Battery Packs and Cable Jacks
If you’re in need of a replacement cable or battery pack for your Vitar, you most likely won’t be able to run down to your local music store and pick one up (If you EVER find a local store with any Vi-tar parts, LET ME KNOW!). I’ve cobbled together a quick schematic for the battery box… it’s pretty simple once you get the wacky avionic plugs.
The 4-conductor plug they used is a pretty uncommon one used almost exclusively for helicopter microphone headsets. It’s made by Nexus and the model is U174/U (or TP120). They’re available for about $15US-$30US from various distributors. The cheapest I’ve seen is $14US from ProCommRadios.com.
The jack is a Nexus U92B/U (TJT120) and is available for $13 at Keenzo.com. The jack seems to be priced by itself at most places, so make sure you also get the retaining nut and star washer when you order. If you search around a bit in your part of the world you should be able to find them. It actually looks like the plugs and jacks are both easier to find in the UK than in the US.
Mietek Glinkowski modified his Vitar so that instead of the 1/4″ output coming straight out of the battery box, he has a double cable coming out of the Vitar – one to an 18V battery box and the second plugged straight into his amp. That way you don’t have the big clunky battery box hanging out of your amp or pedal bending the jacks. You could also replace the 1/4″ male plug on the battery box with a 1/4″ female and then just stick in in your pedal board like a pedal, or add a jack on the side to run it from an adapter to save on batteries.
Cool – congrats on the Yamaha and good luck on the rewire. 🙂 After things slow down after Christmas I’m going to order myself a couple of plugs and make a new cable for mine… the stiff old gray one just bugs me.
I plugged in last night only to hear a lot of snap, crackle and pop from the Vitar. Turns out to be a short in the plug which goes into the back of the instrument. I just leave it plugged in usually as it is very awkward to remove. It should be just a matter of desoldering and then resoldering but I am not looking forward to it as I am having trouble seeing fine detail. I am off to the optometrist on Thursday so hopefully should get full sight back soon. Anyway, I am going to pick up a Yamaha ev 205 which I scored off ebay, I was the only bidder! I hope it is good. I am sure it will be.