Safest way to loosen up a 5pin socket and a 5 pin plug.

[jazzyvee]

My series II long scale bass socket has always been tight to push in and pull out the 5 pin plug for all my cables. The other series basses plug in and out easily. However one of my cables is tight for all basses and i am concerned as with the series II that some damage may occur such as pulling the socket out of the bass. So my question is what is the best way to loosen up the series II socket and also reduce the diameter of the tight fitting plug. I’m pretty confident they are all switchcraft sockets and cables,though i can’t be sure for the series II socket as it is side mounded without external screws and gold plated. Any thoughts?

[StephenR]

During the pandemic I had a five-pin cable built with the old style silver Switchcraft connectors and it did not fit properly in my 2016 Series II bass. Inserting and removing the cable from the Series II was really difficult and the cable itself started to suffer and the connector was in danger of failing. It was embarrassing to call the person who built it for me to tell him that it would not fit properly. He at first insisted I had no idea how to properly use the connector until I told him I had several of these cables which all can be removed easily after pushing the little release tab and had been playing Series basses for over 30 years. He built me a replacement cable with the same style black switchcraft connector that Alembic currently uses and it fits fine.

Your problem may have something to do with the side-mount but if you have several cables I would just avoid using the one that is problematic. I am still not sure why the newer silver Switchcraft connector would not play nice with my Series II, it fit in my Series I. At the time I wanted the look of the old cables so I was a little disappointed. Maybe some of the newer connectors have a bit more variance in the diameter of the barrel during manufacture than they did "back in the day"?

[JimmyJ]

And here's my insight into the 5-pin world... 

I have converted all my basses and cables to Neutrix black connectors with gold plated pins and sockets.  (Also lately I've been building short cables with Mogami W-2534 cable covered with expandable braided cable sleeve for a bit of extra protection).  Even though there is a "spec" for XLR connectors I think different manufacturers sometimes stretch those tolerances. Like the infamous Monster cable 1/4" plug which was a bit more than a 1/4" and wrecked many actual 1/4" jacks...

I also learned early on in my "hobby" soldering life that if for instance I'm soldering a male 5-pin connector to a cable I need to have at least the insert of a female connector plugged into the one I'm working on.  Not only to help dissipate the soldering iron's heat but because sometimes that heat can melt the connector I'm working on enough to shift the pins out of alignment.  D'OH!  Start over.

Sorry Jazzyvee, that doesn't really answer your question. 

Jimmy J

[jazzyvee]

The tight cable came with my latest acquisition and looks brand new so i guess that is down to manufacturing tolerances. It had crossed my mind to get some fine emory cloth and rub the plug a bit but i'm concerned it may encourage corrosion and prevent a reliable connection when plugged in.  Maybe i need to take up your hobby for that one JimmyJ or get the guy who services my gear to solder a neutrix connector the next time i drop some gear over. Any thoughts about the series II socket?

[JimmyJ]

Jazzyvee can you post a close-up pic of your Series II side-mounted jack?  I'm wondering if they've used this one from Neutrix, which when used with a specific matching plug, is water-tight and "perfect for outdoor applications".  That might explain why it is the tightest fit of your collection.

I'm still not helping... 

Jimmy J

[jazzyvee]

Hi my series II is the Almost Twins 5 string in the custom archive, so I have pinched that picture. It has always been a tight fit since i had the bass and it has never eased up with use and sometimes i worry that the effort it takes to get it out will one day take it’s toll and pull out a chunk of wood or crack.


http://www3.alembic.com/img/13094_stereooutput.jpg

[rv_bass]

Can you use some calipers  to measure the inside inside diameter of the socket and the outside diameter of the cable plug to see if the plug diameter is the issue? Also measure the diameter of all of your five pin cable plugs to see how they vary and identify the plug diameter that works best with your socket diameter.

[rv_bass]

Another thought is if the release button is working properly or not.