Input Jacks and humidity/salt

[JM Convert]

Hello everyone,

I don't contribute much but I read and love you all 5 days a week. OSG is my lunchtime reading.

I haven't played my guitars or pedals for about 10 years. Now several of my guitar pedals and my acoustic guitar no longer pass signal. I plug them in and either get electrical noise or no output. I live close to the beach in warm (not dry/not wet) weather.

I sprayed deoxit onto the plugs and into the jacks but that didn't work. (I do not have the straw for my deoxit bottle and the WD-40 bottle straw doesn't fit).

I don't feel confident trying to repair the acoustic guitar input jack on my own.

I was thinking about taking the acoustic guitar to my local shop and having them explain to me why the jack stopped working so I could fix the pedals myself but I don't know if they would share that information and I figured one of you would have it.

This should really be in Pat's drunk thread.

[whitewatersky]

This should really be in Pat's drunk thread.

love it - I know the feeling ! Wish I wasn't so technically useless or I'd chime in with something more useful

[bipedal2]

Did you confirm that your cable(s) are functioning ok? I've had cables crud out before input and output jacks.

[GilmourD]

Did you confirm that your cable(s) are functioning ok? I've had cables crud out before input and output jacks.

Also, cable straight into the amp would be my first troubleshooting test. Touch the other end so it buzzes. Got buzz? Plug it into the guitar. Does the guitar make sound? Add the pedals one at a time until it stops working.

[JM Convert]

The cables were the first to go.

I bought new cables and my electric guitars work straight through to the amp. Many of my pedals work. Just a few seem dead.

The acoustic guitar input jack buzzes when I plug in a new cable but does not produce any sound once the cable is fully inserted.

Thanks for the replies.

I'll probably take the acoustic to a tech and have them sort it out.

[Futuron]

Have the batteries leaked inside the units?

[Bradley-Jazz]

Have the batteries leaked inside the units?

There is probably a (dead?) battery in the acoustic too.

[LVC]

You can clean oxidised contacts (in jacks and in battery compartments) with some fine steel wool or, in a pinch, with a scouring pad. Works even on the most corroded contacts, provided there's some metal left.
Just make sure you vacuum all the tiny metallic dust that might otherwise cause shorts or further oxidation.