Effect Pedal Patch Leads - Soldered, Solderless And Everything In Between
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- čas přidán 29. 07. 2024
- Are solderless patch leads really from the devil? Are soldered patch leads the only real option? Let's some tips and advice on how to make them as reliable as possible
Life too short for long CZcams videos? Please see the ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’ information below
Enjoy the video!
Interesting bits and go-to sections…
0:00 Intro
0:48 Is soldered the best?
1:30 My first gig in London
3:15 What's my point?
3:50 Eric Johnson's pedalboard
4:00 Pro builder's epic soldering skills
4:28 Centre pin solder-less patch cables
5:00 Cutting the cable
6:10 Ice lolly stick
8:50 Connector covers
9:15 3 Monkeys patch cables
9:43 Solid Core patch cables
10:40 What you need to make them
11:08 Stripping the outer insulation
12:20 Watch your pressure
16:30 Soldered patch cables
17:28 RoHS
19:50 Soldering pointers
22:10 Testing
42:13 Thanks for watching
Video on soldering patch cables - • How To Solder Patch Ca...
Guitars in this episode:
• 1965 Fender Telecaster
Amps & cabs in this episode:
• LazyJ J20 Amplifier
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Having been an engineer at a major U.S. pedal company from '79 to '89, I watched this with great interest. You 'nailed' every part of this presentation. It should be a great help to everyone!
Ah, cheers B 🙏
Great video Dan! i can´t stop laughing about the Mick´s photo with the glass of wine on the solder table! hahahaha great great detail!
A show on patch cables is not dull Dan, they’re something we all use, and for me it’s perfect timing given I’m about to build up a new pedal board. I’m looking to use solderless connectors this time so this episode was very helpful. 👍
Met Dan randomly at a music shop here in Tokyo several years ago. Such an awesome, genuine, down to earth guy that geeked out about pedals with me.
I remember! Hope you’re doing awesome 🤩
I just fainted and needed to be revived on hearing that Dan once used a POD.
The POD is sick, don't hate
That POD band sucks trenchcoats
Honestly Dan; I’d watch you install a Sky dish! Lovely video.
Hahahah!!!!
"DIY with Dan" would be a sure hit and would reach far beyond just the guitar community.
Having just received a GigRig Quartermaster, this is extremely helpful. I’m 100% sure I would screw up the Evidence cables without these detailed instructions as a guide. Many thanks 🙏🏻
I love that Dan has a framed pic of Mick at his workbench
I used for years , the best on the market , easy to use and a must have for the ever changing board
The Evidence Audio SIS system is a great thing! Admittedly it’s all home use but no failures or re-dos required so far (although I do need to get the pliers out as finger tightness does tend to loosen if the cables are moving about at all - still none failed, though). The ability to create a cable exactly the length you need in under 5 minutes and without getting the soldering gear out (because I’m rubbish at it) is GREAT. 😁
Thanks, Dan, for the intro to it and the GigRig power stuff!
Dan, any chance to hear your wizardry and passion is appreciated (and not dull). I find videos like this very zen.
Can't go wrong with George L's.. man that George L's, Evidence audio and mogami are the most desirable cables, back in the day when I was still in the band.
Everyone in these comments and watching this video are the coolest people in the world. This is beyond question.
Thank you Sam. TPS is a solid family - thank you for being part of it!
Cautionary tale for those who make their own patch cables: I once used a different brand of high-end cable to nake up some patch cords. My work was beautiful- lovely solder joints, heat shrink, strain relief. Continuty tests were good. HOWEVER various patch cords had varying degrees of level drop. Very strange. This fancy cable had a second layer of sheathing around the central conductor. Turns out that this (black) layer is conductive (it minimizes cable handling noise). Special care must be taken to skin it back to ensure it doesn't touch the signal path or weird things can happen. I had to undo (and redo) all of my painstaking work. Now these cables are great and hopefully others can learn from my mistake.
Dan, you’re the guy who introduced me to evidence audio SIS and I haven’t looked back. It’s expensive but I don’t care…I rely on those connections to make my living and they’re SOLID 👍
EDIT: a quick tip for building SIS patch cables. It helps *immensely* to plan the angle of your cables in advance. I always put my cable roughly where it’s going to be on the board then use THOSE angles when attaching my connectors. That way you have a minimum amount of excess pressure on your cable connectors and your pedal/switcher jacks. Just another added layer of reliability…
Your point on layout is very important! Couldn't agree more!!
