Advice sought for mod.

[B.Flat]

Hi all luthiers out there.

I am looking for ideas of how to solve a problem.

I am modding a Warwick bass to take the Noll TCM 3 P preamp, which requires the use of a nine-tag stereo jack socket. I can see that I can install it in place of the standard mono barrel  type, if only I can remove enough wood from the inside if the control well. However, easier said than done as there is no room to use power tools. I know I could make a hole of the correct size from the outside and use a jack plate to mount the socket, or even put a wood plug of the correct thickness back in, but I would really like to preserve the aesthetic of the original design. I have thought I could make some right-angled gouges of various types to attack the job from inside the well, and I do have the persistence to do it bit by bit, but before I start I wondered if anyone can think further out of the box than I can.

 

I am grateful for any ideas or advice.

 

Brian

[DaveFry]

Idea .

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/forstner-bit-alignment-tip-3536393

[Acebassmusic]

For me I would make a hole of the correct size and use a metal jack plate recessed into the side of the bass. The metal plate will give you a much sturdier socket than removing wood from the inside of the cavity and then attaching the jack to whatever wood is left (2 - 3mm?)

[B.Flat]

1 hour ago, DaveFry said:

Idea .

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/forstner-bit-alignment-tip-3536393

Yes, but you can't use a forstner bit inside the control well, there is no way to align it.

But thatnks for responding anyway.

[B.Flat]

56 minutes ago, Acebassmusic said:

For me I would make a hole of the correct size and use a metal jack plate recessed into the side of the bass. The metal plate will give you a much sturdier socket than removing wood from the inside of the cavity and then attaching the jack to whatever wood is left (2 - 3mm?)

Yes,  this is my only idea. I did not elaborate on the wood plug idea  but that is what I thought, a metal plate recessed and a wood plug, of the correct maple and grain direction, glued to the plate and radiused to match the body contour. Only prob. is that it would be noticable. I am not OCD but before commiting to doing that I was interestested to see if anyone had a better idea, as I am afraid I am not as inventive as I used to be !

[HazBeen]

Basically you need to carve out the cavity. I would use my Dremel with 45 degree angle attachment and a fine router bit.

https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/tools/575-right-angle-attachment

I have used it in very tight spaces effectively. What you cannot get around though is the fact that the original barrel jack hole is larger than the 1/4” jack threaded bit and will leave a gap if you do not use a jack plate.

I would probably sacrifice the barrel jack, in essence using the external flange of the barrel jack as my new jack plate. If you make the cavity just right (As I believe the 9 pole one is squarish) you should be able to pull the jack plate tight to the wood with the screw on the new jack, and not worry about it turning. And you can also drill 2 small holes for screwing it to the body.

Then should you sell it, you can just but a barrel jack back in place and the outside will look as before/original.

I hope I am making sense.

Edited August 28, 2020 by HazBeen

[Jabba_the_gut]

Or possibly a Dremel with a flexi shaft and a mini drum sander. The flexi shaft being a smaller diameter than the Dremel lets you get in a bit more square than just a Dremel on its own (if that makes sense!).

[HazBeen]

1 hour ago, Jabba_the_gut said:

Or possibly a Dremel with a flexi shaft and a mini drum sander. The flexi shaft being a smaller diameter than the Dremel lets you get in a bit more square than just a Dremel on its own (if that makes sense!).

Good call indeed.

[B.Flat]

8 hours ago, HazBeen said:

Basically you need to carve out the cavity. I would use my Dremel with 45 degree angle attachment and a fine router bit.

https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/tools/575-right-angle-attachment

I have used it in very tight spaces effectively. What you cannot get around though is the fact that the original barrel jack hole is larger than the 1/4” jack threaded bit and will leave a gap if you do not use a jack plate.

I would probably sacrifice the barrel jack, in essence using the external flange of the barrel jack as my new jack plate. If you make the cavity just right (As I believe the 9 pole one is squarish) you should be able to pull the jack plate tight to the wood with the screw on the new jack, and not worry about it turning. And you can also drill 2 small holes for screwing it to the body.

Then should you sell it, you can just but a barrel jack back in place and the outside will look as before/original.

I hope I am making sense.

Hi Hazbeen.

This is sounding interesting but my elderly brain is having difficulty visualiising.

Do you mean cut the end off the barrel jack and thread it internally to match the thread on the 9 pole socket ?

At  this time I do not know the relative diameters ( internal and external) of the two sockets. Maybe you can enlighten me !

[HazBeen]

So the barrel is if memory serves me correctly 12 mm, the end of the new 9 pole socket is 1/4” plus a few mm max, certainly under 12mm.

So if you saw off the end of the old barrel jack and either thread it to the size of the new jack output and use it to screw on instead of using the supplied nut OR just use it as a washer (and use the nut supplied with the new jack) that you could even decide to fix to the body with 2 screws.

Is it a little clearer for you?

[B.Flat]

Hi Hazbeen.

Yes that is what I thought you intended and I think probably the best solution so far.

 

Brian