Taylor ES - Stuck battery cartridge

[mediaman]

For Taylors with the 9V ES system, are there any tricks to removing a stuck battery cartridge?.

Mine is stuck. I guess the system is particular on which brand you put in.

I can unlatch it via the top release clip, and it moves by a hair, but that’s it. There is not enough of a lip to start hacking at it with a small screwdriver picking at the edges. And there doesn’t seem to be a way to push it through via the sound hole .

I can bring it into a dealer, but was hoping there might be some simple fixes/tricks.

I also note its only a $5 replaceable plastic part, so I am half thinking of trying some things myself.
https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylor...tery-cartridge

Seems the only way to get this out is :
-applying a ton of suction, or
-putting a screw or eye hook in it (in the depressed area) to grab it. like a mod to add little grab bar - good for the next time it happens!
-drill it out and put in a new housing.

Any other ideas??

[Von Beerhofen]

Can you somehow tie a piece of string around the sticking out bit and pull it out? The battery problem has been mentioned frequently, by default I had Duracel in, they're the right fit. If the worst comes to the worst, try glueing something to the outside compartment, shouldn't be too hard to remove it again once it's out, or just leave it just incase.

Ludwig

[PTC Bernie]

I can't picture how that battery holder, but, if it's REALLY stuck the brute force approach would be to drill a small hole through the holder and into the batter then thread a sheet metal screw into the hole and use that to grip and pull the holder and battery out. Be careful that you don't leak any of the electrolyte onto the guitar.

And, in answer to your question, yes, batteries can be different sizes. There's no real standard, and some batteries are slightly larger than others.

[Kip Carter]

I have had a guitar (not a taylor) that had a stuck battery mount that I used a thin guitar pick to leverage it out. the Pick was softer than the surrounding surfaces and allowed me to clear the mount successfully. I'm not sure of your setup on the Taylor but consider softer materials to manipulate it and avoid any potential of doing damage. Dealer breaks it dealer fixes.. you break.. may not be a warranty issue.

Regards,
Kip...

[mediaman]

Cannot get a string in there as the cartridge is wedged into its compartment.

I can try the pick idea first but again, I think it way too tight.

I can try a suction cup concept, but need to find one around the house. ..perhaps the wifes GPS mount!

I can also try a shop vac to see if the budges it.

Drilling a srcew, or better yet just gluing something on the outside would work. I like the idea of having something to grab onto so I dont have to worry about this again after I use the wrong brand of 9V battery!

[Earl49]

Looking at the picture, I would try a loop of fishing line (or similar) looped around the "catch". You should able to pull up to release and then out without breaking that little tab.

[mediaman]

Originally Posted by Earl49

Looking at the picture, I would try a loop of fishing line (or similar) looped around the "catch". You should able to pull up to release and then out without breaking that little tab.

Earl49 - your tip saved the day ... thank you!

With the cartridge wedged in super tight, I was just about to give up and wait for the dealer... but your post gave me the answer!

I didn't use fishing line, but reading your post gave me the idea to concentrate on the area near the catch rather than the sides. The catch was already released, but I hadn't realized there was a tiny gap there. I was able to get a small flathead screwdriver inside, just behind the catch, such that the tip of the screwdriver would push the cartridge out.

PROBLEM SOLVED! CARTRIDGE NOW REMOVED!

As to choice of batteries going forward, indeed the battery that was there (a no-name which I pulled out of a BOSS FS6 footswitch), was snug inside cartridge. Snug = Bad. The replacement an Eveready, popped and stayed loose inside the cartridge. Loose = Good.

Cartridge now slides in and out no problem.

Thanks!

[mediaman]

Here is a Nov 2013 Taylor video on this exact topic ..about different 9V battery sizes. They even suggest a slight mod to the cartridge !!!

http://youtu.be/8ZXcdNRw1a8

[mhs]

Originally Posted by mediaman

Here is a Nov 2013 Taylor video on this exact topic ..about different 9V battery sizes. They even suggest a slight mod to the cartridge !!!

http://youtu.be/8ZXcdNRw1a8

Thanks for posting that link. I had basically done the same thing long ago on a 9V ES1 guitar and for the last 3 years I've been using Lithium Ion rechargeable (true 8.4V) batteries that last about the same as a Duracell. They're were hard to find when I bought them but are a bit more common now.

The Lithium Ion rechargeable' are about 3/32" taller than the standard and with the lid cut off the holder, work fine. I have two batteries, and swap them before gigs to be on the safe side.

[Ice4351]

If you take a small straight edge screw driver and push up on the release lever and at the same time pull, the cartridge should start to slip out! Worked for me!

[pukematrix]

[Big Band Guitar]

Dead batteries can swell just before they leak. Change them before they are completely dead and remove them before any long term storage.

[Long Jon]

When you get the compartment fixed , in future I suggest you only use NON rechargeable LITHIUM batteries.
(Energiser 9V Lithium fits that Taylor compartment fine).

Comes in all the sizes, I use them in everything that needs a battery , little bit pricier, but practically immortal and NEVER leak.

[MikeBmusic]

Just make sure you get the correct size battery going forward. There are 2 sizes of Duracell believe - do not get the 6LP3146, I don't recall what the other size listing is (I'm at work), something like 6LP1P1. If you put the 2 styles side by side, you can see that the bottom to top of the terminals is the same dimension, but the bottom of the battery to the top of the battery body is larger (the terminals are thinner) for the 6LP3146 - these will jam up the battery holder in the Taylor.
One solution is to clip off the top plastic layer of the battery holder - in fact Taylor even suggests that in a video online.

[Ice4351]

Duracell Duralock and Everyready Super Heavy Duty 9V batteries fit properly! Many other 9V batteries are to big! I am not sure why Taylor does not fix this problem with their battery cradle, but you will be safe with the 2 batteries I listed!