The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: General tech questions: Loose Jack/Ground wire

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Loose Jack/Ground wire

- Rated: 15 ↑
Aug 1, 2008 4:02 a.m. Matt:

Two Questions:

Ever since I installed my varitone, I haven't been able to tighten my jack sufficiently. It gets to a point where turning the nut just turns the jack with it. Someone mentioned using a drywall anchor but that didn't quite work. Maybe I just need to try again with a nonadjustable wrench so I can get a better angle...

Any thoughts are appreciated.

On an additional note. My ground wire is just a bit short; it goes through the tailpiece hole, but doesn't want to stay there and has been known to slide bakc into the body leaving me a nice grounding buzz. would taping the exposed wire to the bigsby with a thin strip of tape ruin some sort or something or rather or is that a good idea to keep it in place and make sure that it's being grounded to the bigsby firmly?

Again, any thoughts are appreciated.
- Rated: 46 ↑
Aug 1, 2008 4:25 a.m. Timthom62:

I generally tighten the jack by holding the very end of it with a pair of needle-nosed pliers and tightening the nut with a wrench. Don't over-tighten though - that sound of cracking wood is something we never want to hear. Also don't let the pliers slip as this can damage your threads, or squeeze too tight as that can distort the jack. (Jeez, when I put it like that it makes me wonder if it's something I should be suggesting in the first place.)

Some folks like to use "Loctite" or other thread-locking compounds, but I generally just buy another (cheap) jack and take the nut from it and run that down tight behind the first nut to act as a locknut.

For the ground wire, it's best to have the firm contact that being pinned by the Bigsby provides; but since splicing more wire on to the existing ground wire is a bit of a pain, a piece of non-conducting electrical tape that holds the wire tight to the Bigsby should work.

Best of luck.
- Rated: 42 ↑
Aug 1, 2008 10:47 a.m. tartan phantom:

You can also use a pair of narrow snap ring pliers. As opposed to regular pliers, the jaws on them are closed when not in use, and they OPEN when you squeeze them. just insert the tip of the pliers inside the jackhole, squeezing the pliers will force the jaws against the inside of the jack wall. The harder you squeeze, the tighter they grip. this should hold the jack steady enough without turning to get a small flat open-end wrench in place to tighten the nut.
- Rated: 15 ↑
Aug 1, 2008 3:45 p.m. Matt:

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!

In my failed efforts to tighten yesterday, one of the wires on the jack must've came loose and now it makes a horrible horrible humming sound. I am not happy right now and do not feel like soldering it all together again. Hopefully I can just feed it through the f-hole and not have to take everything else apart.

Hollowbody guitars. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

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