Author Topic: Series II 5 pin jack problems (Read 176 times)

glocke · « **on:** May 19, 2011, 03:38:06 AM »

Looking for advice on this one.

Plugged in my series II this morning for some early morning noodling, and when I went to unplug the 5 pin cable from the jack on the instrument, the entire interior piece that holds the pins lifted out also. .

Could this be something as simple as a loose mounting screw on the underside that needs to be tightened ?

lembic76450 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 19, 2011, 04:08:11 AM »

Greg,
Short answer is yes, there is a set screw in there, not one of the mounting screws. The set screw holds the male pins piece in the housing

JimmyJ · « **Reply #2 on:** May 19, 2011, 04:28:24 AM »

Gregory,
Yes, depending on the manufacturer of your 5-pin jack, there is often a set screw which holds the insert in the shell. The one Switchcraft used to use was a tiny left-hand threaded bolt which when aligned with the hole in the shell and tightened (clockwise) would push OUT against the hole and lock the insert in place. Not easy to get to when mounted in the instrument, and it may have been a slot-head screw... If you can't get to it in the electronics cavity you could dismount the jack, pull it out just far enough to be able to tighten that bolt, then remount it. Once you get that little bolt solidly tightened you may want to put a drop of loctite on it... Also of course make sure you haven't lost any wires during the operation.
Good luck!
Jimmy J

glocke · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2011, 02:28:25 PM »

Thanks Jimmy and Kenn...I removed the back panel as advised and see where the set screw/bolt, if there was one, would go...

JimmyJ · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:17:06 PM »

Greg, I found this pic of the set screw (bolt) like switchcraft used to use.

As you see on these if it has simply come loose it means the bolt has gone too far into the insert piece and only needs to be tightened (meaning backed out into the hole in the shell by turning it clockwise, yeah it's confusing). But if your insert piece (what I'm calling the black plastic bit above) only has a threaded hole at that location then you maybe should be looking for a loose bolt INSIDE your instrument...
Good luck again!
Jimmy J

glocke · « **Reply #5 on:** May 22, 2011, 12:22:54 AM »

Unfortunately the sets screw is nowhere to be found in the bass body. It is not in the electronics cavity, and it did not fall out when I removed the back plate. No biggie. Im sure Alembic will be able to hook me up..

lembic76450 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 22, 2011, 05:44:26 AM »

Greg
If the connector is a Switchcraft, the screw is a captured screw, meaning that as it loosens from the connector housing, it actually recedes into the male pin piece, as pictured above in Jimmy's pic. However, if is a Cannon connector, I believe it has an external screw.
Good luck

glocke · « **Reply #7 on:** May 22, 2011, 11:18:55 AM »

Wow...Kind of a pain in the butt, however I think I got it fixed.

How far out does the captured screw come out of the connecter housing? Im guessing not far?

Thanks again guys!

sonicus · « **Reply #8 on:** May 22, 2011, 11:49:51 AM »

Yes, the capture screw comes out just far enough out of the termination section to lock into the housing mounted on the instrument .

JimmyJ · « **Reply #9 on:** May 22, 2011, 11:53:32 AM »

As you can see in the above pic, the head of the screw/bolt has a kind of shoulder on it. Tightening it pushes that shoulder against the housing and the slotted part ends up just about flush to the outer diameter. Here's an example (wrong shell but same set screw).
Glad you were able to get it back together.
Jimmy J