I got the D’Addario solderless cable kit for my board before I saw any vids that said “Don’t use solderless cables!” Those vids spooked me. Already, I had (carefully) made just one custom length cable, so I used it, while carrying a spare soldered cable, waiting for my solderless to fail.
2 years later, my custom cable still has a solid connection.
So, I thank you for your re-assurance. Since, I am currently re-doing my board, and all my custom cables will be solderless.
Good to see the photo of your most loved one out on your workstation!
Made 3 10' George L instrument cables 25 yrs. ago. Gig with them every weekend without a failure.
The cable prep is THE issue - thanks Dan!! Popsicle stick is a great tip.
thank you DAN for this topic i have been doubting solderless as a soldering guy i have done one of my pedal boards with solderless and no trouble ,
the upside to them are if one fails you dont have to get the soldering iron out a 1 min fix
This tutorial is going to be a resource for years to come; all cable sales should come with a link to this video! Why thankyou Dan!
Videos like these is why I love this channel, whilst being super informative to even the most experienced pros it is also so beginner friendly. A lot of channels will dismiss the £1 patch cables as unusable junk but you get it.
I saw an ad for Evidence and thought, "Isn't that Dan's favorite?" so then I just wanted to find any old video of you naming your solderless cables.... then I found this! Thank you for making this!!!!! I'll bookmark it and refer to it often. I got talked into a master builder's pre soldered cable for double what I would normally pay. It's here on my desk and the soldering job failed... I have no iron right now so I have to find a tech who will repair it after rolling his eyes at me.
Dan... First and foremost, this is a very good video. Here is a little more info for anyone interested.
1) Make sure the solder tip is clean and will "hold" solder. If it is dirty transfer of heat is poor and your job becomes really tough.
2) FYI... Leaded solder is easier to work with than lead-free and tends to be more robust against vibrational failure. For the hobbyist this is something to consider... for a business it''s lead-free.
3) Get some flux for the type of solder you are using to help with reflow / rewetting. Higher solid content fluxes tends to be easier to work with.
4) Get some solder wick for cleanup and rework. It is less necessary for this task, but it is really helpful when needed. It can also make a decent ground strap.
5) Invest in cheap, preferably lit, magnification, especially for those of us getting older. Reading glasses work in a pinch. The table mount swing arm style magnifiers work well.
6) Braided wires can wick the solder up its length. If this hapopens it will start to loose its flexibility in the area affected. This is a combo of too much heat for too long and too much solder.
7) Heat... heat is your friend... and heat is your enemy. There is a perfect temp for each type of solder (leaded 63/37 to 60/40 works best between 600F and 650F). Hotter burns off flux too fast and increases risk of component damage. Lead-free should be around 50F hotter but will depend on the type. A good soldering iron and clean tip will transfer heat quick enough that setting it hotter has no benefit. Look up the proper temp to use with your equipment.
8) Hakko soldering equipment is solid and a great deal for the hobbyist / job shop. There are companies that use these for production. If you want the best, though, get a JBC in my opinion.
9) Blowing on solder... I'll have to disagree with this one Dan. This myth has been around forever., and I've never seen or heard of a real-world issue from doing so. If the joint is small and minimal heat is applied it will cool fast anyway. If it's a large joint that has absorbed significant heat, blowing may help the initial set but the thermal mass will force it to cool slower. The effect is not significantly different than soldering in the cold or with a breeze, and this is only an issue for getting heat applied. With that said, I wouldn''t get in the habbit of blowing because it doesn't tend to save any time. If anyone believes they got a bad joint from blowing, let me ask this one question.... were all pieces held still while you moved to get in blowing position?
Cheers!
Love all TPS videos but this has to be in the top 10 for most important and useful.
I clicked this video on a whim. I figured I wouldn’t watch the whole thing but here I am 26 minutes later and inspired to give these tips a try. Great video Dan. Thanks!
