Not only are you really good at this, but you’re also a good teacher. I get frustrated showing new people how to do this stuff. I’m gonna start sending links to your vids to trainees.
Hey mason, please help! I have bought 2 $85 mogami gold cables which have both had horrible microphonics, and static. I thought these were supposed to be the best cables in the world? There is no model number to go by, but the package says high-definition multi-purpose accessory cable. Have I bought a cable intended to go from the head to cabinet? I'm using this from my guitar into a radial di box then into XLR in my interface. The problem persists even running different guitars into my real world amplifier. These were purchased in-store from Guitar center, so I seriously doubt they're fakes.
Best vid hands down! I just finished up my first board. I unsoldered some fender patch cables and chopped up a 20 foot cable from my spare box. I already had the tools and meter from my day job so I felt right at home with this. Cables sound great and actually had a slightly better resistance than when they were still factory. I think I'm enjoying tinkering with my gear more than actually playing!
I followed all of his videos for audio cables and power supply cables I had no experience prior to doing this and I’ve built a bad ass board. My solder is gotten much better at the end of the project than in the beginning. My biggest challenge was cutting everything with the crimpers to the right size and making sure nothing was touching the outer shell to cause an issue with noise. Once I figured this out the board came out great. I’ve had no problems except for one power cable which I can totally deal with. The board sounds super quiet and sounds great. I’ll never buy power cables or audio cables again. I’ll totally make my own.
Hi Mason, love the channel, I put together some boards here in Ireland. Random question....What is that type of long angled, orange coloured handle pliers called, that I see you use in your videos for placing cable tie mounts onto boards? I cant seem to find one that's similar.
It's a Needle Nose Plier that's used for automotive applications. I purchased it through Amazon but you might find it at an auto parts store or hardware store.
Previously watched some of the older videos on this to my own patch cables for my current pedal board. It turned out perfectly and now I have a rig that is clean and virtually quiet! Glad that you remade all the videos as one and detailed the different plug types.
Okay, so this video inspired me... I just finished replacing all 10 of my existing patch cables (a variety of pretty decent flat, molded and soldered cables) with cables I built and soldered myself. I have a couple decades of soldering experience in my work history, so it seemed like a fun little side project. Since half of my signal chain is in stereo, making custom cables for everything made it much tidier. What I didn't expect was the huge improvement in tone! There's a lot more high and response now, and the low end is a lot cleaner and clearer. I think it's probably the Mogami cables that helped, but I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Thanks Mason!
I am a dental student and this video quality (how you teach about making cables) is way better than how PhD professors at my school teach about dentistry. A true Dr. Rig!
I use solder-less cables but I'd be really interested in a tutorial on building my own power lines to each pedal. I hate the way they're all the wrong length and I have to loop wire under my board to hide the extra length.- Wait- I just found your video on the power cables... watching next- thanks!
I just skimmed through all the comments, am I seriously the only one who watched this video and immediately thought of Monsters, Inc. when I heard you say "2319?"
Not really. There are two internal connectors instead of just one, but that's the only difference. You don't need a 15 minute video for that; just a knife, cheap pliers and a $ 5 soldering iron.
Hi Mason . Your vid is very nice for people , which newer done this before and they like to do . My point is that you went a bit too far' ! Weller is generally too expensive , specially stations ! People which gonna use a solder iron , just , from time to time , to make couple of patches , really don't need this ! They need a decent iron , with ergonomic handle , not too long '' heating tube '' - from the end of handle to the end of welding point . Good thing is to take, at last 3 types of welding points .
@@VertexEffectsInc All of the shots where you were performing the soldering. I could tell you were soldering, but it wasn't close enough to the connector to really see your soldering technique.
This guy is well spoken and there zero wasted time in each video. Right to the point and great information constantly. Best gear guy on RUclips by far....
Great video, the only thing I would add is that if you have a 50vdc megger, measuring resistance tip to sleeve after final assembly of connector will let you know if you screwed something up. I find less than a few gig ohms means start over. Don’t use more than 50 volts and don’t have the cable plugged into anything. When megging both ends of cable have to isolated.
I'm a hobby guitarist, tech, and recovering hoarder. I had some Monster mic cables that went bad so I clipped off the connectors and forgot about them til I watched this video. Ended up getting a 20pk of pancake connectors off Amazon and repurposed the xlr cable by snipping off one of the conductors. Re-wired my whole pedalboard.
