My preamp battery died on my gig today.

[Hasty]

I popped the knob to bypass the preamp. It still sounded amazing and I finished the gig with it. Really wasn't that big of a deal for me. That is all.


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For those wanting more…

I was expecting this to happen sooner or later. I've been playing a bunch lately and kept forgetting to get new batteries. My regular box was depleted and I just haven't had time to replenish my supply yet.

While playing a solo on Chitlins con Carne, the bass started getting quiet. I thought to myself "self… that is odd. I wonder what the problem is?" Looked at the amp, it had power and no one else was affected in stage. Then I thought, I bet it's the preamp. Pulled the little knob and all was right with the world again.

Mainly posted this because I've read so much doom and gloom on the very subject lately. it happened, I dealt with it, and the only person that noticed was the guitar player because he saw me looking back at the amp. Everyone else thought I was being musically sensitive. Just a reminder that stuff happens and life goes on.

 

[DWBass]

Preamp or battery?

 

[Hasty]

Preamp or battery?

Lets assume it's the battery for now... since I still haven't replaced it yet. I should probably update the title to reflect that.

 

[joelns]

I check my batteries with a volt meter about once a month. My main bass seems to need a new battery every 4 months or so. I also put a piece of masking tape on the battery and write the date them it went in. That way I have a rough idea of when it'll be time to replace.

 

[Hasty]

I check my batteries with a volt meter about once a month. My main bass seems to need a new battery every 4 months or so. I also put a piece of masking tape on the battery and write the date them it went in. That way I have a rough idea of when it'll be time to replace.

Mine generally last about 6 months and I change them when I flip the clocks with Daylight Savings Time. However I've played so much with it lately I figured my time was coming... I just didn't have a chance to go buy more 9v batteries. I'm mainly approaching this from the perspective that it isn't the end of the world when it happens... well not if you have a bypass option.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

I popped the knob to bypass the preamp. It still sounded amazing and I finished the gig with it. Really wasn't that big of a deal for me. That is all.


—————————————
For those wanting more…

I was expecting this to happen sooner or later. I've been playing a bunch lately and kept forgetting to get new batteries. My regular box was depleted and I just haven't had time to replenish my supply yet.

While playing a solo on Chitlins con Carne, the bass started getting quiet. I thought to myself "self… that is odd. I wonder what the problem is?" Looked at the amp, it had power and no one else was affected in stage. Then I thought, I bet it's the preamp. Pulled the little knob and all was right with the world again.

Mainly posted this because I've read so much doom and gloom on the very subject lately. it happened, I dealt with it, and the only person that noticed was the guitar player because he saw me looking back at the amp. Everyone else thought I was being musically sensitive. Just a reminder that stuff happens and life goes on.

Playing some Kenny Burrell, good on you! I avoided preamps at first out of a morbid fear of battery loss. Now I avoid preamps because I'm trying to avoid batteries altogether. Even on little stuff: I got tired of buying batteries for my Snark tuner, got myself one from Fender that you charge with a USB (of course, I have to remember to charge it once in a while.)

 

[MrLenny1]

I have a Batt O Meter that plugs into the bass and reads the voltage
and estimated hours left. Nice tool to have but you still need a battery.

 

[PDW30]

I've never figured out why manufacturers design basses with active electronics and with the battery behind the main rear cover. I have visions of a bassist continuing playing while a tech unscrews the cover, changes the battery, and puts it all back together. And hey! it's making a noise again!

 

[Michedelic]

Playing some Kenny Burrell, good on you!

Odds are they were doing it only because SRV covered it.
I have no trepidation about active EQ, it's just more tone sculpting, and necessary in a lot of situations. While yes I agree that the battery in the pot cavity with cover is a major pain in the ass, I'm dilligent about battery life..it's just another thing on the 'check it' list for gigs. There's this little doohickey that you can check with…

And as I don't mind using SX parts Frankenbasses on some gigs, I've dug out little separate compartments for those fliplid battery holders, just in case.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I have a Batt O Meter that plugs into the bass and reads the voltage
and estimated hours left. Nice tool to have but you still need a battery.

Yeah! It's always best to test the battery while it is running the gear it runs. Just testing the battery by itself, under no load may mislead.

 

[Hasty]

Odds are they were doing it only because SRV covered it.

Or… hear me out on this one… odds are we were doing it because we're a jazz trio with a guitarist and Kenny Burrell is totally in our wheelhouse.

Good tip on the Batt-o-Meter. You're the second person to mention that.
Sad thing is… my battery is so easy to access on that bass so I have no excuses. Oh well. I replaced the batteries earlier this week and I'm back in business. Although the last 3 gigs I've only played Double Bass.

 

[rutrho]

My main active basses have a bypass switch because for this reason. I have a couple others that dont have em, but I try to stay in the habit of swapping 'em out every couple months because I tend to forget to unplug them.

 

[JRA]

I have a Batt O Meter that plugs into the bass and reads the voltage and estimated hours left.

There's this little doohickey that you can check with…

FYI: the batt-o-meter: the usual sources are listing it as "sold out" but stew mac's site stated that it's no longer in production.

i recently went back to active electronics with two axes (neither one are active/passive switchable), so that gizmo could be handy --- it's just not as available as it once was. the only source i could google successfully for that piece (KMI batt-o-meter) was thomann.

 

[jeffbrown]

Twice my lead guit's batt went out on gigs. The last time he ended up BORROWING another player's ax. Very embarrassing - for him. It's now a joke in the band to chide him whenever we rehearse: "Hey, Mike, is your battery fresh?" He gives a rueful smile, digs out a new one.... He, too, has a bad habit of not unplugging after we play.

 

[Bassamatic]

I would never gig an active bass without adding one of the battery checker LEDs to it. The flash green when you plug in to show the batt is OK. And the bass would have to have a bypass as well.

 

[chadhargis]

I have a low battery indicator on two of my basses that start blinking when the battery falls below a threshold. And it will literally blink for days before it dies. I've purposely tested it and left the bass plugged in to see how long it will blink before it was totally dead...and it was several days. So you get plenty of advance notice.

I also have one of the Batt-O-Meters...but the only bad thing about it is that it won't read 18v and the jack is a right angle jack and doesn't fit some output jacks.

 

[Hasty]

I would never gig an active bass without adding one of the battery checker LEDs to it. The flash green when you plug in to show the batt is OK. And the bass would have to have a bypass as well.

When I had my bass built one of my criteria was a push/pull bypass. I'm really not too worried about losing battery since the bass sounds great either way. All I lose is some volume and the active eq capabilities.

I also have one of the Batt-O-Meters...but the only bad thing about it is that it won't read 18v and the jack is a right angle jack and doesn't fit some output jacks.

Good to know. Then there's no reason for me to look for one since my bass is 18v.

 

[Dave W]

Just more fuel to the fire for all the players that are scared of batteries.

ZOMG!!! How did you ever survive flipping that switch?
Will the drunken crowd ever recover from not even noticing that the bass wasn't being played for 3 seconds?
Are there now scathing online reviews of your band that are going viral?

 

[Orioles]

I have a dumb question. Would the Batt-O-Meter read an 18v proposition if you pulled out one of the batteries? Tested your 9v batteries one at a time?