Solved! Output jack noise when plug is moved (turned) on Brown Bass

[el8ed]

This just came up recently. The smallest movement of the 1/4” plug produces a loud noise in the output. I couldn’t find anything on the forum, so before I open her up I thought I’d query the wisdom of the illustrious members here.


I’d appreciate any advise.


Cheers, Oliver

[Songdog]

Have you tried a different cable?

[el8ed]

Have you tried a different cable?

Yep, different cables make no difference. Turns out that any minute movement of the plug causes the noise.
Thanks, Oliver

[jazzyvee]

Funnily enough I had the same issue with my Orion bass whilst practicing yesterday afternoon, even though it was fine at Sunday's rehearsal.
In my case it turned out that the nut on the jack socket had come slightly loose. Tightened that up and all the noise has gone. Thinking about it I previously found the same issue on my Elan bass since it came back from respray.

[lbpesq]

If the nut is tight, it sounds like you have either a dirty contact in the jack, a bad solder joint, or the jack is somehow touching the shielding and shorting out.  Have you tried “exercising” the jack?  (Push and pull the plug in and out of the jack about 50 times).  You can also apply some contact cleaner first, then exercise.   Have you opened up the control cavity and eyeballed the jack?

Bill, tgo

[adriaan]

In addition to the excellent suggestions already made, consider that some makes of 1/4" plugs will be slightly thicker or thinner than the norm (like the ones that come with Monster cables, IIRC) so another question is if you've tried with a cable that has a different make of plugs.

[el8ed]

Thanks guys ever so much for all the useful suggestions and advise.
Nut on the socket was tight, there was no movement of the socket at all.
I tested with various cables and plugs with no change.
Bill’s suggestion eventually did the trick — with a little luck. While I usually plug in the cable while wearing the bass I had it resting on my lap “face up” this time. It only took 2 or 3 plug/unplug cycles before the noise was gone. I tried for a bit longer but could not re-create the fault. My guess is that there was indeed some kind of debris caught in the socket that when the jack moved shorted out something. Exercising the socket in a horizontal position probably made the dirt fall out of harms way.
The bass now sounds as glorious and noise-free as ever.
Thanks again!
Cheers, Oliver

[StephenR]

Love it when the solution to a problem is simple! Play on...

[mica]

I had just written a long reply about some testing I wanted you to do and photos I would need, but it looks like everything is running smoothly now - thanks for the update

[lbpesq]

Glad you got it straightened out.   But let me share the credit with the training I've received hereabouts, and the 420 spirit of the day!

hehehehe

Bill, tgo

[el8ed]

Thanks again to everyone for the hand-holding and support!

Dear Mica, I wouldn’t mind reading your long reply in case something like this might turn up again. Only if you saved it though. No need to type it up again :-)

Cheers, Oliver