6.3mm jack plug - new fault

[Phil Allison]

Hi,

after some 40 years experience with guitar amps and accessories I figured I
had seen every kind of fault possible with a 1/4 inch jack to jack lead. But
I have now seen one more.

A high quality, hand made lead using Neutrik gold flashed plugs and Canare
low noise guitar cable came my way with a request to re-terminate one end,
as it was " faulty ".

Of course it checked out fine with an ohm meter and continuity buzzer, no
matter what I did to the lead. Internal inspection of each plug end showed
it was fine too.

Then I spotted something, the tips of both plugs looked rough and dirty -
just the outer edges mind you. Under magnification, it was obvious both were
gouged all around and had material embedded in the crevices. The gold
plating had gone too.

Knowing that some jack sockets contact the tip right on its edge, it had to
be cause of the problem the owner was on about.

WTF was the cause ?

The owner regularly busks, performing on concrete and tared footpaths.

If you drag a guitar lead across a surface, the EDGE of the tip is the
contact point.

Don't matter a hoot with smooth surfaces or carpet.



.... Phil

 

[hrhofann@sbcglobal.net]

On Mar 29, 10:28 pm, "Phil Allison" <phi...@tpg.com.au> wrote:

Hi,

after some 40 years experience with guitar amps and accessories I figured I
had seen every kind of fault possible with a 1/4 inch jack to jack lead. But
I have now seen one more.

A high quality, hand made lead using Neutrik gold flashed plugs and Canare
low noise guitar cable came my way with a request to re-terminate one end,
as it was " faulty ".

Of course it checked out fine with an ohm meter and continuity buzzer, no
matter what I did to the lead. Internal inspection of each plug end showed
it was fine too.

Then I spotted something, the tips of both plugs looked rough and dirty  -
just the outer edges mind you. Under magnification, it was obvious both were
gouged all around and had material embedded in the crevices. The gold
plating had gone too.

Knowing that some jack sockets contact the tip right on its edge, it had to
be cause of the problem the owner was on about.

WTF was the cause ?

The owner regularly busks, performing on concrete and tared footpaths.

If you drag a guitar lead across a surface, the EDGE of the tip is the
contact point.

Don't matter a hoot with smooth surfaces or carpet.

...   Phil

Wow Visual inspections are still important in this day and
age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Phil Allison]

"hrhofann@sbcglobal.net"
"Phil Allison"

after some 40 years experience with guitar amps and accessories I figured
I
had seen every kind of fault possible with a 1/4 inch jack to jack lead.
But
I have now seen one more.

A high quality, hand made lead using Neutrik gold flashed plugs and Canare
low noise guitar cable came my way with a request to re-terminate one end,
as it was " faulty ".

Of course it checked out fine with an ohm meter and continuity buzzer, no
matter what I did to the lead. Internal inspection of each plug end showed
it was fine too.

Then I spotted something, the tips of both plugs looked rough and dirty -
just the outer edges mind you. Under magnification, it was obvious both
were
gouged all around and had material embedded in the crevices. The gold
plating had gone too.

Knowing that some jack sockets contact the tip right on its edge, it had
to
be cause of the problem the owner was on about.

WTF was the cause ?

The owner regularly busks, performing on concrete and tared footpaths.

If you drag a guitar lead across a surface, the EDGE of the tip is the
contact point.

Don't matter a hoot with smooth surfaces or carpet.

Wow Visual inspections are still important in this day and
age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


** You think this is some kind of smart observation ??

The damage was not visible ( until magnified ) nor in a place that one would
normally expect to correlate with the fault complaint.

Your asinine comment relies purely on hindsight.



.... Phil

 

[Geoff]

"Phil Allison" <phil_a@tpg.com.au> wrote in
news:arper5Fmk63U1@mid.individual.net:

"hrhofann@sbcglobal.net"
"Phil Allison"

after some 40 years experience with guitar amps and
accessories I figured I
had seen every kind of fault possible with a 1/4 inch jack
to jack lead. But
I have now seen one more.

A high quality, hand made lead using Neutrik gold flashed
plugs and Canare low noise guitar cable came my way with a
request to re-terminate one end, as it was " faulty ".

Of course it checked out fine with an ohm meter and
continuity buzzer, no matter what I did to the lead.
Internal inspection of each plug end showed it was fine
too.

Then I spotted something, the tips of both plugs looked
rough and dirty - just the outer edges mind you. Under
magnification, it was obvious both were
gouged all around and had material embedded in the
crevices. The gold plating had gone too.

Knowing that some jack sockets contact the tip right on
its edge, it had to
be cause of the problem the owner was on about.

WTF was the cause ?

The owner regularly busks, performing on concrete and
tared footpaths.

If you drag a guitar lead across a surface, the EDGE of
the tip is the contact point.

Don't matter a hoot with smooth surfaces or carpet.


Wow Visual inspections are still important in this day
and age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


** You think this is some kind of smart observation ??

The damage was not visible ( until magnified ) nor in a
place that one would normally expect to correlate with the
fault complaint.

Your asinine comment relies purely on hindsight.



... Phil

Is the metal surface embedded with bits of silica, like little
pyramids, causing it to be an insulator?

 

[amdx]

On 4/3/2013 8:40 PM, John-Del wrote:

On Friday, March 29, 2013 11:28:11 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:

\
Then I spotted something, the tips of both plugs looked rough and dirty -

just the outer edges mind you. Under magnification, it was obvious both were

gouged all around and had material embedded in the crevices. The gold

plating had gone too.



If you drag a guitar lead across a surface, the EDGE of the tip is the

contact point.


Hmmm... Bad contacts causing problems causing, well, contact problems. You're a freaking genius Phil. Only you and every first year tech student would have found that one! BTW, the next time your battery operated French tickler doesn't work, check for battery corrosion...

HEY! Straighten up people. Do onto others as they do onto you.
Or something like that.
Mikek

 

[John-Del]

On Friday, March 29, 2013 11:28:11 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:

\>

Then I spotted something, the tips of both plugs looked rough and dirty -

just the outer edges mind you. Under magnification, it was obvious both were

gouged all around and had material embedded in the crevices. The gold

plating had gone too.



If you drag a guitar lead across a surface, the EDGE of the tip is the

contact point.

Hmmm... Bad contacts causing problems causing, well, contact problems. You're a freaking genius Phil. Only you and every first year tech student would have found that one! BTW, the next time your battery operated French tickler doesn't work, check for battery corrosion...

 

[Phil Allison]

"Geoff"

Is the metal surface embedded with bits of silica, like little
pyramids, causing it to be an insulator?

** More like pieces of black gunk here and there, scraped from any soft
surface.

The owner admitted the lead was only occasionally intermittent, at the
guitar end.




.... Phil