Help for Livewires

[kramer_nut]

I am trying to wire up a set of used Livewires in my Tokai and I have some questions regarding the stereo jack, the diagram shows hooking up three wires to it, 1 from the vol pot 1 ground and the wire from the batteries. My jack has four spots to solder onto. Can you give me some insight on which I should use. I would really appreciate it, I would love to play this guitar next weekend at my next gig!! Thank, Todd

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Help for Livewires

I am trying to wire up a set of used Livewires in my Tokai and I have some questions regarding the stereo jack, the diagram shows hooking up three wires to it, 1 from the vol pot 1 ground and the wire from the batteries. My jack has four spots to solder onto. Can you give me some insight on which I should use. I would really appreciate it, I would love to play this guitar next weekend at my next gig!! Thank, Todd

I'm not familar with the live wires, but I'll try to help you out, I assume that (like every other active system) that the output jack is used so that it switches power on when the guitar is plugged into, and off when the guitar is unplugged ... Otherwise the battery would be on all the time, and run deead in short order.
Run volume pot to the tip connection of the output jack, run the guitar's ground to the sleeve of the output jack, and run the negative of the battery connector (black) to the ring connection on the output jack.
If you don't know what connections are what, then use a multi meter to find them, they correspond with the tip and sleeve of the mono plug, the ring will be the other. With a mono plug the sleeve and ring will be connected when you put the mono plug in, and disconnected when you remove it; Hence, they used it as a switch to switch the power off when the instrument is not plugged in. Tip... hot output (signal), ring...negative from battery(ies), sleeve...ground.
I don't know why your have four lugs though? I'm guessing that two are sleeves (ground).

 

[kramer_nut]

Re: Help for Livewires

Thanks Kent, I bought the stereo jack at R Shack and you just never know what you are going to get when you go there. I appreciate the help.

 

[Artie]

Re: Help for Livewires

Hey kramer; since you got it at RS, can you just post a part number? That way, we can tell for sure what you have. The thing is, some 1/4" jacks were built for headphone use, and have an extra connection thats "broken" when a plug is inserted. That extra lug routes the signal on to speakers if nothing is plugged in.

It important that you don't use that lug, or it will be disconnected every time you insert the guitar cord.

Edit: the part number you want is cat # 274-312

1/4" stereo jack - 3 conductor