Finally got my mentor's Alembic Epic Fretless

[xavier]

Serial 96W10122
 
I played it a couple times and it sounded great!
 
But once I got it back to my room, I started tuning...worked fine for the first couple strings, then nothing.
 
I'm pretty sure no circuit boards are touching the shielding. One odd thing is occurring with the input jack:
 
I've read that these are different from regular jacks. When I try to plug in, the cable doesn't snap in. It goes most of the way, and will pop itself out. But even when I hold it in, I get no signal, hence why I checked for grounding.
 
The contact that the pin pushes aside (to turn on the battery, I think) does push all the way. I'm not sure if it's supposed to, but it doesn't snap into the groove at the end of the instrument cable. If it IS supposed to, I don't know how to push it down, it seems to be of a predetermined length. Due to the plastic end, it's obviously not supposed to conduct, but I'm not sure where else the cable is supposed to contact (I guess in the edges of the barrel). But even there it seems to be doing ok.
 
Any ideas? I finally got my first Alembic, and now I can't play it!

[David Houck]

The first thing that occurs to me is to try a different cable.  I seem to recall a few prior posts where it was discussed that certain brands of 1/4 connectors don't want to fit properly.  I'm thinking these may have had plated shafts that, because of the plating, were just a bit too thick.

[xavier]

I tried that. It doesn't seem that it's too thick. More that it might not be long enough? I'm probably just going to take it to a local luthier and see if he can tell anything offhand.

[David Houck]

You bought this bass from someone you know?  I would call him and ask if he had any similar problems.
 
Let us know what you find out.

[jazzyvee]

I'm not sure really why this seems right but. I have found that if I use a straight jack, they dont' stay in the jacks on any of my alembics. metal angled jacks are fine. Apart from the Planet waves branded ones with the spring loaded bit on the jack that is supposed to stop it coming out. On my alembics those just jump out of the socket with any movement of the cable, Althought they are fine on my non alembic instruments.
jazzyvee

[mica]

Two thoughts:
 
1. The jack may be broken. If the cable is not held in place, you can carefully coax the tip contact over, but you risk breaking it completely away it you are not very gentle. Of course, if it's really already broken, it's not that big of a deal. You can call us to oder the replacement jack if you can't find one locally. The part number is Switchcraft L113. DO NOT GET A 113 - it must be an L113, or the bushing won't be long enough.
 
2. If the cable is too long, you can pull it back a little out of the jack, and see if you can get a postive contact there. If so, try a nylon washer over the plug on the cable to keep it from fully inserting until you find a cable with a more regular connector.  
 
For some reason, some cable manufacturers are making cables with longer connectors and even overplating standard connectors so that the diameter exceeds 1/4. The side-mounted barrel jacks are the most sensitive to the larger diameter connectors, you can feel them grinding the overplating away everytime you insert. We do not use these anymore, preferring a long-fram jack for the side-mounted ones now.

[xavier]

Thanks alot Mica. I appreciate it. When I (finally) get my Ph.D., etc., one of the first things I plan to do with my newfound income is (again, finally) get my own Alembic.
 
Until then, this one will be just fine

[fmm]

I had the same problem with a Planet Waves cable on my Spoiler.  I ended up giving that cable to a student who's Spector had a slightly oversized jack that didn't play nice with most cables.