Anyone know of a good guitar BBS or suggestions on cleaning old electric guitars?

scottmandue · 12-29-2005, 07:05 AM

I have several vintage electric guitars and the weak link seems to be the plug where the cord connects between the guitar and the amp. Problem being the metal in the connector oxidizes thus making for a bad connection that makes for a lot of buzzing, humming, or just no go.

My ideas are: Open up the guitar and polish the contact points with a dremel and a felt bit, or hand polish with some kind of metal cleaner, or dip in there with a Q-tip and some tarnex.

Any other ideas for you guitar folks?

Or maybe someone can steer me to a guitar BBS where I could ask this question?

Thanks,
Scott

Shuie · 12-29-2005, 07:12 AM

Make sure it isnt a bad chord. Plug stright into an amp with a known good patch chord. Can you actaually see oxidation on the jack? If so, make sure is not being exposed to water or soemthing. The jack shouldnt corrode significantly from sitting in a dry case for a long time.

scottmandue · 12-29-2005, 07:18 AM

I live a block from the ocean, the guitar in question is a vintage 70's Gibson 325 (but I have many other guitars of the same age that seldom get played), there is no corrosion but the metal dull looking and is not shiny. Cord work with new guitar.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

After a time, the metal fatigues and isn't as 'springy'. If you bend the contacts back, they dont seem to stay put very long. If you're going to open it up, just replace the jack with a factory or NOS jack.
If it's a vintage guitar, make sure you use a screwdriver that properly fits the screw you're removing. (But you knew that!)

70's is vintage?
I'm getting old....

scottmandue · 12-29-2005, 09:36 AM

Yeah, when I bought them twenty years or so ago they were cheap.

And the connectors are tight, still have plenty of grab to them, the finish is dull and looks/feels a little oxidized. even the cords kicking around my house start to look like that but it is easy to hit them with a scotch pad and buff them up a little and get them to shine again.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Have you already opened them up?
You may want to reheat the solder joints on them also....

scottmandue · 12-29-2005, 09:47 AM

Nope, maybe tonight... thing is with the 325 (the economy version of the 335) is pots and plug are on a small plastic plate held in with small screws that thread into the thin wood of the arch top. I do have the right screwdrivers and I know better than to strip them out, just makes me a little nervious working with thin thirty year old wood.