Big Al (And 25th/Reflex) Battery Question.

[ZiggyDude]

I guess if you are playing passive a lot and wanting to save the battery I understand the thread. My guess is if the battery was taken out of the circuit when in passive mode and then put in when you switched to active there might be a "pop" or unwanted surge. But - that is a guess.

But, and maybe I read this wrong, I got the impression that you leave your bass plugged in when not in use. Just my 2 cents - but why not just unplug it. Too many times some klutz walks by and trips over a cord and the bass goes "KARANGGG". (That is a technical term for crash :->)

 

[DaddyFlip]

I'm just waiting for BP to come in here and stomp on somebody. [edit- I hope it's not me!]

The question is (or should be and was asked by spencer originally), "Would someone be kind enough to explain how the passive switching in the 25th and Big Al work, and why, if it is indeed true, does the battery drain when in this passive mode? Thank you."

This is not a

passive is better than active
active is better than passive
I only like passive basses
I only like active basses
basses shouldn't have preamps
blah, blah, blah, etc.

• I agree with ZD- one should unplug the bass when not in use for several good reasons and I can't think of a good reason not to.
• I agree with GW- one should not take the battery in and out just to be able to leave the bass plugged in; unplug the bass is easier and safer.
• I agree with oli@- irrelevant opinions based on zero experience just clutter the thread. (keko- I am not disagreeing with you; I am agreeing with oli)
• I agree with myself- if one is playing a $2000 guitar, one should not be worrying about the life of a $2 battery; keep spares.

I love you guys.

 

[spencer]

I never meant I should take out the battery so I can leave it plugged in. It was more of a joke. The bass may use batterys while in passive mode just powering nothing, But again. PASSIVE MODE WORKS WITHOUT THE BATTERIES!! This tell me something right there.

Also reason I was wondering was because I recently got laid off and have just been chilling around the house usually putting down my bass only to come pick it up in a few minutes and play again. Or the opposite. Puttig it down for a a second and forgetting about it and coming back a few hours later with my tube amp on standby. It was just something I have been wondering too.

 

[Aussie Mark]

The batteries in the pre-EB Stingrays I've owned have lasted around 2 years, so I don't think the question is worth the time and effort of a 2 page thread.

 

[spencer]

The batteries in the pre-EB Stingrays I've owned have lasted around 2 years, so I don't think the question is worth the time and effort of a 2 page thread.

Yes it is.
It's not about the cost of the battery.

 

[Manfloozy]

GW I think I have the same multimeter LOL!

 

[bovinehost]

The batteries in the pre-EB Stingrays I've owned have lasted around 2 years, so I don't think the question is worth the time and effort of a 2 page thread.

There's something there that appeals to me but I can't quite put my finger on it.

 

[Big Poppa]

IN order to be able to switchbetween active and passive the active ahas to be on. When you connect the jack it turns the active on. simple. Otherwise it would be another switch....Deep thought may have prevailed here...the bass is passive and as Spencer says it works without batteries.

 

[spencer]

Thank you! It was just something I have been wondering. I mainly use passive unless I want a bright tone Ill boost the high mids or if I just want some fancy Eqing.

 

[projectapollo]

...the bass is passive and as Spencer says it works without batteries.

Cool. I did not know that. My old Warwick had a passive/active switch -- but neither mode worked without a battery.

This would also help explain why the output from the 25th is not as hot as the bongo. Probably trimmed the pre-amp output to match the lower passive output so there was not a big gain bump when you press the active switch on the fly. Also explains why the 25th needs to go into the high impedence amp input?

 

[keko]

Cool. I did not know that. My old Warwick had a passive/active switch -- but neither mode worked without a battery.

+1

Now is everything perfectly clear!

P.S. ...just wanna add that I'm not against passive basses, I owned a few, but I'm bloody live gig musician and want to have all switches and pots in reach of my right hand due to a fast tone correction, and that's all!
I just don't have enough time between two songs to turn arround and make corrections on the amp head pots...etc.

No hard feelings anybody and Happy N.Y. to all of ya guys!

 

[Subscript]

I had a Warwick Corvette that was active/passive and the passive definitely worked without the battery for me. It died while I was playing it, and me being an idiot didn't have a spare kicking around. It was the only time I actually played it on passive.