How do you install an output jack on an electric guitar?

Answer 1

One of the most common problems when dealing with a guitar amp is that the input jack becomes stressed from frequently pushing in the plug from the cord that goes to the guitar. This leads to crackling noises, or no noise at all. The 1/4" phone plugs, as they are called, are a couple inches long and serve as levers when inserted into the jack on the amplifier. The jack is surrounded by a nut that holds it tightly to the front plate of the amp, but the nut often loosens and sometimes falls off, allowing the jack to twist. Inside it is only held by a couple solder connections to a circuit board. The board itself has thin pieces of foil glued to its surface which serve as "wires". So, all that is holding the jack is a press-fit into the board and a couple thin foil strips. When rocked as described, these foils often break, although since they are glued to the board, the break may not be obvious. Generally they will break right where they are attached to the jack. So, observing all the normal safety precautions, like unplugging the amp, remove all the nuts holding any other jacks or pots (volume controls etc.) that are attached to the printed circuit board so you can remove it from the amp. Then locate the terminals from the jack on the underside of the board and carefully scrape the enamel from the foil "wires" leading away from the terminals with a dull knife for about 1/4". Heat the terminal and the foil with a 25 watt soldering iron, and allow the solder to run from the terminal along the length of foil that you have exposed. In severe cases you may need to add a bit of wire from the terminal running along the foil. Check to make sure you have a good connection with an ohmeter, if you have one. Reassemble the unit, ensuring that you tighten, or replace if missing, the nut that holds the jack to the metal panel of the amp so it doesn't happen again.

Answer 2

Guitars with f-holes are a little more challenging. You must pull the jack out through the f-hole to repair. Take your time and be careful not to pull the jack and get it hung on the pick up wires. If the guitar is passive you only have two wires to worry about. I suggest that you just install a new jack while you are doing this repair. They are fairly cheap and if done correctly the repair will last for years. You can run a thin wire through the hole where the jack goes and pull the new jack in place to put the nut back on. Be careful not to spin the jack because it will pull the wires out and you are back to step one. Test the jack before you put it back together. If you feel that the wires are to short you can extend them. Do not over heat anything. Soldering a output jack is fast. In and out. You only need a little dot to do it. Avoid big blobs of solder. Use a fine solder tip and and a hot iron to do it fast. Check the nut often and be careful not to spin the jack when you tighten it. If you get a hum switch the wires so you are grounded properly. Try to use a guitar cable with an angled plug. The angled plug will fit closer to the guitar and put less side to side stress on the jack. Just about all guitars can use an angled jack except Strat style guitars. Other guitars like Les Paul style guitars are easier because you have direct access to the jack behind the square plate (4 screws) or a football shaped plate (2 screws). Do not over tighten the small screws they strip easy. Surface mount jacks are removed by unscrewing the nut on the back of the jack. Surface mount jacks are usually accessable through the control cavity under the plastic plate on the back usually right behind the knobs. If your guitar or bass has active pickups you will need a stereo type jack. The same procedure is used. You are just putting another wire on it. Unplug the battery before you start.

Answer 3

If it is body mounted unscrew the retaining nut and remove any washers. Hopefully you can pull the input jack out through the hole, if not or if it is mounted on the pickguard you may have to remove a back plate or the pickguard (or on an acoustic remove the strings and reach in through the sound-hole) to access the jack and its wires.

Unplug (or unsolder) the wires being careful to note which wire goes where.

Attach the new connector.

Reattach the jack back to the body or the pickguard, whichever is appropriate, and reassemble the guitar.

Note: Be very careful not to short-circuit the wiring, especially be very careful if you attempt to test the guitar before reassembly. Short-circuiting this stuff while its live can damage your amp, your guitar, and your pride. Electricity hurts!

Another way to accomplish this repair, is to purchase a tool called JackTight. It's an input/output jack repair tool for electric guitar and bass. You can check it out at JackTight.com. It's under $20 bucks and saves you the hassle of taking apart your guitar or bass.

Answer 4

one wire is your ground , so this starts from your guitars volume potentiometer (thing under the volume knob) , this wire is soldered to the sleeve on the output jack

the other wire is soldered to what is called the tip, its wire also begins on the volume potentiometer

guitar electronics "dot" com is a great site to see a good diagram of this , also , YouTube. If you don't feel confident doing this consult a guitar tech , any major store that sells guitars will have one but if you have a background in soldering why pay 30 something dollars and wait a week for a guitar.

Answer 5

it depends generally the amplifier has a three prong plug in that you simply plug into the wall or sugre protector and turn the amp on plug in your axe and start jamming

Answer 6

It is safest to bring it into a repair shop, but you could take apart the amp's front panel and see if you can't re-attach the input.