Hi all, I am having an issue with battery replacement. Have a gig tomorrow and while getting ready, I went to change the battery with a new Duracell 9v and it does not fit!!!??? After I struggled for a couple minutes to get it out of the housing after getting it only about 2/3 od the way in I realized it is about a 1/16 of an inch longer than the old Duracell. The only distinction is that the battery packaging indicated 9v4 which I took to indicate that it was a 4-pack of batteries. I am only playing for an hour and the existing battery may do the trick, but it so happens that I left the cord plugged in over night a couple nights ago which I know can deplete the battery, Any help out there would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Steve
Sorry to be late to the party. Just joined several days ago. Here's what I think...
One thing that Taylor seems to do is partner with various brands for different things; strings, batteries, hygrometers, etc. It is both innocent and insidious at the same time. Elixir strings: They've partnered with them and while Taylors do sound very good with Elixirs, Elixir isn't the only game in town. And you'll noticed that the Elixir strings that were $10 only a few years ago are now $16 (so much for 2% inflation). Did Taylor's installation and partnering influence prices through advertising increasing market demand? I'll leave that for you to decide. And then there are hygrometers. They partnered with Extech and had the Taylor logo on them... until Taylor went in a different direction with TaylorSense. And now batteries. Has anyone else noticed that Taylor has ever so slightly shrunk the interior capacity of their battery holder (which is unique to Taylor)?
The holder on my 2011 614 with ES1 system has a bit more interior room than the holder on my new 814. I put a micrometer on a bunch of 9v's today and found that the Duracell (the expensive $4 one) is 1.733". Some of my rechargeables nominally are 1.776" while some are 1.783". The difference of 5/100th" is all the difference in the world in terms of the holder allowing the (easy) installation of the battery. And if you've seen the video where the Taylor dude cuts out the top of the holder to accommodate other brands of batteries it's obvious that they are aware of the issue. And if the taller batteries will work with Taylors, one has to ask one's self why, with all of Taylor's seemingly precise specs, they "didn't do so well" on a part that probably costs them less than $1 to make? While tight I've had no difficulty placing any of my rechargeable 9v's in my 614's battery holder. And it has been my experience that NiMH batteries seem to be more robust in delivering power than their Alkaline counterparts (just compare the two types in a camera flash for recycle time).
All that aside, there are a few alternatives. Seek out a brand of RECHARGEABLE batteries with a smaller length. 1.776" is a tight squeeze but will work. Alternately, for $5 buy a replacement battery holder from Taylor or your local tech.
https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylorware/electronics/es-9v-battery-cartridge Then as the linked video instructs (at 1:52 and forward) and cut out the top of the battery holder. Perhaps the smallish battery holder wasn't necessarily intentional to push you to the expensive Duracell Durablocks, but it is obvious by the video that Taylor recognizes the problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZXcdNRw1a8&list=PLXeFNEXQloer8l5CDMXx5Q5dOCbs-QPt_&index=7.
While I know that the battery has to be somewhat secure in the cartridge/holder a couple hundreths more room at the top of the pack wouldn't compromise the function but make life easier for Taylor owners. And at this point Forrest Gump would say "And that's all I have to say about that".
