Finally found the root cause of my jack issues

[swamp_bass]

I picked up a cheap used project bass a year or so ago, and have been using it as a platform to hone my repair/upgrade skills. It came from the factory with a relic finish, so it's a forgiving medium where blunders don't make a big impact.

One of the first things I did when I got it was replace the shoddy jack. Unfortunately, the second jack never worked well either. I couldn't tighten the nut down all the way or the 1/4" plug would bind in it, so I was forever re-tightening the loose nut with my fingers to keep the jack from becoming wobbly and intermittent.

Bought a third jack and set to work trying to figure out what the issue was. Thought maybe the cheap brass plate was deforming when I tightened it, causing the contact to squeeze in. Nope! All along, it was a simple alignment issue of the mounting screwholes. The jack plate was not centered in the cutout, which caused a physical interference between the plug and the capacitor tone pot.

It seems obvious after the fact, but this one stumped me for a while because it's only evident once the jack is tightened down, and if the contact is rotated downwards, there's no interference until the plug itself is pushed in - and hits the pot. Tonight I'm filling in the left screwhole and drilling a new one about 2mm lower. That should do the trick and exorcise the jack demons for good!

 

[BAG]

Good job.

I've got to say though, that when I read the thread title the first thing that popped into my head was AC/DC's "She Got The Jack" and that you've found out which groupie gave it to you.

 

[swamp_bass]

Good job.

I've got to say though, that when I read the thread title the first thing that popped into my head was AC/DC's "She Got The Jack" and that you've found out which groupie gave it to you.

ROFLMAO!!!

 

[JustForSport]

Can't loosen the nut and rotate the jack in the plate a little?

 

[96tbird]

I think he means the 1/4" itself hits the bottom of the pot once inserted.

Op, another option check the pot and see if there are washers or an inner nut stacked between it and the plate making the can sit lower into the cavity. You can remove and raise the pot....

Or proceed as you intend, which is fine too.

 

[JustForSport]

Op, another option check the pot and see if there are washers or an inner nut stacked between it and the plate making the can sit lower into the cavity. You can remove and raise the pot....

With another look at the photo, that could be. Might be just enough.

 

[praisegig]

Star washer between the plate and jack acts like a standard lock washer, giving more resistance of turning when the nut is tightened. They bite into the jack and plate

 

[swamp_bass]

Thanks for the helpful ideas, but it is the 1/4 plug itself that hits the pot rather early on. Depth of seating isn't a factor; more like leaving enough slack that it can tilt slightly down away from the pot.

Well, I filled in the old hole last night, drilled the new one today, mounted it and... STILL interference! Seems I got to close to the other side of the hole. As a reality check, I took out both screws, and verified that there is at least one position that the jack can sit flush and still receive the 1/4 inch plug.

So I filled in both holes, I'm going to center it with the 1/4 inch plug seated, then mark the final hole positions. This time, I won't screw up...

 

[JustForSport]

There are jack plates that are just curved, w/o the dish in them. One of those may give you the clearance you need.

 

[JustForSport]

You could always move the pot (that's straight in from the jack) an inch or 2, then do something cosmetic with the hole, like adding a small switch or something that the plug will not reach.

 

[swamp_bass]

You could always move the pot (that's straight in from the jack) an inch or 2, then do something cosmetic with the hole, like adding a small switch or something that the plug will not reach.

I thought of that, especially since these days I never use the pot. If I want to kill my highs and sound thumpy, I just switch to my shorscale bass with flatwounds.

I'm going to have one more go at it. I've already filled the holes, so I'm in for one more drilling expedition. If it works, I'm done. If it doesn't, then I'll consider other options such as the one above.

As for the flat jackplate with no dish, I don't think a slight change in depth will help much - the plug goes well past the edge of the pot body.

 

[iiipopes]

Star washer between the plate and jack acts like a standard lock washer, giving more resistance of turning when the nut is tightened. They bite into the jack and plate

Yes. If a star washer is too thick, a standard washer will also work. When the jack on my 1981 Rickenbacker 320, purchased new, kept coming loose, I fitted a standard thin washer to it between the nut and the plate. That was about a year after I purchased it. It hasn't budged since.

 

[swamp_bass]

Success!

...common stock, we work around the clock:

 

[DerekW]

Got a full pic of the body? Looks pretty sweet!

 

[swamp_bass]

Thanks; it's a polarizing look. For me, I just had to have it as soon as I saw it on the wall. This is what it looked like when I first got it, before I replaced the neck with a Fender neck and put Hipshot tuners on it:

 

[DerekW]

Yup. Love it.

 

[Matt O]

Good job.

I've got to say though, that when I read the thread title the first thing that popped into my head was AC/DC's "She Got The Jack" and that you've found out which groupie gave it to you.

One of the top posts of 2016 right there. Still a long way to go, but it's a real contender.

 

[BAG]

One of the top posts of 2016 right there. Still a long way to go, but it's a real contender.

Is there a competition..... and how do I ensure my very rare flash of humour gets entered?

I forgot to mention how much I like the finish (lack of???) on that bass. Quite unique.

 

[swamp_bass]

Thanks; I bought it for the look, but my drummer prefers its tone over my other more expensive basses so it's become my primary. Kind of funny, because it's my cheapest bass by far. Might have to look at some of the other offerings in the line..

 

[GIBrat51]

If you don't use that pot - why not put the jack there? Like, say... a P-Bass?