I've made all of my cables for years using Mogami cable and a combination of Switchcraft and Neutrik connectors. I always test them and then heatshrink the ones that it is appropriate for. I used to think that solderless cables were junk and way overpriced until the first episode that I saw you discussing their value. Knowing your experience it opened my eyes. I can even see were they could be better for some applications now that I'm more educated. Watching you strip off the black insulator off the inner core, similar to a high-priced Mogami cable made me even more of a believer. I love watching the episode where you build pedalboards as it helps me build my own. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I'm only making them for myself. I'm an Electrical Engineer and have a lot of experience designing and building circuit boards, digital and analog. Even though a lot of the skills and knowledge is transferable, there are always nuggets of wisdom that a person can learn if he is open to learning. And I have picked up several very helpful nuggets from you sir!! The part where you emphasized NOT scoring the inner conductor is extremely important. It's just as relevant for stranded cable, even though you can get by with a few less strands, but it's just not as good of a cable. And if you break or score too many you could end up with a cable that fails. And if it's on your pedal board it might not be that easy to find, depending on your layout.
Strain relief on a cable would be another good point to stress, pun intended. 😉
i have used george l's fir at least 15 years, but probably 20. never had one fail.
Thank you, this was far from dull for me! I've soldered 3 cables yesterday. It's invaluable to learn from other people's experiences and mistakes. Thank you for sharing this!
Glad it helped 🤓🙏
Love my three monkeys cables. So easy and I had no issues after assembled.
You may have solved my biggest frustration with solderless patch cables: the cable cutting. Damn, that's why 75% of my cables are dead from the get-go.
Thanks Dan for taking the time to do this. I’ve been making my own cut to length patch cables from various companies for years now. The sharing of your experience, wisdom, and techniques is very much appreciated. I’ve had pretty good luck so far. But I will start employing a few of your tips that I hadn’t considered before. Much gratitude. Love my TPS!
Video's like this are a huge asset to me and I appreciate the time and effort you take to share them. Learning how to do things properly not only saves me time & money, but I enjoy doing my own set-ups, repairs, and builds. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I’m an audio engineer and there was nothing I’ve heard that was said that wasn’t accurate by the terminology used and way it was presented, however, there are some scientific aspects to this which are worthy of consideration. One, is that an inherent weakness with solder-less connections (over soldered) is an always-present issue called oxidation. This means that should oxygen and water (moisture in the air) somehow infiltrate an unbonded metal on metal connection, the continuity will eventually be compromised and broken. Another, is the issue compression/expansion when it comes to metals, being that once variables of cold and heat are introduced, the metal expands and then contracts which also leads to shorted connections. Daniel shared some valid anecdotal examples in this video and there can be many examples on both sides of the debate, but this cannot negate the scientific element, which says that there are factors working against the solder-less cable concept which have a scale of probability attached that is inherently riskier than a cable with a well established solder connection. That said, I agreed completely with the point that a poorly constructed cable is a poor cable regardless of which one you select.
Well done Dan! Great info here! I've been using Evidence Audio patch leads for almost a decade, and I've never had one fail on me!
You are a gentleman Dan
So I'll say it.😳
There's a professional "rig" builder out there on the net who may or may not have a Doctorate in PedalBoardology who casts aspersions upon your work because of the use of solderless cables.
I've had a go at him a few times and failed to get a response that is more than essentially 'I know best'
The issue I take him to task on is the idea that solderless is sonically inferior.
His assertion is that the mechanical joint creates resistance and will also corrode. When pointed to the fact that you are then plugging that lead into a jack and therefore a mechanical joint .... crickets.
Then of course, you can go add up all the switches and plugs in the rest of the signal chain.... still crickets.
NASA use soldered and solderless, sooo...
I've used Lava cables for years with great results and reliability..... and I can and do solder, 45 years of electronic DIYs
The biggest plus for me is the instant rebuild/repair capability. I still sometimes stuff up a cable occasionally but it's fixed in a minute without the need of a soldering iron.
