1/4" Jack Problem with EHX Ring Thing - Electro Harmonix - Issues

[jondom22]

I just bought an EHX Ring Thing from a friend of mine, and noticed that the 1/4" cables easily get removed from the pedal during play, causing the signal chain to be lost. I double checked this with numerous high-quality cables, including Monster and George L's, and the same thing would happen. It's as if the plug of the 1/4" cable doesn't fully click into the jack, and it can easily slide out a couple mm's, which is more than enough for the signal to get cut out.

I wanted to know if this is a problem that is inherent with the pedal, or if its a defect/issue with mine.

When I opened the pedal up, I noticed it doesn't have the normal 1/4" jacks that are in most basic Boss style pedals and the likes. Here's a link to what the jack's look like -

http://www.allparts.com/Cliff-6-Conductor-Amp-Input-Jack-p/ep-9256-000.htm

Thanks for your help (and btw, this pedal sounds awesome!!!).

 

[digiTED]

You might just need to replace the jack. It's pretty easy and if you're not the Soldering Master, than a decent tech could do it pretty cheaply. Have you tried EHX customer service? They may fix it for free or cheap.

It's worth it though, the Ring Thing as a hoss!

 

[jondom22]

You might just need to replace the jack. It's pretty easy and if you're not the Soldering Master, than a decent tech could do it pretty cheaply. Have you tried EHX customer service? They may fix it for free or cheap.

It's worth it though, the Ring Thing as a hoss!

I'm pretty novice with a soldering iron, so I wouldn't want to go in and do it myself. I just bought it earlier today privately, so I emailed EHX just to see what's up (I live in NYC so could take it to their factory) and if it's not something they would fix, then try to sell it back to my friend.

BTW, the ease at which pulling out the plugs a couple mm's from the jacks is with all of the input, mod, exp, and output jacks, so I don't necessarily think it's from heavy use (after all, my buddy purchased the pedal a couple months ago).

Anyone have similar problems with this pedal?

 

[jondom22]

anyone else have similar problems with the jack's on this pedal or these style jacks in particular? -

http://www.allparts.com/Cliff-6-Conductor-Amp-Input-Jack-p/ep-9256-000.htm

 

[kp8]

Anyone have similar problems with this pedal?

I use mine pretty often and got it right after it was released. So far no problems with mine. Jacks are fine and produce a solid connection.

 

[jondom22]

So, EHX got back to me and they pretty much didn't answer my question, and then said that warrantie's don't transfer even though this pedal was bought new a couple months ago and I gave them the serial number.

Here was there response:

"Hello. The unit is under warranty only for the original purchaser unfortunately. You can send us the unit for repair. Its a flat $25 fee.
If you are interested you can email us back your contact information and I can set this up for you.
Regards,"

That seems like a lil BS right? Usually warranties for items like this are transferrable. I mean after all, I bought from a friend who needed the money cos he just broke up with his GF and had to throw down on a new apartment. I would hate to have to ask him for my money back, and the only other option is to take it to my tech at the guitar shop and see if its a simple fix, or if they have to go and replace the jacks.

Also, Electro Harmonix tech support does not pick up their phone. You have to leave a voice-mail.

 

[digiTED]

If you friend has his sales receipt, just act like you're him. Otherwise, $25 is a fair price for the repair for an out of warranty item. Techs in my area charge $65-80 or so per hour for bench time to look at your item, so $25 = about 20 min.

I know where you're coming from on the 3 month old item thing, but that's EHX's warranty. Transferrable warranties on electronics are the exception in my experience. I've had good luck with EHX tech support in the last couple of years FWIW.

 

[jondom22]

I showed the pedal to my tech who confirmed that these enclosed jacks that they use on this pedal have a hard time holding the tip of the cable in place (and thus losing the connection). What sucks is that it's not like a standard 1/4" jack where you can just fidget with the tension of the part that holds the tip in place so that it provides a more sturdy connection.

Here's a link to the type of jack they use: http://www.allparts.com/Cliff-6-Conductor-Amp-Input-Jack-p/ep-9256-000.htm

Any Pedal builders on the forum who know what you would do to fix this problem, or is this the nature of these jacks?

If it's the nature of these jacks, is it worth replacing these jacks with standard 1/4" jacks (or even possible), or are there any other tricks to alleviate this problem, outside of just being very careful not to accidently move the pedal in live use?

Really appreciate the help!!

 

[nrandall85]

Easy solution? Pretend to be your friend and send it in for warrantee repair.

Honestly, I hate those jacks.

 

[jondom22]

that's what I'm thinking, or even goin to the shop where the kid got it at in the city and having them exchange it.

Though I guess the real question is are these pedals/jacks inherently going to have those problems? Does anyone else own this pedal or other EHX pedals with the same jacks and have had that problem?

 

[digiTED]

I've owned a number of the big XO series and still have and use my Ring Thing. No probs with the jacks. You may have gotten "lucky".

 

[jondom22]

I've owned a number of the big XO series and still have and use my Ring Thing. No probs with the jacks. You may have gotten "lucky".

Hahah. Lucky indeed. So you never noticed that the cable plugs can get pulled out ever so slightly (literally a couple millimeters) and lose their signal on any of those pedals?

 

[digiTED]

Hahah. Lucky indeed. So you never noticed that the cable plugs can get pulled out ever so slightly (literally a couple millimeters) and lose their signal on any of those pedals?

Nope. Haven't had any issues with the jacks. I use pre-made George Ls and Spectra-Flex if that helps.

 

[jondom22]

Nope. Haven't had any issues with the jacks. I use pre-made George Ls and Spectra-Flex if that helps.

Ya, its def not the cables cos I tried out a bunch of different cables from different companies, and had the same results. When you open up the pedal and expose the guts, you can see that when you fully insert the plug into the jack, all three of the metal tab things on the enclosed jack become "raised," but when the cable gets pulled back 1-2mm, the last metal tab thing on the jack goes back to its normal position, and thus the connection between the plug and the jack is not made.

Such a weird problem to have. I really gotta get EHX on the phone and see if they can just tell me what's exactly wrong with it, or maybe I'll see if I can A/B it against another Ring Thing at another shop nearby.

 

[theelectic]

It's not the jacks themselves per se, it's that they're made to looser tolerances. Probably cheap Eastern offshore made junk in there. I had a similar problem with a very expensive pedal when used with no-name cables, it turned out to be the plug used on the cable wasn't standard. The jacks were fine when used with Neutrik plugs. Replace the jacks with high quality Switchcraft ones and you should be good to go.

 

[jondom22]

It's not the jacks themselves per se, it's that they're made to looser tolerances. Probably cheap Eastern offshore made junk in there. I had a similar problem with a very expensive pedal when used with no-name cables, it turned out to be the plug used on the cable wasn't standard. The jacks were fine when used with Neutrik plugs. Replace the jacks with high quality Switchcraft ones and you should be good to go.

Hmmm. I tried this with both George L's and some gold-plated Monster cables, both straight and angled.

So no one has had this problem with any of the EHX XO series or similar EHZ pedals that use these jacks?

Do you think it's gonna be a pain in the ass and not worth the money to change out the jacks?

 

[dramaticrunner]

might just be a bad jack, or the jack was stretched out. but those types of jacks are incredibly common.

 

[jondom22]

might just be a bad jack, or the jack was stretched out. but those types of jacks are incredibly common.

Ya, so it seems like the consensus is that people don't have problems with cable plugs being easily pulled out a couple millimeters and losing the signal as a result with this specific pedal, or similar EHX XO series in which they use those enclosed jacks.

No one else has had this problem?

 

[flintstoned]

I had this problem once, but it was a monster cable popping out of almost any pedal I plugged it into. FWIW $25 is probably the cheapest repair charge you'll find.

 

[roundaboutmusic]

They use the same kind of jacks in the Polytune. A few months ago the tip ripped off one of my (admittedly cheap and nasty) patch cables and lodged inside the output jack.
After opening up the pedal and prising out the broken plug, the tuner wouldn't send signal unless it had my planet waves cable with the oversize plug in it.

Of course, last gig I lost the cable...