What's the best contact cleaner for 1/4" jacks in amps and guitars?

  • Thread starter Thread starter harddriver
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harddriver
Well-known member
I don't clean the jacks on my amps and guitars much if at all but I think it's about time I do so, what do you guys normally use and what's your procedure?

Deoxit D100 or WD40 contact cleaner........I would assume you just want to clean the oxidation off the contacts and do not want any lubricant left behind like the Deoxit D5 leaves for guitar and amp potentiometers.
 
I've had great luck with Peavey Funk Out. Goofy name but the stuff works great.
 
I use the wd40 branded contact cleaner (specifically the ‘electronics contact cleaner,’ never want to use regular wd40 on electronics) for everything except pots. Seems to work fine.

For pots I have a can of EML contact cleaner and lubricant.

The deoxit stuff is like 5x the price or something here in the U.K. when I last looked.
 
harddriver said:
I have Deoxit D5 around the shop, doesn't the leftover lubricant tend to gum the jacks up?
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I've never had a problem yet ..... but I use the littlest amount possible ..... it's actually suppose to be a lubricant also .... but I know what you mean .... if you over spray ... the stuff will get thick and tacky ....

I should add .... I never spray directly into a jack ..... I spray a small dead patch cable that I have .... and smack the excess off on the edge of the trash can .... then I'll insert ... reinsert a few times ...

when I do pots .... I spray into the trash a little so when I stop there's just a little dribbling out of the red straw ... and I literally let a couple of drops get into the pot .... and then twist back and forth .... rinse and repeat if needed .
 
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DeOxit D5 for me as well; same procedure. Never an issue.
 
Just get a .25 bronze wire brush. I bought a bunch years ago and still use the first one I opened. I clean every jack at least once a year.

Doggie approved too!

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I just picked up some CRC Quick Dry Electronics Contact cleaner and sprayed the jack in one of my 83 Kramer guitars that was giving me issues, it seems a bit better but the original jack in the ole 1983 Kramer may end up just needing to be replaced( I do have one for it) because if I rotate the 1/4 Jack plug enough it still will crackle a bit.

So far the contact cleaner seems to have helped!

Thanks for all the information and suggestions.
 
psychodave said:
Just get a .25 bronze wire brush...
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Yup. I use the same kind of brush. You can get them at any gun store (22 cal.). I like to squirt a little cleaner on the bristles, chuck it up in my Makita, and run it through the jack while twisting. Then I'll wrap the brush with one layer of a torn-off piece of paper towel and run it back thru the jack to dry and wipe off the residue. Leaves the contact surfaces like new.
 
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BackCrack said:
Yup. I use same kind of brush. You can get them at any gun store (22 cal.). I like to squirt a little cleaner on the bristles, chuck it up in my Makita, and run it through the jack while twisting. Then I'll wrap the brush with one layer of a torn-off piece of paper towel and run it back thru the jack to dry and wipe off the residue. Leaves the contact surfaces like new.
Click to expand...


I soak my pedals in kerosine.

Then light on fire for slow burn.


🔥 🔥 🔥
 
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