Wires in 1/4" jack keep breaking.

  • Thread starter Thread starter VomitHatSteve
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VomitHatSteve

VomitHatSteve

Hat STYLE. Not contents.
In the last month or so I've had to re-solder the jack in one of my guitars twice. But it's not the solder that's breaking. The actual wire is snapping off right next to the solder point.

Any recommendations for how to keep this from happening?
 
The the wire is being stressed. Probably when the jack is yanked.

An extra inch or so of wire for strain relief is all that's needed.

(That will not affect your tone BTW)
 
The wire actually already has a lot of slack between the jack and the volume knobs. Plus, the jack is attached to the body of the bass. It shouldn't really be moving anywhere should it?
 
In these cases, a picture is pretty much essential then.

We can't diagnose something like that from a vague description....
 
Sounds like too thin gauge wire and too much heat from the soldering iron.
 
It's a cheap soldering iron, so I'm not sure how hot it gets. (Not hot enough to solder pop tabs at least...)
It is a multi-threaded wire, but I don't know how robust or what gauge.

I'll see if I can get some decent pics up tonight. Thanks!
 
When you put the jack back into the hole...and screw on the retaining ring...do you hold it in place so it's not twisted around and around while screwing on the retaining ring...?
Sometimes that can happen and you don't realize it as you can't always see the jack inside the body hole.
 
Not explicitly, Miro. I was having problems with the nut loosening and tightening it by hand, so that could be part of the problem too.

... and I forgot to take pictures. Doh!
 
I'll throw in my two cents...are you tinning the wire before soldering it to the jack? Are you putting some solder on the jack first? Maybe stupid questions, but stupid answers have saved me a million times :)

Tinning gives it a little more durability and it helps the solder melt faster so you don't expose the wire to as much heat for as long. If you can, I'd recommend cutting the wire down about 1/4" or so, expose fresh new wire, tin, and solder quickly.

Option 2 is get some better quality wire (if in fact the wire is crappy) and rewire that one connection. Something around 22AWG stranded should be fine.

As for why it's happening, if options 1 and 2 don't help, the wire is definitely being stressed and pulled at some point, you'll just have to track down the point where this is happening (i.e. when the nut is tightened, when the cable is inserted, it's being crimped inside where you can't see, when the cable is removed etc.).
 
also do you have to cut insulation off the wire before soldering it to the jack?
Sometimes you can nick the conductor while removing the insulation.
 
VomitHatSteve said:
Not explicitly, Miro. I was having problems with the nut loosening and tightening it by hand, so that could be part of the problem too.
Click to expand...

When just tightening by hand from the outside...it's easy to grab the jack too, and not just the nut...and you end up spinning the whole thing...and snap goes the wire...especially since it kept coming loose and you kept tightening it.

Open the plate, get a pair of pliers, needle-nose will work if the jack is in a recessed body slot, or just use your finger to keep it from spinning...then use a small adjustable wrench (or another set of pliers if you feel lucky that they won't slip off the nut), and while holding the entire jack assembly with the needle-nose pliers, tighten the nut nice and snug, and it should stay on and not keep coming loose on you.
Tightening just by hand....and it will surely come loose again, and then you're spinning it again...wel, you know what happens. :)
 
Aaron: Hmm... Someone else soldered it last time, so I don't know if he tinned it or not. I definitely did... not tin myself. I suppose I should go back and do that correctly when I get a chance. (I'm really bad at soldering.)

Bob: I did strip back insulation to expose new wire. The exposed wire remained attached to the jack when it snapped! :D
 
VomitHatSteve said:
Bob: I did strip back insulation to expose new wire. The exposed wire remained attached to the jack when it snapped! :D
Click to expand...
and that would make me think the wire got nicked while removing insulation. That's what it would do ...... break right where the insulation ends 'cause that's where the nick would be.

I've learned that by having it happen!



More than once!!!

:D
 
Well, my 2 cents is to concentrate on the movement in the connector when it's turned even slightly. No matter how weakened or abused the wires are, they're not going to break unless they're flexed at least a little bit.
 
Bobbsy said:
Well, my 2 cents is to concentrate on the movement in the connector when it's turned even slightly. No matter how weakened or abused the wires are, they're not going to break unless they're flexed at least a little bit.
Click to expand...
well the jack needs to be secure for sure and that's likely part of the problem if not the entire problem.
But I've had gits where the jack rotated for years and never broke a wire.

And wires can break if nicked simply by vibrations as it's riding in a car or being played.
I've had amps that had wires break deep inside the amp that weren't flexing in any way and, indeed, wouldn't be able to be flexed as they weren't connected to anything that could move.
But they were somewhat suspended and that allowed them to vibrate while the amp was playing and while riding in the truck.
 
Bobbsy said:
Well, my 2 cents is to concentrate on the movement in the connector when it's turned even slightly. No matter how weakened or abused the wires are, they're not going to break unless they're flexed at least a little bit.
Click to expand...

Usually true, but adding too much heat or prolonged exposure to heat during soldering can really weaken wire and make it super brittle. To the point where it will break with minimal stress that wouldn't break a stronger wire.

Steve, you don't have to be a great solderer...just put a little on the jack where you're gonna connect the wire, expose at least 1/4" of new wire and tin it, then you should be able to make the connection with less than 3 seconds of heat. Don't over solder, but don't under...I tend to lean more toward the use a little more rather than use a little less camp.

One other thing you can do if you really want is put a little heat shrink over the lug wire and shrink it around the connection (where it keeps breaking). Heat shrink is non-conductive, so you can put it right over the lug. This will provide just a little more stability and flexibility to the wire.

Then do what bob said and tighten that bolt down hard while the jack is out (I'm assuming some sort of strat style jack?) then screw the whole assembly back on...you shouldn't have any problems from there on.

ok, I think you have enough advice for now!
 
aaronmcoleman said:
ok, I think you have enough advice for now!
Click to expand...

If all else fails......


200px-Cutting_torch.webp


:D

;)
 
You are wok hardening the wire at the solder joint. Even if the jack is rotated as you tighten it a good solder joint will not come apart. If the cause is rotation of the jack you will see wires of differing length and frayed where the wire failed. If the break is due to work hardening you will see a few wire end sticking out of the solder and a fairly even break.

Go check..
 
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