Taylor eats batteries?

[Hendrix99]

So, I have a Taylor 410ce that kills batteries. If I put a 9v in, don't plug a cable in and just let the guitar sit, it will be completely dead by morning. I noticed this 4 years ago, but was too busy in med school to take a road trip back to Burlington, VT where I bought it and just used a mic when playing acoustic live. Any thoughts?:confused:

[ChazMania]

Something is wrong. I have had a 710-ltd for 12 years and only need to change the battery maybe twice a year. Pain in the butt to change that battery where they have it mounted too.......

[MichaelK]

If its draining overnight without anything plugged in there's got to be a short somewhere.

P.S. - I'm assuming the preamp is only supposed to be active IF something is plugged in. If it has a switch, you turned it off... right?

[Hendrix99]

No switch to turn off. I'll take the jack apart and see if there is anything obvious there. Could a bad ground cause this?

[kensmith]

I am curious about this too. I had one battery in my Takamine for weeks and it it was fine, then I left it plugged in overnight and drained the battery. I wonder if it is the same as with many of my stomp boxes where the plug in the input turns it on and will drain battery unless unplugged. Fine for me as long as I remember to remove the cable when done playing (I store on the stand sometimes instead of putting her up in case).

[mavrick10_2000]

I am curious about this too. I had one battery in my Takamine for weeks and it it was fine, then I left it plugged in overnight and drained the battery. I wonder if it is the same as with many of my stomp boxes where the plug in the input turns it on and will drain battery unless unplugged. Fine for me as long as I remember to remove the cable when done playing (I store on the stand sometimes instead of putting her up in case).

Ken,

That's the way the Takamine's and most other's work. If you're plugged in, it turns the preamp on and starts the drain. Unplug when not playing and they'll live much longer.

[MichaelK]

I always worry when I leave it plugged in on a stand before a show. I don't always have a sound man and I prefer not to mess with turning down the gain to plug in while people are waiting. I change batteries pretty often, but I'm paranoid nonetheless.

[DualRectifier]

If you really want to learn this lesson hard, buy an electric guitar with active pickups....you leave it plugged in, and next thing you know you have to remove the backplate and half the wiring to change the battery...now I unplug all my guitars, out of habit...

[Chris Rice]

If you really want to learn this lesson hard, buy an electric guitar with active pickups....you leave it plugged in, and next thing you know you have to remove the backplate and half the wiring to change the battery...now I unplug all my guitars, out of habit...

I had a Hamer with EMG pickups. No backplate, had to remove the pickguard to change the battery.:Spank

If your jack is bad/miswired, the battery will drain. When you plug in, the ground sleeve of your cord connects the negative terminal of the battery to the circuit.

[MichaelK]

now I unplug all my guitars, out of habit...

I never leave it plugged in onstage for long, certainly a lot shorter time than when I'm up there playing it. When I'm done, the gain goes down and the plug comes out before I do anything else.

I change the battery every time I change strings, every 3 - 4 live gigs, or if I can't remember exactly when I last changed it... whichever comes first. :D

So far this method has worked fine.

[taylormade]

Do yourself a favor, Taylor will retrofit your electronics with the new expression system for a reasonable fee. Your problems will cease and the sound will make you feel like you just bought a much more expensive guitar while still keeping that comfortable feel that you've grown accustomed to. It was designed by renowned audio designer Rupert Neve. If you haven't heard it yet, you gotta at least test drive one. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.