#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Can you use a 1/4"stereo chassis mounted socket instead of 1/4"mono output socket ? Cheers.

I could only find a 1/4" stereo chassis mounted socket in our local hi-fi shop and was wondering if this will be ok for mono output as it has more solder tabs?

Also a piezo question, I have a piezo out of a smoke alarm which has 3 wires soldered to it instead of 2, a red wire soldered to the middle pad, a green wire soldered to the outer metal disc, and a third white wire soldered to another area of the middle pad within a conductive track that runs in a T shape. Should I cut the white wire off? I am becomming more and more obsess with making this thing come to life, help!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fergus Morris on January 9, 2010 at 3:35am

stereo sockets work fine. if you solder the two positive terminals together and the two negative terminals together it is just like a mono one. Don't know about the piezos, sorry!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Robert Edwin Keable on January 9, 2010 at 5:35am

many thanks

Fergus Morris said:

stereo sockets work fine. if you solder the two positive terminals together and the two negative terminals together it is just like a mono one. Don't know about the piezos, sorry!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RL Mott on January 9, 2010 at 5:39am

Fergus Morris said:

stereo sockets work fine. if you solder the two positive terminals together and the two negative terminals together it is just like a mono one. Don't know about the piezos, sorry!

It'll work fine , but there's only one "positive" for the "tip" , unless you're using a stereo input plug/cord. If you solder any of the others to it ,that will ground it .

Jack anatomy & pics

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David L. on January 9, 2010 at 8:59am

Hi,

Regarding the piezo - it sounds like a self drive type more info here http://www.murata.com/catalog/p15e6.pdf the extra wire is for making the oscillating siren noise and has no effect on using the disc as a pickup. You could wire up as you suggest but before cutting the extra wire try adding it to the middle pad wire and see if it increases the output.

A quick way to check the piezo is OK is just hold the wires to an electric guitar jackplug linked to an amp and talk into it- careful the wires don't ping off the disc though.

Sounds like you will be generating life pretty soon.
David

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brendan deVallance on January 9, 2010 at 10:52am

you can also just wire up the piezo and see if it works before installing it. it is really just a microphone. Plug it all into an amp and tap it, that will let you know if there are any issues.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Robert Edwin Keable on January 9, 2010 at 1:08pm

Hi just tried your test and its a live piezo also soldered in the other (white) wire to the inner pad. Many many thanks to you all this site is fantastic everyone really helpful.

David Lloyd said:

Hi,

Regarding the piezo - it sounds like a self drive type more info here http://www.murata.com/catalog/p15e6.pdf the extra wire is for making the oscillating siren noise and has no effect on using the disc as a pickup. You could wire up as you suggest but before cutting the extra wire try adding it to the middle pad wire and see if it increases the output.

A quick way to check the piezo is OK is just hold the wires to an electric guitar jackplug linked to an amp and talk into it- careful the wires don't ping off the disc though.

Sounds like you will be generating life pretty soon.
David