The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I owned differents archtop and I'm always stressed on inserting jack into the side plug. A friend let's fall his 175 with a cable pluged and make a big hole.
    On my last eastman 810 jack plug was after the tailpiece, a lot more simple I find.
    I change my cables to use cable with angle jack but I hate this sound when jack is insert.
    Is there a risk on a normal use ? advice to avoid damage? or maybe sign to a weakened side around plug?
    thank's for your help

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I can't speak to the angle of the jack, nor to letting a guitar fall on it, but I avoid the irritating popping, buzzing and crackling by using a "silent cable." Plug in, unplug, and no grating, annoying sounds.


  4. #3

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    I had a fancy cable once with little locking devices on the ground/earth part of the plug. And on a ES175T it did take some force to get the locking pins into the Jack... yup pushed the wood in, quite a repair job. So avoid locking cables)))
    I always have the amp volume down to zero plugging in, not only avoids the crackling but prevents a loud pop from taking out a speaker. Did that, too.

  5. #4

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    I use a silent plug on all my instrument cables. I don't know why they aren't more common. The conductors are shorted until the plug is fully inserted, and shorted again as soon as the plug is removed slightly. There is no noise from the amp during insertion or removal.
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    Straight plugs are also available if preferred, but I like the 90 degree plugs for the instrument end. I think endpin jacks are much better than putting them in the rim, but that wouldn't be the determining factor for buying a guitar for me. I have some of both, and both have some advantages and disadvantages. I just think the endpin's advantages outweigh the rim jack's.

  6. #5

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    Thanks for the Mouser link I will definitely give them a try. I love their hardware design, good stuff.

  7. #6

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    The plugs are made by Neutrik, which makes excellent products. I prefer Neutrik over Switchcraft, by far.

  8. #7

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    I did see that and agree they are beyond Switchcraft, who is making the same 1/4” plug it’s made since.... the 50’s? Although they did take the little screws out and just have solder holes, definite improvement)))

  9. #8

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    I learned long ago to never turn anything on until everything in the signal chain is connected. I turn the amp on first, leaving the standby switch on. Then, working backwards, I roll up the guitar's volume control. Then, off with the standby switch, and turn up the amp's volume slowly from 0 to wherever I think it will need to be. At this point any outboard effects (very rarely used) can be activated and adjusted. I habitually turn all effects' input and output levels to zero to avoid surges of any kind. Safest is bestest.
    Last edited by citizenk74; 02-23-2021 at 05:39 PM.

  10. #9

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    Over on the Gretsch-talk forum, they are FIRM believers that any hollowbody guitar should have a jack plate to minimize the chance of damage, especially if the guitar falls.

    I’ve added one to several of my Gretsches but haven’t done so to my ES-175 as I always play that sitting down.

    Something like this - Metal Jack Plate for Gibson<sup>(R)</sup> Les Paul<sup>(R)</sup> | stewmac.com

    But it’s still a good idea.

    What I haven’t done, but it’s said is the best idea, is to make the jack hole large enough that the jack could pull through the wood if needed, and then cover that with the jack plate.

  11. #10

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    I think the best idea is an endpin jack. It goes through the end block, and will never damage the rims. If a jack in the side rim is inevitable, it should be reinforced the way Campellone does it, with a reinforcement inside the rim. Benedetto uses a plate, which is as strong but not as pleasing to the eye. I suppose both could be used. I still prefer the endpin jack, though.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    I think the best idea is an endpin jack. It goes through the end block ...
    The thing I've never liked about an endpin jack is what it forces on the player with regards to the strap. The diameter of the endpin jack has to be large to accept the cable plug. This necessitates that the strap has to have an extra-large hole in it to fit on the endpin jack, or else face having the strap fall off the guitar while in use. I have this arrangement on my Heritage Sweet 16.

    I recognize that there are a few workarounds available for strap connection problems. But these are workarounds to a workaround.

    The endpin jack was a workaround for adding an output jack to the old days' practice of drilling a hole through the endblock for an insertable strap button. When makers started building guitars with builtin endblock jacks, I don't understand why they didn't use a standard strap button combined with a thick-panel jack that wasn't involved with the strap. It would be better for strap stability, I think.

  13. #12

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    I like this solution. I suppose something similar could be retrofitted by a real pro, through a pickup hole or, in the case of a guitar with a floating pickup, through the f-hole:
    Attached Images Attached Images Archop jack plug-30-jpg 

  14. #13
    I discover this neutrik silent plug...nice. Would buy one to try.
    Yes I agree that endpin jack is the best solution, or a thicker side on the hole....but neither of my archtops have one..

