Archtop is back from repair

[pauln]

I haven't played my arch top much because the jack held the plug so lightly it tended to come out with little provocation. I was playing last week at home and when I pulled out the plug I heard a little "tink...rattle" inside. Shook out the little metal piece that makes contact with the plug tip... broken off. Because of so little playing of it over the last couple of decades it also had noisy pots, so I had it repaired; all better now, feels a little like a new guitar day, so...

This evening I played it first time with my trio. It sure didn't feel like my Strat but I quickly got used to it - wider neck, lighter action, different picking response, block inlays vs clay dots, etc.

I brought my Strat just in case, but was so delighted I used the arch top for everything through the Deluxe Reverb. It's an early version of the Ibanez AG75 (dark knobs and heavy tailpiece) like this:

[Jx30510]

Good decision to repair what's a minor problem, but ruins easily the playing experience for such an easy fix.
I once watched a guitar review, can't remember which one, and the guy focused a lot on one of the most important part of an electric guitar > the input plug.
Sometimes I ask myself why every guitar, even low end, don't have a Switchcraft, and get done with it?
A Switchcraft is what, 5 bucks? A no name input plug is a dollar? Don't know, but it's such a vital part of an electric guitar that I don't get it why they save on that part.
The guy said " bad plug, no sound.. the guitar is just useless"

That Ibanez is a fine guitar. Easy upgrade. I put Switchcraft on all my guitars, and very often that little Les Paul metal plate .. no more risk to crack the wood around the input plug .

[GuyBoden]

Well done, Ibanez make very good Archtops for the very low price.

[Jimmy blue note]

I worked for Ibanez. Whenever I bought a guitar (benes!) the first thing I did was install a Switchcraft.
They knew this was a weak point, but they saved a few pennies from using the Asian parts and cumulatively that's a LOT of money. And in the showroom, there's no difference. For the first months, there's no difference. If you don't play a lot, there's no difference. So for them, there's no difference if the customer can't tell the difference.

But yeah, on ANY Asian guitar, whether it's a 99 dollar no name tele to a George Benson, to a custom carved archtop, you get it in your house, switch to a Switchcraft... and while you're at it, put it on a metal jackplate.
Now you're in the major leagues.

[sgosnell]

Where did you get the work done? I'm always interested in Houston area possibilities.

[BBGuitar]

As an electronic technician for 39 years at a large research center, I agree, nothing less than Switchcraft.

Easy 20-minute fix.

A small correction the socket on the guitar is output, the one on the amp is the input.

[pauln]

Where did you get the work done? I'm always interested in Houston area possibilities.

League City, Danny D's on Hwy 3

[sgosnell]

I haven't been there in years. No knock on it, I just haven't had the need. I should get back down there sometime, just to keep up. I do my own electronic work, but for serious luthiery I use Neil Sargent. He's the best I know of.