Broken Acoustic Preamp? Try these fixes - Guitar Repair Advice

At one point or another, all acoustic electrics have issues with either scratchy noises or just flat out not working. These are a couple of my go to tests and things to check if your favorite guitar just isn't sounding right. Show me a comment or question below!

[@TheBorderHookups]

Hello - I have a Takamine G-series acoustic guitar. The volume slider on the guitar is ultra sensitive to the point where I have to VERY careful adjusting it at shows. It goes from zero to very loud within the first 1/4 of the slide allotment. Meaning the top 3/4 is not even usable. I really appreciate your channel and your advice! - Dave

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Thank you Dave!

[@billhautz5861]

Same problem with output jack making little to no contact. The female part on the jack board is enclosed except, of course, for the opening but its too small how in the world am I gonna get inside that to clean it and tighten it up for better contact on the male plug?

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

That is the worst - Is it a barrel jack? I haven't found any fix besides replacement for these.

[@REDKLOK_-_The_Original]

I always preferred my roller knobs on the front of the guitar, as opposed to the slider potentiometers and the preamp box on the top. I just ordered a classical acoustic and now it's on back order, so while I'm at it, I am trying to find what little info I can on the resistance values of the potentiometers inside any of the acoustic preamps out there. I got one from guitar fetish's website and I think it was either a 100k or a 10k, but it was a long time ago, and I can't remember. I've been hunting and any active audio equipment can be using pots of any size. I do know they differ a lot from the active circuitry found with EMS's. They're only 25k but I'm thinking of around 100k for those slider pots found on acoustics. It's one of those things that I feel like these manufacturers should provide, instead of having to order them before hand (even though I'm only one guy asking for one weird request), rip it apart after it arrives, look to see if the potentiometers have any printing on them, if not, THEN I got to rip them off, if inaccessible, THEN bust out my tester in hopes to find their value. It's ok for me to do it that way for myself, BUT after I'm done with my project, I'll offer it to anyone else who likes my setup at gigs and open mics. It just is a shame these companies don't list those kinds of things. I don't want to say "yeah I can do it" and suddenly their choice of preamp has something that I can't even find on a site like mouser.com ... then I'm stuck with "I can't do it", which is not my business calling card... This can't be THAT unique of a request in information for companies to provide: My CRT television from over 20 years ago STILL has a downloadable copy of it's internal workings online for TV repairmen to this very day, BUT nothing on any existing schematics for the inner workings on these expensive preamps... I've been hunting and I'm not too sure what preamp would be ideal and this is a guitar that I ordered to be my ONLY acoustic, If you have anything on what you have seen over the years, I would be grateful to hear back and sorry for the long comment.

[@dhirenjazz8100]

Good info video by you actually I'm facing noise humm ground issue so do I need to change saddle pick up or there can be issue in pre-amp also????????????? Regarding hum

[@leeroyexcavator9149]

Bought a new fender acoustic electric a couple months early for my sons birthday when it was on sale at guitar center. He opened it and tried it and now found out it does not produce sound!! The electric control box lights up, and the built it tuner works, have done all the simple checks like volume etc. But still no sound any ideas?

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Very interesting! I am actually dealing with the same problem on a customers guitar too. I'd check the cable first just in case but after that, it has to be something to do with the input jack. Easiest fix might just be to return it or pay a repair shop. I will follow up with my fix

[@danaelston9848]

Question: Can the preamp internal level be adjusted? I ask because when I play my guitar aggressively there is distortion coming out. I hear it on recordings and live gigs. I've tried turning the down the level on the guitar, used a DI box with different levels of attenuation and it does not reduce the distortion. When I play less aggressively it has a nice clean tone.

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Interesting! What brand guitar and what brand pickup?

[@danaelston9848]

@@RamonaMusicCenter Its a D'Angelico Premier Bowery. The pickup is a D'Angelico that is already installed. No Model#.

[@AngeloLuis22]

Hope do notice me sir, My acoustic guitar is great on sounding, wood, and comfortability when unplugged but the problem is the electronics because it's almost 10 years already' it is working still but last pandemic; the preamp won't work anymore even there's a good battery plus i'd opened it up and the problem is the one wire and i'd soldered it up and it works but after 2 years now; it don't work again and check again the wires' the wires is good and no dirt and the battery is ok also but didn't lightened up and works on plug in' what could be the issue now? I repeat; the guitar unplugged is all good on playing matter but the problem is when plugged: what should be the problem?

[@paradox7743]

I like to see a video on the older model Ovation's which like my 88' where it's just a Volume N Tone on the side-This is pre preamp period- it just cut's out from time to time...

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Cool request! Ill keep an eye out!

[@vergera2]

Hi just got the same problem with the contact on the output on the board but I bought a new one and same problem! It seems to me that the output jack cable is the problem. Any thoughts on this ? I’m gonna replace the output jack cable and see if this fixes the problem

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Sounds like a good place to start! Let us know what fixes it!

[@daniel.wheeldon]

Out of interest did cleaning/re-soldering that part fix the problem?

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Yup! Worked great!

[@chrissturley823]

My samick GPH100 is toast. The PCB is destroyed from heat damage. Not repairable.

[@josevega042994]

how did you take off the pickup?

[@RamonaMusicCenter]

Pop out the preamp with the button on the front and then to get the whole thing out of the guitar, turn the two screws on the side so that the wings collapse and the whole thing should slip out. Good luck!

[@josevega042994]

@@RamonaMusicCenter thank you, I couldnt pop out the preamp because it was stuck. Fixed it :D

[@josevega042994]

Didnt need to bring the whole thing out, Just needed to replace battery :D

[@Rockinrollinman]

@@josevega042994 my preamp is stuck now… any tips how to get it out?

[@josevega042994]

@@Rockinrollinman it all depends on the way it is stuck, mine had a broken spring, so replacing the battery is airways difficult. Good thing i dont do it that oftain If you have a chance i always recommend taking it to a music store for help, i broke one long time ago just cause i didnt see a hidden screw

[@MrBarrynicholas]

Absolute waste of time