I think I know the guy you're talking about, He used a blurred out image of a GigRig product in one of his videos and implied Daniel recommended doing something I'm quite certain he would never tell anyone to do. Same guy also downplays solderless cables, but I've been using George L cables for the better part of two decades and have never experienced a cable failure. IMHO, the only reason a solderless cable will fail is due to improper assembly.
as an 18 year old kid from melbourne, i love hearing about your early days in london, and old stories from australia
Extremely informative, and in no way dull, Dan. Thank you, some great tips there!
Excellent content Dan!! I've been making both solderless and soldered cables for many years and I still learned some things with this video. Thank you and keep up the good work!
A very well made and needed video. Thank you Dan! Took the fear out of using solderless patch leads and I wont hesitate to make my own.
There are, eh um, certain Yutubbies who deride solderless, even going so far as getting T-shirts made. I use both, but their claims are self-aggrandizing cable snobbery more than reality. Thanks for bravely speaking truth!
Love the pic of Mick at your soldering station.
Very touching.
You are a great presenter, Dan. This kind of content really stands out to me. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Well done! For me, soldering is therapeutic...except for when I bought a double shielded, double braided cable that was nearly as big as my little finger when twisted together. I nearly needed therapy after trying to solder that!
I've struggled with George Ls for long enough and I ordered an Evidence setup finally. Had a gig that took me an hour to trouble shoot patch cables that had worked forever and 3 of them just decided to stop working. Glad to have a tutorial for the SIS.
Outstanding content, Dan! Insightful discussion of soler vs. solderless, a well as practical how-to guidance. Best TPS content in recent memory.
Dan thank you so much for making this video! I’ve used solderless cables for years on all my boards and never had a cable fail! The only cables I have ever had fail are cheap soldered patch cables purchased online.
However I recently started a new build and I’m trying to get the best results, and looking at other CZcams videos, I convinced myself that the only way forward was to build my own soldered cables.
Unfortunately I’m terrible at soldering and don’t even own a decent iron.
This video helped a lot and rekindled my love for solderless cables and helped me move forward with the build!
A lot of valuable info, as usual.
Thank you.
@ 4:49 Great tip, but I prefer to use oak 😉
@ 10:40 I just bought 3 kits of SIS and didn't get a cable stripper😢
Update:
Yesterday I made 10 SIS cables for a friends pedal board.
Then it was just plug in and play,
They just worked.
Since I didn't get a cable stripper in any of the kits
I ended up using a traditional cable stripper for the outer layer.
An exacto knife will work just fine
if you're careful not cutting too deep into the shielding wires.
The black middle "insulation" (it is slightly conductive!) is easiest to remove
if you catch the top end with a nail and peel back.
For the inner insulation I used an exacto knife to cut it,
and a pair of pliers to remove it.
The cables provided by Evidence is what I would call installation cables.
Made to be stationary. I would minimise bending and twisting them.
The solid core is not very flexibel and will break if manipulated excessively.
So my method was:
Attach a plug to one end of the cable.
Plug it in to pedal 1.
Lay it in the desired position on the board and measure.
If you add the distance of two jack inputs (about 50 mm)
you will get the proper length after stripping the cable.
Cut and attach the second plug
but don't attach the end cap just yet.
Plug the fist plug into pedal 1.
Lay it in the desired position on the board.
Now you bend the cable at plug number 2.
These cables are very stiff so it is important that you get the angles of the bends right.
Just my 2 cents 🎸
Hi Dan, an absolutely ripper of an episode of TPS … great to get the expert tips and clear explanations of the little details that make all the difference. Cheers, cobber !
I don't think I am alone in this tribe when I point out: I am at a point in life where I'd listen to either or both of you talk about literally anything!!! I'm in the US and am a huge fan of Lava Cables - quite similar to your favs, Dan. I've been using for years, but you made some points today that will really help me going forward. I missed you all Monday - but also wanted to share that I am finally a proper GigRig customer. I've started with power and keep checking the post like a kid!!! So excited.
