# Guitar Cutting Out at Shows



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 12, 2014)

It seems that every single time I play a show, my shit doesn't work. 

After thinking I had a defunct instrument cable (which caused things to be messed up at the last show), I replaced it. Yet still when I played, the guitar would cut out whenever I moved around a lot, and then i would have to jiggle everything and stand still for it to be consistent. Yay.

Mid-show I swapped a friend's patch cable with the older of the two I was using (the other being brand new) and thought it would fix it - nope.  fvck me right?

SO I have absolutely no idea was is going on. 
-guitar was bought brand new in December 2013
-swapped all the instrument cables and it persisted
-tubes are only 6> months old

I want to make sure this doesn't happen again next show. SSO, you're my only hope.


----------



## Daf57 (Jul 12, 2014)

Man! Hate to hear that! *But don't wait for the next show* - set your stuff up and start troubleshooting asap! Try another guitar and see if it still does it. If it doesn't check your main guitar output jack by moving the cable (simulate stage movement) around. If the issue continues regardless of the guitar check the jacks on the amp/try a friends amp. 

I'm sure you'll get more suggestions! Good luck, man!


----------



## downburst82 (Jul 12, 2014)

My first instinct would be the input jack too


----------



## darren (Jul 12, 2014)

Are you using Planet Waves cables, by any chance? They tend to be a little oversized, especially the ones with the "spring" contact thingy near the cable end of the plug, and they have a tendency to enlarge the jacks they're plugged into, resulting in loose and faulty connections over time. 

If you're using a Planet Waves cable, replace your output jack, and return the cable and replace it with something else. If it's not a Planet Waves cable, it could just be bad connections at the output jack that need re-soldering.


----------



## Mklane (Jul 12, 2014)

Is it a Shecter?


----------



## Steinmetzify (Jul 12, 2014)

Output jack; just fixed a friend's guitar with the same issue. Older Schecter...dude is a nut onstage and shook everything loose. Resoldered and it's fine.


----------



## Alex Kenivel (Jul 12, 2014)

plug in to amp with no pedals, to rule them out of the equation if the problem persists


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 13, 2014)

Daf57 said:


> Man! Hate to hear that! *But don't wait for the next show* - set your stuff up and start troubleshooting asap! Try another guitar and see if it still does it. If it doesn't check your main guitar output jack by moving the cable (simulate stage movement) around. If the issue continues regardless of the guitar check the jacks on the amp/try a friends amp.
> 
> I'm sure you'll get more suggestions! Good luck, man!



Thanks dude! I'll definitely check that out, output jack seems plausible.


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 13, 2014)

steinmetzify said:


> Output jack; just fixed a friend's guitar with the same issue. Older Schecter...dude is a nut onstage and shook everything loose. Resoldered and it's fine.



(Attempting to not sound cocky) 

I would say that I'm a bit of a nut on stage too, good suggestion!


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 13, 2014)

Not using Planet Waves or Schecter! Peavey cables (only thing I can find local) and a Jackson JS22-7


----------



## Mprinsje (Jul 13, 2014)

i have that too, it's definately a output jack thing. I can't solder to save my life so i'm just using an other guitar with emg's for live use or band practice and use that guitar for recording and writing.


----------



## darren (Jul 13, 2014)

If memory serves, those JS series Jacksons have Switchcraft-style open jacks mounted,on oval plates. Two possibilities are that either a wire has come loose, or the jack has twisted around and the wires are shorting out against each other or the plug. Easy fix.


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 13, 2014)

Alright dudes so I did what you suggested and checked out the input jack, it was a bit loose so I tightened it (the proper way) and it looked like all the wires and solder joints were OK. However, there was a small black wire coming out of a small hole, I'm assuming its the bridge ground, should it be connected to anything? It was just hanging there so I taped it off.


----------



## Steinmetzify (Jul 14, 2014)

Passives yes, actives I don't think so...might have been bumping the jack and shorting it out?


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 14, 2014)

I taped up that ground wire just to be sure.

Then I played with my pedalboard and jiggled everything: the perpetrator was the wah pedal. The input must be fvcked up, so no more wah for me!

THANKS DUDES


----------



## Steinmetzify (Jul 14, 2014)

Nice man, glad you got it!


----------



## Daf57 (Jul 14, 2014)

Awesome! Now you can go back to doing standing backflips during the solos!  

I bet the Wah can be fixed - you might start with just seeing if tightening the jack helps. If not there could just be a loose connection in there somewhere.


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 14, 2014)

as if I have any solos, I'm not much of a lead player


I'll probably mess around with the wah eventually but I'll leave it off the board for now as I was thinking about taking it off anyway. Thanks again!


----------



## CanniballistiX (Jul 14, 2014)

I had a similar problem. Switched out cables and still couldn't locate the short. It was the Output of my Boss TU-2...


----------



## Alex Kenivel (Jul 14, 2014)

Has wah. 

Doesn't play leads. 

I'm just messing with ya. I have terrible luck with wahs


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 14, 2014)

Alex Kenivel said:


> Has wah.
> 
> Doesn't play leads.
> 
> I'm just messing with ya. I have terrible luck with wahs



 yeah... well I play leads, just not traditional solos. Really only used the wah in 1 or 2 parts in the whole set, so it was really just taking up space


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2014)

ScurrilousNerd said:


> I taped up that ground wire just to be sure.
> 
> Then I played with my pedalboard and jiggled everything: the perpetrator was the wah pedal. The input must be fvcked up, so no more wah for me!
> 
> THANKS DUDES



You can do the same kind of troubleshooting on your wah pedal. Just open it up and look for loose wires.


----------



## Alex Kenivel (Jul 15, 2014)

ScurrilousNerd said:


> yeah... well I play leads, just not traditional solos. Really only used the wah in 1 or 2 parts in the whole set, so it was really just taking up space



I feel it, I just finally abandoned my wah..I miss it a little but I have an auto wah feature on a other pedal on my board, it's no solid replacement but works.

Glad you found the problem.


----------



## coldandhomeless (Jul 16, 2014)

the bare black wire is supposed to be under ur bridge so when u touch the strings, hum goes away... without it u probably gonna have a humming problem....


----------



## ScurrilousNerd (Jul 16, 2014)

coldandhomeless said:


> the bare black wire is supposed to be under ur bridge so when u touch the strings, hum goes away... without it u probably gonna have a humming problem....



What do you mean under the bridge? 

And I don't really have issues with humming so I don't think it's a problem, but I could be wrong.


----------



## coldandhomeless (Jul 17, 2014)

im referring to the wire u taped off... if its all good, its all good..


----------

