sounding passive basses on the road. Or, a bass like a Lakland that still works when the battery is dead

 

[sheesh]

odd - just a little while ago I posted on the halloween costume (bass player) thread that my scary costume was an active bass with an old battery . . . so I hope I didn't jinx you . . . lol

 

[Michedelic]

Yes, not all of us have that luxury. I prefer to eliminate the problem alltogether by playing great sounding passive basses on the road. Or, a bass like a Lakland that still works when the battery is dead

How is that a luxury? All it takes, on a minimal level, is a little bag the size of a “dob kit” or clutch purse, with a small screw driver kit, maybe a couple of smaller pliers, then a packaged pair of 9-volts, or even a volt-ohm meter. Items like that can even fit in case compartments. This is Boy Scouts stuff.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

How is that a luxury? All it takes, on a minimal level, is a little bag the size of a “dob kit” or clutch purse, with a small screw driver kit, maybe a couple of smaller pliers, then a packaged pair of 9-volts, or even a volt-ohm meter. Items like that can even fit in case compartments. This is Boy Scouts stuff.

Lakland's preamp is defeatable which is a great design. Besides I don't trust the boy scouts.

 

[ezstep]

I had a spare batttery but it was nearly time to start the gig so I just swapped basses. I spent some time yesterday changing batteries on four instruments.

Currently, none of my active basses have the defeat switch to play passive. Sire and G&L and others have that in quite a few of theirs.

 

[Michedelic]

Besides I don't trust the boy scouts.

“Be prepared” doesn’t resonate with you?

 

[Smooth_bass88]

“Be prepared” doesn’t resonate with you

of course I'm prepared. I've been a working pro bass player for decades. I just happen to prefer passive basses because I don't want to deal with batteries plus I like the way they sound.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Nothing worse than that "what is wrong" moment when you're ready to play.

Not that it's alot of extra work or expense but I prefer passive to eliminate "one more thing" to take care of. I had one active bass (Ibanez) some time ago and I never really found that I got sounds from it that I couldn't get from my passive so never went back. YMMV