@@VertexEffectsInc I assume your suggestion is okay due to the relative unimportance if RF/EMF interference at the pedalboard, but if I were strangely using it as an instrument cable it'd be prudent to use the shielded braid as ground.
I have a soldering iron, but I’ve only done one soldering project, when I swapped out the pickups in a guitar. Amazingly, despite my 💩soldering skills, it worked. I would love for you to do a video on how to solder, and talk to me like I’m in Kindergarten. When you first mentioned tinning I realized that I don’t know how to tin. I would love to do more soldering, but I just don’t know how to do it well. I know there are other videos on RUclips about soldering, but I think you could make the definitive video on it.
Mason, great video. Convinced me to make my own cables for building my Temple Audio Duo 24/Boss Pedals/MXR 238 setup. I have one major concern however. I was going to install the Temple Audio 4X module (the $49.00 one) as well but after reading some reviews about noise being a problem I'm having second thoughts and maybe just doing without. It's absolutely quiet right now. Would the smart move be to just go without? Thanks and keep up the great videos!
If it's passive (the 4x) I don't see why it would add noise. I don't know much about it. You could also build a DIY interface, we provide free diagrams and tutorials here on RUclips to build your own.
Thanks for this man. I love having a perfect layout on my usually quite small boards. I find making my own perfect little cables really satisfying. It’s great to have some pro advice.
Why do you use 2319 0r 2314 for patch cables and 2524 for instrument cables? What would you use for speaker cables? Do you have a video on that? Thanks a million!
Time consuming, maybe. But raw bulk HQ cable with custom tips for a custom pedalboard?? Way cheaper AND a cleaner tighter more pro fit and finish than any pre-made patch runs. Just IME, YMMV.
Enjoying this series. Would love to see a vid for balanced TRS and XLR cables as well. In the meantime, do you have a recommendation for which cable to use for this purpose? Cheers!
Hey Mason! I’m a regular listener of Chairmen of the Boards and used your recommendations to get Mogami 2319 and SP400 connectors. It wasn’t until watching this video that I realized that combination might be incompatible. Will I have to order new cable / connectors or will this combo still work, just with a tighter fit? Thanks for all the incredible content!
I’ve got to get these materials. Already have a great solder station I set up for my kid who build FPV drones for racing. Time for daddy to start soldering.
Mason love your videos and really enjoying the new Chairman of the Boards Podcast! Just curious if it is worth it to try and salvage already used SP400's for a new board, or if its not worth the frustration and just get new plugs. I'm sure for you, there are hundreds on tap to grab in the shop, but for some of us DIYers they aren't as readily available. Just curious as to what your thoughts are!
You're really good at explaining things in a simple way. I just sent back $100 of (probably crappy) pre-made / sealed patch cables and am gonna build my own instead, thanks!
I'm a retired electronics engineer and there's one thing in all my years I never could work out that maybe someone on here can explain. How come Americans call it "Sodder" instead of "Solder"?
Thanks for this, it’s very helpful for all of us wannabe techs. I was wondering what you think about using solid core cable like Lava Tightrope for patch cables. It seems harder to get a solid tip connection.
Mechanically, they're the same, it's just the diameter of cable that will fit in them. The 5/500 series does larger cable diameters, the 4/400 series does smaller. I stick with the 4/400 series using Mogami 2314.
When I test cables with my DVM I also like to cross check the signal line and ground looking for shorts. And I like to put a drop or two of liquid flux on every joint. I just love the way it makes the solder flow. The flux really good on solder braid as well. Pulls all the solder right out of the joint.
Can jacks be reused? Like if I have patch cables that use a cheaper cable but I want to upgrade the cable to mogami, can I unsolder the old cable and solder the mogami cable to the jack?
That's more depending on your ability to disassemble them; some are molded on and can't be removed. If you can properly disassemble the jack then you can reuse it.
@@thrashtilldeath946 no, not necessary. For the most part any strain relief is coming from the plug itself and the hardware that's part of the housing. Usually heat shrink will only help with lateral movement and can't help with a pull. For a patch cable this isn't so useful.
I'm guessing the insulator on the 2319/2314 won't melt at 650-700? That's the problem I run into, but I haven't used the mogami stuff. Also LOL'd at forgetting to put on the boot before soldering the second plug. I have *NEVER* made that mistake. :D
Thank you very much for your efforts with those videos, they are a host of information. My main issue with cable management in my pedalboard is how to deal with pedals like Boss LS-2 and NS-2 which add a ton of extra cables. Do you have any suggestion on how to deal with stuff like that? Also, do you have any opinion on flat patch cables like those from EBS or Rockboard?
