It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:56 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Active Pickups
Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 9:21 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:00 am
Posts: 68
Location: East Tennessee
Typically about how long do the batteries last in guitars with active pickups?

_________________
When all else fails, crank up the bass


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Active Pickups
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:52 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
It will vary from model to model and on the battery used too. I use either Energizer or Duracell Alkalines. Older preamps are less efficient so with older active basses you are looking at shorter battery life. Early 9 volt actives got about 30 to 90 hours, now it is up to about 1500 hrs and some even longer. 18 volt instruments using 2 nine volts will go a very long time. You can tell usually when the battery is dying as it will start distorting and sounding bad. Usually they don't just go silent instantly but go "downhill" fast once the distortion starts.

With most modern actives used frequently a good rule of thumb is every 3 or 4 months change batteries. With actives not used so often when you change to and from daylight savings time it is a convenient reminder to change your batteries in your smoke detectors and your basses then. One thing you don't want in a seldom used or stored active bass is a dead battery that will eventually leak and ruin the instrument. If you are not going to use it for a few months, just leave the battery out. I can go 6 months or a year and not touch my active bass so I just leave the battery out.

To extend battery life, unplug the cable from the instrument when it is not in use on models with no active/passive switch. The jack IS the switch to turn the preamp on and off. Forgetting to unplug wastes your battery. If there is a switch then turn it to passive too which also cuts off the battery drain.

Anytime an active bass starts eating batteries, say they only last a 3 weeks to 6 weeks or less, that usually can be traced to a faulty contact in the jack which is causing the preamp to be on 100% of the time even when there is no plug inserted. This is usually an easy fix, except on foreign models that use the panel type jacks, sometimes called barrel jacks, because those Switchcraft made versions of those jacks are HARD to find and none of the others are worth a flip such as the ALLPARTS ones.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Active Pickups
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:25 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:00 am
Posts: 68
Location: East Tennessee
Thanks for the info. My new Dimension is the first active bass I have owned. It has (2) 9 volt batteries. Thankfully Fender used Duracell. I carry an extra set in my case.

_________________
When all else fails, crank up the bass


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Active Pickups
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:57 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 10:09 pm
Posts: 417
If you have an active bass, count on changing the battery every rehearsal or gig. In fact, take two batteries if you're playing an all nighter. My preamp was going through batteries in less than two days before I grounded it. Now it lasts....a whole month. It's worth it though.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Active Pickups
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:14 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
Every rehearsal or gig is way too often to change batteries on a new 18v preamp. Should get at least one-thousand hours and probably more. The modern IC preamps draw far less than the early bass active preamps did. 30 to 50 hours on the really early actives was about the limit though. They got better!


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: