Cleaning Reverb RCAs

[Bluesful]

So I have a 67 Viborlux Reverb. The amp isn't mint as it's definitely been well used. Everything works, except I have one problem with it that is kind of annoying.

The reverb's RCA cables are fickle. Some times they are sitting in their 'sweet spot' and the reverb works perfect, other times the connectors must not have a good connection and the reverb sound is weaker, or it just doesn't work.

To remedy this I normally unplug the jacks and plug them back in and move them side-to-side slightly until the connection is such that the reverb is working as it should.

Does anybody have some suggestions on how to best ensure that the best contact is being made? Is contact cleaner the best method, or what about something like this:

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-9658-signet-rca-cleaning-tool-ea.aspx

The RCAs are original so I could just replace them with new RCA cables, but it could be the jacks rather than the cable/connectors.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[pdf64]

How about retensioning the female hot contact (in the same way as a tube socket contact), using a little metal polish to brighten up the ground contact surface, then a light coat of cleaner / lube to mitigate further oxidation?

 

[PremiumPlus]

So I have a 67 Viborlux Reverb. The amp isn't mint as it's definitely been well used. Everything works, except I have one problem with it that is kind of annoying.

The reverb's RCA cables are fickle. Some times they are sitting in their 'sweet spot' and the reverb works perfect, other times the connectors must not have a good connection and the reverb sound is weaker, or it just doesn't work.

To remedy this I normally unplug the jacks and plug them back in and move them side-to-side slightly until the connection is such that the reverb is working as it should.

Does anybody have some suggestions on how to best ensure that the best contact is being made? Is contact cleaner the best method, or what about something like this:

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-9658-signet-rca-cleaning-tool-ea.aspx

The RCAs are original so I could just replace them with new RCA cables, but it could be the jacks rather than the cable/connectors.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

That's a cool little tool. I usually use pipe cleaners and deoxit. A pencil eraser works great on the male pin, you drill a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the pin and rotate it.

 

[Bluesful]

How about retensioning the female hot contact (in the same way as a tube socket contact), using a little metal polish to brighten up the ground contact surface, then a light coat of cleaner / lube to mitigate further oxidation?

Please forgive my ignorance here as I'm not the most 'technically' knowledgeable person. Are you able to explain exactly what retensioning is/how to do it?

I appreciate the input.

 

[zenas]

Does the reverb stop working or does it start making alot of noise ? If it's making alot of noise (maybe picking up radio signals) then the outside of the plug is loosing connection. That's the ground for the shield. In that case bend the outside of the femal plug in a little bit.

If the verb stops working it's the inside part. You may be able to bend the inside of the plug on the amp. Never had a problem there though and at that point I would try a new set of cables. It could be a bad spot inside the cable or a bad solder joint in there.

There's also a possibility of a bad joint inside the amp and fiddling with the jack just "fixes" it for a while.

 

[DaveKS]

Deoxit to clean, deoxit gold to prevent future corrosion and help enhance electrical connectivity. But yes outer contacts on females and sometime inner contact point of jack can need a little bending back.

Little dental proxy brushes from drug store work great cleaning in plug and jack holes, get smallest size they have.

 

[pdf64]

Are you able to explain exactly what retensioning is/how to do it?

See http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=171
The idea being to gently bend the female contact/s so that they grip on to the pin more tightly.

 

[Bluesful]

Does the reverb stop working or does it start making alot of noise ? If it's making alot of noise (maybe picking up radio signals) then the outside of the plug is loosing connection. That's the ground for the shield. In that case bend the outside of the femal plug in a little bit.

If the verb stops working it's the inside part. You may be able to bend the inside of the plug on the amp. Never had a problem there though and at that point I would try a new set of cables. It could be a bad spot inside the cable or a bad solder joint in there.

There's also a possibility of a bad joint inside the amp and fiddling with the jack just "fixes" it for a while.

There are occasions where the reverb stops working, and there are occasions when it makes a lot of noise. I also often do pick up AM radio signals - on those occasions turning the reverb knob up turns up the volume of the radio (so the reverb control effectively becomes a radio volume control).

I'll give bending the female plug a little and see how that goes.

 

[Bluesful]

See http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=171
The idea being to gently bend the female contact/s so that they grip on to the pin more tightly.

Many thanks for the info. I'll give that a go and see what happens.