Thanks so much mate 🤗🙏
Love the power system. Saving for a G3 for my next time around. 😊
Very useful video and I really enjoy this laid back vlog style. I'd love to see a mini series of vlogs focussed on these more utility type topics that a lot of guitarists wouldn't have thought to develop the skills for
Not dull at all !!!! A very timely episode for me... pedalboarding is not a crime !!!
scrambling about on the sticky floor of a shitty pub stage just before a gig soldering a guitar cable plug back together to fashion what the kids call patch cables these days.... ahhh the good old days. The cynic in me says electrical connection don't care about your stupid gold connectors, it just want's to FLOW, baby. Your best advice on good connections yet, paying attention to the achilles heal, a good shield /ground/earth connection, really enjoyed it
Nice video. My dad taught me how to solder when I was very young. So, I’ve been making my own cables for a while. I’ve never messed with solder less. That being said, I learned a lot about solder less. Great tips. Thanks Dan
Thanks Dan, no one could have made a relatively mundane subject more interesting. Love ya work mate. Cheers, Pete
You’re a true gentleman Dan. I appreciate the class and restraint in your delivery…considering other builders have been quick to unnecessarily call out and criticize their colleagues on this topic. Good on you.
Awesome video on this topic! I've been burned, I've melted cables all the above! This video is super useful in filling "that gap."
I won’t go on anymore but this is incredible timing and every question I had, you answered, amazing
Much appreciated, Dan! The tips on soldering really opened my eyes to a few things...
Dan, thank you so much! Since going full TheGigRig, I've made and used Evidence Audio leads with no issues but watching your detailed demonstration makes me nervous. There will now be some technique upgrades going forward and a refresher of this lesson before each new attempt. You look after us very well! Cheers.
Great video, Dan!! Please do more of this!! 🙌🏿🙌🏿
Really appreciate and was looking forward to watching this video! Everyone in the circles I run in turns their noses at solderless cables. I picked up some Evidence SIS on your recommendation and they’ve been rock solid. I’m glad there’s some more information about this that I can offer as reference!
Thanks for giving a great consolidated video on your experience with cables!
Not boring at all. You did a great job on this topic Dan.
This was a nice dive into a subject I often think about. Thanks Dan!
How to slice the George L cables was a revelation to me! I thought the contact that screws into cable was all that mattered. Thanks!🎉🎉🎉
I haven't enjoyed That Pedal Show like I used to for many months now. This one reminded me that I still love these guys. Keep doing teaching moments and that's the ticket!
braindead take. they've were doing that more than ever now. you're wrong.
Hey Dan. These are my favorite videos because i dont have the time to research all this stuff myself. Thanks!
@UCZ1exDvbQ7Xh0GGWd5Twfhw I’ll need your social security to send to the FBI first
love these detail vids, so much good info, cheers dan
This is an EXCELLENT video! Thank you Daniel.
Brilliant video Dan! So many people are quick to dump on solderless patch cables. I've used the Evidence SIS for years now and think they're absolutely fantastic and they really made my rig sound clearer. Always learning from your videos. Thank you 🤘
That was a Paddle Pop? It was triangular!
These sorts of videos are worth their weight in gold. Thank you Dan!
Thanks for sharing your experience with botj of these types of cables & their connectors. Your knowledge bombs will continue to grow with great shockwaves.
Dan, I really appreciate this video! I've been building electronics circuits for decades, also audio and other analog cables. I figured out all of your tips years ago, but whenever I've tried to teach someone they say I'm being "nit-picky." That's right. I tell them "Of course it's nit-picky! Your don't want it to fail!"
I haven't tried solder-less connectors in recent years (decades), but I'm willing to try them again after watching this show.
I'm a convert!
And I think you hit all the important points, including the tension on a bent cable. Thanks! 👍
Absolutely loved this video! Great way to look it all over.
Really helpful to have another point of view even if you have been at this game for years. There is always something to learn.
Another great and useful vlog, Dan. Note that if you want to make extra sure the threaded caps don't come loose, you can put a dab of nail polish on both sides of the completed connection. Should never vibrate loose after that. Great for securing nuts on speakers, amps, bicycles etc. as well.
Dan I am so glad to you did this video. I was a radio tech for the first 15 years in my career. I know how to solder very good. But I've been a musician since high school. When I started building my first pedalboards, I've never had any desire to spend my time soldering patch cables. You get what pay for. If you buy high quality patch cables, they work.
Thanks Dan! That was an incredibly useful video with everything clearly explained and well filmed. I’ve struggled in the past with putting together solderless cables but this video has inspired me to give them another go. If they’re good enough for Dave K then they’re good enough for me! 😀
Bravo, Dan. This is a great reference with a load of good info.