The NS-2 can accept all SP400 or SP500 and you just feed them the opposite direction when dressing them, on cable goes 3:00 and the other 9:00 so they don't bump into each other. The bottom cable should loop around under itself so you can get it going in the same direction as the same cable on that side. These cables I recommend are a professional solution. EBS and Rockboard are a consumer level solution that is not at all comparable, but better than most solderless varieties out there.
Excellent video, thank you for that. I plan to redo my entire Bass board during the holidays and found some SP400 and SPS4 plugs... 2314 however is basically impossible to get in Europa, so I went with the Sommer Cable Tynee. Do you have any experience with it? It looks good, but the SP400 does not really tightly grab the cable, so there is no strain relief. Is this similar for 2314 or are they maybe a little bit thicker? I also got some 2319, which is a very tight fit with the SP400, but it does work (but I prefer the thinner cable)...
@@VertexEffectsInc Weller WE1010NA digital soldering station is your recommendation? I have a solomon sr965 so I want to be sure what to get next. Thanks
VERTEX, which guitar cables and patch cables use Quad Core Conductive Copper? the Quad Core is suppose to do what differently compared to Non-Quad Core cables?
Great video and very informative, but for those that would like to avoid soldering, do you know if the 2319 cable can be used with solderless connectors? I have a bunch of Evidence connectors that I like but would like to switch to the Mogami cable.
I have found you can make an excellent clamp for 1/4" 6.3mm jacks with a drill in 2 mins. Drill a jacks length into bit of wood (like cheap pine offcut) with a 6mm drill bit then gently move the running drill round in a small circle so the hole you are left with is 6mm at the bottom and slightly wider than the 6.3mm jack at the top. It will grip the jack as hard/soft as you want depended on how muck you push it in. you can put in a few holes if you want to do several cables in a row or have your right angle jacks all facing the same way relative to the cable. Thanks for this video, I've made 500mm Moogami 2319 with Squareplugs spS5 and sp400 which solves loads of wee problems :)
If you use what we show you to do here, there is no value in using heat shrink. Pairing the right cable with the right plug, e.g. Mogami 2314 with SPS4 or SP400, and Mogami 2319 with SPS5 or SP500, you already have all the lateral stability you need. The time to use heat shrink is when you need to restrict lateral movement in the housing. This happens when the plug housing is larger in diameter (on the opening) than the cable is. The strain relief internally will help some but it's nice to build it up with heat shrink as well so you have some protection of movement side to side, where the strain relief does more for a pulling movement as opposed to side-to-side.
I watched this yesterday, amongst many other videos, and I'm watching the Lindsey Ell video now. I notice you use different patch plugs in different places. Looks like straight on top jacks, and angled on side jacks? Any particular advantage to straight plugs, over angled?
Just depends on the spacing and what puts the least stress on the cables. There's not "wrong" way just what makes for the least pulling and most natural path into the input/output jack.
Thanks very much for this video. I was on the fence about ordering all the parts and materials vs buying ready made cables. But customisation and the fact that I'll do it myself made up my mind. Very detailed infor. Thanks again.
Wasn't this topic covered in other videos already? 😂😂😂. Then again, it's good to have a refresher. Also, can I mention it's always a good thing to have a packet of soldered patch cables just in case if for whatever reason, you'd want/need to patch in another pedal, or if a cable goes down at an inconvenient time, whatever it is, it's always a good idea having those. (Especially if you're working as a tech/roadie) Also, cable tabs won't hurt, either. Primarily, because it allows you to label each cable so you know what it goes to, and if it's a spare cable, even better. PS. I'm still begging you, please, please, PLEASE!!!, do a "WHY you need an interface box?" video, not How, not When, or What, but Why? If not for me, then for those that don't know. I already know why, but for those that might still have doubts about it.
If I’m getting a 0.1 or 0.2 reading when testing the cable, 1) is that acceptable to use on a board? And 2) any suggestions on why I might be getting this resistance and how to eliminate?
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you so much.... and awesome response time!!🔥 🔥 🤘 🤘. I learn so much every time I watch one of your tutorials or I listen to the podcast. FUKKN AWESOME
Great video but this is ridiculously complex. You need to spend $500 + (minus the pedals) just to avoid noise and supply correct power. Seems like there needs to be some innovation in this industry to make this streamlined. I shoudn't need to do all this. I admire the experts of course but this is not practical.
This is very practical, if you do some research on what you're buying you can get everything you need for under $100. Then about dollar per foot of cable and a few more for connectors, you really cant beat that. You can repair your cables for life and now you're handy with a soldering iron. If its too complex, do what everyone does and overpay.
I agree he makes it sound complex, but I totally disagree that it has to be; you don't need $ 500 in tools. A knife, cheap pliers and a $ 5 soldering iron are all you need to solder cables.
@@mikerotchburns7287 Just for more context, here in UK I'm looking at £30+ for 10m of Mogami cable, and every single Square Plug jack is around £6. That means if you wanted to make any patch cable it would cost a bare minimum of around £10 or $13 (just including the jacks) and every 15cm of cable (6") is an extra £4.50. At that point, just buy a patch cable for $13 each and save yourself the effort.
If you buy Earnie Ball flat patch cables, you pay 70 USD for 10 cables, if you build 10 cables, you need 130 USD (30 USD for Mogami cable and 5 USD for each Plug), at least because you are supposed to have a soldering station and all that is required for that, why should i build cables instead of buying one...?????
if you can work with the length of the ready made cables, great. I need custom length for all of them, that way I don't have any excess bunched up on top of the board.
You don’t need mogami cable. You don’t need expensive plugs. If you were to buy pre made mogami patch cables it would cost you about $35 each. Compare $350 to the $130 you would pay if you build the exact same cable. You could buy cheap cable and cheap connectors and build your cheap cables and would be the same as those Earnie ball ones which aren’t high quality.
@@Elniniss Latinos con cada idea tonta que aparecen, JHS usa esos Earnie Ball cables, entonces Josh un diseñador, creador de pedales a nivel mundial no sabe que cables son de calidad...??? Jajaja cada idea de cada tipo, la ventaja de hacerte tus cables es el tamaño exacto para tu pedalboard.
@@josed2828 Los cables no son de la misma calidad que un mogami. Hacen lo mismo y nunca vas a notar ninguna diferencia. Pero si abres un cable Earnie ball y lo comparas con un mogami te darás cuenta de porque cuestan 3 veces más. No dije que no sirven los cables, simplemente no son de la misma calidad.
Tricky ain't the word on the SP400 pancakes. That ground tab just refuses solder for me. I gotta do 30 of them and can't even get one to take solder. Get something else or you might regret it.
Mr. Marangella, my cables may be too long. I have a distinct volume drop, almost 50%, when I use the effects loop on my PEAVEY ULTRA Plus. The chain is Guitar -> (18ft) -> Peavey rack EQ -> (10ft) -> Front of AMP -> [[EFFECTS SEND on rear of AMP ]] -> (10ft) -> BOSS OD200 -> (PATCH) -> Line 6 ECHO PARK delay -> (10ft) -> [[ EFFECTS RETURN on rear of AMP ]] -> (OEM PEAVEY CABLE 3 ft) -> 4x12 cabinet. Would you have anything to recommend for cable length or do you know of another issue to address? Thank you.
That's a great question. Hi, I'm obviously not Mason but I've wired a ton of cables for myself and others. For me it depends on the diameter of the cable I'm using and the size of the hole that the cable goes though on the jack housing. Some cables need it and some don't. It's easy to see if after you've soldered one end there's way too much play even after you've used the strain relief. It's best to use a jack whose housing diameter is closest to the diameter of the cable but sometimes they aren't made or difficult to obtain. That said you don't want it too stiff either because it makes moving the cable around on the pedalboard difficult. When I do use it on a cable I like it to stick out a tiny bit on the end of the jack but not too far just enough that you can see it.
@@heathband If you're using the right size plugs, the heat shrink won't help, and in fact detract from the stability of the cable. If you're using our recommended Mogami Cable with SP400/500 or SPS4/5 there won't be any need for heatshrink as it's only used to reduce lateral movement in the plug itself. These plugs are so tight, there is no lateral movement..
@@VertexEffectsInc I totally agree. That's why I always try to use the plugs that are designed for the cable. Plus heat shrink tubing is a pain in the ass to get off if you have to repair a cable for whatever reason.
