Battery shut off switch so I can leave my guitar plugged in.

[985plowboy]

I am the acoustic guitar player in my band. We gig 1-3 weekends per month.
I am currently playing a Gibson J-45 with an LR Baggs Element Active pickup.
The guitar has to be unplugged when not in use so as not to drain the 9V battery, as it is not fast or easy to replace. Especially if it conks out mid set. Ask me how I know.
Sometimes I play through my pedalboard that, among other things, has a stomp box tuner that I can use as a channel mute so no worries.
But…Depending on the gig, sometimes I go straight to my Fishman loud box mini which is XLR’d to the FOH.
If the sound man doesn’t mute my channel before I unplug it makes a loud pop in the PA.

Is there a way that a little slider switch could be installed in line with either the positive or the negative wires that lead to and from the battery that, when engaged, would cut the power flow thereby making it unnecessary to unplug the guitar?
Maybe mount it bottom of the sound hole so you could see it.
Which wire?
Negative?

 

[RobRiggs]

These work a treat:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXF30IK/?tag=tdpri-20

 

[StoneH]

I use these in 12 volt applications. hitlights.com

 

[Deeve]

These work a treat:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXF30IK/?tag=tdpri-20

I agree, and purchased the switching end to put onto a favorite cable of my own.

Either way, highly recommended.
Bonus point - "some random person" can't figure it out, sorta like an auto-ignition kill switch prevents drive-away.
Peace - Deeve

 

[985plowboy]

These work a treat:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXF30IK/?tag=tdpri-20

I’m aware of those and that is a viable solution of how to unplug without noise.
But that plug tip is still going to be hot and connected to a PA and hanging loose on my guitar stand.
I want to stay plugged in, but kill power to the guitars pickup while saving battery life.

 

[Deeve]

I’m aware of those and that is a viable solution of how to unplug without noise.
But that plug tip is still going to be hot and connected to a PA and hanging loose on my guitar stand.
I want to stay plugged in, but kill power to the guitars pickup while saving battery life.

Wait - you're right - I'm using the switched cable to avoid the pop/boom from the P.A.

I don't have a solution for op's question.
Sorry - Deeve

 

[Dennyf]

Wow, that Baggs system must use a lot of current. I'd typically get at least a year out of the battery on my Ibanez with a Fishman pre-amp/pickup, and a year out of my active bass as well. Didn't leave 'em plugged in when I wasn't playing them at home, but never worried about unplugging them on the gig until the end of the night. Actually, the batteries likely could have gone more than a year, I just made a point of changing them annually.

In any case, I can't think of a simple way to put a switch on the battery that won't involve a profound "thump" through the PA when you switch it back on. Unless you mute the channel first. In which case, you might as well just unplug it.

*EDIT: Just noticed your statement about muting with your tuner. Well & good.

 

[haggardfan1]

Could you just buy another tuner, or a DI with the mute feature, and use it when you don't go through your pedalboard?

I play acoustic only at church, and I have a Behringer ADI21 with a volume control. When I want to plug in or unplug, I simply make sure that volume control is down first. My guitar channel never has to be muted at the mixer.

It cost me about $30 and although not built like a tank, it's a pretty good DI as well.

 

[KokoTele]

Baggs says the battery should last around 1000 hours of plugged-in time. That's 10 hours every day for over 3 months. Now, batteries vary widely in their capacity. The Amazon Basics ones are about 260 mAH, while Energizers are close to 600 mAH. (Duracells are a little less, around 500.)

The best advice I've ever read on the subject is to change your preamp battery when you change your strings. Batteries are cheap compared to failing on a gig.

This seems like a situation where you're looking for a solution to the wrong problem.

If you do want to pursue a technical solution, it's probably better to just use a pedal tuner in line before your preamp. Good ones are small and inexpensive these days.

I have seen cables that short the tip to ground when disconnected from the jack, but then you have to make sure that you have your special cable, and that it's long enough for the gig, etc. Check out Sweetwater for that option.

