Stereo Jack question

[greaser_au]

Hi Canucker,

You would use these switching jacks where you wanted to disconnect something when you insert a plug, say, in a transistor radio for example. In your top picture - the top tab is grounded, the middle tab to the radio output, and the bottom tab would go to the speaker - when you plug your earphone in, it disconnects the speaker -leaving the signal connected to your earphone.

On looking for a suitable image I found gaussmarkov's excellent plug/jack resource page here:   http://gaussmarkov.net/wordpress/parts/connectors/14-phone-jacks-and-plugs/.  The one you want is the middle one. what you have in your image is the one on the right.

I have heard rumour of persons unknown bending the switching contact into a ring contact when in a pinch- but that just makes me shudder...

david

[davent]

Also those are used for the input to tube amps grounding the input so you don't get hum/buzz when nothing is plugged into the amp. The confusion is coming from the earlier illustration that has a jack labeled as a Switchcraft 12b but shows a mono jack with three solder tabs, no second plug contact.

[Canucker]

So in other words I'm not mental and I bought the wrong thing because it was incorrectly labeled and I should just use it as a regular mono jack and I'm left with some shopping to do. I swear I wouldn't survive without this place. Thanks guys! 

[Canucker]

So basically i want to get something like these I'm guessing.... http://www.taydaelectronics.com/hardware/6-35mm-1-4-plugs-jacks/6-35mm-1-4-stereo-chassis-socket-jack-4-terminals.html http://www.taydaelectronics.com/hardware/6-35mm-1-4-plugs-jacks/6-35mm-1-4-stereo-chassis-socket-jack-3-terminals.html ....and are these second ones new? I swear I didn't see them there before.

[Jdansti]

>So in other words I'm not mental...
No comment

>use it as a regular mono jack
Yes, and you might find other uses as mentioned above.

So basically i want to get something like these I'm guessing....

That would work, although it also has a NC switch that you probably don't need. The problem is that the 3-terminal non-switched stereo jack at Tayda is almost 3x the cost of 4-terminal one. Maybe different grades/manufacturers??

You could cover all of the bases with one of these guys:

[Canucker]

the pricier one says "high quality solid construction". I just want something from where I already shop... pain in the butt driving an hour for parts or waiting half a month mail order....and being in Canada is always a pain for mail order.

[Jdansti]

Come on down to Texas my friend!  Everyone's welcome and each new citizen gets a free gun!

[Canucker]

I'm from Canada....whats a gun?

[Jdansti]

 

[duck_arse]

this won't help any, but .....

I always use a boxed-type jack for power switching. *if* you get the right type, you get a stereo jack with 2 spdt isolated switches. if you get the WRONG type, you end up with an isolated spst, normally closed switch.

I have no need for the stereo-ness of the socket, so the ring connects to ground for more connection, less resistance, better reliabillity.

[Canucker]

Here is what I ended up with after showing up downtown 6 minutes after the shop I intended to go to closed...thurstdays/fridays till 8 not 9...sucks to be me! So they have four tabs and I was advised to remove the one piece that makes a connection when the jack is unplugged....they were two bucks a piece and I bought six...thats waht I get for showing up late! https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/p206x206/947243_10151617259210631_2114894050_n.jpghttps://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/270933_10151617259735631_1048708048_n.jpg

[Jdansti]

> advised to remove the one piece that makes a connection when the jack is unplugged

Seems that you could ignore the switched lug and just not connect anything to it.

[Tony Forestiere]

Bend these guys away so they don't make contact with the tip:



Then fire up your meter to measure continuity from the shorting contacts (the ones you bent out of the way), to its corresponding terminal. Snap them off, or mark them in some way that you will remember to not use them. If you leave the contacts, don't let the bent contact touch anywhere close to your guitar plug. Been there.

*edit* I just remembered that many of these shorting jacks sent the tip signal to the sleeve/ground when unplugged. Just snap or cut off the pieces at the red arrows and you should be fine.

[Canucker]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest for me to find in their simple version. Glad I have you guys to give me some direction or confirm things I'm sometimes thinking but not sure of.