I really love this channel, but the more I watch you re videos the more I notice that it's "high price" oriented, everytime I expect a real tips or something it always end up pricey. Even doing you own cable ends up needing High quality this or that... I can solder pretty good with the worst soldering iron, high quality tools won't make you capable of anything It will only help and make it a bit easier, so I thin you should not always mention high quality on everything you use, not everyone has a 110$/pedals, 5000k/pedalboard setup job and can or has to afford those things. Average even first price tools will work fine... still loving the content though
Are you familiar with WBC soldered patch cables.I purchased two kinds from them,one is Mogami and the other is Gotham model 4 times shielded that is a little bigger diameter. They're both about $33 for six 6" cables.My question is are they any good?They both use eminence plugs that are too big to work on most stereo pedals.Also do you know if the Fender custom shop patch cables are soldered or not??Thanks for all you do for this community.
I just repaired a cable I have been using for a while. When I opened it up the sheath of the cable was conected to the tip of the connector at both ends so it did funtion . What affects could wiring a cable up like this have?
Awesome video, thanks for the advice! Quick question - if I want to be able to fit the shield through the hole on the ground lug, is it okay to split the shield into 2 parts, cut off 1 half, and only use the other half? I’m finding the diameter of the entire shield braid to be too large to fit through the ground lug hole. Are there any sonic difference in doing so? Btw I’m using the CA-0678 cable from BTPA. Thanks so much for your help!
Heh I got cables I made from 30 years ago and they still work. I made a three - quarter inch plug cable. A plug on each end of a 20’ cable then a middle of the cable plug wired in parallel.Plug one end of the cable into your amp plug the middle one into a guitar then the last one into your other guitar. The guitar on the middle plug controls the tone and volume. I heard it’s an old blues trick. It’s fun to mess with someone when you hide the middle jack guitar. Great tips and refresher. Thanks 🙏
I believe if any of the square cable pancake ends are slightly touching each other its shorting out my signal, you ever run into this? Like the outsides are touching when plugged into the back of a pedal
Don't wanna DIY? Let us make your cables instead!
Vertex Custom Patch Cables: bit.ly/3AU63vl
Table of Contents:
00:00 Intro
00:27 Materials
02:42 Cable/Plug Types
04:34 Soldering Tips
04:53 Cable Preparation
07:58 Plug Preparation
08:12 Soldering Your Patch Cable
09:19 Testing Your Cable's Continuity
10:08 SquarePlug Tips
12:57 Switchcraft Tips
14:01 Plug/Cable Compatibility
14:39 Material List Recap
15:22 Outro
DIY Instrument Cable Tutorial:
ruclips.net/video/eekxhJpTctg/видео.html
DIY Patch Cable Tutorial:
ruclips.net/video/YDowhQxmN88/видео.html
I need a 4" pancake to right angle boot. I didn't see them on your web page..
What are the consequences of overheating?
Not only are you really good at this, but you’re also a good teacher. I get frustrated showing new people how to do this stuff. I’m gonna start sending links to your vids to trainees.
Thanks Hugh!!! Glad you dug the video :). Hopefully it helps others!
Hey mason, please help! I have bought 2 $85 mogami gold cables which have both had horrible microphonics, and static. I thought these were supposed to be the best cables in the world?
There is no model number to go by, but the package says high-definition multi-purpose accessory cable. Have I bought a cable intended to go from the head to cabinet?
I'm using this from my guitar into a radial di box then into XLR in my interface. The problem persists even running different guitars into my real world amplifier.
These were purchased in-store from Guitar center, so I seriously doubt they're fakes.
Best vid hands down! I just finished up my first board. I unsoldered some fender patch cables and chopped up a 20 foot cable from my spare box. I already had the tools and meter from my day job so I felt right at home with this. Cables sound great and actually had a slightly better resistance than when they were still factory. I think I'm enjoying tinkering with my gear more than actually playing!
Glad it helped!
I followed all of his videos for audio cables and power supply cables I had no experience prior to doing this and I’ve built a bad ass board. My solder is gotten much better at the end of the project than in the beginning. My biggest challenge was cutting everything with the crimpers to the right size and making sure nothing was touching the outer shell to cause an issue with noise. Once I figured this out the board came out great. I’ve had no problems except for one power cable which I can totally deal with. The board sounds super quiet and sounds great. I’ll never buy power cables or audio cables again. I’ll totally make my own.
Great news! Glad this could help!
Hi Mason, love the channel, I put together some boards here in Ireland. Random question....What is that type of long angled, orange coloured handle pliers called, that I see you use in your videos for placing cable tie mounts onto boards? I cant seem to find one that's similar.
