With their beautiful look and versatile sound, electric guitars are some of the most popular musical instruments of our time. But as with any piece of electronic equipment, problems can arise. Whether you didn’t set up your electric guitar correctly, or it’s been a while since you last played it, there may come a time when your trusty guitar won’t make a sound when plugged in.
Electric guitars fail to work when plugged in due to electrical issues, worn-out batteries, faulty pickups, and damaged external equipment (amp, PA system, speakers, mixers, etc.) Easy fixes include replacing the batteries and pickups, swapping damaged cables, and troubleshooting electrical issues.
There are ways to fix an electric guitar that won’t work when plugged in – you just have to know where to look! In this article, I’ll give you some troubleshooting tips that will help you find the problem faster and fix your electric guitar if it isn’t working when plugged in.
5 Fixes for an Electric Guitar That Won’t Work When Plugged In
Fixing an electric guitar that doesn’t work when plugged in is easy, but finding the exact cause of the issue is the tricky part. If your guitar doesn’t work when you plug it in, then you have some extensive troubleshooting to do.
There are numerous reasons why an electric guitar might not work when plugged in, from the cable, the jack, the input on your amp, or the output on your guitar.
1. Check Your Guitar Cable
There’s nothing flashy about a broken electric guitar cable. Electric guitar cables transmit the audio signals from your guitar to the amplifier, PA system, DAW, or whatever you have connected to the other end of the cable. But just like any other piece of equipment, electric guitar cables can break and malfunction.
These cables are constantly being plugged into the guitar and out of it, which reduces their durability over time. Additionally, the storage conditions may have an impact on the health and life span of the cable.
You should always check the condition of your electric guitar cord before playing. Feel the length of the cable.
If you spot any tugging or see fraying on the cords or plugs, do not risk playing your instrument and instead take time to replace the cable with a new one that’s in excellent condition.
I like to hold the cable at the connector and jiggle the cable gently while plugged in. If you hear weakening sounds or crackling sounds, it’s probably because of a faulty cord.
To improve the durability of your cords, store them in a humid-free environment. Check out more ways to store guitar cables.
2. Check for Dust and Gunk
Dust can be a serious problem for your electric guitar. The dust and dirt caught in the strings and fretboard can affect how your guitar sounds. The plastic parts of the guitar, especially around the bridge and pickup area, are prone to collecting dust because they’re not covered like other areas.
But that’s not all. Tiny dust particles may also settle on the electronics inside the guitar. If yours has a preamp, the dust may weigh down its performance or cause it to fail completely which in turn would produce very little to no sound.
For this reason, you need to be equipped with the following tips to clean your guitar:
- Get a soft cloth and wipe the body and fretboard of the guitar
- Remove the guitar strings and wipe them clean. Doing this will also make it easier to access the fretboard
- Use fine steel wool to remove stubborn patches
- Apply non-abrasive polish for a polished body guitar
But most importantly, keep your (clean) guitar in its case when not in use. This will significantly reduce the amount of dust that accumulates with time.
3. Replace the Pickup
The pickup is a crucial part of an electric guitar. It’s the part that “picks up” the inaudible sound produced by the strings. You’ll have trouble getting a good sound if it’s not working properly. If you notice that the pickup has bro