Hey, I'm sorry if I got some of the terminology wrong, but could somebody help me with this? The jack where the cord from the amp to the guitar goes (the one on the guitar not the amp) keeps coming loose. It's the kind with a hexagonal ring that screws around the device where the cord itself enters, and the ring keeps coming loose and threatening to drop the device back into the guitar. This was not so much of a problem when it started (as a matter of fact, it dropped into my electric acoustic once, took a few hours just to fish it out through the right hole), but it started happening on my electric too, and there's obviously no sound hole to use to get it out this time. Thanks for your time.
If the guitar has a cover on the back for the control cavity (where the tone and volume controls, etc., are), it's easier than if you'd have to unstring it and pull off the pickguard. (Like the one in your avatar.)
Either way, once you expose the jack (called the guitar's output jack), get ahold of it to keep it from turning while you or a helper tighten the nut. (If it turns during the process, it not only kinda defeats your efforts, but it could twist the wires.)
You'll need to hold the inside so you can tighten the outer nut. What I've done to keep a couple from loosening up is to put locktight on the threads then tighten the nut. You could perhaps also use superglue on the threads. If you ever needed to change the jack I heard you could use nail polish remover to loosen the superglue.
Joe
Loctite's the stuff for that. I've had to use it on the locknuts of several guitars' jacks.
It'll also help a lot if you never let the cable hang from the jack. Run it through the strap from the back, between the strap and body of the guitar, then turn it around and plug it in. It keeps the swinging cable from wobbling the jack and turning it, and it helps to keep you from accidentally unplugging yourself, or breaking the connection of the cable and connector internally. There are commercial cable holders made, but the strap works fine.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Sweet, thanks! It was pretty funny the first time I did it with my acoustic-electric, it was alot looser, and eventually it fell through, so i had to pop all of the strings out of the nut (The one that seperates the neck/head not the one that holds the output jack) (I didn't want to unstring it) to fit my hand through the soundhole, and at the same time feed a string through the small hole where the output jack was supposed to go, and then I'd be able to tie it on to the output jack itself through the soundhole and pull it through the output jack hole, then finally screw on the outer nut. Took me more tries than I can count, but I got it after a while.
8) Glad you got it back together.
That Loctite is great stuff. You don't need a lot either.
Happy pickin'
Mike
You could perhaps also use superglue on the threads.It could work, but just a tiny drop. A very small drop of fingernail polish will also work.
One thing about Loctite is that it comes in several strengths, from "won't unscrew under normal use" to "won't come off without an air wrench."
If you ever needed to change the jack I heard you could use nail polish remover to loosen the superglue.Yep, or straight acetone. Nail polish remover is basically better-smelling acetone, as are the debonders that CA (cyanoacrylate, superglue) manufacturers also sell. The one "water-based" debonder I know of does contain acetone, which besides its flammability, might also attack the guitar's finish if it gets where you don't want it.
I s'pose if this stuff was too easy, it wouldn't be any fun. :roll:
