Converting a 9 pin 1/4" input to a 4 pin

[Pheonix_Mcsteele]

I accidentally ordered a 9 pin 1/4" amp input for my Fender Hot Rod Deville, am I able to clip the extra pins and use it as a 4 pin? Looking at the input that was previously in the board, it looks like it had 9 pins and the extra were just cut down low enough to allow it to be put in place.

Essentially, I ordered this:
http://www.amprepairparts.com/j6074.jpg

But I need this:
http://www.amprepairparts.com/j506.jpg

Does that work or is it just hopeful?

My logic is that it essentially only needs a ground and a lead and the purpose of having multiple leads on an amp is to send the single to every path it needs to be in, so clipping any extra is no big deal.
I could be completely wrong in which case I would just order the correct part, wait it out, and suck it up.

[R ski]

If the existing jack was two pin, grab a male 1/4 plug and use a continuity meter to determine what pins you need to solder two. If the jack uses a grounding of the tip (1/4 plug), once again determine which pin closes with the tip lug, once the test plug is removed from the 9 pin jack. No need to snip off the lugs until your absolutely certain you are duplicating the jack being replaced.

[The Dude]

Welcome to the place!

It's hard to say for certain without datasheets for the jacks that you can simply cut pins. That said, most likely it will work and there's nothing you can hurt by trying. My bet is the additional pins are additional switching contacts that are unused in your amp. Do you have the original jack (maybe just the end was broken?)? If so, you can plug a cord into the jack and use your multimeter to see if the pins you will be using are the same.

[g1]

If it were not for the height difference, I would say you can clip the extra pins and use the 9-pin there. The 4 pin is called a low profile, the 9 pin is not. Once it's soldered to the board, it will not line up with the hole in the chassis.

[The Dude]

I hadn't noticed that, g1. Good point!

[Pheonix_Mcsteele]

Thanks, there's actually a lot of room in the amp. I don't think it needs to be low profile or is low profile. That's just what I accidentally ordered.

[The Dude]

Cut the extra leads and pop it in the board first, without soldering, and see if it lines up to the hole. My guess is that you'll see what g1 is talking about.

[Pheonix_Mcsteele]

I have not taken it out yet (looks like the person who owned it before me did) but this is where it need to fit (3 pins in a line and one to the left)


Here is an old input I have from a bag of parts from a friends Hot Rod Deville where it looks like the additional leads were just clipped down from a 9 to a 4.
This input was for sure in and working before eventual replacement.


Does that help?

[The Dude]

What we are talking about has nothing to do with it fitting in the circuit board. It has to do with it not lining up to the hole where it sticks through the chassis afterword.

[Enzo]

The fender jacks come in the 9 pin and the four pin. If they are physically the same housing, you should be able to snip off the extra legs leaving only the ones in the same position as your four pinner. And solder it in place.

But your picture of the 9-pin looks to have the hole right next to the board, while the 4-pin you show has the hole sitting up off the board a quarter inch or so.

From that supplier, J506 and J507 are the 4- and 9-pin versions of the same jack.

You cannot replace the short jack with the tall one and vice versa.

[Pheonix_Mcsteele]

Thanks guys, super helpful responses. I hadn't considered them being different heights, I was too concerned with connectors.

[g1]

If you need to use it, you could mount it upside down and run wires to the board.

[Pheonix_Mcsteele]

I actually took your advice regarding the height and just bought the correct input. Thanks man

[g1]

You're welcome. If you work on other Fender stuff from the red-knob era, you'll need the 9 pin eventually.

[xtian]

Late to the party, sorry. Wanted to say, I replace those crappy plastic jacks in the Hot Rod series with Switchcraft metal jacks, running short jumpers to the PCB. Switchcraft jacks fit, just barely, and are far more robust.