input problem

ferdi

the lead inputon my fender jazz is giving me trouble.

at the drop of a hat, the lead falls out of the bass onto the floor creating a loud GRRRRRAAAAAAA from the amp.

now, i dont leap about too much when i'm playing and i've tryed several different leads - they all do it.

i've only had the fookin thing a few months and its been doing this most of that time. i wouldnt mind only one day i'm going to blow the blaydin speakers.

i tuck the lead in behind the strap and that solves the problem (most of the time) but i shouldnt have to do this.

whats to be done?

thanks

feylya

Get you a screwdriver and a pliers. Open the input dish thingy so that you can see the input jack properly. See the long metal thingy? Gently bend it towards the center of the jack. I'd explain more but I couldn't be bothered right now

ferdi

thanks feylya but i tryed that and it worked for about 10seconds then it just got loose again. bah

feylya

Is it a side mounted jack or surface mounted? You could always just replace it with a better jack. They're not that expensive. Couple of quid if even that. Or you could get one of the locking jacks that won't let the plug out unless you press the button. Although personally, I don't like them.

ferdi

surface mounted, i dont want to screw around with it too much, a new jack seems a bit dramatic. would it b a better idea to bring it to a shop?

feylya

Surface mounted eh? So on a jazz, that's under a metal plate? If it's on the front of the bass, how exactly does it fall out? Strange. Anyway, a new jack is piss easy to do. It's only 2 wires to solder. As for bringing it to a shop, it all depends how competent you think you are with guitar workings. It sounds like it's only a 5 minute job to throw one in but the shop would probably charge ya loads. If you were around Dundalk, I'd fix it for ya but you're in dublin aren't ya?

ferdi

So on a jazz, that's under a metal plate?

thats right.

i'm shyte at that stuff, thats why god invented guitar tecs.
it just comes out after a while, i dont know why either.

thanks for the offer but yes i'm in dublin:(

feylya

Originally posted by ferdi
i'm shyte at that stuff, thats why god invented guitar tecs.

And that's how I make money Just grab someone who has a soldering iron and a basic understanding of how to use it, go to a guitar shop, ask for an input jack, pay them some money and get the person with the soldering iron to do it for you. It just sounds like a borked jack tbh. the metal might be cracked or weak so it can't hold the jack in.

Doctor J

This should be very straightforward to sort by yourself. Unscrew the metal plate which the jack is attached to - The input jack will look like the left image



Insert a lead into the jack and look to see how the small tongue on the jack is locking into the tip of the lead. At a guess, I'd say there isn't much pressure holding the lead in at all. As Feylya said, just bend the bit that makes contact with the lead inwards, very gently, so that it applies more force against the lead, this is what is holding the lead in. The metal is designed to bend so don't worry if the lead has to push this piece out of the way. Generally, I like mine to be over half way across the face of the hole the lead comes through.

Also, make sure that the lead is locking into place, ie that the tongue on the input jack sits fully into the groove on the tip of the lead. If it's not sitting snug, sometimes manufacturers put a second nut between the input jack and the underside of the metal plate. If such a nut is there, it may need to be adjusted.

As for putting the lead around the strap button, you should do that anyway, the weakest part of the lead is the couple of inches at either end. By putting it around the strap button you stabilise this area and it'll mean your leads last longer.

fitz

Wrapping your lead around the strap also prevents nasty things happening in the event of someone standing on your lead while you're bouncing about a stage....

As always, the Doc's right...it's good for your leads too.

For a Jazz bass, I'd also recommend an angled-jack lead.

bahairy

im mad.