Fixing '87 L2000 input?

So on the '87 L2000, it has the bottom input, and it's so scratchy and cuts out all the time it's annoying. It wasn't like this when i got it 10 years ago, but i guess gradually over time and playing out live with it, the input has gotten worse. Now, i haven't played live with in in like 4 years, but back then it never cut out, so it must be a recent thing.

Pretty much it feels like it's too easy to pull out the cable. compared to my other bottom feeding inputs on my G&L's, they all seem to "click" into the input, whereas the L2000 just slides in and out, and this causes the sound to cut out completely, become scratchy, and just sound like hell. i hardly play it anymore because of how fed up i get that it just cuts out all the time.

i opened it and looked inside, and the wires are soldered on fine, and nothing LOOKS bad, but then again what the hell do i know.

anyone ever have this issue? is there an easy fix besides changing the input? I work on my own stuff, but only project stuff that i don't care if i screw up..no way in hell am i mess with the cramped insides of this L2000 to change an input bymyself!

but if there's anything I can easily do, please suggest it, because i hate just letting this bass sit because i'm way too lazy to bring it somewhere right now lol

Hi Jay,

This subject frequently comes up. These barrel jacks have an inherent "weakness" that if the clips are no longer touching the cable tip anymore you get what you're describing. And not being able to easily reach in makes it hard to fix from the outside.

Start with this post which in turn has references to posts on the Basses by Leo site with instructions on how to replace such a barrel jack.

Hope this helps,

- Jos

Also take a look at your cable. Older cables had 1/4" jacks, but newer ones with parts sourced from the Orient are likely to be metric and slightly undersized. Add in poor quality control at some suppliers, and they could run quite a bit small. I just mention that as a possibility before you jump to surgery on the bass.

Ken

thanks guys! i'll look into it. my '89 USA Strat also has a scratchy input too even though the wires all look fine, so who knows, maybe it's the cable. the cables work fine on everything else i've got, but then again everything else is G&L tributes from the recent years!

the cables work fine on everything else i've got, but then again everything else is G&L tributes from the recent years!

I don't have any personal experience with Tribbies, but I think it's been mentioned in older threads that they have metric jacks...which would make the metric cables work fine with them Hopefully Craig can correct me if I'm wrong.

Ken

Just to clear things up, there are not 'metric instrument cables' and 'imperial instrument cables' else it'd be absolute chaos for those of us who use a mix of USA/Japan/anywhere else built instruments trying to change guitars on stage.

Any decent guitar-specific jack/plug sold with metric specs listed (Neutrik seem to list both after calling them '1/4" plugs') is 6.35mm, otherwise known as 1/4".

I can only assume the mention of 'metric jacks' on Tribute instruments in other discussions indicates that the nut that secures the jack in place (and the corresponding male thread on the jack itself) is a of a metric measure/pitch.


Sounds quite likely that the contact which bears against the cable tip has lost it's tension, or become corroded. In the case of a cheap/poor quality jack I'd just replace it with a Switchcraft #11 which will outlast all of us (but I keep these in stock for repairs so that's an easy choice for me to make).

Conversely for a quick fix you can gently bend the contact inwards (if required) so it bears harder against the tip of plug and clean any oxidization/corrosion off the contact with DeOxit or similar.

Just to clear things up, there are not 'metric instrument cables' and 'imperial instrument cables' else it'd be absolute chaos for those of us who use a mix of USA/Japan/anywhere else built instruments trying to change guitars on stage.

Any decent guitar-specific jack/plug sold with metric specs listed (Neutrik seem to list both after calling them '1/4" plugs') is 6.35mm, otherwise known as 1/4".

I can only assume the mention of 'metric jacks' on Tribute instruments in other discussions indicates that the nut that secures the jack in place (and the corresponding male thread on the jack itself) is a of a metric measure/pitch.


Sounds quite likely that the contact which bears against the cable tip has lost it's tension, or become corroded. In the case of a cheap/poor quality jack I'd just replace it with a Switchcraft #11 which will outlast all of us (but I keep these in stock for repairs so that's an easy choice for me to make).

Conversely for a quick fix you can gently bend the contact inwards (if required) so it bears harder against the tip of plug and clean any oxidization/corrosion off the contact with DeOxit or similar.

There can be small differences in shaft sizes between manufacturers. I'm guessing you haven''t had this problem.

