How Often Should You Replace An Electric Bass Battery?

Are you wondering when to service your bass guitar and when you should change the battery? Read on to get answers to all your questions!

Bass guitars are iconic instruments, and like any electronic device, they require a battery to work. So it’s important to know how to change the battery in a bass guitar correctly so that you can keep it working efficiently. But how often should you change the battery of a bass? 

In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about replacing the battery in a bass guitar and how often you should do it. So if you’re a bassist or are just curious about electric bass, this post is for you!

How often should you change the battery in a bass? The battery in your active bass should be changed at least once every six months if you play it often. Two major factors to consider are the battery’s life expectancy and how frequently you use an amplifier. Although batteries often last longer, a safe rule of thumb is to replace them every six months to avoid ever having to deal with a power outage on stage.

The signs of a dying battery in a bass

Even though active bass preamps and EQ are great, if you play your bass a lot, they can eventually drain your battery. So, you may be playing your active bass one day and realize that something doesn’t feel right; it does not sound as nice as it did yesterday.

Image of a black bass guitar on a blanket. Source: pexels
Image of a black bass guitar on a blanket. Source: pexels

Although the change happens slowly at first, there comes a tipping point when it can no longer be ignored. A lot of new musicians may assume their instrument or amplifier is broken when, in fact, it only has a dead battery.

If the battery in your active bass dies completely, you may notice snapping/unwanted bending of sound and faint transmission. When you recognize these symptoms of a dead or dying battery in your bass guitar, the problem can be easily fixed.

…if you find yourself without a spare battery or access to a shop, certain active basses let you convert to passive mode.

Most active basses have a small space in the back where you can store a set of 9-volt batteries. These batteries can be bought in packs for a low price. On the other hand, it is sometimes built into the cavity along with the other electrical parts. Remove the lid (either by unscrewing it or popping it open) and insert a new battery.

In addition, if you find yourself without a spare battery or access to a shop, certain active basses let you convert to passive mode. If you want to keep using the active preamp and EQ, it’s a good idea to have a spare in your case or gig bag.

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My favorite MIDI keyboard (at the moment):

AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3

How often should you replace an electric bass battery? | 717qmgla7zl. Ac sl1500 | audio apartment
My favorite MIDI keyboard (at the moment):

AKAI Professional MPK Mini MK3

I’m loving the AKAI MPK Mini MK3 for its compact design and the range of controls. It’s one of my essential tools. The velocity-sensitive keys and MPC-style pads are great for making beats, while the thumbstick and knobs give me precise control.

How often should you change the battery of a bass?

If you use your active bass often, its battery will need to be changed every four to six months. So even though batteries are compact, you may still get a lot of use out of them in your bass.

If you take care of your battery properly, you can use it for a whole year. The battery life of your bass guitar may be extended by unplugging it while you’re not using it.

How to change the battery in a bass

When it’s time to change the battery in your active bass, it’s a simple and fast process. A screwdriver and the instructions below are all that are required.

1. Flip the bass over

You may usually find two chambers, separated by screws, on the back of your bass. The biggest will protect the electronics in your bass, while the smallest will hide the battery.

2. Open the cover

To complete this step, you will need a little screwdriver. Use it to take the cover off the smaller storage area.

3. Disconnect the present battery

The internal battery will have dangling cables attached to it. Don’t put too much force on them or pull too hard since it might damage them. Battery side clamps are another possible means of safeguarding the battery.

In such a circumstance, you may need to use your screwdriver to pry the battery up from between the clips. You’ll need two batteries for certain basses’ electric motors. If this describes your bass, you need to switch to the second battery and start again.

4. Put the fresh battery in place

After the old battery has been removed, the new one should be put in. Plugging in a fresh battery to the bass’s circuitry is the last step. Put the bass’s cover back on when you’re done, and tighten the screws.

When should you change the battery in a bass?

The battery life of your bass should be monitored often, and the battery itself changes when it is almost dead. If the battery is even somewhat low in power, it should be replaced before a performance.

There are two options for changing the battery in your active bass. One way to ensure that it doesn’t suddenly die on you is to replace the batteries every six months. The second is to monitor the battery’s health using a voltmeter so that you only need to replace it when it is almost dead.

Image of someone playing a bass guitar. Source: gustavo fring, pexels
Image of someone playing the bass guitar. Source: gustavo fring, pexels

If you replace the battery every six months, you won’t have to worry about it for a while. You may be certain that it will never give out on you and that replacing it will become a rare part of your bass’s routine maintenance.

A voltmeter allows you to check your battery’s health and determine how much time you have left before it dies. It’s more reassuring to know it won’t suddenly shut off on you, and it saves money by preventing you from having to throw away partially used batteries.

It’s possible to get a battery tester like this one for around ten dollars if you’re concerned about saving money and the planet by not needlessly replacing batteries. In addition, using this method, you can determine how much juice is still in the batteries.

If you want even more tips and insights, watch this video called “Active Pickups || When Should You Change The Battery?” from the Matt The Riff Master YouTube channel.

A video called “Active Pickups || When Should You Change The Battery?” from the Matt The Riff Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do you still have questions about how often you should change an electric bass battery? Below are some of the most commonly asked questions.

How long do batteries last in a bass?

As for battery life, it might be anything from six weeks to a year for your bass, depending on how often you play. Never leave an active bass plugged in while it is not being used.

What happens when the bass battery dies?

It’s common for the quality of the sound to diminish when the battery expires. So you can expect some distortion, which may happen more often as the battery life goes down.

Are bass guitars durable?

These instruments are widely employed in live performances because their larger size might make them more durable and easier to travel. In addition, the bass guitar is an integral element of many mainstream musical genres because of its lighter weight and greater durability.

Conclusion

By now, you know all the important steps to take when changing a bass battery. All you need is some basic tools and a charged battery to get started. So, if your bass guitar battery suddenly stops working, remember this article!

So, how many times do you change the bass battery in a year? And did I cover everything you wanted to know? Let me know in the comments section below (I read and reply to every comment). If you found this article helpful, share it with a friend, and check out my full blog for more tips and tricks on music production. Thanks for reading, and never stop making music.

Key takeaways

This article covered how often a bass guitar battery should be changed. Here are some key takeaways:

  • Although active bass preamps and EQ are excellent, they can eventually deplete your battery if you play your bass often.
  • If you use your active bass often, its battery will need to be changed every four to six months.
  • When it’s time to change the battery in your active bass, it’s a simple and fast process.
  • If you leave your bass connected to an amp while you’re not playing it, the batteries will die much quicker than usual.

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Written by Andrew Ash, Staff Writer

Hey there! My name is Andrew, and I'm relatively new to music production, but I've been learning a ton, and documenting my journey along the way. That's why I started this blog. If you want to improve your home studio setup and learn more along with me, this is the place for you!

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Edited by Nick Eggert, Staff Editor

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