Stereo input jack sadness

[distard]

I have a Godin Redline I, a hardtail guitar with one EMG 81, wired direct to the singular 'tone' pot, to the output jack, its a very simple set up.
Thats part of its appeal, that is not the problem.
The problem is with the stereo jack. No matter how I adjust its position, the tone will change as the plug moves around in the seemingly cheap jack ? This is hugely frustrating, as I play a lot of high gain, everytime the jack moves it seems to disconnect the circuit and you lose all your front end gain, the amp gets all confused and, ya it just sucks bongo big time.
 So, that is my reason for creating this account the evening, I have to fix it. I have always done my own work I can set up guitars, do basic troubleshooting for amps, very basic troubleshooting TBH (I am wanting to learn more about amps, want to try modding and building one day soon), I thought what better place Guitar NutsII looked like a good no BS sort of forum.
 So any ideas for my Jack, I tried re bending the contacts, didnt seem to make much difference ?
 I recall some higher quality, barrel type jacks, maybe 'Switchcraft' ? I'm puzzled, as to why this particular jack is acting up, Im sure there are millions in use right now, that work just fine, this one seemed just fine for the first two years of this guitars life ?
Just the past week or two I noticed this starting to happen, at first it took me a little bit to figure out what was screwing the amp up, and then I discovered if I move the chord with my hand, just a tiny bit, the act of touching it is enough pressure to alter the sound, its almost like stepping on the clean channel, its very weird, when I let the chord 'return', simply remove my hand from the plug, and it goes back to gain settings ?  It all seems to be in how the 1/4" plug is 'sitting' in the jack, where just the slightest movement is affecting the circuit.
Circuit looks the same as always all the solders looked good and solid still. I use quality chords.
 Anyways I guess Ill await some advice, check the local music stores tomorrow see if they have a better quality jack I suppose, but till then.
 Thanks for your patience, I know that I tend to ramble.
Laters,
 Mike.

[newey]

distard-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

This is certainly strange. When you say "stereo jack", I assume this guitar has an active pickup, with the stereo jack used to disconnect the battery when no cable is inserted?

First off, not to be pedantic or anything, but it's an "output jack", not an input jack. The input jack is at the amp. You had it right in the body of the post, but incorrect in the title.

The only theory I have here (and, that's all it is, a theory) is that the jack connection which connects the battery is somehow shorting out as the jack moves. This could essentially make the pickup into an unpowered passive one, which sounds sort of like what you're describing.

Is there perhaps conductive paint around the jack area that the jack might touch? If the jack got loose and rotated, the "ring" connection might be touching something intermittently.

[distard]

 Well never thought of it like that I suppose your right, it is kind of misleading. The input jack of the guitar, I know its for the output, put you actually insert a cable so input jack output jack ? Too much head scratchy.
 You assumed correctly good sir, active guitar EMG 81. I have tracked the problem down a bit more, I had just gotten a new amp and pulled out my old fatty Peavey long cable, that has the shrink over the 1/4" ends like many do, but on this particular cable the shrink sticks out about 1mm maybe a lil less, just enough to sort of not let plug seat in the jack just right, I use one of my other chords and it is much less of an issue. though I can still cause the issue but I have to try much harder.
Yes somehow it is shorting when I slightly move the plug, since I stopped using my one chord, and tried to rate the jack so its not so bad but it can still happen.
 I have never dealt with the stereo plug, maybe its a quirk. Thanks for the helpp.

[newey]

It's an "output jack" because it takes the output from your guitar to the amp.

First thing to try to troubleshoot it is to loosen the jack, rotate it a bit, re-tighten it, and see if that makes a difference. Anything further will require disassembly.

[distard]

 Ive already taken it apart and rotated it, all the soldering joints are good and solid.
 They are really crappy jacks and I cannot believe this is the best we got. This a is not a cheaply made guitar, Godin uses fairly high quality stuff, the RD1 is one of the cheaper guitars they offer but it also very simple, 1 pickup 1 knob 6 strings. And an output jack of course.
 Supposedly in order to install the barrel type, I need a thickness of 3/8" to support it, but there is hope in Planet Waves they also make a little beefier looking stereo input, sorry, I mean stereo output jack. Seeing as they are relatively cheap, under a tenner, I think Ill order one and see if that solves the issue permanently.
 I hate even knowing of a potential issue, so while the guitar works fine 99.9% of the time, just the fact that it may happen is enough to bum me out.
 Thanks again and thanks for the welcome.
You know its hard finding a good guitar/amp forum(if its not a rule breaker, perhaps people could recommend good sites), with people who give solid advice, so I'm pretty stoked to be a member here, and thankful someone took the time to reply.
 Just got a new 50 watt Randall, the RG50TC and it seems pretty awesome. but of course I have questions about it, which I guess Ill throw in the amp section.
 Peace out.

[newey]

One thing you might try before replacing the jack is to wrap it with some electrical tape. If the issue is that it's shorting somewhere, that might fix it. Also, if you can do so on this guitar, try pulling the jack out of the guitar so that you can see the tip and ring "levers"*- the metal pieces that make the connection to the plug tip and ring, respectively. Plug a jack in, see if the ring lever makes a solid connection with the plug as you manipulate the plug. Bending that ring "lever" inward may fix it.

*I'm calling those things "levers" which is probably not accurate, but I have no idea what those parts are actually called.