Taylor Endpin Jack Problems
John Holbrook
with my cable as it once did. Slight side pressure on the plug will result
in "static-like" noise in the amp. The problem doesn't seem to be the
cable, as it works fine in my other acoustic-electric.
The guitar is a 1995 model with the Fishman u/s transducer and no "barndoor"
controls in the upper bout.
Since I haven't had the endpin jack out of the guitar yet, can anyone tell
me:
1. Is the preamp part of the endpin jack?
2. Can the connection be tightened up by bending the "tip" contact in, so
as to have greater tension against the plug's tip?
3. Do I have any other options besides sending the preamp, or even the
whole guitar, back to Taylor?
TIA for any help anyone can offer.
John
No Busking
I had a similar problem with my 1997 412 CE...I removed the endpin jack to
see if I could bend the tip in, and found that the whole assembly is
enclosed...I couldn't get to the tip.
In my case, the problem turned out to be with adjustment of the
"barrel"...minute adjustments over time (every time the nut on the outside
of the guitar was loose and I tightened it), had positioned the barrel so
that the 1/4" jack wasn't going in as far as it should. A small adjustment
of the nut on the assembly *inside* of the guitar cured the problem.
My guitar *does* have the barn-door preamp, so there's no preamp on the
jack. I don't know what the case would be with yours...whether the preamp
is mounted to the jack, or elsewhere inside the guitar body. Where do you
put the battery? Have a look at that assembly, and you'll be able to tell
where the preamp is located.
Cheers,
Mike
David Enke
the pre-amp is an integral part of the output jack. It would be possible for
a good tech to un-solder the pre-amp part and replace just the Switchcraft
jack. Question #2: the jack barrel is sealed, so there is no easy way to
bend the contacts internally. For #3: My guess would be to remove the unit
and send it to Fishman. Shipping the guitar would be more troublesome and
expensive then removing the pickup/pre-amp and just sending that. I'm not
sure what the warrantee would be from either Taylor or Fishman, so I can't
help you on that aspect.
David Enke
Pick-up the World
www.pick-uptheworld.com
pu...@webcoast2coast.net
719-742-5303
"John Holbrook" <jhol...@NONE4MEinfinet.com> wrote in message
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David Martel
These jacks are sealed. You can clean light dirt off the contacts using
the brush that fits a 32 cal. S&W pistol. Such cleaning kits are easy to
find. A test tube bottle brush may also work. Look in the phone book.
Good luck,
Dave M.
John Holbrook
"David Martel" <mart...@hostingstorm.net> wrote in message
news:3eb570d5$1...@news.starnetusa.net...
Mike, I know what you're referring to about the jack position shifting, and
the plug not going in all the way. I had that happen on the active I-Beam I
installed in my Seagull. (A little dab of Loc-Tite on the threads cured
that problem.) The jack on my Taylor has never come loose, so I don't
believe it has shifted. I know I've never had to re-tighten it. (BTW, I'm
looking forward to getting reacquainted at EC6!!)
David E., re the preamp and jack being integral: I was afraid of that! I
have board-level soldering skills, so separating the jack from the preamp
probably wouldn't be beyond my capabilities, although I would probably have
to find a way of mechanically mounting the preamp separate from the jack
inside the box. I've seen strapjacks for sale at various online places,
such as Stew-Mac. Another poster (I believe it was Joe Jordan) said that
he'd removed internal preamps completely and wired the x-ducer directly to
the jack, and used an outboard preamp. I have a PADI, but I'm a little
leery of doing this for reasons of noise and of convenience. (I can't
picture gigging with a PADI clipped on to my belt!)
David M., I don't believe my problem is dirt or corrosion related, as I can
definitely feel that the plug enters the Taylor's jack with less resistance
than it does my other guitar, or my amp. (Using the term "resistance" in
its mechanical definition, not its electrical one!!)
Thanks again, all. I'll let the group know if and when I find a solution.
John
David Enke
with board level soldering skills the work to replace the jack would be
simple. The jacks we carry from All-Parts are a direct replacement for the
Switchcraft that you have, and you'd simply cut the lugs to the right length
to match what you have, and solder it to the end of the board in like
fashion. The only thing to watch out for is to heat the lug thoroughly, then
hit the board with the iron and add solder at the same time. We use little
metal spring clamps as heat sinks if it seems that something close-by might
get over heated.
We sell the jacks for $7.00, which I think is a pretty good deal, but look
around and see what you find.
David Enke
Pick-up the World
www.pick-uptheworld.com
pu...@webcoast2coast.net
719-742-5303
"John Holbrook" <jhol...@NONE4MEinfinet.com> wrote in message
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Mitch
Being a '95, that's probably a Matrix 1. IMHO, pickups have come a long way
baby since that was installed. Maybe it's a good time to have a go with one of
the newer, better sounding UST's. They are cheap and easy to install in a
Taylor. I switched from Fishman to B-Band's, and it was a world of difference.
Mitch
Tom Loredo
Hi John-
The suggestions in this thread have been on the mark. It looks like you
need a new jack. The $7 price David quoted is very good if you want to
that route. One last thing---sometimes it's worth trying another cable.
1/4" connectors can vary slightly in their specs (esp. the shape and location
of the narrow area of the tip), and it could be that another 1/4" connector
will work more reliably with your endpin jack. But even if it does, this
is a sign of a real problem, and you'll likely have to change the jack
at some point down the road.
Peace,
Tom
Hmemerson
>with my cable as it once did.
Hi John,
When I was in retail back in 94-98, I must have had at least 20 Taylors over
that course of time where the 'strap nut', or beauty ring, or whatever you'd
like to call it, somehow ended up getting in the way of the male plug seating
all the way down.
Actually, the problem was because whoever did the installation at the factory
neglected to have enough of the threaded portion of the female part sticking
outside the endblock.
If you take off the strap ring and the problem then goes away no matter how you
move the jack, you've only got to re-seat the jack/preamp by removing the
outside nut, and then moving the inside nut toward the preamp box so that more
jack sticks out.
If that doesn't do it.................
Good luck,
Howard Emerson