Loose output jacks

The little hexnut that holds the output jack of my four string in place has been constantly coming loose for as long as I have had the bass. Like I literally have to tighten it daily. Yesterday I suddenly began getting static though my amp instead of notes and then it began intermittently cutting out. I opened the pre-amp compartment for the first time ever but didn't find anything wrong. So I removed the hexnut and washer, pushed the jack out as far as it would go and put them back on. It seems to have done the trick and it played well today but I would like this to not happen again. Right now the hexnut is finger tight but Ive heard that making it tighter could break wires but I dont really see any other way. Thoughts?

Sounds like you've stripped the thread on the jack so no matter how hard or often you tighten it will always come loose

If you've got access to a soldering iron it's a pretty easy and cheap job to replace it

If not go with what Marko1960 suggested and perhaps add an additional nut to lock against the original to keep it in place

I dont see how I could have, this is the first time Ive ever taken it off. If it is stripped it happened at the factory. My five string is nearly identical to my four string but has never had this problem, its nut is bigger I think. It seems to me that its just vibrating itself loose when ever I play.


I think one thread is barely sticking out past the nut once its on all the way. I cant remember what it was like before but I think this is new since opening up the back.

finger tight is not adequate. Just tighten the hex nut down with the appropriate size socket or wrench. That should fix your problem. If not, replace the jack.

It did it again today and now it completely does not work. The hexnut was tight so I now think that was the problem. After consulting with some knowledgeable people, the suspicion now is that there is a short somewhere between the pickups and the jack. Looking now for a music store that does repairs.

That's possible I suppose, me trying to tighten it all the time. I took the jack plate off so I could see how its mounted, the jack itself is square and its cavity in the body is round so it can rotate when I tighten the hexnut. Its not even snug either, lots of wiggle room and the only thing holding it in place is the nut. It seems like it would be better if it where in a tight fitting square cavity, at least then it would keep it from twisting.