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why have a battery in your bass?

#41
I used phantom power (via XLR micrphone cables but not 48 phantom for mics, a self-made 9V injection box) during the 1980s.

Ended the practice mainly because I was tired of explaining to people who high-capacitance cable is actually OK if you have low impedance out of the guitar.
 
#42
mrbell321 said:
3a)Batteries tend to be quieter than mains powered devices. Mains is an AC signal that has to be rectified and smoothed. It's not hard to do this, but even in very good designs, there is still some ripple. Probably not noticeable, but just something to be aware of.
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This was the first thing I thought of. Rectified AC isn't the same thing as battery powered DC: still has sine wave bumpiness. Phantom power in a mixer is buffered to take care of this, but a simple wall-wart power supply might be a lot noisier.
 
#44
I thought the whole battery thing would be a hassle too when I bought my first bass online not knowing that it was an active bass (or that battery basses even existed actually) but I've been very happy with it and battery is not a problem at all. I was switching it out every 6 months at first but honestly I don't even remember when was the last time I switched it out and I don't have a reason to yet everything is working as it should. It takes about a minute to do and anything that has to do with bass maintenance doesn't bother me. Don't know what your friend was complaining about it really isn't that big of a deal
 
#46
I'm going to strap a small gasoline-powered generator in a body cutout specially designed to hold it. My bass tech is trying to figure out how to make it look pretty.



Kidding.



Seriously, though, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the idea of a small solar panel on the back recharging a 9v (or 3x9/18v)... Stage lighting is obviously not the one to count on, but there's backstage/sidestage lights at venues, and I keep a $1-store clip-on flexible LED booklight in each of my bass cases which would do the trick. Then again, I keep 2 spare 9-volts in each case as well, and a battery tester in one case.
 
#47
I think the OPs point is to experiment, not overturn tradition or create a mass produced product marketable to TB members. John East does the rechargeable thing, which is incredibly convienient and cheap if you ask me. Thetes nothing wrong with trying things out.

:)
 
#48
Geri O said:
DO NOT use "just any old TRS cable". You are carrying current, as meager as it may be, to the active electronics in the bass and carrying the signal back to the amp (or processing, or wherever you are sending the output). All connections, cables, and devices MUST be well-made and solid to avoid some nasty noises that will occur at the worst possible time. If you do this, don't skimp on the parts.
Click to expand...

This is what i would like to find out from this, if there is noise interference transmitted. Usually communication wires are shielded and routed differently than power transmission cabling. Try it lets see!
 
#50
Could just make a small box to clip to your strap that holds the 9-volt, then run the +/- wires from that into the control cavity. Would be easy on something like a schecter (or any other bass with no pick guard) to just run the power chord down to the jack plate and into the cavity that way.

You could even mount a regular barrel jack like what's on pedals onto the bass so that you could disconnect the battery pack at any time.

Certainly easier than using a pedal and some expensive, odd cable that nobody else will have for you to borrow when yours breaks on stage and you forgot the spare.
 
#52
walterw said:
or you could take it one step further and actually mount that battery inside the bass ;)
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Which I do. No need to go to the extra work for something so stupidly simple. I know how to use a screwdriver, so I use it haha.

I was just posting an easier solution than making a pedal and running a special cable. I would destroy a box hanging on my strap in minutes while on stage, personally. And cables are a big enough PIA as is. No need for more of them!
 
#53
As mentioned earlier, this has been discussed on TB lots and done by a few of us. I am one of them. I have been battery-free for 3 years now using the simple tricks already posted here.

- Short the battery connector inside the bass with another battery connector
- Use a TRS cable
- Make a breakout box that let's you add 9v or 18v power via the R connection (IIRC) and a mono instrument cable out the other side
- Get a decent low noise power supply

Another TBer modded the inside of his amp to provide the power. I also modded my pedal board so my effects switcher feeds the power from my board into my bass.

AC ripple isn't a problem but getting a supply with low hiss may take a try or two. I found that Danelectro 9V wall warts are low hiss. I've forgotten which 18V supply brand I got but it's decent too.

I've been through all the arguments and it all pretty much comes down to personal preference. I do it because I don't like putting the batteries in the trash and I don't have to ever stress about having batteries. Others like batteries. I say try it and see if you like it. If you don't, you can always switch back. If you're hard on your equipment, you might want to harden your install by wiring through your pedal board or amp. I just use a small breakout box because the places I play are easy on the gear. I got the breakout box as a blem from an online pedal supply company.

If anyone is interested, I can post pics of my setup.
 
#54
One more thing, don't assume your bass is wired the normal way, check it with a multimeter. Ibanez had switched two of the leads on my BTB so I had to rewire the jack before the TRS cable would work as expected. IIRC ground goes to sleeve, positive feed voltage goes on ring, and signal goes out via the tip.
 
#56
I use the batteries out of my smoke detectors when I change them every spring / fall.

Fresh ones every 6 months. I usually buy a spare a day or two before a gig and throw it in the hard case along with my backup strings. If I don't use it, into the smoke detector it goes.. And so the cycle continues...

Seems like a lot less work IMO, but like the sig says:
 
#57
One could always add a socket for 'standard' 9v pedal supply.. if they wanted to make a simple problem into a complicated solution.

My Roscoe is active, but I've been thinking about going passive lately, but battery life is not the issue in the least
 
#58
aprod said:
Is that big of a deal to change a battery every year?
Click to expand...
Having a voltage meter of some sort helps, but I'll say there's something at least unideal about hoping you remember something twice a year. Its never gotten me, the careful type, but I know that one day it just will.. leave a cable in the bass or use a 1/4-1/8 adapter for stupid reason, also to be forgotten.

That being said, it IS a simple problem to deal with.

OP:
Look at the hmm... whats that called..
the Tillman preamp. a popular little diy simple jfet preamp. On his site he goes into remotely powering the circuit, so if youre truly interested, thats a pretty solid start. Though i guess its similar enough to what you described.
 

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