Yet, Another Input Jack Problem :^(

[dstrats]

Hi all,

I'm sorry to post this but I need some assistance.



I'm having probs with my modded Fuzz Face's input jack (the one on the right, in the pic). I'm sure some of y'all recall me having a prob with my wah's input jack... turns out, it wasn't the wah but rather my guitar cables end. My friend put a Neutrik stereo 1/4 jack on the opposite end of my guitar cable. He had to make another ground because he said if he didn't, it wouldn't activate the pedals. Well, his mod came loose, so after I reapplied my George L end, all wah probs where gone.

Now, the FF is an entirely different story. When I plug into my FF it may work for a bit, but if it gets moved in any way it shorts out. The only way to revive it is to push the cable end down and it will activate until you release it. Well, my first attempt at putting those vintage type input jacks in ('07) was kinda messy, but it worked... up to a point. I had to bend the input jack's connections to make a good contact point. So, I thought let me solder in a new one, being that my ability to make a cleaner solder joint have improved. So after I installed the new one (pictured), and it worked for awhile. Of course it started having the same probs. I even tried to tighten the nut to see if that helped, and it did... for awhile. Last night at jam, low and behold it shorted again.

So, what I'm I missing? Is it not the input jack but something in the switch, or board. When I tested the innards with the ol' input jack, I moved every wire, touched connections with a pencil to try to see if it cuts out the signal. Everything seemed to be fine but the input jack was faulty. The output jack is fine though. I must be missing something.

I look forward to some help. I had pride in this FF being that I modded it to sound how I like. But, sure enough a problem has to arise to dash my confidence. 

Thanks in advance y'all.

-D

[flintstoned]

Is it shorting out on the bottom plate of the enclosure? You could cover the jacks with electrical tape to confirm when the bottom plate is on and the pedals flipped over that its not shorting.

[Quackzed]

agreed, also those type jacks have metal 'strap' type connectors and if it's not shorting -which it probably is due to the 'strap' getting pushed into the metal of the enclosure when the cable is plugged in-
then it may not be making good contact in which case you can push the 'straps' down and bend them a bit without a cable plugged in so that they will be closer to the cable tip and sleeve, and make better contact.
as a quick test you could slip some duct tape or electrical tape or something non-conductive between the jack and the enclosure, and see if it solves it...if it does then its due to shorting to the enclosure, if not, it's probably not making good contact -straps to cable..

[dstrats]

Right on guys!

Thanks so much. I will try to cover the input jack with electrical tape. I'll cover the black casing and the ends to see if indeed it's the metal plate that is touching on one of the connections, (prolly the one closes to the body of the FF as that one sticks up a bit).

Thanks again! I will let y'all know if it works!


-D

[dstrats]

Hi all!



Well, no matter how I rocked the board, wah, FF, or the actual jack whilst inserted, it never shorted out! I think the tape did the trick. I ended up placing the electrical tape on the metal plate just where the jacks would touch if they did, and it obviously was. 

Thanks again guys! I hope it will work out side the house. I will let y'all know next Thursday when the next jam is going to take place. I'll test it out there.

Again, you guys rock!!!!

-D

[petemoore]

 ETape pinned between two moving metal surfaces can become scissored.
  1/2 the time, the jack can be loosened, repositioned to not need extra insulator, leave it on there in case it moves around again.
   The stuff they use for packaging, the clear plastic stuff, though not 'cut proof' will take more rubbing before substrate gets compromised.
  Getting rid of the positions that create scissoring is a more permanent fix.