DIY Remote power for active bass. Please help?

[KaosCill8r]

I don't want to use batteries anymore. So I'm wanting to build some sort of remote powering box to provide 9v dc to an active bass. If I were to use a microphone cable with TRS plugs and send the +9v through the ring and the ground through the sleeve of the cable, would this work? Then would I just connect the wires from the basses battery compartment to the corresponding terminals on the input jack on the bass guitar? Also would I need to filter the remote box to prevent noise from the pedalboards power supply? How would I achieve this?
Does this all make sense?

[lordgalvar]

I think the first problem you'd have to overcome is voltage loss from a long cable run. I think it would just be easier to run a second cable to your battery/jack and make little spacers that hold the two cords parallel. I think running the power in the same cable as the guitar could create some noise, but I am not sure.

Another cool option could be to steal one of those black and decker tool batteries or makita that run at 9v. They'd give you a long charge and you can make them quick swap. Some of them are really small now too.

You could look at phantom power circuits. There were phantom powered pedals for a minute (and I think a guitar that ran the same way).

I don't know how much modding you would want to do though.

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/643951/Re_AC_power_supply_for_actives Check out that site, they were talking about the same thing.

Albemic basses are powered via wire sometimes, I guess? Maybe find a circuit for that? A DIN cable might work better (you would need to separate grounds, signal, power, and hell make it stereo). probably run it into a box.

I'm all over the place. Sorry if it doesn't make sense. I am staying up with my dogs because somebody if scaring the crap out of 'em with fireworks. haha

[KaosCill8r]

Thanks for the info dude.
Regarding the dogs and fireworks problem. I had a dog that was sensitive to fireworks. Xmas and New Year's Eve was a stressful time for both of us. I came up with the idea of puting on war movies and turned the volume up on the home theatre system. The noise from all the gunfire and explosions didn't seem to bother him and it masked the fireworks noise enough to confuse him. It was also the only time of the year I would blow a bit of weed smoke in his face. So between the both of those methods it seemed to work well.

[lordgalvar]

Thanks for the info dude.
Regarding the dogs and fireworks problem. I had a dog that was sensitive to fireworks. Xmas and New Year's Eve was a stressful time for both of us. I came up with the idea of puting on war movies and turned the volume up on the home theatre system. The noise from all the gunfire and explosions didn't seem to bother him and it masked the fireworks noise enough to confuse him. It was also the only time of the year I would blow a bit of weed smoke in his face. So between the both of those methods it seemed to work well.

We gave her a half a benadryl last 4th of July. It kinda helped. Thanks for the tip on the war movies though. That sounds like an awesome idea!

Problem with my neighborhood is that it is year around and totally random (either that or it is gun shots...it is LA, not kidding either. Three people were killed about 1 mile away a few months back). I think it is just idiot kids though. Easy enough to get illegal fireworks.

You know what might be an easy and good test if you have a multimeter? Take a a guitar cable and wire it to a 9v power supply and check the voltage at the end of a 20' run. See how much voltage drop you get. Might be fine, don't know. I dunno, if the drop is significant enough you might have to go another route or try different cords.

[KaosCill8r]

I don't gig anymore so I don't need any longer than a 6' cable maximum. Yeah I have a multi meter so I will check that. If I get a loss of around 3vdc I could just use a 12vdc supply to compensate for the loss I guess.
Fuck dude, LA sounds like a scary place. We hear the occasional gunshot around here. But that is just someone hunting rabbits or foxes. People around here have more reason to fear being ran over by a tractor or some other farm equipment than being shot.

[KaosCill8r]

I'm over thinking things here. Think I will just buy a cheap charger and rechargeable 9v batteries. Might be the easiest and cheapest solution.
Thanks for your advice and feedback lordgalvar

[lordgalvar]

I'm over thinking things here. Think I will just buy a cheap charger and rechargeable 9v batteries. Might be the easiest and cheapest solution.
Thanks for your advice and feedback lordgalvar

Haha, I know I was, but I didn't sleep either. I just thought you were being super "green" or something. Like you were going to have a banner behind you with an anarchy sign, peace sign, and a no batteries sign.

Dang, I kinda wanted to see a big power cord system.

[KaosCill8r]

True, a big part of it is that batteries end up in landfill. Along with a lot of other crap that shouldn't. Just call me the noise rock hippy.
But it is also because I have gone to play my 4 or 5 string bass and found the batteries are flat and don't have another. We only go into town to shop once a fortnight. I have just got a set of passive P/J pickups for my Jag bass so that's no worries anymore. But I don't really want to mod the 5 string by puting passive's in it. I like the way it sounds, and the active circuits can get some crazy sounds when running into a fuzz.

