Source needed for an acoustic electric jack

[John Green]

Hello all, First post here. The guys at Stewmac.com recommended I try my question over here. I have a 1996 epiphone pr5eL. I use it all the time on bar gigs and it has always been one of my favorite ones to play. Recently the jack has failed and I am look for a replacement. It is a 1/4 and XLR combo ( no battery door) with an attached mini jack that plugs into the onboard preamp. I found one that looks very close on the Artec web site but I cant find it for retail sale after many web searches. Does anybody know where I can get one of these?

Any lead would be helpful. Thanks

[David King]

Something like this?? http://www.pennelcomonline.com/us/us/Ne ... itedStates
There seems to be another version without the push-button unlock. I'd be tempted to just put in a strap-pin TRS phono jack.
In the meanwhile try spraying some deoxit 5 in there and see if you can get a few more gigs out of it.

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

I think David misunderstands the piece to be replaced. This is a panel with both a 1/4" (TRS) and XLR connector, so you could actually run both high and low impedance outs simultaneously. My experience with these things is they are not very sturdy, especially with a cord flexing it around. You don't say which output you're using, but if you're using the 1/4", I agree with David that an endpin jack would be the most road worthy, and these are available all over the place. You might be able to replace the plastic 1/4" with a stereo Jack, but it would not be as strong as the endpin jack. If you're using the XLR connector, then it gets more complicated. In that case I might try making a replacement plate using Switchcraft connectors and some thin sheet metal. I've seen guitars with an endpin jack plus an XLR connector in the end block, but that strikes me as a whole bunch of work.

If I recall correctly, the output from the preamp has both low and high leads (in one cable) that go to the appropriate connector. You might check those solder connections.

[David King]

Perhaps a metal plate with a nice wood veneer. I spent some time looking through the gigantic Artecmusic site but couldn't find anything with a jack on it. Perhaps the OP could put a link to what they saw and we could figure out a way forward. Meanwhile the Artec USA rep Caliguitar.com could be a good place to start to find out how parts can be ordered.

[John Green]

Thanks for all the info and help so far. Joshua is correct the plate has both a 1/4 ans an xlr next to each other. I agree David that site is huge and confusing Here is url to the artec site. http://www.artecsound.com/acou/buying.htm it is the one labeled XLR unbalanced XLR jack. I tried to contact Caliguitar but never heard back from them.
I only use the 1/4 inch so maybe I could make my own plate with just the 1/4 mounted to it? any ideas on materials etc to do that? Or I guess I could ream out the end pin hole and install a regular end pin jack. I have done that on other guitars so I feel comfortable doing that. I was just hoping to do the simple swap for a new plate but that is not looking good.

Again thanks for the help

[Matt Madden]

My friend's guitar had one of these jacks. He wanted to install a Fishman Matrix Infinity system. I took the guts out of the combo jack and used it as a mounting plate for the 1/4" jack for the Fishman. It looks the same from the outside, but the XLR doesn't do anything now.

So, maybe you could install a new 1/4" jack in the existing plate.

[John Green]

That is a possible idea Matt. I never use the xlr. It would be easier than reaming out for an end pin jack. I could do that while looking for a replacement that would restore the xlr funtionality. Not that would ever need it.