Stupid input jack...

[Rokket]

... on my bass is acting up. I plug in my patch chord and have to wiggle it around to make contact and be able to play. The result is a horrendous noise (snap, crackle, pop...) when I do this, and it usually happens when I don't want it to (like during church when the pastor is praying ). Sometimes I can just plug in and play without messing with it, but most of the time, I have to wiggle the damn patch chord. Beyond replacement, how can I fix the jack to stop this from happening? Re-solder? Bend the contact points?

[Rokket]

I should add too that I have active pickups, in case that has any bearing on it...

[scrubs]

Why is it "beyond replacement?" Soldering in a new jack seems like the easiest, most reliable, fix.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by scrubs

Why is it "beyond replacement?" Soldering in a new jack seems like the easiest, most reliable, fix.

I just didn't want to go through the trouble... I was hoping there would be a fix that didn't involve soldering in a new jack.

[Jouni]

..or bending the contacts, if you're sure it's not the cord..

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by Jouni

..or bending the contacts, if you're sure it's not the cord..

It's not the cable. I've had the same problem no matter which cable I plugged in. I guess I am going to go get a new jack and solder it in. No sense causing further problems by accidentally breaking off a contact.

Thanks anyway!

[cephus]

the bending the tip contact will probably help because it will serve to wedge the jack in there against the sides where the sleeve touches. If the nut was loose and you managed to spin the whole socket around, you could have boogered up the soldering, but it is more likely that the jack is just sloppy in the hole. When you take the jack out to bend it, you can check the solder. If the wires are only still attached by a few strands, then you should skin the wires and resolder them. You can't really mess up soldering a jack too bad. If you don't knwo how to solder, a jack is a good place to learn. If you try and learn on a potentiometer, you could cook it. If you go to radio shack, get the thinnest solder they have. I don't know how many times I've seen someone with that plumbing solder out in the garage. I don't even know what it's made of, I just get the thinnest kind so it melts quickly.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by cephus

the bending the tip contact will probably help because it will serve to wedge the jack in there against the sides where the sleeve touches. If the nut was loose and you managed to spin the whole socket around, you could have boogered up the soldering, but it is more likely that the jack is just sloppy in the hole. When you take the jack out to bend it, you can check the solder. If the wires are only still attached by a few strands, then you should skin the wires and resolder them. You can't really mess up soldering a jack too bad. If you don't knwo how to solder, a jack is a good place to learn. If you try and learn on a potentiometer, you could cook it. If you go to radio shack, get the thinnest solder they have. I don't know how many times I've seen someone with that plumbing solder out in the garage. I don't even know what it's made of, I just get the thinnest kind so it melts quickly.

I already looked at the wiring, and it's still solid, so I suspect you hit it on the head with the sloppy contact. I just don't want to bend it too much, or chance breaking it.
I have a guy who is pretty good at soldering who will do it for me. He knows better than to use plumbing solder on a guitar, I would hope. He works on electronic stuff for a living.
Thanks!

[gcapel]

get a 2-3 dollar switchcraft jack and replace the thing. It takes a few min. Wire the signal to the tip and ground to the sleeve.

[TelePaul]

Input Jack? On your bass? Do you mean OUTput jack? Or the 1/4 inch cable your running out of your bass?

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by gcapel

get a 2-3 dollar switchcraft jack and replace the thing. It takes a few min. Wire the signal to the tip and ground to the sleeve.

I am going to go look for one tonight, thanks!

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by Rokket

I am going to go look for one tonight, thanks!

By the way, what difference is there between a jack at Radio Shack and buying, say, a Fender or other jack at a music store?

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by Rokket

By the way, what difference is there between a jack at Radio Shack and buying, say, a Fender or other jack at a music store?

More than likely all that is needed is to take the jack out and bend the metal piece that captures the tip of the 1/4 inch plug more into the path of the plug so that it grips more snugly. Replacing the jack is necessary only if something breaks off of it or if the components of the jack get loose. Don't make this harder than it neeeds to be; replacing the jack is most likely not necessary.

[TelePaul]

so it IS the output jack.

[Farview]

If you have active pickups, you will need to buy a stereo jack. Most of the ones at Rat Shack are junk. If you don't know the difference, just go to a guitar shop. in fact, the guitar stor might have someone who can replace it for you while you wait. If it takes 10 minutes, I would be suprised. If it costs $15, I would be suprised.