It's a Needle Nose Plier that's used for automotive applications. I purchased it through Amazon but you might find it at an auto parts store or hardware store.
thanks so much for the reply !
Sorry, too lazy, just going to keep buying patch cables. Cool video though
Previously watched some of the older videos on this to my own patch cables for my current pedal board. It turned out perfectly and now I have a rig that is clean and virtually quiet! Glad that you remade all the videos as one and detailed the different plug types.
Glad I could help!
Okay, so this video inspired me... I just finished replacing all 10 of my existing patch cables (a variety of pretty decent flat, molded and soldered cables) with cables I built and soldered myself. I have a couple decades of soldering experience in my work history, so it seemed like a fun little side project. Since half of my signal chain is in stereo, making custom cables for everything made it much tidier. What I didn't expect was the huge improvement in tone! There's a lot more high and response now, and the low end is a lot cleaner and clearer. I think it's probably the Mogami cables that helped, but I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Thanks Mason!
most likely the shorter runs and less capacitance on the load .. less noise most likely too
I am a dental student and this video quality (how you teach about making cables) is way better than how PhD professors at my school teach about dentistry. A true Dr. Rig!
Thanks Tony!
Stoners. Please pay special attention to what he says at 8:38 :)
DO NOT BUY LAVA CABLES!!! VERY POOR QUALITY EVEN WORSE CUSTOMER SERVICE. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON LAVA CABLES.
Sorry that happened. Typically they have a very good reputation.
Very clear explanation. Very informative and articulate young man. Great job. Going to check out your site right now! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the support :)
I use solder-less cables but I'd be really interested in a tutorial on building my own power lines to each pedal. I hate the way they're all the wrong length and I have to loop wire under my board to hide the extra length.- Wait- I just found your video on the power cables... watching next- thanks!
I just skimmed through all the comments, am I seriously the only one who watched this video and immediately thought of Monsters, Inc. when I heard you say "2319?"
Is the process for TRS cables different?
Not really. There are two internal connectors instead of just one, but that's the only difference. You don't need a 15 minute video for that; just a knife, cheap pliers and a $ 5 soldering iron.
Watching this, and realizing I didn't strip back that black material, now I have to go open all my patch cables lol
Oh no
This the king of video I’ll watch 10 times. Thank you.
Hope it helps Howard!
Mason, you are the man, an absolute gem in the guitar community
Hi Mason . Your vid is very nice for people , which newer done this before and they like to do . My point is that you went a bit too far' ! Weller is generally too expensive , specially stations ! People which gonna use a solder iron , just , from time to time , to make couple of patches , really don't need this ! They need a decent iron , with ergonomic handle , not too long '' heating tube '' - from the end of handle to the end of welding point . Good thing is to take, at last 3 types of welding points .
Would've been great to see the actual soldering zoomed in more closely for better observation, but nevertheless, a very informative video.
Where did you feel you couldn't see? We had visual diagrams that mirrored the actual video in real time.
@@VertexEffectsInc All of the shots where you were performing the soldering. I could tell you were soldering, but it wasn't close enough to the connector to really see your soldering technique.
This guy is well spoken and there zero wasted time in each video. Right to the point and great information constantly. Best gear guy on RUclips by far....
Wow, thanks!
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you for awesome information! You have a new subscriber. 😎🎸
Very useful stuff Mason. Loving the DIY stuff.
Thanks 👍
Do you have a video on how to make a dual mono to TRS cable? I need them for my RJM 6X and I’m struggling to get this to work.
Great video, the only thing I would add is that if you have a 50vdc megger, measuring resistance tip to sleeve after final assembly of connector will let you know if you screwed something up. I find less than a few gig ohms means start over.
Don’t use more than 50 volts and don’t have the cable plugged into anything. When megging both ends of cable have to isolated.
I wish there was a close-up overhead view so I could see how the soldering technique is supposed to work.
Search for ChrisFix channel he has an absolute video on soldering in general
I'm a hobby guitarist, tech, and recovering hoarder. I had some Monster mic cables that went bad so I clipped off the connectors and forgot about them til I watched this video.
Ended up getting a 20pk of pancake connectors off Amazon and repurposed the xlr cable by snipping off one of the conductors. Re-wired my whole pedalboard.
You could also wire them and tie one of the center conductors to the ground and have the other center conductor go to the tip.
