Should I get an Electrosocket?

[Tele Plucker]

Seems like they are called "Retrofit Jackplate" of all things. Dunno what part of it is "Retro"

Anyways.. Look here AP-5270-001 | Allparts® Music Corp

Retrofit as one word. It will fit in the hole without modifications.

 

[Tele Plucker]

Hi.

Came into my study just before and found these lying on the floor…


View attachment 885204


Pax/
Dean

Have any of you consider using a lock washer? They may solve this issue.

 

[Arfage]

I always put a Les Paul or "football" jack plate on my teles. Cheap, works perfectly and side-steps all the problems. The Electro Socket is an obvious improvement over the ridiculous stock tele contraption, looks cool and is nicely made but it's expensive you can't use a right angle jack in your guitar, which I insist on. I use the same right angle jack on strats, LP, SG and Tele.

 

[dvh2]

Been playin' and gigging for almost 50 years. Leo got it all right.

 

[Tele Plucker]

I always put a Les Paul or "football" jack plate on my teles. Cheap, works perfectly and side-steps all the problems. The Electro Socket is an obvious improvement over the ridiculous stock tele contraption, looks cool and is nicely made but it's expensive you can't use a right angle jack in your guitar, which I insist on. I use the same right angle jack on strats, LP, SG and Tele.

I installed electro sockets on 2 of my T style builds and use right angle cables with no issues. I do run the cable thru my guitar strap for safe keeping.

 

[bobio]

I use that on all my Teles that have a flat jack plate area. It's the only one I've found that will work with my Boss WL-20 wireless.

One caveat is that the standard Switchcraft 11 jack tip conductor may make contact with the jack cup of you really torque down the nut. Because the jack cup is shallow, it surrounds the base of the jack, so the plates that are sandwiched between the wafers are nearly touching as is. My solution was to cover the exposed nickel plating there with paint.

I use the short switchcraft jacks and even then, they stick out too far for my liking. I usually stick a couple of extra washers on the shaft to bring the end almost flush when it is tightened down. Never had a problem with the jack contacting the cup. I think I have put on at least a dozen of these in the past few years.

 

[misterdontmove]

I recently installed one in my homebrew tele. Solid as a rock!

 

[Chuck berry]

Yes they do suck plus the nut on the output jack often becomes loose. I fixed mine this way. First l installed a little screw on the side of the cup. And on the nut l put a little lock tight on the thread of the output jack. Bingo did the trick. If l ever have to change the jack just heated it up with a hair dryer or little torch. It will come out easy.

 

[Phrygian77]

I use the short switchcraft jacks and even then, they stick out too far for my liking. I usually stick a couple of extra washers on the shaft to bring the end almost flush when it is tightened down. Never had a problem with the jack contacting the cup. I think I have put on at least a dozen of these in the past few years.

View attachment 886081

I've had it happen on two of three. I still wouldn't use any other cup.

The grey Esquire in my avatar.

My blonde Esquire.

And, my blonde Tele.

 

[oregomike]

Just to pile on...
I added the electrosocket to my first Tele build and I'm not going back to anything else. It's solid.

 

[DrNickD]

I'm also in the pro-electrosocket camp. Just wanted to give a shout for Forney parts--they make really nice stuff, including electrosockets: https://reverb.com/shop/forney-custom

 

[Jason Hutchinson]

The standard jack cup on a Tele is a poor design IMO. It is held in the body by tension alone and as the wood shrinks and contracts, it can loosen up and fall out. Once that happens, it will keep falling out no matter how many times you reinstall. With the electrosocket, you only need to drill 2 concealed holes in the body. The jack threads directly into an electrosocket, so you don't need to use a nut on the front side. The football and square plates require drilling through the finish. The Rutters one is a friction fit just like the original design, and can also fall out over time especially if the hole is not perfectly sized. Rutters is excellent quality, but you do pay for it.

 

[Lockback]

I've replaced all 8 of my tele sockets w/electrosockets, so yeah, I'm voting yes.

But you do you.

To me, that original design just sucks, and will always come loose. The ES solves it and it's cheap enough. Why wouldn't you fix it? Unless it's just a collector tele in original condition (in which case I'd ask why even own it then)....replace it.

I need to do that to my Squier. My only problem is that I've never soldered a thing in my life and I'm a little nervous about that aspect of it.

 

[gbart14]

Retrofit as one word. It will fit in the hole without modifications.

This tool works great. https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-too...f-tools/wrenches/bullet-guitar-jack-tightener

 

[zeke54]

I used to be an Electrosocket fan, have since switched over to the Rutters Shallow Twisted Cup. It looks more like a factory cup without the pitfalls. Once installed, it is difficult to tell that it isn’t a factory cup. “To me”, the electrosocket just looks….well….cheap

Rutters Twisted Shallow Jack Cup (ruttersguitars.com)

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+1 I have used these on several of the Esquires I built , I prefer the appearance over the electrosocket as well .

 

[zeke54]

This tool works great. https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-too...f-tools/wrenches/bullet-guitar-jack-tightener

Yes , these are quite handy !! Saves a lot of frustration !

 

[Marblatx]

Personally I like the one mounted on a football shaped plate.

 

[Wound_Up]

Seems like they are called "Retrofit Jackplate" of all things. Dunno what part of it is "Retro"

Anyways.. Look here AP-5270-001 | Allparts® Music Corp

Retro and retrofit aren't the same thing. Why would you expect anything retrofitted to be retro? You can retrofit brand new parts, too. Aka parts that were just developed and machined within the last 90/180/365 days. That makes no sense at all.

 

[rednoise]

I always put a Les Paul or "football" jack plate on my teles. Cheap, works perfectly and side-steps all the problems. The Electro Socket is an obvious improvement over the ridiculous stock tele contraption, looks cool and is nicely made but it's expensive you can't use a right angle jack in your guitar, which I insist on. I use the same right angle jack on strats, LP, SG and Tele.

You can use some right-angle plugs, but not all. Some of them bump up against the lip of the jack, some don't. I prefer right angle if possible.

I have an Electrosocket in my Tele. It works well enough, but mine is aluminum and can bend if the plug is forced to the side. It's held up for years but I still can see it breaking some day. If/when it does I'll be going the flat football or LP plate route.

 

[kjatexas]

I find it less frustrating to remove the control plate and poosh from the back. Then simply use a socket wrench to carefully tighten the bejeezus out of it. Don't let the socket spin - it should have a toothed washer front and back. Consider some blue LocTite or fingernail polish (color choice is yours).

I have only had trouble with one where the metal thingie dislodged from the wood - likely improper install/repair. Those are the ones I usually replace with Electrodockets. Once the wood is chewed up inside, they become more problematic.

Or buy the tool from Stewmac, that prevents the assembly from rotating, as you tighten the nut.

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-too...y-job/tools-for-electronics/jack-the-gripper/