How To Clean 1 4 Audio Jack

New Sponsor: ShipNerd, Ship Your Gear with Us... for less! Click Here.

Home
Forums
Instruments
Guitars in General

How to clean input jacks?

Thread starter buzzp
Start date Oct 16, 2012

I've google searched how to clean input jacks on guitars and the 1/4" connectors on cables and haven't really found a solid answer. I feel like I have some scratchiness and things coming from my input jack (I hope its not my new pick-ups).

What works best for you guys?

What I do:

1. Get a used plug, straight works best. "Chew" at it with a pair of needle nosed pliers until it gets a little gritty and textured. Make sure ALL of the plating or material you scratch off of the plug in the process gets cleaned off before the next step.

2. Get a big bottle of contact cleaner from Lowes or Home Depot. The right stuff should be about $8-10 for a can that will last you a decade at least. Don't buy Deoxit at radio shack because it's a pretty big scam for the amount you get.

3. Spray down the plug and use it as a cleaning tool for your input jack. The old in out in out.

Cleaning plugs? Just use a rag and contact cleaner.

You can buy a patchbay cleaner. It's basically a 1/4" jack with diamond grit on it. I use it all the time.

I would probably open the cavity (or undo the jack plate) and get right at the contacts with a cotton swab and something like alcohol.

Rather than dirt, though, your scratchy jack may have had the contacts gradually bent out of the way through years of plugging and unplugging, leaving it loose, which just takes a little gentle bending to fix, making a nice solid connection again.

hmm ok;

Things to get:
-patchbay cleaner
-contact cleaner

Missing anything?

Another option to clean jacks is to get a brass bristled brush used to clean a .22 rifle. Probably under $5 at most gun shops.

+1 for contact cleaner

You'll use it for a lot more than just your 1/4" guitar jacks too.

Another option to clean jacks is to get a brass bristled brush used to clean a .22 rifle. Probably under $5 at most gun shops.

Try saying that 3 times fast outloud, without sounding like Sean Connery by the 3rd time

but my friend actually has a .22 so I'll give him a call

Home
Forums
Instruments
Guitars in General