[gcapel]

looks like you have two options. Replace it and know that it is right or try bending the tip contact and count on fixing it again later.

Here's where i buy things like this for cheap. This guy buys large quanities and sells cheaper than large distributors like digikey or mouser and most def radio shack. If you have a paypal account you can order and pay online. I keep these jacks on hand cause there so cheap. Switchcraft is the way to go though.

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Categor...s+and+Fittings

[travelin travis]

rokket, just bend it man. it takes a about a whole minute to do. if it's still acting up after that, you have a bad solder joint. solder joints can look fine and still give you some problems. one of the best tools i ever bought was a decent soldering iron. i could'nt live without it. also, don't buy any of that lead free crap solder. 63/37 kester is good stuff. a decent soldering iron and good solder can save you alot of headaches and money.

i remember being charged $30 to have a input jack fixed (resoldered) on my amp when i was a kid.

[RandyW]

I would go with bending the jack first, I would also recommend cleaning it with some deoxit and then lubing it with progold. I have recommended them so much you would think I worked for them. While you got it pulled out you migth want to check the solder joint. It would hurt to clean the cables as well.
With active electronics I suppose it could possibly be a dying battery causing the popping sound. Have you replaced the battery lately?

[cephus]

Originally Posted by Farview

Most of the ones at Rat Shack are junk.

I know they used to be junk. The radio shack nearest me closed up and during their last days of business they had this huge table of the hanging bags, mix and match 10 for a dollar. I bought 10 bucks worth of knobs and piezo buzzers and roach clips and stereo output jacks. These jacks seemed identical to the switchcraft or Fender ones I had in my pieces parts drawer.

I prefer mechanical means of cleaning those jacks. I have a wire bottle-brush looking thing I bought from harbor freight. It will scratch up the sleeve part of the connector nicely. I think it's for cleaning guns.

[travelin travis]

Originally Posted by cephus

I know they used to be junk. The radio shack nearest me closed up and during their last days of business they had this huge table of the hanging bags, mix and match 10 for a dollar. I bought 10 bucks worth of knobs and piezo buzzers and roach clips and stereo output jacks. These jacks seemed identical to the switchcraft or Fender ones I had in my pieces parts drawer.

I prefer mechanical means of cleaning those jacks. I have a wire bottle-brush looking thing I bought from harbor freight. It will scratch up the sleeve part of the connector nicely. I think it's for cleaning guns.

One of the local ratshacks here closed down recently and I bought a bunch of connectors, jacks, switches, clips, etc. for pennies on the dollar. Some of the stuff is decent quality. I have'nt had a chance to use any of the jacks yet so I can't say how good/bad they are.

[Farview]

Originally Posted by cephus

I know they used to be junk. These jacks seemed identical to the switchcraft or Fender ones I had in my pieces parts drawer.

That's why I said most. They carry both the good and the bad, that's why I told him if he didn't know the difference, go to the guitar shop.

There are alos a few different kinds on guitar jacks, a guitar shop should have all of them.

[Light]

Bending the contacts back in (or "retensioning" as the vintage amp guys call it) can help for a while, but it really is mostly a temporary fix. It is also impossible with enclosed jacks. More to the point, with many of the cheap jacks used in most production instruments, it is as likely to snap the contact as to "retension" it. Personally, I think it is usually better to replace it with a good quality switchcraft jack. If your bass is active, you will need a stereo jack (unless it is stereo and active, in which case you need a 9 pin jack, which may be hard to find).

Most jacks are really cheap, though, so there is not much reason not to replace them.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[ggunn]

FWIW, I retensioned the output jack on my '61 Strat in about 1988 or so, and the repair is still holding. Temporary it may be, but 21 years (and counting) is pretty good for a temp fix.

One tip for doing this is to hold the metal clip a little ways out from the jack with a pair of needlenosed pliers and do your bending out past that point instead of bending it more right there at the jack where it's already bent 90 degrees. Less metal fatigue.

[travelin travis]

i've re-bent a few jacks myself and never had a problem. it does'nt take much, just a couple of degrees is plenty. if someone breaks a jack by re-bending it, i would guess that

a) the jack was about to break anyway
b) that person is completely incompetent

[Rokket]

Thanks for all the input (no pun intended!). I am going to open her up tonight and see what happens...