Input jack, jacked?

[bassbenj]

It looks like all the contacts are well made. The prongs both get a significant stretch out when the plug goes in. I'll give them a little rough up and push them in some more to eliminate bad contact.

Shorting tip to barrel on a guitar lead generally is to be avoided like the plague. That's the godawful pop you get pulling a lead out of an active channel, no way I'm doing that deliberately.

The sound is either silent or a minor glitch when it goes out.

Is it possible for the barrel to lose contact without corrosion? I haven't considered that at all.

It sounds like the contacts have lost some of their springyness. This is a common fault. The usual quick fix is just as you say to bend them in a bit more. But usually that won't last if they've already lost their spring.

Other possible faults are that since these jacks are sort of crimped together sometimes the crimp can get lose and the parts short when you wiggle the plug.

Another is that the prong pressing against the plug tip is possibly shorting against the conductive shielding as the insertion of the plug pushes it back away from it's normal position.

And of course there could be a bit of corrosion.

However new jacks are so cheap that usually unless it's an emergency situation best is to buy a nice new switchcraft jack (they are much less prone to losing spring) and install it.

 

[PilbaraBass]

^agreed on all counts...

 

[Downunderwonder]

It sounds like the contacts have lost some of their springyness. This is a common fault. The usual quick fix is just as you say to bend them in a bit more. But usually that won't last if they've already lost their spring.

I'm certain the jack tongues are making contact. Seem very springy and finish outside their start positions.

Another is that the prong pressing against the plug tip is possibly shorting against the conductive shielding as the insertion of the plug pushes it back away from it's normal position.

Not sure what you're saying.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Mine looks like this style, middle column. Link Removed

 

[Rob22315]

The prongs are plated, after many uses, the plating becomes scratched and doesn't make a good connection.

 

[PilbaraBass]

Could be a dry solder joint, too

 

[Downunderwonder]

Could be a dry solder joint, too

That never occurre to me, thanks.

I doubt the plating could be worn as it was only my main player for about a year in which I wasn't very active. Even if it was worn, steel is a good conductor

 

[Rob22315]

That never occurre to me, thanks.

I doubt the plating could be worn as it was only my main player for about a year in which I wasn't very active. Even if it was worn, steel is a good conductor

Once the scratches set in, the metal-to-metal contact is poor.

Jacks are cheap and the repair only takes a few minutes if you can solder. Certainly, checking for a bad solder joint is even easier so check that first.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Had another look yesterday. Seemed like there was less than positive contact on the "ring" spring, I tweaked that up and called it good. Er, no. Good thing I took a backup.

The solder looks kinda dull on one so I'll hit that before caving for a new jack, not that it looks scratched.

 

[Downunderwonder]

So I put my meter on it to see if it had continuity, then decided to see what was what with the 9v, and lo, there was none! Battery good. Pulled the battery compartment to find the squiddly wire broken off. Fixed it and it goes, for now.

I'm not convinced that it didn't break off in the investigation. I don't see that giving the jack a jiggle could have affected that wire when playing. Time will tell.

Thanks for the help fellas. I'm now a lot wiser in the ways of output jacks!

 

[Biggbass]

Try this;
open the input jack and rotate the jack so that the weight of the cable jack
leans toward the tip connector when connected. Sometimes, depending on the angle of the
connection, if the jack tip is "downhill" from the cable jack tip it will cause intermittent disconnect.
Just rotate the tip of the input jack so that the cable tip makes a good gravity connection with the tip of the jack. this was the exact cause of a recent intermittent connection issue I had with a new bass and I was surprised the builder had installed the input jack rotated away from the pull of the cable jack.
anyway, it fixed it.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Good tip, but I loop my cable through the strap. And sorry for the misdirect, but it's an output jack!

It made it through a rehearsal last night, good start.

I'm suspicious that the spring was less than great, and then me mucking about in the cavity possibly broke the wire, double whammy two stage fix to get it working.