[petey twofinger]

i have a fernandes guitar with an active sustainer system / active pickups . if i use the sustainer , the 9 volt type battery life is not long , it is very very short .

i cut in a inline type 2.1 mm dc fem connector about one inch north of the guitars 1/4 inch jack , which is of the blade edge or side of the body .

inside my strap ( a thick foam stretch strap ) there is a ( five inch by two inch maybe ) 9.6 volt nihm battery pack which is used for remote control car , tyco i think , i got it at goodwill . it charges up to 11.5 volts . forgive me for not having the mah capacity , i will say i have played the instrument for over 8 hours in one sitting , using the sustainer often and i did not drain the battery below 10 it was 10.31 i think is the lowest i have seen it get . it takes maybe an hour to charge with a wall wart charger .

i also cut a mic cable into a ten foot stretch and then use 90 style 1/4 inch connectors , coming out of those at the base or end of the 90 , there are male 2.1 90 degree dc connectors on maybe 2 inches or wire .

in a lot of my battery amps , i will add a 7809 voltage regulator with filter caps , run that dc thru the third wire of the xlr cable . on one of the amps that uses a korg pandora and then a class d 50 x 2 amp board , when i set the very high gain patches there is a slight heterdyne whistle interference , even with the gate engaged . so i use the strap battery with that amp .

at home here , i have a dedicated filtered power supply , 13.5 volts , with a 7809 v-reg again, and i use that 3 wire , modified xlr cable . there is not noise or interference . i run maybe 30 pedals , rack , pod x3 into amplitube before it hits the board thru direct boxs and then a headphone amp , but i run multiple gates as well . if i open everything , there is no interferance though , which i have to admit i was kind of surprised about that . the guitar power supply is dedicated though .

the nihm battery pack has lasted me 4 years . it cost 1.99 with the charger at goodwill . since then i have amassed a small collection of replacements and chargers but they are all ni-cad packs . which it will work but i really MUCH prefer nihm . li ion would work well too i think . the strap battery is fused , there is a fuse inside the guitar that i added . i forget , they are low value fuses and i have blown the strap fuse a few times due to carelessness . i used an inline type fuse holder that has extremely thin wire , well the insulation is thick but ... ( tayda ) that needs to be cut out and replaced as it has broken a few times . often when i repair that i will pop the fuse but , i have never blown the internal fuse and those accidents where the only time it happened . i need to remember to remove the fuse when i service it .

typically , if i bring this up , pros techs and experts express disbelief as this can not be done . it works for me . i have some music demos on my channel , my us fuzz demo was on devi ever site when the company changed hands . the system is 100% silent except for like i mentioned with the one amp hack using the pandora / pedals / vregs to power the pedals it heterodynes on the super high gain patches even though i cut in a dedicated v-reg just for the guitar circuitry , which , that is irritating but i have dealt with it on occasion as you can only hear it when i am not playing so i merely turn down in between but ... that scenario is extremely rare and i can always use the strap battery which is held in place with velcro straps in side the strap fold .

i have it wired for positive polarity , with a negative ground and center pin carry's the plus on the 2.1 mm set ups .

so yeah i have done this , it works well for me . i do not like 9 volt battery's . 12 volt 7mah sla's are more my style . not saying this is what you or anyone else should do . i realize this is wrong and i am a huge hack / goof . i would think this is a bit much for a bass set up as i am under the impression that the active pick up system doesn't eat much current . i would suggest one may consider using a re-chargable pack , the largest type of pack that one could fit , then perhaps adding a charge port to the instrument . but i am not so concerned about modifying , i know that can be a no no most times and i did not read the thread so ,,, my bad .

tldr - you can do this , the way i did it required a bit of monkey time

good luck

[KaosCill8r]

I ended up just buying a battery charger and some rechargeable 9v batteries. They work well enough.

petey twofinger, great idea about the radio control car batteries. I have a couple of those.

[petey twofinger]

yeah right on , like i said for an active bass that may be overkill , but man that sustainer system kills batterys .

it is kind of worth it . i really dig that thing but in turn i kinda miss the tonal options / single coil deal with my strat so it is a trade off .

ideally i would man up and get a susatiniac kit and hack that into my strat but i digress .