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How to Troubleshoot a Bad Guitar Input

Electric guitars plug into an amplifier that increases the string sounds so you and others can hear it. A cord carries the electrical signals from the guitar output into the amplifier input. Whether from overuse, damage, inaccurate controls or old age, you will eventually experience a guitar input problem. Test various parts of your input connection and your guitar to find the input problem and fix it as quickly as possible.

Instructions

- 1
  Check the power to the amplifier. Turn the switch on and off to determine whether the amplifier is on. If not, check to ensure the cord is unbroken and the socket is hot. Some wall sockets turn on with a switch.
- 2
  Wiggle the cable going into the amplifier. Listen for static or other sounds, which could indicate a poor connection within the input jack. The piece the input cord touches at the bottom of the jack could be bent or broken, in which case you must take it into a shop for repairs.
- 3
  Try a new cord. If the input works when you substitute another cord, discard the first cord.
- 4
  Turn the knobs on your guitar, and press the strings to the pickups. Your knobs may be turned off or broken. The pickups, which translate the vibrating string into sound and transfer it through the cord, may have a loose wire. If you think your pickups or knobs are broken, take your guitar to your local guitar repair shop.

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