Switch Craft jacks

[C Moore]

I was going to have the title say "I Am Done With Switch Craft Jacks". But a lot of times when I shoot my mouth off like that, I am wrong. But honestly, 3 or 4 out of every 10 I buy do not read right. I get so tired of rebuilding Fender Amps, only to have the input jacks not measure correctly. I have never been able to correct the "shorting" feature of a SC jack. It seems like once the contact between the "positive" lug and the shorting lug is compromised, it cannot be made right again. And like I said, a lot of mine are wrong when I get them, new, from CE.
Have you guys been successful at bending/straightening those shorting contacts on a SC jack? If I were to bend open that contact, just enough so it does not read a short, can you fix them? If I did that to 100 jacks, could you fix 98 of them?
This has been so frustrating. It just seems like the Cliff jacks are a much better design. I have said it a Million times, so it cannot hurt to say it again.....I have only been into amps for about TWO years now, and there is A LOT of stuff I do not know. Maybe this is another one of those situations. Maybe there is an easy fix to this, and I am just ignorant/inexperienced........
Thank You

[iknowjohnny]

I'm pretty much in agreement. I prefer cliff much more and don't have nearly the conduction issues with them. cliff also gives you flexible grounding options. Only problem is, i can't find them with threads as long as i want for build where i use plexi over a printer faceplate. So i can never find those, but i CAN with SC. So in that case i always have little choice.

[David Root]

I've not noticed a problem with the shorting jacks but you're not the first one to bring it up. I'll have to check mine, I usually buy a dozen at a time.

Is this just with standard shorting jack or does it extend to the stereo shorting jacks too? I would assume they're all made on the same machines.

[Structo]

I've had the switchcraft jack shorting switch screw up before .
What I have done in the past is just bend the little tab down so it makes contact again. Problem solved.

[M Fowler]

can't find them with threads as long as i want for build

I am also looking for cliff or rean jacks with longer threads for front faceplate situations. My faceplates are 2mm aluminum.

[Structo]

Mark I think the ones that have the chrome threaded bushing that screws into the jack are a longer version that can work for thicker panels.

[Colossal]

I prefer Cliff Jacks. Straightforward and flexible and I like the added switching functionality. Using 0.09" chassis and aluminum or plexi faceplates, I usually only use one of the two spacer/gaskets that come with each Cliff jack. Bore a 7/16" hole in the chassis and faceplate and they become quite integral with the chassis and faceplate when the nut is tightened.

[jhaas]

I prefer Cliff Jacks. Straightforward and flexible and I like the added switching functionality. Using 0.09" chassis and aluminum or plexi faceplates, I usually only use one of the two spacer/gaskets that come with each Cliff jack. Bore a 7/16" hole in the chassis with a stepped bit and a 3/8" hole in the faceplate and they become quite integral with the chassis and faceplate when the nut is tightened.

Really, the bushing of the Cliff Jacks you use will fit thru a 3/8" hole in the faceplate? I use the Neutrik Cliff-style jacks and drill a 7/16" hole in both the chassis and faceplate. I just verified with my drill gauge, and 27/64" is the smallest hole the Neutrik bushing will fit thru.

I use the switchcraft #11L for speaker jacks, and those will fit thru a 3/8" hole.

[Colossal]

Really, the bushing of the Cliff Jacks you use will fit thru a 3/8" hole in the faceplate? I use the Neutrik Cliff-style jacks and drill a 7/16" hole in both the chassis and faceplate. I just verified with my drill gauge, and 27/64" is the smallest hole the Neutrik bushing will fit thru.

I use the switchcraft #11L for speaker jacks, and those will fit thru a 3/8" hole.

J, you are indeed right (I just measured): the Cliff jacks I use require <i>both</i> 7/16" hole in chassis AND faceplate. My mistake. I corrected my post above.

[tubeswell]

I have never been able to correct the "shorting" feature of a SC jack. It seems like once the contact between the "positive" lug and the shorting lug is compromised, it cannot be made right again.

Well I have fixed them, and it involves a fine art of applying reverse tension to the switch contact, but not so much that you permanently 'unhook' it from the tip contact. I use a small flathead screwdriver to gently but forcefully prise the two contacts 'loose', whilst ensuring that the tip contact still maintains contact with the switch contact when the jack isn't inserted. You need a jack handy to test your handiwork as you go.

[M Fowler]

Tom,

I just got the chrome nut cliffs in yesterday so I will compare to my other ones. Thanks.

Mark

[iknowjohnny]

Mark I think the ones that have the chrome threaded bushing that screws into the jack are a longer version that can work for thicker panels.

can you point me to those? I looked on thier site but i didn't find any of the bushing type, just ones with chrome nuts.

[M Fowler]

I don't think I have the type of cliffs Tom is referring to.

[C Moore]

I have never been able to correct the "shorting" feature of a SC jack. It seems like once the contact between the "positive" lug and the shorting lug is compromised, it cannot be made right again.

Well I have fixed them, and it involves a fine art of applying reverse tension to the switch contact, but not so much that you permanently 'unhook' it from the tip contact. I use a small flathead screwdriver to gently but forcefully prise the two contacts 'loose', whilst ensuring that the tip contact still maintains contact with the switch contact when the jack isn't inserted. You need a jack handy to test your handiwork as you go.

I have been able to "reconnect" the two contacts, but not very often. It seems like I always get one or the other bent too far in the wrong direction. It is hard for me to apply force in both directions at the same time.
Anyway...... I just used a Uni-Bit on a SF Super Rev to accommodate the Cliff Jacks. There are no problems now, all the jacks measure out the way they are suppose to.
Good luck

[Structo]

On the Switchcraft shorting jack, the switch leaf is short and a heavier guage metal than the tip contact.
So first thing I do is bend the tip contact forward so that when a plug is plugged in it makes good strong contact.
Then I take a small screwdriver and bend the short switch tab towards the tip contact.
If you push on it near the base it will stay where you bend it and should remain shorted against the tip contact.

These old style phone jacks have been around since the beginning and are on the primitive side but, by being so simple they are easily maintained and should last for decades.

But I do like the Cliff style for one because they are isolated from the chassis and two, they are sealed (sort of).
So I'll use either if I have them. The one con to them is that they are longer and if space is a premium, then they won't fit.

The one I haven't figured out yet is the FET jack on the Overdrive Special.
I don't even know what kind or brand of jack that is and it has a lot of contacts on it.