How long do batteries last in your bass

[waytoodeep03]

Seems as of lately ive been replacing both 9v batteries in my Cirrus every month. When I first got the bass I replaced them every 6 months or so.

How long do batteries last in your bass? Two 9v batteries arent cheap

 

[sreymnhoj]

nm

 

[sreymnhoj]

I have a single nine volt in my Quantum 4. I play it somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-12 hours per week, and I've replaced the battery twice in the 12 years that I've owned the instrument.

 

[rumblethump]

My Carvin goes about a year on batteries no sweat, but I mostly play it passive. It sounds like you might have a short somewhere if your power consumption has changed. You might check the input jack, as that is what is supposed to turn the pre on and off.

 

[mrwink]

my main bass is an SR5 with a bart and some basslines preamp... I usually change the battery every three months or so... I do it about every 3rd time I change strings just so I don't run into any surprises.

Play anywhere from 12-20 hours a week.

 

[FallenAbom]

May want to invest in one of those recharging stations for all different batteries too (bought mine for $50 with 2 9vs, 4 AA's, 4AAA's, and 2 C type). They work great, and in the long run it saves you quite a bit of cash if you go through a lot of batteries.

 

[Revmizery]

I have an Ibanez BTB 406 with an Audere pre and SGD pickups running 18v. It will usually last for about 4 months before I notice a slight drop in headroom. I play about 10 hours a week.

Make sure your keeping it unplugged when not in use.

 

[sreymnhoj]

I should also note that I use the cheapest non alkaline batteries possible. Either Eveready or store brand. When they go, they go. There's no fading or "in and out" like one might see with an alkaline cell.

 

[ZonGuy]

My Cirrus Millenium 6 string eats batteries as well. Presume you have 2 12volt in series for a 24 volt signal. I would not be surprised at a month life vs 6 months or way beyond for my other active basses (Warwick, Yamaha, etc)

Big problem is the Cirrus tends to go dead without much warning. I used mine on a live recorded church gig. And learned to change the batteries at least every two weeks, until I got rechargeables. The radio shack lithium rechargeables are thicker than regular batteries, so I would hammer them into the cavity and not put the back plate back on.

On a good note, if you keep the Cirrus batteries fresh, now you will always have batteries ready to downcycle into tuners and metronomes.

 

[TerenceSharp]

Every 6 months, at which point the battery gets demoted to use in a tuner or pedal.
I use Duracell Pluseseseses
Personally, £1-£3 Every 6 months isn't too bad that I need to use rechargables, It's a pain recharging them and they don't last as long as a decent Alkaline-based battery.

If there's one thing ebay is good for is getting cheap batteries

My now-old RBX374 went through tons of batteries and I used a Set of 2 Energizer Rechargables rotating them in charging/playing.

 

[bl2112]

Recharge ables in theory work great but for a pedal, drum machine, mp3 or bass not so good. After recharging the battery so much it gains a memory. Meaning it won't hold 100% charge. So after a while it will go from 6 months to 4. I've had this problem with rechargeables and only use them for remotes.

 

[A216shadoW]

I changed mine about every 4 months. I have 2 9v's in my bass.

 

[silverburst]

Rechargeable 9V batteries never actually reach 9 volts.

 

[JTE]

I change the batteries in my active basses once a year. I've done this since I got my first active (a Music Man StingRay around 1979). Only once did a battery cause an on-stage problem. That's the one time I used an Everready alkaline instead of my trusted Duracells.

My active basses include or have included two pre EB StingRays, three US Laklands, a Korean Skyline 55-01, a Guild Pilot with EMGs and a passive control circuit, a Pilot with EMGs and an active circuit, an Ashbory, and a home-made with the Duncan/Basslines pre-amp.

jte

 

[TheMutt]

I've got an SR5, everything stock. I tend to change the batteries about every 6 months to a year. I gig twice a week for about 1-2 hours each, and practice/play around at home around 10-20 hours a week.

 

[nicoli]

Make sure your keeping it unplugged when not in use.

+1 That was my first thought as well. If you are leaving your bass on with the instrument cable still plugged into it, you are draining your batteries even when you are not playing it.

 

[kenlacam]

+1 That was my first thought as well. If you are leaving your bass on with the instrument cable still plugged into it, you are draining your batteries even when you are not playing it.

+1. this is the main cause of draining batteries in an active bass. Always unplug it when not in use, and you will have longer battery life.

 

[Rock Silas]

I play a heavily modified Tobias Toby with passive Bartolini 9j1's, a 3 position treble cut, kill switch and an active 3 band EQ. Not counting practice times, I play at services twice a week for about 2 and a half hours each and the occasional pick up gig here and there. I notice a change in my 9v usually about a month and a half in... I start to loose a bit of volume and my tone changes...so I change mine every 40 days or so. Been using regular Duracells but trying out their Quantum 9v now.

 

[line6man]

May want to invest in one of those recharging stations for all different batteries too (bought mine for $50 with 2 9vs, 4 AA's, 4AAA's, and 2 C type). They work great, and in the long run it saves you quite a bit of cash if you go through a lot of batteries.

Rechargeable batteries should not be used on basses.

 

[SamJ]

I use the new Energizer Lithiums which cost about 2x as much, but last about 1.5x longer.. they are also a lot more stable and very unlikely to ever leak and cause damage.