I have years n years professional experience. No matter what anyone says I’ll never use anything but soldered patch cables I’ve had to many failed solederless cables over the years
OMG!
thanks Dan, I fought w/ Lava cables on my pedalboard for a year or so & went to soldered cables again
Now I know why!
Glad you done this video, a great reference to refer back to now and again. Cheers.
Definitely gonna need to rebuild some of my lava tightrope solderless cables using these tips. That extra 20% of work make the cables go a much longer way. Thanks Dan!
Perfect timing, I am doing my first board and I am struggling with which cables to use. Time to start practicing how to solder. Thanks Dan!
Spot on, Dan! Well done. Can't have too much information.
great video, ppl often give things a bad review when they don't know how to use them properly, or fall victim to confirmation bias, when they had one solderless cable break while forgetting the box full of broken soldered cables under their table
“I know a show on patch cables seems incredibly dull…” KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE!!!! I saw that title and immediately had to check if it was a new video or one I’d seen before. 🤗
Fantastic, I've never tried solderless cables and they actually look harder to do a good job with than soldering! At least I know what to do if someone asks me to build a board with solderless cables.
great tips on the evidence and george L’s. thanks, greatly appreciated!!
Pure dead brilliant Dan! I've heard the nay sayers about solderless cables, but this gives me some confidence to try it myself. Thanks Dan.
Loving the photo of Mick with a glass of red at Dan's solder station 😄💘
Thanks a ton Dan, another world-class tutorial! For me it's definitely solderless ( life-changing for me) for patch/pedalboard and soldered for guitar to pedalboard and pedalboard to amp. I bought 50 meters of very high quality (at least really well shielded to my limited experience) and I haven't got through half of it over the years! Soldering is fun but it does take a while (and burns) to master indeed. You've covered everything! Greetings from France!
If you’d asked me this morning if I’d spend half my lunch hour watching a video about cables, I’d have laughed at you. Great job as always, Dan.
So fun and informative! Thanks Dan 👍
Perfect timing for this video. I’m getting ready to reconfigure my board which uses an HX Effects, HX Stomp, a Morningstar ML5 and a bunch of external pedals switched via MIDI. Was debating whether or not to use soldered or solder-less and, as you pointed out right off the bat, there’s that “soldered is better” thing floating around out there.
Been using Evidence Audio monorail and plugs for my pedalboard patch cables since seeing them in use by you good lads at TPS and yes, super reliable, easy to construct (and reconstruct when the inevitable re-jig of pedals happens) and sound great and noise free.
Nice one Dan! I've literally been soldering all my life as a electronics engineering tech. I've learned things along the way. The smaller the signal the better the cable must be. Gold does not oxidize like the silver metals, Use it when you can for non soldered and soldered connections. If you can't use gold plated connectors, a light coat of Deoxit Gold on the contact surfaces holds off oxidation very well for a long time. A dab of Loctite Blue in the screw down threads keeps the caps tight from heat cycles and getting knocked around. I use Evidence Audio patch cable kits as well. Thanks for your hard work and great videos!
Incredible, I’ve been just getting into this, perfect timing.
really enjoyed that. good work.
i am a technician and guitarist (useful combination by the way) and i live in the tropics. Dan probably knows FNQ and how moist it can be.
i have found in these conditions that solderless and particularly crimped connections will fail.
the solder or the flux seems to at least partially seal the end of the wire and slow the moisture ingress.
one point about testing; measuring the resistance is a good idea but one thing a multimeter (especially yours because it looked slow) will miss is momentary breaks or shorts.
a tester like the Behringer CT100 will pick up a millisecond break or short and latch that state on the leds.
patch away and don't forget to play...
What a great video! 10 years ago I tried a couple of different solderless cables. There wasn’t enough info that I could find at the time to troubleshoot my dodgy craftsmanship. 😅 I eventually learned how to solder and began soldering my cables because I could troubleshoot that easier, but this video has given me the itch to try to salvage my old, busted solderless cables. Cheers, Dan! You’re a fantastic teacher!
Cheers mate 🙏