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Post new topic Lap Steel Cable Jack???
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Author Topic:  Lap Steel Cable Jack???
Michael Miller


From:
Virginia
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2003 11:11 am    
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Why are some lap steel cable jacks designed to accept a screw-on adapter instead of the more standard 1/4 inch plug? Does anybody sell replacement cables? Thanks.
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John Tipka

 

From:
Reynoldsburg,OH
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2003 1:08 pm    
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Sounds like you have an old National guitar with a "legacy" single conductor male microphone connector (Switchcraft 2501MP)mounted on the body. The matching female connector with 5/8-27 threads is available. I bought a couple from Mouser Electronics a couple of years ago. The part number is Switchcraft 2501F.
http://www.switchcraft.com

Probably will cost about $4-->$5.

John
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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2003 2:51 pm    
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I've also seen these old-style connectors referred to as "Amphenol" connectors. Prior to the standardization of guitar>amplifier connectors, there were a couple of different ways to connect your steel to your amp. I've seen lap steels with the cord built into the steel body and the Amphenol type connector. Neither method is as convenient as the standard mono 1/4" jack used currently by other instruments.
Angela Instruments sells a 20 foot cord with an Amphenol connector on one end and a standard connector on the other. Click on "Microphones" to see the cable in question.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 15 January 2003 at 02:52 PM.]

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D Schubert

 

From:
Columbia, MO, USA
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2003 7:59 pm    
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Radio Shack used to have a small metal adapter that was the female "Amphenol" connector on one end and a female 1/4" plug on the other, so that you could put it on the guitar and leave it...and work with any 1/4" cord that was handy. But I don't know if those are available any more.
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Michael Miller


From:
Virginia
Post  Posted 16 Jan 2003 4:29 am    
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Thanks guys. I will have a National Dynamic on its way real soon that I purchased on Ebay and I might be needing this type of cable. I read on an earlier post that many have converted this to accept standard 1/4" plug. Is that a big deal or expensive to do? Thanks in advance.
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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 16 Jan 2003 10:00 am    
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I had Gary Brawer do the conversion on my National New Yorker. It's invisible to the uninformed - looks like it's always had the standard guitar jack. As I remember, it was under $50 or so. Gary is the guitar tech for Joe Satriani among others.
I don't think it would be hard to do this yourself if you have any electronic experience. I had it done because I have neither the time nor the inclination to do it myself.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

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Michael Miller


From:
Virginia
Post  Posted 16 Jan 2003 10:07 am    
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Thanks Brad, I have plenty of inclination but am short on talent/patience. If I decide on conversion, I will find a pro.
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Steve Knight

 

From:
NC
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2005 4:08 pm    
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Hello,

I just picked up an Oahu lap steel on eBay. It has an amphenol connector on it. I'd like to put a 1/4 jack in it's place (without butchering the lap steel.) I was able to unscrew the jack from the lap steel. It was held in place by a single solder joint/wire. I was going to take the removed amphenol jack with me to Radio Shack to see if I could either find a 1/4 screw-in jack with the same thread measurements; or, see if I could find a amphenol-to-1/4 adapter. (I'd rather not use an amphenol cable, as the guys in my band seem to have one amphenol cable per year die on their vintage mics.)

Does anyone have any experience with this conversion? Do you have a manufacturer or part number?

I'll post what I can find in the store, if I get anywhere tomorrow. It should be an easy fix, if I can find the right part.

Thank you,

Steve Knight
Arlington, VA
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Roy Thomson


From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2005 5:41 pm    
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I have a National Dynamic and had a problem with the connector shorting.
I bought a new regular guitar chord and had
a friend take the 1/4 jack off one end and
replace it with the amphenol connector from the original chord. It was a simple procedure and I have had no problem since.
I prefer this approach as it maintains the
original design. http://www.clictab.com/RoyT/Roy_Thomson_Steel_Courses.htm

RT

[This message was edited by Roy Thomson on 19 August 2005 at 06:43 PM.]

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Ron Victoria

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2005 6:21 pm    
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Sam Ash sells the connector from Switchcraft for $2. It's sometimes called an amphenol connector as mentioned above.

Ron
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Tom Baylis

 

From:
Portland, Oregon
Post  Posted 23 Aug 2005 8:02 am    
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These old amphenol connectors were used on older mic's for quite some time. Here's another source for amphenol to 1/4" adaptors and cord/cable connectors:
http://www.jt30.com/jt30page/eacstore.html#cat2

great folks, easy to do business with...

Tom
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Don LaCourse

 

From:
Spring Hill, FL, USA
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2005 2:43 pm    
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I JUST BOUGHT A SIXSTRING ELECTROMUSE LAP STEEL ON EBAY, I NEED A PICKUP FOR IT IF ANY ONE HAS ONE FOR SALE, PLEASE EMAIL ME.THANKS, DON.
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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 25 Aug 2005 7:30 am    
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Don,
Put your request in the appropriate area (Wanted to Buy) and you'll probably have better results. Good luck!

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

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