Matt P Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 i've started building a very small pedalboard for use at church to save dragging my main gigging board along (and i don't really need all my dirt pedals in the average church service) I bought some of THESE jack pugs to make up the interconnecting cables and having soldered them to the cable the sleeve part of the plug is now loose, i suspect i have overheated them and it's my fault but i'm now on the hunt for reliable right angle pancake jacks that have separate tags for the 2 connections, the cheap ones required the sleeve to be soldered to the body of the plug and i suspect that was where i damaged them with too much heat. I've found 2 options so far with proper solder tags KMMK ones (supposedly the flattest available at 8.3mm) HERE at £3.70 each Rean ones (not actually so flat at 11.9mm) HERE at just £1.10 each has anyone tried either of these? i do like the slimness of the KMMK ones but at those prices i'd be looking at £40 at least to wire up my board! the Rean ones would be 1/3 of that but aspace is at a bit of a premium on this board although i have used Rean jacks and sockets in the past and always been impressed. I have used THESE in the past (of at least some that look identical) and although they required soldering to the body they seem to stay together so these might be a fall back option. Anyone have any other suggestions for flat jack plugs that have separate connections terminals inside? thanks in advance Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 If you don't want to solder to the body of the plug (effectively the body of the plug is a heatsink, so the heat dissipates along to body, meaning that you have to heat for longer to get the solder to flow, often damaging the cable) then I'd look to see if a TRS jack (or stereo) is available - solder the ground wire to the Ring, and the hot to the tip. Some production pedals use a TRS jack to turn the battery on and off, o it's worth looking inside of them and checking with a continuity meter to see if this is the case.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 26, 2021 Author Share Posted June 26, 2021 i had considered using TRS jacks, but i have a tendency to chop and change my pedalboards and have built up a decent stash of pedals bought over lockdown (mostly budget ones) so i'd rather not have to check each pedal to see if they use the input for switching. I might just order a few of each of the options and see how they are. according to ebay i have bought the cheap ones before from that seller. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 Why not using an original angled Neutrik instead ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 15 minutes ago, Hellzero said: Why not using an original angled Neutrik instead ? this - they are slightly bigger, but the old saying "buy cheap, buy twice" applies here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 26, 2021 Author Share Posted June 26, 2021 I love neutrik, and have a box full of them but on this pedalboard there just isn't the room for them. I have order some of each of the 3 I originally posted and will see how they are to use. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 The Rean should be good as they are a Neutrik (sub) brand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 26, 2021 Author Share Posted June 26, 2021 6 minutes ago, Hellzero said: The Rean should be good as they are a Neutrik (sub) brand. yes, i'm expecting the Rean ones to be good quality, i have used the straight Rean plugs for a while, and the RCA plugs are pretty good too. I'll report back when my parcels arrive and i get a chance to make up a cable or two. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 The squareplugs are pretty pricy, fiddly and very finicky wrt cable diameter. But they are really small! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 26, 2021 Author Share Posted June 26, 2021 1 hour ago, 51m0n said: The squareplugs are pretty pricy, fiddly and very finicky wrt cable diameter. But they are really small! How do they compare to 4 pole mini xlr plugs? I have a few different diameters of cable so hopefully one of them will be compatible. I think they will be saved for just the situations that really need them, I have only ordered 4 of the tiny plugs and 6 of the rean. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigguy2017 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I rate the Hicon flat angled jacks. They fit tightly onto Sommer XXL cable - even tighter with an H3 sleeve. Use some Tippex or nail varnish on the screws. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigguy2017 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Bigguy2017 said: I rate the Hicon flat angled jacks. They fit tightly onto Sommer XXL cable - even tighter with an H3 sleeve. Use some Tippex or nail varnish on the screws. Oh, forgot; they have separate solder tags for screen and signal too, and an insulator sheet... Use a Philips 1 screwdriver. Edited June 27, 2021 by Bigguy2017 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirky Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Yeah the Hicons are very good. I bought a batch from OBBM - if they were good enough for him!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 27, 2021 Author Share Posted June 27, 2021 thanks for the info, i'll add Hicon to the list for the future. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I was using these for a couple of years on my pedalboard. Never had any issues. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016M2RV2E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I agree with davebass above. By the time you've messed around sourcing plugs, soldering them up (and ruining a few), etc, it's probably best to buy ready made links. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 8 hours ago, Dan Dare said: I agree with davebass above. By the time you've messed around sourcing plugs, soldering them up (and ruining a few), etc, it's probably best to buy ready made links. I hate having any spare cable flapping about though, so it's custom lengths for me all day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigguy2017 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 9 hours ago, Dan Dare said: I agree with davebass above. By the time you've messed around sourcing plugs, soldering them up (and ruining a few), etc, it's probably best to buy ready made links. Got to agree... I like the Rockboard flat cables RockBoard RBO CAB PC F 10 BLK Flat Patch Cable, 10cm (gak.co.uk) I can't make them for that price. I've got an iron set up ready and a bag of bits so making up cables is not a chore, but only really necessary for custom lengths. I've been soldering and making cables for over 40 years so it's no hassle - quite enjoyable and meditative when you're all set up with the bits and bobs.... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 3 hours ago, 51m0n said: I hate having any spare cable flapping about though, so it's custom lengths for me all day... I tried the George L system, and before that the Planet Waves version for a while, as i too hate slack and waste, but in the end it was working out too expensive, and i really didnt like the jacks. Even though they are well made i still found them a bit deeper than i wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I have been a George L's user for many years but, just like @dave_bass5, I find the angled jacks a bit too much. Therefore, last year, I decided to give a set of prewired, flat patch leads a go. OK, they haven't been gigged, but they have been used for practice and for recording. I'm very happy. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rayzm-Guitar-Instrument-Effects-Pedal-Board/dp/B07F9M677P/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Rayzm+Guitar+Patch+Cable%2C+6.35mm+Angled+Instrument+Jumper+Cable+for+Guitar%2FBass+Effects+Pedals%2C+5cm+Pedal-Board+Jumper+Cables+(6-Pack%2C+Black+)&qid=1624878726&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 I'm with @51m0n on this, i hate having excess cable, and on this particular board i'm very tight for space, it's a Mooer M5 board/case that i have removed all the foam from and added velcro to, so it was designed to take 5 micro pedals and i'm trying to squeeze at least 6, possibly 7 micro pedals. the cable i've got is Van Damme installation cable so it's quite thin and flexible, and i've put the power distribution under the board to save space. I've been making my own cables for 20 years at least now, it was just that last batch of plugs that seemed to trip me up, hopefully the new ones will work out a bit better. I have bought cables in the past for pedalboards but they've all ended up in the spare cables pile and been replaced by home-made ones to keep the excess cable to a minimum. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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