Waterboarder Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Evening folks...bass (precision) wont work, or will but very quite unless jack plug is forced up at an angle in socket! Ive had a play around with it but no joy...Im guessing something is touching that shouldn't, or vice versa! Any ideas? Has to be something simple surely (besides the bass player)!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) Yes, something simple, sounds like a faulty socket to me. There's a springy bit of metal in the socket that is pushed aside by the tip of the plug when inserted and it then springs back into the groove of the plug tip - or it should do. Over time this contact can lose its springyness and not fully move back to make contact with the groove of the plug tip. the fact that you can force it to work (make contact) by pushing the plug at an angle suggests to me that this is the cause of your problem. It's not uncommon. Sometimes it's possible to insert a small screwdriver into the socket and bend the tip contact back towards the middle of the socket, but you need to have a reasonable mental image of what you're doing as if you bend it too far then it will block the plug when inserted rather than be pushed aside. Another option is to remove the scratchplate and expose the rear of the socket. you should then be able to see the offending contact and see what's happening when the plug is inserted. A pair of thin-nosed pliers can usually be used to bend back the contact so that it makes good contact with the plug tip. The final option is to replace the socket with a new one. Very easy to do if you can solder and have the right tools. If you don't fancy trying any of those thing then a visit to your nearest guitar shop should find you someone who can repair the bass for you . . . . probably by doing one of the above things. Edited April 16, 2014 by flyfisher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diablo Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I'd just take off the pick guard and the offending but of bent tin will reveal itself. Bend back with your finger so it grips the jack when inserted and put the pick guard back on. A few mins job and easily done. My personal opinion is that the 1/4" jack is the single worst piece of design on an electric guitar or bass. All it takes is you or someone else stepping on your cable and voila - bad contact time. Cheers, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waterboarder Posted April 16, 2014 Author Share Posted April 16, 2014 Thanks chaps...Im sure Ive twisted it back before and its worked for a while. Oh well, maybe its time to splash the cash... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westie9 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Yes, change the jack socket. Last time I had mine changed it cost £20 fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Bending the contact back will work, but every time you bend it the weaker it gets and the sooner you'll have to bend it back again. Do it once to get you out of trouble, but get it replaced properly ASAP because I can guarantee it'll fail at the most inopportune moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 If there is space you could go for the type of socket with plastic body and springy contacts onto the end pip and the shaft. They don't quite retain the plug as well as the other type, but almost impossible for the contacts to get bent out of position, and you have a proper sprung contact for the eart as well. Or go for a Neutrik locking socket, which is the best of both worlds, but would require some wood working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I saw the bass guitar with a pro covers band fitted with an XLR socket some time ago. I don't know too much about BGs; is this generally done? Seems a good idea if you can accommodate the bulkier socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 [quote name='bassace' timestamp='1398352721' post='2433311'] I saw the bass guitar with a pro covers band fitted with an XLR socket some time ago. I don't know too much about BGs; is this generally done? Seems a good idea if you can accommodate the bulkier socket. [/quote] Well they're a better connector insofar as they won't wear out as easily and will latch into position. On the negative side, you'll have to make space for it and if you bust a lead you're not going to be able to just grab one easily from any old music shop. Realistically, if you use a decent socket and decent leads then a jack socket will last for many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 XLR leads are readily available in any decent music shop aren't they? Funny how we wouldn't dream of using an unbalanced jack for a microphone yet are quite happy to use them for guitars/bass . . . . and then go to all the trouble of taking them apart and lining the cavilty with copper tape in order to minimise noise problems! Plus they would facilitate phantom powering, in the same way as condenser mics, and banish the need for batteries in the guitar/bass. But jacks are most definitely the standard and it seems that none of the mainstream manufacturers want to buck the trend, so we're stuck with a mediocre design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1398368900' post='2433518'] Funny how we wouldn't dream of using an unbalanced jack for a microphone yet are quite happy to use them for guitars/bass . . . . and then go to all the trouble of taking them apart and lining the cavilty with copper tape in order to minimise noise problems! [/quote] In principle an balanced, low impedance, signal will always be better. But a typical guitar output is in the 0.1 to 1V range, a balanced mic output is generally somewhere between 0.02 and 0.05 volts, so you can generally get away with unbalanced on a guitar or line level signal. The Neutrik type locking sockets offer many of the advantages of the XLR, while still taking the (Current) standard jack plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I agree with the "generally get away with" thing, but why put up with something mediocre when a far better solution is readily available at insignificant extra cost? It's poor engineering really and the result is many discussion topics about noise problems and cavity shielding as a consequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1398415665' post='2433802'] I agree with the "generally get away with" thing, but why put up with something mediocre when a far better solution is readily available at insignificant extra cost? It's poor engineering really ..... [/quote] Agree totally with this bit! [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1398415665' post='2433802'] ..... and the result is many discussion topics about noise problems and cavity shielding as a consequence. [/quote] but not so convinced by this bit! Whatever the quality of the cabling, if you pick up noise in the pickups then that will get sent down the cable. From my own experience (yours may vary) the pickup itself is the main source of noise, followed by the contents of the control cavity. I have rarely had any problems with noise pickup in the cable, unless the cable is actually faulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Fair point. Indeed I've often wondered about stuff like cavity lining when I've never encountered noise problems that tempted me to try shielding everything. But even if the pickups are the weakest link in the signal chain, I'd still expect noise problems to be exacerbated by unbalanced circuitry. I wonder if the 'humbucker' pickup would have been quite so necessary if balanced wiring was used from pickup to amp? Anyway, it's all a bit academic as I don't reckon the unbalanced jack is going to disappear anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Good points from all. Esp on phantom power. Need to consider that while XLR to jack leads are readily available (mic to jack) they aren't generally optimised for high impedance ( like normal passive pickup ) sources. 'Proper' 'low noise' cable for high impedance pickups has a semiconducting layer between signal and screen to attenuate cable movement noise. With low impedance signals (good quality mics) this isn't considered necessary although cotton or plastic fillers are generally used to maintain (roughly) constant geometry between the conductors. From a practical point of view consider: if you wander too far away from your amp / pedal board a jack connection will probably pull out of one end - not good but not THAT bad considering that an XLR is unlikely to detach ( I recall that that the original Cannon XLR spec' is that it pulls a big truck or something ) and depending on your connection at the other end to the bass you could end up with a lot of amp / Cab / Stack toppling over. On the plus side it may land on the drummer (Joke!) I guess you just get a long enough cable :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 [quote name='rmorris' timestamp='1398451393' post='2434373'] Good points from all. Esp on phantom power. Need to consider that while XLR to jack leads are readily available (mic to jack) they aren't generally optimised for high impedance ( like normal passive pickup ) sources. [/quote] Are the "Starquad" cables any better in this respect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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