Replacing Handle On Taylor Guitar Case (Easy)

Required tools:
1) Needle nose pliers
2) Tongue and groove pliers (“Channellocks”)
3) (Optional) Electrical tape
4) (Optional) Scrap paper
My handle started splitting across the top (where Taylor melted plastic to keep the two sides glued together after wrapping the foam cushion under the grip), so I’m replacing the handle to keep from getting my hand all sticky from the glue underneath.
Some people will try to drill out the rivets and pull the anchors off the case, but don't bother with that. It's easier (and will give you a more secure result) if you just open the rings and close them again afterwards. Doing that once won't damage the rings, so as long as the anchors are still good from the factory, just leave the rivets and foam lining alone.
Taylor sent me my replacement handle for free, but I imagine a second would have to be purchased if this happens again. So I’m going to try to fix the old handle and keep it nearby in case the new one splits down the road. If I find a good fix for the handle and people are interested, I can post another video on that.

[@DaveMcConnell1]

Thanks for this - I found it helpful! I used a beefy wiring pliers to get sufficient leverage to open each loop. I also used a large channel locks to close the loops after installing the new handle. Good to go!

[@liveacousticsound]

I have three Taylor hard cases, ranging from 1998-2011. Unfortunately, the handles will eventually fail. Good to know they sell replacements for their later cases. I got lucky and they had an extra handle for my 1998 414 case, which is different than the newer ones. I need to replace two of mine. The round eyelets tend to come loose and slide around on the D ring, and then the D ring starts to widen until it slips out. 20 years isn’t bad at all for one of them, and the other lasted 12 years. I carry my cases around a lot, so it is a testament to their quality.

[@BenjaminCarlson90]

Mine went bad after just 3-4 years (I think). The new one has held up well since I did this replacement, so here’s hoping there’s another 16 years in it! I don’t carry mine probably as much as you, but it still does see a decent amount of use.

[@phwink95]

Worked great!

[@BenjaminCarlson90]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@RobbieC67]

Thanks for putting together this video! My handle on my Taylor case did the same thing as yours.

[@BenjaminCarlson90]

You're welcome! I figured it was worth putting this out there since there's not a lot on the subject. My initial idea for swapping the new one in would have destroyed the rings since it was pretty extreme. But taking some more time to look around and make sure I did it right was worth it. :)

[@RobbieC67]

@@BenjaminCarlson90 Yeah, thanks. It's like a brand new case now. Love it! FYI anyone interested in expert zoom guitar lessons or in person in the Massachusetts area, check us out at www.robsguitarschool.net Much happiness to you playing guitar Benjamin!

[@mauidude57]

I guess I need a large needle nose plier, cause the one I have is small. But I will try

[@BenjaminCarlson90]

Yeah, it needs to have a bit of oomph. A small one will probably be difficult to use for this job.