Loss of battery power pre amp Stingray 5

[Jan Dutchman]

Hi,
In 1991 I bought a pre owned Musicman Stingray5 bass.
Played it in a band for 5 years and in church later on until today.
In 2020, during a reheasal, I suddenly lost my sound and when touching the jack plug got a loud bang from the speakers.
It was then for the first time I discovered that my Stingray had its power supply for the pre amp switched thru an extra contact in the jack socket.
Closer investigation showed that the contact deforms and gets to a point that it looses contact at all, but due to touching the jack plug switches on again causing load bangs which is prone to damage the speakers!A quick fix was done by bending the contacts in the socket, which gave me a few months without problems.
But after that the problem came back, which made me look for a replacement socket.
That was quite difficult to find, but I found a manufacturer and baught it directly.
Now I had two trouble free years, but a month ago it was back, now during a gig.
I want to solve this and am looking for a solution.
One idea is to by a 250 K pot with a switch contact.
Another is to add a separate switch somewhere on the front.
Anyone a better idea? Or does Ernie Ball have a fix for this?

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

The volume pot value is 25K Linear (not 250K). The others are all 50K each. If you go ahead with modifying the switching, then you'll need a wiring schematic as the jack has other wiring connected to it.

Personally, I'd try and replace the jack with the correct EBMM part. In that event, you could contact Customer Service for advice on the most convenient way to obtain it:

Customer Service

 

[danny-79]

Just simply replace the jack plug. They are a serviceable item with a limited life so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting hold of one

 

[mynan]

I would also just replace the jack plug...preferably with the correct OEM part.

I would also recommend an instrument cable with a 90-degree end run through the strap to help alleviate any stress on the jack plug.

 

[tbonesullivan]

There are really only a few ways for a jack to "sense" that a cable is plugged in and turn on the preamp. There is the physical method, which uses a jack with a contact pressed into place when a cable end is inserted, and there is the time that uses a TRS type jack to send continuity along the barrel of a TS type plug. There are plusses and minuses of both, however those are the industry standards. EBMM uses both I believe, depending on the type of installation, and possibly the type of electronics. Eventually they wear out. Some can be cleaned and retensioned, while others need to be replaced.

On my Luke III, it uses a Flush-mount TRS jack, which unfortunately wore out, probably due to certain brands of cables deciding to use larger over spec plugs to get a firmer grip. This can end up deforming jacks so that industry standard Neutrik and Switchcraft plugs won't fit tightly anymore.