Also this is a barrel jack....not easy to bend that pos. contact.

Yeah, I've experienced this with newer cables. Never have had problems with old school ones like Ken C mentioned.

Cheers,
KF

There can be small differences in shaft sizes between manufacturers. I'm guessing you haven''t had this problem.

No, but I make my own cables with Canare cable and Switchcraft or Neutrik plugs.

I have observed minor differences between two Switchcraft plugs of the same model number, but nothing that prevented the plug from staying in the jack and making good contact.

But now genuinely curious, which brands are selling cables with under-sized 1/4" plugs that don't make proper contact?

Also this is a barrel jack....not easy to bend that pos. contact.

Ah, gotcha. Replacement would be easier indeed.

There can be small differences in shaft sizes between manufacturers. I'm guessing you haven''t had this problem.

No, but I make my own cables with Canare cable and Switchcraft or Neutrik plugs.

I have observed minor differences between two Switchcraft plugs of the same model number, but nothing that prevented the plug from staying in the jack and making good contact.

But now genuinely curious, which brands are selling cables with under-sized 1/4" plugs that don't make proper contact?

I'm guessing the problem can arise when a newer (monster,planet waves) cable is used for a while and then an older
jack is inserted.
The barrel jacks just aren't stout enough even without oversized shafts, I agree about the switchcrafts.

I gotta start making my own cables...instead of fixing others, that sounds like a good way to be

cheers,Elwood

Canare Star Quad cable and Neutrik connectors are the best combo. I used to wire studios and make thousands of guitar and mic cables. Fun work when eyesight and motor skills were optimum.

Tom

Thanks Tom,
My best sounding cable is a Zaolla. I might have to start a cable thread so I don't hijack this one

I knew a guy that insisted he could hear the difference between which way a cable was plugged in. He would say "no, go turn that mike cable on the snare drum around." Or "Make sure you use those patch cables left end input, right end output as they hang." He would have all the cables lined up in the direction he wanted them. Drove us nuts!!

Tom

I knew a guy that insisted he could hear the difference between which way a cable was plugged in. He would say "no, go turn that mike cable on the snare drum around." Or "Make sure you use those patch cables left end input, right end output as they hang." He would have all the cables lined up in the direction he wanted them. Drove us nuts!!

Tom

If this fellow was using twisted pair cables (like e.g. Monster Studio Pro 1000 cables) there is a little bit of physics to that. Coaxial cables would have the lead wire inside an insulator surrounded by a metal weave sleeve. Ground is connected on both ends to the metal weave sleeve, signal on both ends to the lead wire. For twisted pair cable, 2 conductors are spiraling around each other inside an insulator surrounded by a metal weave sleeve. In that case, on one end of the cable one of these conductors is connected to the ground of the jack as well as the metal weave sleeve, and the other conductor to the signal part of the jack. The difference is on the other end of the cable where the metal weave sleeve is connected to nothing(!), the conductor connected to ground on the other end is going to the ground of the jack again, and the signal goes to signal. These cable have a form of directionality for that reason. Just a fun fact.

- Jos

I have heard of this claim before, namely by Paul Reed Smith that he can hear the difference in the direction a cable is used.
This may be true in the evaluation of guitar cables.
I just don't understand how you can turn around a mic cable. They have definite male and female ends and are not reversible.

Yes, there is a definite stability to a mic cable as it is generally three conductors each being terminated to a pin or socket of the connector. However there is a specific directionality to any cable and these guys maintain that they can hear a difference. One guy I knew in particular would start opening up connectors and in most cases was right. He could tell which cables were wound in a certain direction, or twisted if you will, and not use them. He also would not allow a telephone in the control room as he could hear the diaphragm of the speaker in the handset vibrate. We would sometimes hide a phone and 70% of the time he would call us out on it. Amazing but weird. (the worst part was his mixes kinda sucked because he insisted everything be flat and would actually use an analyzer to balance his mix...

Tom

i still haven't gotten this fixed hahah so lazy.

but i did find out if i don't plug the cable in all the way, i get sound. so i've been playing it like that, and just put some new strings on and she plays beautifully. just, sometimes the cable falls out..lol

You might find this thread from the Alembic club informative, or at least entertaining. It's too bad it's not easier to bend the tabs deep inside the barrel jack.