Lord Valve wrote in message
...


N Cook wrote:

I often come across corroded or dirty contacts so the amp stops
functioning.
If the spriginess of the metal has failed then replace obviously, but
what
about the more usual case where it is only corrosion/airborn
contaminaion,
not really necessitating pulling the amp apart to replace them. Any
ideas
how to deal with.
1/ solvent clean the contact/s
2/ abraid the contacts with file
3/ coat the contacts with something
3/ add compressible material , glued in place, over the spring section
to
add closure force
4/ if the sockets are never used for effects etc , bridge tightly across
the
contact with fine copper wire, soldered in place, "shorting" the
switch - if
plugged into at some future point then the wire will break
5/ any other ideas to reduce the possibility of re-occurance

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/



This thread is gettin' funny.

OK, school-time: what you need is a GC Electronics 9337 "Plastone"
contact burnishing tool. This particular one is exactly the right size
for cleaning Cliff's (and Re-An and other Cliff's-clone) jacks. The
tool is flexible, and can be bent into any necessary shape to
reach the jacks' switch contacts. You insert a plug into the jack
to open the contacts, stick the burnisher between them, and
remove the plug, allowing the contacts to close on the burnisher.
You then saw the burnisher back and forth a few times to remove
the crud. THIS WILL NOT DAMAGE THE CONTACT SURFACES,
regardless of what you might see posted here by anyone else.
Finsh the job off with a shot of Caig D-5 or D-100 between the
contacts.

This GC tool is from the heyday of the telco era, and was designed
to service the phone system when it was largely electro-mechanical.
There is a larger size - the GC 9338 - which is ideal for cleaning
Switchcraft 12A and other American-style open-frame jacks found
on older Fender amps. Best thing about these tools is that they cost
less than two bucks each, and last virtually forever. Here's a dopesheet:

http://ralphselectronics.biz/images/GC-9337.jpg

If you can't find them locally, I sell 'em - and so do a lot
of other distributors. They're an essential part of any
PRO amp tech's kit.

Lord Valve
Expert

VISIT MY WEBSITE: http://www.nebsnow.com/LordValve
I specialize in top quality HAND SELECTED NOS and
current-production vacuum tubes for guitar and
bass amps. Good prices, fast service.
Authorized dealer for QSC amps, Sovtek/Electro-Harmonix,
Behringer, Hammond-Suzuki, Leslie, Rolls, Weber VST, etc.


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The trouble is calling them contacts is mutton dressed as lamb.
The static part of the "contact" is just the cut end of metal strip that is
touched by the moving part of the switch, likely to score any burnishing
tool.