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Post subject: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:58 pm
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So I have the Fender Sting Model re-issue, which I've had for a while and am very fond of. But it has always had a problem with the input jack being loose. It has one of those Telecaster style "cup" jack inputs on the side of the guitar (as opposed to the inset oval input jack on the face of the guitar). Over the years, I have tightened it, and it loosened again, and I tightened it again, etc. Apparently, all those years of fiddling has resulted in the little metal bracket that is inside the body of the guitar that the jack input goes through and holds the "cup" into the guitar has twisted enough to wear away the wood where it was sitting, so at this point there is no amount of nut tightening that will keep the input jack cup tightly installed.

Right. So I took everything apart (as the result of having some sound problems that was apparently rooted in all of this; I managed to shake/twist a wire loose at some point), re-soldered some wires, everything sounds great now, but the input jack assembly is just super loose and there is no fixing it with the hardware that is there (what is loose is the cup and input unit together--the cable fits in the input just fine).

Does anyone have any advice for replacing this type of input jack (i.e. the "cup" input that attaches to a little rectangle of metal inside the body of the guitar that somehow is attached to the inside--I have seen pictures of replacement Tele style inputs where the rectangular internal bracket has, like, sharp looking pointed corners that might get stuck into the interior of the body)? I have seen some ads for something that looks like a metal disk that is designed to fit exactly inside the "cup" hole in the guitar body and get hard mounted into the body with a couple screws that looks promising. I have also considered just getting a generic oval jack plate to mount over the hole from the outside, but I'm worried about the constant plugging in and out wearing away the wood where the jack plate screws are mounted.

Ideas? Opinions? Anyone have to deal with this already?

Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:24 pm
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StewMac (luthier supplier) has a tool called the "Tele-Jack Installation Tool" that seems to be about the only tool out there to get the original cup jack system re-installed successfully and it works very well. The tool is $18.54 and should last forever.
http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0004/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Electronics/Tele_Jack_Ferrule_Clip_Installation_Tool.html

They also sell new retainer clips to work with the original jack cups for 94 cents and the original style jack cup too if you messed yours up. Look at the photo and compare to your clip and see if that is the correct clip for yours.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Electric_guitar:_Covers_plates/Tele_Style_Jack_Cup.html?renamed=true

They also offer an alternate replacement jack called "The Electrosocket Jack Mount" that installs with two screws inside the cup. It isn't the original design at all, but by all accounts works well and requires no special tools as the original does and is said to be permanent. The chrome one is $8.63. The Electrosocket is probably the lowest cost solution, but it is non-original hardware plus you will have to drill the slightly angled screw pilot holes.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_parts/Electric_guitar:_Covers_plates/Electrosocket_Jack_Mount.html?renamed=true&tab=Pictures

Those are about the only solutions I'm aware of. StewMac issued a newsletter article about this issue and described the above mentioned remedies here: http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/promo/ts0004_telejack

It is possible the wood is so boogered up that the Electrosocket is the only thing that will work, but it is more probable that the clip is merely bent (not flat) and that is why it isn't gripping. The StewMac Tele-Jack Installation tool flattens the clip out properly so it grips. Once the clip is bent it will slip. It needs to be flattened to grip properly and that tool does that.


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:57 am
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brotherdave,

Thanks for the insights! Yeah, I dug around and found both the Tele-Jack installation tool (which made the whole Tele-jack system make infinitely more sense, as before I knew that existed, I was deeply confused as to how that little bracket got attached to the inside of the guitar) and the Electrosocket Jack Mount. It looks to me like the Electrosocket Jack Mount is totally the way to go, so I ordered one of those to install.

I'll post a report as to how it works out.

Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:45 pm
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Do let me know how that jack cup works out. I have a 51 Reissue P-Bass and sooner or later I'll be in the same boat you were.


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:46 pm
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And the answer is:

The Electrosocket Jack Mount:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware,_p ... b=Pictures

from www.stewmac.com, which I ordered for about 9 bucks (I got it off e-bay from somewhere that gave me free shipping, but it was certainly purchased from stewmac.com at some point). It showed up today, I took apart the original Tele style Jack Cup input, had to kind of pry the metal bracket out of the inside of the guitar (but it was loose it didn't take much bending to get out). The Electrosocket Jack Mount just screws perfectly onto the end of the jack input socket (it comes with a lock washer to help keep the socket tightly attached to the Jack Mount). The Jack Mount fits perfectly in the Tele Cup hole, you drill a couple little holes through the diagonal screw holes in the Jack Mount, insert the two screws, and everything seems totally solid and perfect. The cable plugs in and out nicely, it doesn't seem like anything is being shaken/pulled/strained when you pull the plug out. It remains to see what happens in the very long run, but it seems totally super currently. My bass sounds great, no extra hum or anything.

Gold, Jerry. Gold.

So anyone who has a bass/guitar with a loose Tele style jack input that is loose? Replace it with one of these Electrosocket Jack Mounts. Awesome.


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:46 pm
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Glad that worked for you! Another satisfied Electrosocket customer!


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:34 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
Glad that worked for you! Another satisfied Electrosocket customer!


Everything was fixed in time for a gig this weekend, and worked perfectly.

I'm not sure why *all* Tele-style guitars aren't just using those Electrosocket inputs. They are awesome.

Thanks again!


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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:34 am
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brotherdave wrote:
Do let me know how that jack cup works out. I have a 51 Reissue P-Bass and sooner or later I'll be in the same boat you were.



Me too! Great review by the OP! Good to know this info when the time comes!

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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:04 pm
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The Electrosocket is one of three mods I did to my '51 P RI (the other two? A SD Quarter Pound and an American Deluxe 4-saddle bridge). That instrument has been otherwise trouble-free (if you except a single truss rod adjustment, soon after I got it in '06). Great bass.

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Post subject: Re: Replacing Tele Style Jack Input on Sting Bass
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:47 pm
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I love the Electro-socket replacement! I know it is a cool vintage design and Fender is just trying to stay loyal to an original design, but the factory jack input on tele's are faulty. This is a great permanent fix!


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