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It is the most important component in a properly working circuit. The reason being, all grounds in our circuit terminate at the jack socket, be it potentiometer grounds, pickup grounds, capacitor grounds etc...ALL grounds end at the jack. The output jack is the only ground in a passive guitar circuit.
This is highlighted perfectly on a jack socket as each mono jack has 2 lugs, the sleeve (ground) and the tip (signal).
Durable Electric Guitar Jack Plug Sockets 1/4 Inch & Guitar Pre Wired Harness, 3 Way Blade Toggle Switch 1v1t 500k
In this guide we will demonstrate how to wire a guitar jack socket properly and how to wire it using cloth wire and also using braided hook up wire.
The ground lug is always the one that is connected to the inner ring and the sleeve (hence the name). On Switchcraft
We're using cloth wire as it is nice and easy to work with. Simply push back the cloth and thread the wire through the ground lug of the jack. Bend it round so the wire makes contact with both sides of the lug. It is important that our jack socket has a strong and reliable mechanical connection.
Guitar Jack Wiring Guide & Tips
Solder into place and repeat this process for the tip (signal lug). Typically you will use 2 different colours of wire so you can easily distinguish between the two.
Now this next bit is completely optional - we like to cover the completed joints with 1/2'' or so of heat shrink tubing. This simply protects the joint and creates a more durable jack socket. It also stops the cloth fraying over time or the signal joint from coming into contact with something it shouldn't (copper shielding for example) or another ground connection which would result in a short circuit).
Finally, again, this is optional but definitely recommended. Tightly twisting the two wires together (essentially wrapping the ground wire around the signal wire) helps reduce feedback and unwanted EMI.
Switchcraft 1/4 Stereo Output Jack Soldering Questions
To finish the job - the ground wire (black in our example) needs to be soldered to ground, normally this is easiest by soldering to the top of the potentiometer casing.
The signal wire (yellow) gets soldered to the output of the volume control - this is the middle lug of the volume potentiometer.
The other method involves using vintage style braided hook up wire commonly used in Gibson models. It is usually found coming from the toggle switch and you are required to connect this wire to the jack.
Solderless Guitar Wiring Harness / Rig Vol / Tone Pots + Jack Socket Heavy Duty.
Braided wire is feared by many hobbyists and DIY modders as it is seen as being harder to work with - but the below tips should give you an easier method to working with it.
Braided hook up wire is two wires in one - the outer braid is the ground whist the inner cloth wire is the signal.
Same principle applies - we are soldering the outer braid to the ground lug (sleeve) and the inner cloth wire to the tip of the jack socket.
Pre Wired Guitar Harness
Now this next bit is optional, but before we solder the wire to the jack socket, you can feed some heat shrink tubing up the the length of the wire and out of the way for now (do not shrink it yet)
Now it is time for some soldering! Start with the inner cloth/signal wire first. Push the cloth back and feed it through the lug - again, feed it through and back on itself so the wire is in solid contact with both sides of the solder lug and solder it into place.
To connect the braid, again, we need to aim for a good mechanical connection - and this is where our cheeky little pig tail comes into play. Feed this through and bend it back round on itself so it acts like a hook. Then solder this into place.
Diy Workshop: How To Fix A Faulty Jack
There you have it - that covers the two most typical options of wiring a guitar jack. Remember, this only covers a standard mono jack socket, not stereo.Your guitar's jack socket can take a lot of punishment over a long amount of time, and it's not uncommon to need to repair or replace it from time to time. The mounting nut can sometimes work loose, meaning the solder connections are damaged from unwanted movement or perhaps general wear & tear over years can cause damage too. Maybe you'd like to upgrade a lower quality item to a high end replacement like those by Switchcraft & Pure Tone. Whatever the reason for you looking to replace your jack socket, hopefully this how to guide will help you learn a bit more about them, and importantly how to replace them. The jacks most commonly found on our guitars are standard, two connector, 1/4 female audio jack sockets which is what I'll be looking at today.
This is a very simple process but one I feel all guitarists should comfortably know how to do, whatever your level of experience with a soldering iron. But also it might be useful if you're planning on installing a new pre-wired harness in your Strat or Les Paul for example where the jack can't be pre-wired prior to install. I will detail the process for both brands of mono jack socket I offer, the Switchcraft mono and the Pure Tone Multi contact jack sockets. Both are the very same principle, but due to their slight differences in appearance it is beneficial to discuss both here. I hope you find this how to guide useful!
Here is a photo of a new Switchcraft & Pure Tone socket side by side, although they do look different there are a few key similarities. The only parts you need to be noting specifically when installing are the two connection lugs. One is the live, hot or positive connection lug. People can refer to them as a number of things but those are the main ones to look for. The other is the ground / negative connection lug. I'm going to talk about each brand, so it's nice and clear depending on which you have decided to use. But first, let's get the right tools for the job, to ensure it's stress free as possible.
I Have A Stereo Jack That I Want To Wire Like A Regular Mono Jack. Can Just Solder To Hot (red) And Ground (black), And Ignore The Other Connection (blue)?
- Soldering Iron: Most hobbyist soldering irons we have in our tool cupboards at home are more than up to the job of helping you fit your jack socket. I do personally recommend a 40w iron, this will provide ample working temperature for guitar electronic components. - Solder: For commercial product reasons, I have to use lead free solder. I personally use Rapid brand lead free.
Small, long nosed pliers/grips: These are a must have tool for guitar wiring I find. It helps handle the small wires securely and when placing them around the connection lugs for a secure join prior to solder.
Wire strippers: This is relevant if you're using plastic coated wire, as it will safely expose the inner core of the wire to work with. If you're used cloth or 'push-back' wire as it's sometimes called, then wire strippers aren't necessary.
Squire Se Strat Output Jack Wiring
Screw drivers and 13mm socket: Depending on the guitar you'll be fitting your jack socket to, you may require a screw driver to remove the jack control plate safely. You'll also require a 13mm socket to remove the existing jack socket securing nut, and also to install the new jack securely.
- Optional heat shrink: After soldering you can choose to add some heat shrink over the joints. I personally do this as it's an extra bit of strength for the solder joint if the jack socket does work loose, but also it acts as shielding on those connections too. You don't have to heat shrink the connections, but if you have some already it's worth doing so. You can use a hair dryer for example to shrink it to the connections if you don't have a heat shrink tool.
Now we've got everything ready, let's look at the jack socket in detail and how to easily identify which lug is which and how to securely solder it. Starting with the Switchcraft mono jack socket. Below I have shown which lug is which, but rather than just show I wanted to explain why and how to identify them too. The first thing you may notice from comparing the two lugs, is that one of them has little notches either side of the lug and one is a little smaller with straight edges. This really helps quickly identify which is which, but just in case yours is any different, it's good to know how the socket works to allow you to identify them too. The live/hot lug is connected to the large tab facing upwards in the below photo and comes in contact with the jack plugs 'tip'. So if you follow the shaped metal down from that large tab on your jack socket, you'll notice it is part of the same metal that your hot/live solder lug is. The second lug, your ground, is part of the central piece of metal, this contacts the 'sleeve' of your jack lead and is
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