Drilling a jack hole in the lower bout of my (cheap) guitar

[Thoughtfree]

I have a sub-200 buck all-laminate Takamine dreadnought, and a soundboard pickup I wish to install.

Because I dislike endpin jacks, I am sorely tempted to drill a hole in the side of the lower bout, and install a quarter-inch output jack there. Maybe with an LP-style jack plate.

Anybody ever do this? I know that drillling a hole for a side jack is heresy. But a few knuckleheads used to do this in the 70s, before the endpin jack was invented. I owned a J45 back in the day, that a previous owner had drilled such a jack hole into.

Thanks for any responses from lo-buck tinkerers like myself.

[PineMarten]

Guitar sides are usually quite thin and even laminate sides can fracture quite easily from leverage on a straight jack. So if you do it, I'd want some sort of reinforcing patch around the hole to add some rigidity, something like a large washer shaped from thin plywood and glued on the inside.

[ProfChris]

It's been done many times.

The important thing is to glue a block inside to reinforce the spot where the hole will be. Something about 2 inches square should be sufficient. The depth should be around 1/4 inch. It needs to be shaped to the inside profile and then glued firmly in place.

If you don't reinforce, someone is guaranteed to step on the lead and rip the jack socket out of the side, splintering the laminate around it!

[Charlie Bernstein]

It happens. Looks a little strange, but it's no crime. The sound is the same. As mentioned above, the wood isn't as strong as at the endpin.

Why don't you like endpin jacks? If it's because they're bigger than strap holes, the Tapastring StrapKeeper solves that. I have them on all my acoustic guitars.

[Thoughtfree]

Good suggestion about the Strapkeeper. Thanks, Mr. Bernstein.

Since you asked, my dislike of endpin jacks has to do with these factors:

• You need to cut one hole in your leather strap end bigger to accomodate the endpin jack. (I use a woodcarving tool with a rounded blade.) Then you can only use that strap. (The Strapkeeper eliminates this problem.)
  
• If you or the soundman only have straight-plug cables, then the space you and your guitar take up is automatically widened by two or three inches, including the curve of the cable. This can make a difference, especially in the small stages I have been used to.
  
• You have to crank your hanging guitar stand another few inches higher, to accomodate a straight plug.
  
• A cable protruding from an endpin jack just looks funny to me. I tend to anthropomorphize my guitars a bit; a plug and cable protruding directly out from the bottom of a guitar vaguely remind me of various unpleasant medical procedures.
  
• As a longtime electric player, to me, connecting the cable to a jack on the lower bout seems the right thing to do. When I plug in, I'm no longer playing an acoustic guitar, right?

(Let me add a big YMMV to this post. Millions and millions of guitar players find endpin jacks highly useful.)

[Methos1979]

You can also buy for cheap an offset jack adapter that allows you to use a regular end pin jack but not have to deal with widening your strap holes. I've used them in the past for when I want to use strap locks but it would obviously work for just a plain strap as well. About $20 on Amazon. They are called Acousti-Lok by Music Nomad. You just screw off the stock jack button and screw on one of these. They come in three different models, standard thread, metric thread and one for the Taylor systems.

This is what they look like, shown here with my preferred strap lock system. Also note that you can put on different types of strap buttons:

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

Good suggestion about the Strapkeeper. Thanks, Mr. Bernstein.

Please! Call me Charlie!

Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

Since you asked, my dislike of endpin jacks has to do with these factors:

• You need to cut one hole in your leather strap end bigger to accomodate the endpin jack. (I use a woodcarving tool with a rounded blade.) Then you can only use that strap. (The Strapkeeper eliminates this problem.)

• Yup. That's why I started using StrapKeepers.
  
  

  Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

  If you or the soundman only have straight-plug cables, then the space you and your guitar take up is automatically widened by two or three inches, including the curve of the cable. This can make a difference, especially in the small stages I have been used to.

  I've run into the small stage, too. Some people use right-angle jacks, but they're merciless on the socket if you happen to step or yank on the cable. You're right, it's a good reason to put the hole elsewhere.
  
  

  Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

  You have to crank your hanging guitar stand another few inches higher, to accomodate a straight plug.

  Hm. I use a three-guitar rack at my acoustic gigs and haven't found that. I've only run into it with my mandolin, and that's because I have a Tapastring mini-socket and need extra inches for the adapter.
  
  

  Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

  A cable protruding from an endpin jack just looks funny to me. I tend to anthropomorphize my guitars a bit; a plug and cable protruding directly out from the bottom of a guitar vaguely remind me of various unpleasant medical procedures.

  
  Yeah, you're right, it does look funny. I've always thought electric and acoustic sockets should be on the back of the instrument, not on the front or side.
  
  

Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

[*]As a longtime electric player, to me, connecting the cable to a jack on the lower bout seems the right thing to do. When I plug in, I'm no longer playing an acoustic guitar, right?

Right!

Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

(Let me add a big YMMV to this post. Millions and millions of guitar players find endpin jacks highly useful.)

I get it now. I think the only reason I like endpin jacks is that the hole (albeit too small) is already there.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Thoughtfree

I have a sub-200 buck all-laminate Takamine dreadnought, and a soundboard pickup I wish to install.

Because I dislike endpin jacks, I am sorely tempted to drill a hole in the side of the lower bout, and install a quarter-inch output jack there. Maybe with an LP-style jack plate.

Anybody ever do this? I know that drillling a hole for a side jack is heresy. But a few knuckleheads used to do this in the 70s, before the endpin jack was invented. I owned a J45 back in the day, that a previous owner had drilled such a jack hole into.

Thanks for any responses from lo-buck tinkerers like myself.

Hi Thoughtfree…
I prefer the end pin install. There is wood there underneath the outer wood of the body to reinforce and strengthen the install of jacks and end pins.

There is zero support wood (unless you curve some to fit) under the jack in a side-install.

I have electrics with the 'side' install, and I pretty much hate them. They stick down when I put the guitar in its stand (so I have to remember to run my stands higher so I don't jam the jack into the ground).

Just my thoughts…

[LAPlayer]

I think the reason input jacks are placed where they are is that it's the natural place for them. I've been playing for over 40 years and any 2" extra distance for an endpin jack has never been an issue. Additionally, you have the strap to protect and shroud the endpin. If it bugs you, just carry a 90 degree input jack in your case. However, it's your guitar, do whatever you like.

[Rudy4]

I prefer to have a separate jack in the tail block. I use recessed strap buttons so having them separate works well.