bad input jack on Classic 30?

ye olde fretmonkey · May 8th, 2005, 02:19 PM

It happened again last night.

This amp was making noises before that would go away for a little while when you'd plug and unplug the cord into the jack, then it stopped that behavior.

Then last night at a gig it would only work intermittently...jiggle the cord and it'd work again for awhile (no, not a bad cord). And of course it would invariably quit in the middle of a solo. Any of you guys used one of those jack-reamer things that's like a pipe cleaner?? Do they work?

I wound up playing the gig plugged in through 'effects receive', which of course bypasses the volume and tone controls of the amp and all you hear is compressor/pedal tone...it sounded like ASS. Needless to say it was a long 4 hrs.

Now I need to get it to a tech, and I'm not looking forward to it. I know techs hate working on Classic 30s, and even the jacks are not easy to get to. And I'm hoping that's all it is.

alotas123 · May 8th, 2005, 05:07 PM

Looking for good amp techs. Thanks.

ye olde fretmonkey · May 8th, 2005, 05:09 PM

I used to go to Bill Webb at Austin Vintage Guitars, but he's expensive and slow. I think this time I'm heading to John at Musical Exchange on North Loop...he's got a good rep around town.

alotas123 · May 8th, 2005, 05:12 PM

Billy is as good as they get, but he has a whole lot of work (no surprise). That's why I was looking around...

Thanks.

reverbbb · May 8th, 2005, 10:09 PM

I had the same problem on a Crate VC2110. I called Crate and they were able to sell me the exact jack for like $3.50 plus $3.00 shipping. I got it and installed it into the circuitboard myself. No more cutting out or noises. This was about three weeks ago.

e-merlin · May 9th, 2005, 10:35 PM

That is the only problem I've heard gigging musicians report on the Classic 30. The jack is soldered right to the board, so it's not the most robust connection if the nut on the jack gets loose. If that's what happened, you have to take the chassis out and remove the main board to re-solder it. Big pain in the butt, but not overly difficult for anyone who can use a soldering iron. I've heard of a couple of guys removing the factory jack and soldering wires to the board, then mounting a metal jack to the chassis. But you have to make sure you insulate the jack from the chassis so it doesn't ground out.

ye olde fretmonkey · May 11th, 2005, 09:32 AM

That's sho' nuff what wound up being wrong.

It's gonna cost me a shocking $31.

May 8th, 2005, 02:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
ye olde fretmonkey Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin Posts: 3,441	bad input jack on Classic 30? It happened again last night. This amp was making noises before that would go away for a little while when you'd plug and unplug the cord into the jack, then it stopped that behavior. Then last night at a gig it would only work intermittently...jiggle the cord and it'd work again for awhile (no, not a bad cord). And of course it would invariably quit in the middle of a solo. Any of you guys used one of those jack-reamer things that's like a pipe cleaner?? Do they work? I wound up playing the gig plugged in through 'effects receive', which of course bypasses the volume and tone controls of the amp and all you hear is compressor/pedal tone...it sounded like ASS. Needless to say it was a long 4 hrs. Now I need to get it to a tech, and I'm not looking forward to it. I know techs hate working on Classic 30s, and even the jacks are not easy to get to. And I'm hoping that's all it is. __________________ Just 'cause that's the way things are, that never did make it right.

May 8th, 2005, 05:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
alotas123 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Hill Country Texas Posts: 470	Who are you taking it to? Looking for good amp techs. Thanks. __________________ Play that thing, make it sing!

May 8th, 2005, 05:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
ye olde fretmonkey Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin Posts: 3,441	I used to go to Bill Webb at Austin Vintage Guitars, but he's expensive and slow. I think this time I'm heading to John at Musical Exchange on North Loop...he's got a good rep around town. __________________ Just 'cause that's the way things are, that never did make it right.

May 8th, 2005, 05:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
alotas123 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Hill Country Texas Posts: 470	Billy is as good as they get, but he has a whole lot of work (no surprise). That's why I was looking around... Thanks. __________________ Play that thing, make it sing!

May 8th, 2005, 10:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
reverbbb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Just Plano, Texas Age: 50 Posts: 3,733 36 Photos	I had the same problem on a Crate VC2110. I called Crate and they were able to sell me the exact jack for like $3.50 plus $3.00 shipping. I got it and installed it into the circuitboard myself. No more cutting out or noises. This was about three weeks ago. __________________ "I come here to reflect a little."™ Buffalo Blues Band

May 11th, 2005, 09:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
ye olde fretmonkey Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin Posts: 3,441	That's sho' nuff what wound up being wrong. It's gonna cost me a shocking $31. __________________ Just 'cause that's the way things are, that never did make it right.