Is there a problem with the 1/4 inch sockets on these? Especially the input one that must take a lot of guitar lead yanking. They are the flimsey domestic, no name, hifi type things and used vertically at floor level so any stage crud gets in them. Intermittant through-signal drop and I cannot induce collectively or individually and will have to check the internals of all 5 pedals plus daisy-chain leads etc. Will probably change that first socket anyway, whatever else found
I'd probably try cleaning them first with contact cleaner or alcohol. If they feel loose, I'd change them. Check for bad/broken solder joints. Wiggle any internal wires and check for intermittents, or high resistances. I haven't worked on one of these, but that's my general route when working on something of that nature. Sometimes if it's been wet, something spilled in it... the plating can start coming off of the contacts on cheap jacks. So maybe check for that...
I'd probably try cleaning them first with contact cleaner or alcohol. If they feel loose, I'd change them. Check for bad/broken solder joints. Wiggle any internal wires and check for intermittents, or high resistances. I haven't worked on one of these, but that's my general route when working on something of that nature. Sometimes if it's been wet, something spilled in it... the plating can start coming off of the contacts on cheap jacks. So maybe check for that...
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Although metal mounting bushes on these sockets, it discuises the fact that all behind is flimsey plastic. The one taking the in-use strain had its tip contact displaced outwards relative to the other one. Making contact, but presumably not reliably under temperature change/ grime etc. I replaced both with standard robust plastic bush sockets wired together and space made for them , being somewhat larger. And checked the internals of the 3 out of 5 otherwise suspected pedals, and leads.
Looked inside the board output ones as well, because leads to them could have been tripped over at some point.
A lot of abuse comes from tripping over cords and walking on the jacks while plugged into the pedal. I've fished several broken off 1/4" plugs from inside a jack.
If they are noname consider them a consumable they will fail eventually with use. You could use switchcraft jacks which are known to be reliable. On their website "leading manufacturer of harsh environment connectors"
If the plastic has give you could see if you can fabricate a plate to fit behind and reinforce it.
In my experience... "Bad jacks" in modern gear usually turns out to be broken solders on printed circuit board mounted jacks. "They don't make 'em like they used to."
They also don't cost anything like they used to. Which is the point. Why make something 5 times the price and lasts 10 years when it will be obsolete after one?
It shouldn't be that much more to build in some quality, especially when most stuff is built offshore with CHEAP labor. But I'm willing to pay a little extra for quality AND domestic production (I'm in the U.S.).
One problem is that most consumers don't know the difference between flying leads and a circuit board. And we're being trained to accept "land fill waiting to happen." But musicians are learning!
With gear that sees gigs, with amps and effects that you intend to keep... I think there's a big advantage to chassis mounted jacks, switches and pots (compared to PCB mounted). Most of my gear has them, and most of my gear is over 10 years old (because I'm not a huge fan of digital effects).
I've never been inside of one of these
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but if I owned one, I'd make sure that the nuts on the jacks were kept tight. There could be little mini boards with the jacks soldered to them. If there was, they'd get tossed when I had to open it up.
How would you like to be in the middle of a gig, and have somebody kick a cable and break the solder? I'm not saying that it's built like that, but if so -- BAD DESIGN.
OP may have assumed that the jack was bad, when it was really just a solder on a board. If he soldered in a new jack, he may be doomed to the same experience (especially if the nuts aren't kept tight).
I'm one that values quality over "land fill waiting to happen." I hope that's the next "modern world."
footprint space 12x13x27mm, so small, a justification for use, logo something like HT curved to fit inside an absent semicircle and type numbers variously e/b/a/h/g. Sighting through the barrel the tip contact should be in line with the centreline (centre of ground contact) but the stressed one was 2 to 3mm off line. The rear plastic closure square will come away on releasing the pawl. Grotty PbF-looking soldering on the output interboard ribbon cables
Both i/p sockets (as daisy chained so either could be used for lead in)replaced with manly ones.
Another amp roday will have a manly 1/4 inch chassis mount socket replacing the pcb mount failed one.
-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
The amp in front of me , from a combo , so can resonate with the speaker, not just i/p socket but most of the pot solderings have failed, 7 yearold conventional solder. The large heatsink is bolted to the chassis but not the pcb, only anchored via the pot + socket solderings. Board resonates and breaks the solder. Either requires standoffs and holes drilled or simpler, running hot melt glue on the pot side of the board over the pot pins and board for mechanical holding. I only ever replace pcb mount i/p 1/4 inch sockets with wired in chassis mount ones , usually upside down and wires crossed over.
Most amps seem to be disigned well electroniucally but lack mechanical and/or thermal/aerodynamic design, so often IMHO
-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
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