  15. #14

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    I have had several cables with silent plugs. None lasted long. I simply use a right angle plug at my guitar (Evidence Audio - it's got to be almost 10yrs old now, one of the floppy ones that lays out beautifully) and plug into a tuner. If I'm going to switch guitars, I ensure the tuner is engaged, silencing the signal to the amp. I also ensure it is engaged before I turn the amp on, whether or not the guitar is plugged in yet. It's become a habit. I almost never turn the amp on until my signal path is established, but if I do, the tuner silences things when the guitar is plugged in.

  16. #15

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    I can use my regular strap with an endpin jack. It's tight, but it works. But I usually use an endpin strap, designed to be used on an endpin jack. It's very secure, and works well. There are a number of adapters available. For this and for the plugs, there are multiple solutions, and they all work to some degree. It's mostly a matter of choice. I've pretty much stopped using straps, preferring a Mundo support to play while sitting. I don't like standing very much now, as I get older. I've had no issues at all with the Neutrik silent plug, in use for several years, but I'm just one user. In the end, it's what you like and what works for you. That's why there are so many products available. Your money, your choice.

  17. #16

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    I just recently bought this one to try:

    Mogami Gold Instrument Silent R Cable with Angled Silent Plug

    No crackle or pops. Nice cable.

  18. #17

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    My ES-125 came like this:



    Not pretty, but it works. I use angled jack plugs. Never any trouble. Archtops should just come with jack plates like this.

    I don’t understand the popping issue... you plug in once, just before the gig, before you switch the amp on. You unplug 4 or 5 hours later after after you switched off the amp. I have never had any pops....

  19. #18

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    Not everyone works that way. If you're a big star, and have your band, or another band, open for you, and you come onstage to a big introduction, carrying your guitar, and have to plug in, you don't want pops. That's never happened to me, of course, but I've seen it on TV.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    Not everyone works that way. If you're a big star, and have your band, or another band, open for you, and you come onstage to a big introduction, carrying your guitar, and have to plug in, you don't want pops. That's never happened to me, of course, but I've seen it on TV.
    We’re still talking about jazz musicians, right? Archop jack plugArchop jack plug

  21. #20

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    I broke the rim of my Epi Emperor years ago with a straight plug. I changed to a angled plugs (Neutrik) then and have had zero problem since.

    Had a quiet plug too for a while. Then something happened inside it and it became too silent! Apparently too much moving parts.

    The endpin plug would be ok if I didn’t use guitar stand home and on gigs. Too little room in there for a plug.

    I saw Nick Lowe in concert once and learned from him one technical thing that has been very useful: before I unplug the guitar for a pause I loosen the plug from the amp a bit so that it becomes silent. Then I can unplug guitar without popping.

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Herbie
    ...I saw Nick Lowe in concert once and learned from him one technical thing that has been very useful: before I unplug the guitar for a pause I loosen the plug from the amp a bit so that it becomes silent. Then I can unplug guitar without popping.
    That's the "stand-by" hack for amps with no stand-by switch. Only for advanced players!

  23. #22

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    The thing I've never liked about an endpin jack is what it forces on the player with regards to the strap. The diameter of the endpin jack has to be large to accept the cable plug. This necessitates that the strap has to have an extra-large hole in it to fit on the endpin jack, or else face having the strap fall off the guitar while in use.
    I just ran across this. It looks like a good compromise. It replaces the endpin cap with a Schaller-style strap button. Not cheap, but it looks sturdy, and might be worth the money to some.
    Acousti-Lok Acoustic Guitar Strap Lock Adapter by Music Nomad - Music Nomad

  24. #23

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    Use a short pigtail with a jack on one end and right-angle plug on the other. Attach it to your guitar jack and don't remove it. Plug your guitar cable into the jack of the pigtail. This takes stress away from your guitar jack through repeated plugging and unplugging of the cable. Of course, you may now have the problem of it not fitting in the guitar case...

  25. #24

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    Being the geezer that I am I always just plugged the into the guitar before plugging into the amp. This habit started long before "silent" plugs were invented. It always seemed to work.

  26. #25

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    That works, but sometimes I decide to change guitars, and walking all the way to the amp to unplug there before switching the guitar end is a terrible burden. In truth, these days I just swap the wireless transmitter, which has a silent plug built in. But we're straying from the original subject, perhaps that's the first time that's ever happened on an internet forum.