 

[985plowboy]

Baggs says the battery should last around 1000 hours of plugged-in time. That's 10 hours every day for over 3 months. Now, batteries vary widely in their capacity. The Amazon Basics ones are about 260 mAH, while Energizers are close to 600 mAH. (Duracells are a little less, around 500.)

The best advice I've ever read on the subject is to change your preamp battery when you change your strings. Batteries are cheap compared to failing on a gig.

This seems like a situation where you're looking for a solution to the wrong problem.

If you do want to pursue a technical solution, it's probably better to just use a pedal tuner in line before your preamp. Good ones are small and inexpensive these days.

I have seen cables that short the tip to ground when disconnected from the jack, but then you have to make sure that you have your special cable, and that it's long enough for the gig, etc. Check out Sweetwater for that option.

Fair enough.
The guitar I used before this one was an ‘86 Gibson J-100E with a SORS preamp/pickup that ate batteries like crazy and would not function properly even if the batteries were just weak.
It left me hanging often enough that I’m a bit gunshy.
I’m happy the current Baggs system has better expected longevity.

 

[Mike_LA]

These work a treat:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXF30IK/?tag=tdpri-20

Yikes! that's almost $50 a cable.. wow
I put a mini slider switch in my A/B box
Hate having to unplug

 

[Lone_Poor_Boy]

I am the acoustic guitar player in my band. We gig 1-3 weekends per month.
I am currently playing a Gibson J-45 with an LR Baggs Element Active pickup.
The guitar has to be unplugged when not in use so as not to drain the 9V battery, as it is not fast or easy to replace. Especially if it conks out mid set. Ask me how I know.
Sometimes I play through my pedalboard that, among other things, has a stomp box tuner that I can use as a channel mute so no worries.
But…Depending on the gig, sometimes I go straight to my Fishman loud box mini which is XLR’d to the FOH.
If the sound man doesn’t mute my channel before I unplug it makes a loud pop in the PA.

Is there a way that a little slider switch could be installed in line with either the positive or the negative wires that lead to and from the battery that, when engaged, would cut the power flow thereby making it unnecessary to unplug the guitar?
Maybe mount it bottom of the sound hole so you could see it.
Which wire?
Negative?

I can't help you but dig that you're thinking this much about getting your 'show' right.

 

[chris m.]

Stone H’s solution could totally work as long as you use proper shielded coax. You basically put a simple switch in your guitar cable, or you make a short dongle between your guitar and a regular guitar cable.

Oh wait, it wouldn’t work. It would prevent the pop but your battery would still slowly drain. The shaft of the mono jack going into the guitar shorts out the stereo input jack, closing the battery circuit, just like a stomp box input works. You could take one of the battery leads and run it through a miniswitch mounted somewhere on the guitar, possibly accessible from the soundhole, for example.

 

[Coggins]

I use one of these bad boys, and never change batteries anymore http://www.emgpickups.com/es-918.html

 

[985plowboy]

I use one of these bad boys, and never change batteries anymore http://www.emgpickups.com/es-918.html

Interesting.
I’d no idea something like that even existed. I had an EMG David Gilmour set in a strat once. Great system.
However, regarding that external battery…
I don’t think it works with the Baggs pickup in my acoustic.

 

[kennl]

you should DIY a cable to bypass the battery

battery clip at guitar end - 3.5 mm mono jack at pedalboard end to plug into power source

or build a box like the Alembic DS-SR Power Supply 0r EMG unit above and run a TRS cable with guitar signal AND 9V

 

[Wyzsard]

Does it still cause a pop when you turn the volume control all the way down on the pickup ?

 

[985plowboy]

Does it still cause a pop when you turn the volume control all the way down on the pickup ?

I am thinking yes.
I will confirm and report back.

 

[NoTeleBob]

I am thinking that a 1 meg pulldown resistor off the hot side of the jack to ground would stop the pop. But since you want to unplug the guitar, I think you'd have to make up a simple little stomp box with two jacks, a foot switch, and a pulldown resistor mounted inside. Nothing else. Step on the switch to disconnect the feed without a pop and then just unplug the guitar.