No joy from the 50 watt Bluesmaster clone

[tubedogsmith]

Mark, glad you got it sorted out.

[talbany]

Mark

Glad to hear you got her going!!..

Happy Tweaking

Tony

[David Root]

Those jacks have been a PITA for me too. I am going to try the milspec version to see if they are any more reliable.

If not, I don't know where else to go as I don't like plastic jacks.

[jelle]

David,

If you have results on this, please let me know how they work for you. The effects loop and the FET input are especially locations of interest.

Thanks!

jelle

PS, I even had jacks with missing insulating wafers! Output jack location Gee, my amp don't work?!

[Mark]

Thanks all.

The thing is, it is very subtle, I had a pleasing sound, then I noticed the amp sounds buzzy, I initially thought the buzz must have been there all along and I wasn't listening as critically. It wasn't until the volume dropped that I started looking at the signal path.

Perhaps the jacks need cleaning with crocus paper from time to time?

[ampdork]

Mil spec switches? Do tell.

Gave up on switchcraft a couple of years ago. Far too many issues.
Far too many failures to bother with them.
They are unreliable as switching jacks.

Been using the plastics for almost two years now and not a single issue yet.
With the switchcrafts it was getting out of hand how often the would flake.

[stelligan]

Mark

Happy to hear you have good sounds now. I was following closely as I have a build like this going now - sans FET section.
The Switchcraft switching jack at the loop in my latest build is also flaky. I had no idea there were so many issues, but looking back every other build I've done has had an issue at the loop. All Switchcraft jacks. Got nothing to replace it with right now. Time for yet another parts order......

Happy trimmer twisting!

[da Geezer]

Mil spec switches? Do tell.

Switchcraft #C12AX is the mil spec version

http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/Produc ... KU=9320308

Some discussion here> https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... ight=c12ax

[Guitarman18]

Having just read the previous posts, I have just solved a long standing issue with my BM build. The normal input switching jack was not making reliable contact, so when I plugged into the FET input I got nothing, most of the time and them very rarely everything would be fine. I'd completely rebuilt the FET board on a number of occasions and checked and rechecked the wiring of the FET input jack and chop sticked a million times, but found nothing.
Thanks to you guys I checked the normal input jack with my chopstick, and there it was, intermittent contact. Problem solved!

Thanks guys,

Paul

[da Geezer]

Yeah, those Switchcraft jacks (I'm guessing that's what yours was) are a real problem. I had a 12A crap out in my BM effects loop. They used to be the most reliable, now they are the least so....

G

[ampdork]

Have you given those mil spec jacks a spin and if so what are your thoughts on them?

At $6 a pop though....bit pricey. You'd think for that money they could have taken a picture of a jack that was not obviously previously soldered upon..... These aren't pulls are they?

Thanks for the links. I'll keep them in mind whenever I have a repair that require a good switching jack.

For now I will stick to the ugly plastic ones. They may not as sexy but they have been so reliable I;d hate to fix what is no longer broken.

Glad tho to read that I was not the only one with this issue...

[odourboy]

Has anyone tried the Taiwan made Switchcraft knockoffs (I bought them from New Sensor)? My use is limited to one build, but I had no trouble with them. Here's a couple of links:

http://newsensor.com/ProductHighLight.aspx?ProId=1008

http://newsensor.com/ProductHighLight.aspx?ProId=1012

New Sensor describes them as 'very high quality'. FWIW, I generally use Marshall style in my builds.

[Dr d]

Interesting (and reassuring in a way) that people are having problems with the switchcraft jacks. I was really disappointed recently when during a rehearsal my Bluesmaster suddenly started to loose output and distort in an unpleasant way. I haven't had a chance to look into it yet but the first thing I shall look at is the input jack and the loop. I am also tempted to look at the input gain pot. The switchcraft jacks are definately not as robust as the old ones.

[David Root]

I haven't bought any yet but I'm going to buy 10 soon. (To get the price break). So if there are any defectives in this design at least one should show up out of 10. This is new product from Mouser.

Judging by the high volume response this is obviously a serious issue. What are the alternatives without going to a plastic jack? I have not really been able to find one.

[Mark]

Dear Dr D

Try putting a patch cable across the break out jacks (effects loop jacks), this should take the problem out of the equation.

I think the design of the jacks is unchanged, but the grade of metal used has changed. It seems to bend too easily.