Hi guitar gurus. My 13-yr old got her first guitar this Christmas, the Squier strat beginner package with the Frontman amp etc. The amp got knocked over face first while the guitar was plugged in (damn dog) and the male end of the cord broke off inside the amp input jack. We got it all out, except the tiny little tip of the 1/4 plug is still inside the jack and it is stuck there. Any tips on how to get it out? I've been at it with unbent paper clips and tweezers for half an hour and I'm ready to throw in the towel. Any advice is appreciated. --Frustrated Dad

You might have to tackle that one from the inside. Be very carefull, amps can kill if you don't know what you're doing. Take it to a tech if nothing else. Post this in the proper amp forum and I'm sure one of our experienced amp masters will respone.

_________________
Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Thanks for the quick response. Tried needle nose, but mine are too fat to get in far enough. Also took the back off the amp (wading into danger territory) but the input jack is a sealed component soldered to the board, not the old metal spring clip assembly from back in my day. Aaarghh.

Thanks for the tip about where to post. I'll try to find a more appropriate forum and re-post.

Thanks again.

+1

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Go to your nearest hardware store and buy one of those telescopic magnetic probes that sometimes come with screwdrivers.Just poke the tip carefully into the input and if the jackend is there it should cling right on.BTW make sure that the handle is insulated and the amp is unplugged.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I think there is little chance the small amp that comes in a squier guitar pack would kill you. Take it apart just enough to get to the input jack, and if you have to, remove the nut holding it on the faceplate and then pull out the tip of your plug. Your little 10 or 15 w practice amp (being solid state hopefully) will not kill you just make sure you unplug it first, and after it is unplugged, turn the on/off switch on then back off. Then go at it!

Thanks for the ideas. I'll try the magnetic idea tomorrow. Y'all are generous with your advice. Much appreciated.

Excatly what happened when i broke the amp at school. they still haven't got i out

_________________
riley

You could try just holding the amp at an angle and try to shake it out. It might have already fallen out. Just a thought.

_________________


This Ain't No Dress Rehearsal..We Are Professionals & This is the Bigtime - Waylon

Unless it's a tube amp, if you've left it unplugged for a day or two there's not much that can hurt you, other than sharp edges. Still you can discharge any large capacitors to the ground with a screwdriver with a plastic handle. Tube amps store a killing amount of elec in their large caps. But small S/S amps don't usually.

Thanks again for all the responses. Sadly, the amp goes to the shop tonight. I know how weird it must seem if you're not looking at the amp, but that tip is stuck. It won't shake out, a magnet won't move it, paper clips and tweezers and skinny needle nose pliers won't get at it. It's a real puzzle. The easy path, I thought, would be from the back, and that would've worked back in my day when the female jack was just a spring clip, but on this amp the input jack is a sealed plastic component, surface-soldered onto a circuit card. No way to open it from behind. So, I give up.

Thanks for the hints and thoughts. I posted my problem here and also in the amp section ("Amplifiers 1985 and newer") and the responses have been polite, thoughtful, and sometimes amusing. As a drummer trolling around on a guitarist forum, let me say Thank You! You Fender folks are alright!

first (unplug) the amp. then remove the back cover and go at it fron the inside.

Toss that thing in the trash and find a used Marshall Class 5 or Fender Champion 600, both 5 watt tube amps, repair cost on something cheap like that package amp is just a waste of cash.

A tube amp for a 13 year old? A little Fender 10w amp is something like $60 or $70. A Line6 15W is $99.

yeah, a tube amp for a 13 year old, (stop rollin' your eyes at me!) what do you think its going to cost to repair that 10 watt amp? $60-$70 bucks. here's a champ for $100 http://www.musicgoround.com/detail.aspx?id=1027407