Strat Input Jack

[guitarded]

Would like some opinions here.....

One of my Strats started generating the kind of noise you get when you are not grounding out the strings by touching them, but only all the time. I changed cables and that made no difference. Changed guitars and isolated it to that guitar. The guitar has three single coil size SD humbuckers in it.

Now if I put some tension on the instrument cable as I run it through my guitar strap, the noise goes away. Also the instrument cable seems to have some play in it when plugged into the input jack, like the ring sleeve is too large for the cable. It might be normal as I never really had a need to look at it that closely before.


So I bought a new fender input jack and soldered it in exactly as the original. Seemed to be good for a while and just started up again...well I think it just started up again...cause I use a noise decimator at rehearsals and usually practice unplugged so hard to say when it started again. Does it sound like I have some kind of grounding problem or maybe my cables which are a couple of years old have worn? Remember it only happens on this guitar. MY cables are the standard Fender 10' cables that come with Fender guitars.

Not sure what next steps should be.... I ordered a couple of new cables cause I am overdue anyway...but not sure where to go next.

 

[lex666]

Re: Strat Input Jack

Maybe you had a solder joint fail somehwere?

I'd try the knobs and swtiches in different positions and see if you can narrow it down...

 

[guitarded]

Re: Strat Input Jack

I was planning on changing my strings tonight, so when I do that I am planning on removing the pick guard and poking around with an ohm meter. Anyone know if a bad pot can cause this? This is a US Plus from the early 90's and it has the tbx tone control, which I normally keep at it's neutral settings (5).

The problem occurs regardless of where my 5 way pup selector is, and it disappears when I turn my tone knobs all the way down.

Maybe you had a solder joint fail somehwere?

I'd try the knobs and swtiches in different positions and see if you can narrow it down...

 

[Artie]

Re: Strat Input Jack

One of the things that I like to do, when I'm rewiring a guitar, is to replace the mono output jack with a stereo one. Wire the "tip" connection as usual, then wire the ring and sleeve terminals to ground. This gives you a positive ground connection and a little better "hold". As a side benefit, use a short piece of bare copper from some 12-2 or 14-3 romex to bridge the gap between the two terminals, and you have a great ground land inside the guitar.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Strat Input Jack

H'mm Sounds like a good idea. If I don't find anything wrong witht he solder connections tonight maybe I'll order one and give it a shot. Anyone know if the dimarzio replace jacks have any issues fitting in a strat cavity?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DiMarzio-Switchcraft-14-Stereo-Output-Jack?sku=364737

One of the things that I like to do, when I'm rewiring a guitar, is to replace the mono output jack with a stereo one. Wire the "tip" connection as usual, then wire the ring and sleeve terminals to ground. This gives you a positive ground connection and a little better "hold". As a side benefit, use a short piece of bare copper from some 12-2 or 14-3 romex to bridge the gap between the two terminals, and you have a great ground land inside the guitar.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Strat Input Jack

I took the guitar apart this weekend. Checked all pot bodies with an ohm meter relative to each other and the sleeve of the output jack. Everything zeroed out. Found a loose star washer stuck to my bridge pup via magnetic pull. Hmmm....... Installed the star washer under the outside nut of the output jack.. Problem solved for now.... Not positive if the star washer is what did vs., just re-installing the jack. But all the wiring seems good.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions to those who is responded....