Hey, I just finished replacing mine, and wanted to share the info here.
My Stingray Special has just this one problem with this jack, and it is because the switch that is supposed to provide power to the preamp doesn't make good contact when you plug in.
I opened it up when I first got it, and bent the metal tang so that it should make better contact, but a couple months later, it is back to clicking on and off when I wiggle the plug.
In my opinion, it is a design flaw with the jack that is used. I've searched exhaustively and there are plenty of switched 1/4" jacks that open the circuit when you plug in, but very few that close the circuit.
Of course, the other option is just to use a stereo jack, connecting white to the tip, gray to the ring, and black to ground. When you plug in a mono 1/4", the ring then shorts to ground, providing power to the preamp.
I ordered several options, and here is how things turned out...
These first two are suitable replacements mechanically and imo are better design than the original. But it turns out that they are too big to fit in the hole, and I wasn't about to attempt to enlargen it. These WON't work:
P0072 6.35mm DPDT Non-Insulated Stereo Jack Socket - Altronics
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049BOCTQ
It might be possible to force-fit the first one by taking a flat file to the corners, and flattening them a bit. The fit seems very close.
The second one, the switch just comes out too far, and you'd have to bend everything inward to get it in.
So, I used a regular stereo jack, with signal (white) to the tip, power (gray) to the ring, and black to ground:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079QMY55P
This will break your three-conductor wireless bugs, but Line6 included an "L-shaped" mono 1/4" male to 1/4" female adapter with their wireless, and when I use that, everything is fine.
And no more popping in and out. I know I have a solid connection from power to the preamp now
. No more instability when I take her to open mics.
My Stingray Special has just this one problem with this jack, and it is because the switch that is supposed to provide power to the preamp doesn't make good contact when you plug in.
I opened it up when I first got it, and bent the metal tang so that it should make better contact, but a couple months later, it is back to clicking on and off when I wiggle the plug.
In my opinion, it is a design flaw with the jack that is used. I've searched exhaustively and there are plenty of switched 1/4" jacks that open the circuit when you plug in, but very few that close the circuit.
Of course, the other option is just to use a stereo jack, connecting white to the tip, gray to the ring, and black to ground. When you plug in a mono 1/4", the ring then shorts to ground, providing power to the preamp.
I ordered several options, and here is how things turned out...
These first two are suitable replacements mechanically and imo are better design than the original. But it turns out that they are too big to fit in the hole, and I wasn't about to attempt to enlargen it. These WON't work:
P0072 6.35mm DPDT Non-Insulated Stereo Jack Socket - Altronics
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049BOCTQ
It might be possible to force-fit the first one by taking a flat file to the corners, and flattening them a bit. The fit seems very close.
The second one, the switch just comes out too far, and you'd have to bend everything inward to get it in.
So, I used a regular stereo jack, with signal (white) to the tip, power (gray) to the ring, and black to ground:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079QMY55P
This will break your three-conductor wireless bugs, but Line6 included an "L-shaped" mono 1/4" male to 1/4" female adapter with their wireless, and when I use that, everything is fine.
And no more popping in and out. I know I have a solid connection from power to the preamp now
. No more instability when I take her to open mics.
