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Bongo 2026 Collection

Luke III battery

S

Stefguitar

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2024
Messages
9
Location
Belgium
Hi,
How long does your 9V battery last on your Luke III and is it notable when the battery is almost empty.

Thanks for your answer
 
I gig an average of 3-4 gigs/week. I usually change the battery about every 6 months. I've never run out of battery so I can't answer that. I have a feeling that I could push the battery out to a year. Not going to happen as I'm better safe than sorry. I will say that I've left one of my LIII's plugged in over a holiday weekend and when I came home the month old battery was dead. No sound from the guitar.
 
If you have a digital multi-meter anywhere, a new 9V battery is usually 9.5-9.6 volts. When they get down under 8 volts it's time to think about replacement, or if you notice any distortion when using the boost.
 
beej said:
Get a battery tester. They’re generally useful.

Or do the tongue test to see how strong it is. No need to just change it every 6 mos. It’s usage dependent.
Click to expand...

BUT the battery drains as long as the guitar is plugged in, right? You don't have to playing the guitar, it just has to be plugged in. This is the one PITA for me with the Luke, because If I'm playing a guitar I don't unplug it when I'm done, I just lean it up against the amp. I've definitely killed a Luke battery leaving it plugged in.
 
That's right. Inserting the plug in the jack switches on the circuit, so you'll be draining the battery if you leave it like that. (Also makes the guitar more liable to get knocked over if someone trips over the cable ... we've seen a few of those here over the years.)

The only way around that is to wire up a switch for the battery that's exposed somehow. Might be more trouble than it's worth.
 
I don't unplug it when I'm done, I just lean it up against the amp.

This is a big house rule violation. It's just too easy for someone to kick.Or trip on a cable and pull a guitar to the floor.
Just scary for me.
 
The limited EBMM data I have access to suggests a minimum of 200 hours battery life for Music Man guitars and basses. Most instruments will be longer than that. Some instruments (e.g. the basic silent circuit in e.g. Silhouette Specials and Albert Lees) will probably be 600 hours.

How long is 200 hours?

200 hours is about 8 days if left plugged in continuously.
If you play one full hour per day, every single day without fail, and unplug when finished, that's 200 days = 6 1/2 months battery life.
Remember those are minimum numbers.

Habits are hard to break, I know, but it is possible. Do you want 8 days or 6 1/2 months?
 
DrKev said:
The limited EBMM data I have access to suggests a minimum of 200 hours battery life for Music Man guitars and basses. Most instruments will be longer than that. Some instruments (e.g. the basic silent circuit in e.g. Silhouette Specials and Albert Lees) will probably be 600 hours.

How long is 200 hours?

200 hours is about 8 days if left plugged in continuously.
If you play one full hour per day, every single day without fail, and unplug when finished, that's 200 days = 6 1/2 months battery life.
Remember those are minimum numbers.

Habits are hard to break, I know, but it is possible. Do you want 8 days or 6 1/2 months?
Click to expand...
6 1/2 months is nice and I always unplug them..

IMG20250906131321.jpg

IMG20250906131503.jpg
 
NorM said:
I don't unplug it when I'm done, I just lean it up against the amp.

This is a big house rule violation. It's just too easy for someone to kick.Or trip on a cable and pull a guitar to the floor.
Just scary for me.
Click to expand...

Ain't no one here going to possibly "trip over it" but me.
 
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