Would you just let the battery die, because you shouldn't have to? Or how about letting the strings rust? Or those pesky neck adjustments?
THAT was a FANTASTIC point; it swayed me a great deal.
You are saying changing the battery is just like the periodic maintenance we do on our basses, or our cars for that matter... a hassle? Perhaps, but nonetheless it is part of the job of being an owner.
That makes perfect sense to me.
I've never had these problems and I've had the same active bass for 15 years now.
That just sucks, but I don't see how a battery compartment can help that.
Well, I just can't accept that it is so much trouble to change a battery in the control cavity.
I guess if I had just one or two basses, and I played them all evenly, then cracking the control compartment every 6 months would be no big deal.
But I have 11 basses, (and it looks like that number is going to become 12 this Christmas), and in no way do I play them evenly. In fact, there is no telling how much a battery will be spent in 6 months on any given bass, and I just don't have 11 tuners and metronomes to put all the partially used batteries in.
As a result, I pretty much use the same policy with my batteries that I have with my strings: I replace them when my basses "ask" me to.
If my strings seem dull, they get changed. If my basses aren't so clear, or I think the batteries are old, I change 'em. It's what makes sense for my situation.
For my Pedulla Rapture and my 2 Patitucci basses, that's not much of a hassle: I just tip open the battery compartments and drop in another.
However, with my F-basses, Fodera and Nordy, I'm going to need the screw driver -- and these days with my eye sight not what it once was, a bright room! :-(
In other words, I can see why, from your viewpoint and experience, you feel the lack of a battery compartment is no big deal.
However, one size doesn't fit all, and not every player is in your shoes, so hopefully you can see why battery compartments could be a good thing for some of us.
I think it's great that you've had a 15 year run of good fortune, but I know of players who have accidentally broken wire connections changing batteries. One guy sent his Nordy VJ5 back for a retro fit of a battery compartment.
Again, I AGREE with you that most of the time, if you only have a few active basses, opening the control cavity on a periodic basis isn't a big deal.
And I never really thought it was a big deal either until I started getting more basses, and meeting people who have had bad experiences.
By the way, I have deliberately made sure that if I buy an active bass without a battery compartment, it must have a passive / active switch.
The only exception is a Nordstrand Nordy VJ5, but its preamp has a battery light that comes on for a few seconds every time you plug in an instrument cable, letting you know your battery's strength.
Ideally I wish my basses had all three: a battery compartment, an indicator light, and passive / active switches, but guys in this thread seem ready to tar and feather me as it is.
As far as John is concerned, he worked his way through the ranks to become one of the most in demand players. Only after that did he earn the shot to design a signature bass for Yamaha. Now if that's your goal, I'd recommend you stop preaching about battery compartments and get practicing, it takes a lot of work to get where John is today.
Thanks for the sermon on John Patitucci's career, but you didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. He is one of my all time favorite players; I love everything he does -- as you might guess from the fact that I own two of his signature basses, a stock fretted, and a custom fretless.
In fact, I wish *I* had him for a teacher! I HATE you!
But fact is, your lecture notwithstanding, John Patitucci obviously believes in battery compartments.
And he should, they are smart. Not necessary, I agree, but a good thing nonetheless where feasible.
By the way, if you see Patitucci again in the near future, please tell him for me...
We're not worthy! We're not worthy!
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