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Ibanez active bass-- about those battery boxes.....

Which battery covers do you prefer?

  • Snap on covers

    Votes: 98 67.6%
  • Screw in covers

    Votes: 24 16.6%
  • I don't play active basses

    Votes: 20 13.8%
  • Carrots

    Votes: 11 7.6%
  • Where am I and who put the carpet on the wall???

    Votes: 6 4.1%

  • Total voters
    145
Thanks! That's what I was looking for! :thumbsup:
More thoughts, guys? :thumbsup:

Velcro works just fine with a simple flat plate. My EUB came that way and it's never caused me a moment of hassle. I've seen wires break a number of times on the wonky hinged boxes and I think they look pretty bad most of the time. Aesthetically, a matched flat plate would pretty much always be my first choice. Not very good odds on seeing that on inexpensive instruments though.
 
I used to think the MIJ early '90's Ibanez SR800's were whack for having the battery inside the electronics/wiring compartment; pain in the be-hind to change, and the harness was weak/tempermental. Then I saw the Warwick German made Streamer LX...both confirmed my diagnosis that batteries in the electronics compartment is whack. (and that Warwick ripped-off the SR800 design.)
I also think/thought that screw-in/on truss rod covers are a pain in the be-hind; what's the point? And on the headstock under the A and D's on a 4?

Snap/open/close drop-in battery compartments rule, as well as the EBMM truss rod adjustment wheel(s). I feel for those poor suckers who must remove their necks to adjust them...sheer genius not.
 
I think the screw and metal cover looks like a higher quality bass. If I got a stingray without the screw on cover Id feel odd. With that set up as it is you could remove one screw and flip the door open as needed if you don’t mind finish wear.

If all I care about is getting at a battery in a hurry, my favorite are the clip and flip battery boxes. You push the little release, the box hinges open and the battery slides right out. New one in, slap the door shut and you’re ready to go. Looks cheap like any other ugly plastic battery box, so hideous, but it’s functionally quite nice. And it’s on the back of your bass. They’re inexpensive and easy to install cleanly even with just a chisel and a patient hand.
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I also like the look of the screw and metal cover, but if you need to change the battery mid-gig, it’s a nightmare.
 
In those days lithium batteries were considered hazardous. If not careful, the heat of the soldering iron could cause them to explode. They also last a long time...in a synth 10 years easily for memory backup. Even today, although the batteries are socketed you still have to disassemble a synth to get at the battery. Mfrs do not consider them user replaceable.
Thanks for the insights. Indeed, the original lithium battery in my Korg lasted about a decade...replacements have all been considerably shorter...at least I've learned how to do it myself. Now on to replacing the OEM 3.5" internal floppy drive with something of solid-state ilk.
 
I think the screw and metal cover looks like a higher quality bass. If I got a stingray without the screw on cover Id feel odd. With that set up as it is you could remove one screw and flip the door open as needed if you don’t mind finish wear.

If all I care about is getting at a battery in a hurry, my favorite are the clip and flip battery boxes. You push the little release, the box hinges open and the battery slides right out. New one in, slap the door shut and you’re ready to go. Looks cheap like any other ugly plastic battery box, so hideous, but it’s functionally quite nice. And it’s on the back of your bass. They’re inexpensive and easy to install cleanly even with just a chisel and a patient hand.
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My Stingray came with two of those. No screws.
 
You sure that is original, and not a replacement for a lost screw sometime in the past.

Why is a single blade screw worse than a Phillips? I’ve stripped out heads on far more Phillips than flatheads. Never been able to use a dime to remove a Phillips screw in a pinch either. I’m glad my two main players have large slot single blade screws on the covers vs a Phillips head or a cheap looking/fragile plastic box. I have seen too many plastic box battery compartments held shut with tape because the clip broke.

Edit: quoted the wrong post. Was replying to “single blade really?” and ended up replying to a reply to it instead.
 
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Why is a single blade screw worse than a Phillips? I’ve stripped out heads on far more Phillips than flatheads. Never been able to use a dime to remove a Phillips screw in a pinch either. I’m glad my two main players have large slot single blade screws on the covers vs a Phillips head or a cheap looking/fragile plastic box. I have seen too many plastic box battery compartments held shut with tape because the clip broke.

Edit: quoted the wrong post. Was replying to “single blade really?” and ended up replying to a reply to it instead.
It's ok. I agree. Nice to be able to use a dime to open the compartment! :thumbsup: