Dead Bass

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I have a lovely new Cort B4 Artisan

After practising for a bit each day from getting her home, I was horrified on Monday to plug her in for practice, to find..

nothing.

dead.

no noise. Even at 11.

So I checked the connections, still got a light on the amp, still got the mains buzz when I cranked it right up (slightly, it's a very nice amp too), got sound when tapping the jack plug.

So what was wrong?

A quick search around online and in various magazines went straight to changing fuses, unscrewing cabinets, etc, etc. But I wasn't going to do that with brand new gear.

A call to another music shop suggested that I bring it in because 'it sounded like your kid's dropped it and smashed it at school but won't admit it'.

Thanks for assuming it wasn't my bass! And I know it hasn't been dropped.


So, we had a cup of tea...

and then I had a think and...

changed the 9V battery inside. (It's an active bass).

Doh!

So, it won't work in passive mode when the battery is flat - I guess that means it is connected in series rather than in parallel, so the dead battery broke the circuit.


My point?

Try and think of the obvious before assuming that expensive or complicated stuff is necessary with musical instruments!

gastronomix

And I only checking in coz I expected fish cookery tips....
Bet Lemmy never had to change any batteries...
Happy plucking..

King_Nothing

Before I even came in the thread my reply was going to be 9v battery, lol.

Happened to me before, I never went to the extreme of ringing the shop mind, I just remembered after a couple of minutes, lol.

Stompa

A number of the reviews here:

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass+Pickup/product/Cort/B4+Artisan/10/1

suggest that it has an Active/Passive switch.....

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

All well and good, experience helps in these matters!

It didn't come with any instructions and it is the first electric instrument I've ever owned (and I kept it on passive)

(do batteries usually pack up after 3 days?)

So why did everyone else with more knowledge assume it was a terminal fault and not a battery issue?

Stompa

I'd have expected it to work fine when switched to passive whatever the state of the battery. It presumably works (in passive mode) when no battery is fitted?

taliesin

Stompa wrote: »

I'd have expected it to work fine when switched to passive whatever the state of the battery. It presumably works (in passive mode) when no battery is fitted?

For most circuits, I would expect not -- you would not want the pickups in parallel with the output. Most active basses, guitars and pedals are switched on by inserting the connecting lead (input for pedals, output for guitars). If the lead is left in, the battery discharges over a period of hours. I suspect this is what happened to the OP.

Stompa

taliesin wrote: »

For most circuits, I would expect not -- you would not want the pickups in parallel with the output. Most active basses, guitars and pedals are switched on by inserting the connecting lead (input for pedals, output for guitars). If the lead is left in, the battery discharges over a period of hours. I suspect this is what happened to the OP.

Yes, but presumably if there is a physical switch to switch between passive and active mode, wouldn't that switch also normally disconnect the battery in the passive position?

taliesin

Stompa wrote: »

Yes, but presumably if there is a physical switch to switch between passive and active mode, wouldn't that switch also normally disconnect the battery in the passive position?

You would think so, but not necessarily. The battery on/off circuit is usually made by the shield part of the jack plug. Guitar wiring is often remarkably crude!

Stompa

taliesin wrote: »

You would think so, but not necessarily. The battery on/off circuit is usually made by the shield part of the jack plug. Guitar wiring is often remarkably crude!

Yes I know, I spent a while working for a guitar amp manufacturer many years ago. I'm surprised that they're still quite so crude though!

taliesin

Stompa wrote: »

Yes I know, I spent a while working for a guitar amp manufacturer many years ago. I'm surprised that they're still quite so crude though!

Tradition .... !