@@VertexEffectsInc I assume your suggestion is okay due to the relative unimportance if RF/EMF interference at the pedalboard, but if I were strangely using it as an instrument cable it'd be prudent to use the shielded braid as ground.
Thank you for all of the great content and advice!
Do you have any advice on the Switchcraft 228 (pancake) plugs?
Thanks!
It will be very similar here except for the ground lug, that will need to be soldered to the housing itself, no solder lug.
@@VertexEffectsInc Thanks for your reply! Can it be soldered anywhere on the housing?
I have a soldering iron, but I’ve only done one soldering project, when I swapped out the pickups in a guitar. Amazingly, despite my 💩soldering skills, it worked. I would love for you to do a video on how to solder, and talk to me like I’m in Kindergarten. When you first mentioned tinning I realized that I don’t know how to tin. I would love to do more soldering, but I just don’t know how to do it well. I know there are other videos on RUclips about soldering, but I think you could make the definitive video on it.
We're developing a few courses for people to purchase that include a soldering basics.
Now explain it to me like I’m 5.
Put the speed on 3x
0.08 mm??...that is thin as a hair...I think you mean 0.8 mm
Except for that a great vid!!
I learned how to solder and will save a ton of money and it's fun to do, thank for this video, its awesome.
Glad you liked it!
Mason, great video. Convinced me to make my own cables for building my Temple Audio Duo 24/Boss Pedals/MXR 238 setup. I have one major concern however. I was going to install the Temple Audio 4X module (the $49.00 one) as well but after reading some reviews about noise being a problem I'm having second thoughts and maybe just doing without. It's absolutely quiet right now. Would the smart move be to just go without? Thanks and keep up the great videos!
If it's passive (the 4x) I don't see why it would add noise. I don't know much about it. You could also build a DIY interface, we provide free diagrams and tutorials here on RUclips to build your own.
Thanks for this man. I love having a perfect layout on my usually quite small boards. I find making my own perfect little cables really satisfying. It’s great to have some pro advice.
Glad I could help!
Why do you use 2319 0r 2314 for patch cables and 2524 for instrument cables? What would you use for speaker cables? Do you have a video on that? Thanks a million!
For switchers I use 2314. For serial pedalboards I use 2319. For instrument cables I use 2524.
Not worth the bother. It's more expensive and time consuming than just buying.
Time consuming, maybe. But raw bulk HQ cable with custom tips for a custom pedalboard?? Way cheaper AND a cleaner tighter more pro fit and finish than any pre-made patch runs. Just IME, YMMV.
@@MojoP A single tip is $4 plus. I can get a decent cable for that. I don't understand how anyone thinks this makes sense.
Enjoying this series. Would love to see a vid for balanced TRS and XLR cables as well. In the meantime, do you have a recommendation for which cable to use for this purpose? Cheers!
Great suggestion! Mogami 2552 is a good cable for that.
This is great but DIY is supposed to be cheaper not more expensive. When I priced everything out it was much cheaper to just buy the cable.
If you’re comparing just plugs and cable to pre-built DIY is always cheaper. You must not be comparing equal quality cables and plugs.
Hey Mason! I’m a regular listener of Chairmen of the Boards and used your recommendations to get Mogami 2319 and SP400 connectors. It wasn’t until watching this video that I realized that combination might be incompatible. Will I have to order new cable / connectors or will this combo still work, just with a tighter fit? Thanks for all the incredible content!
2319 will still work with SP400 but it'll be tight. I normally use 2314 with SP400.
I’ve got to get these materials. Already have a great solder station I set up for my kid who build FPV drones for racing. Time for daddy to start soldering.
Go for it!
Mason love your videos and really enjoying the new Chairman of the Boards Podcast! Just curious if it is worth it to try and salvage already used SP400's for a new board, or if its not worth the frustration and just get new plugs. I'm sure for you, there are hundreds on tap to grab in the shop, but for some of us DIYers they aren't as readily available. Just curious as to what your thoughts are!
If the plugs aren't damaged you could re-use them.
You're really good at explaining things in a simple way. I just sent back $100 of (probably crappy) pre-made / sealed patch cables and am gonna build my own instead, thanks!
Glad I could help!
I'm a retired electronics engineer and there's one thing in all my years I never could work out that maybe someone on here can explain.
How come Americans call it "Sodder" instead of "Solder"?
For the same reason Americans insist on calling Herbs 'erbs. Laziness.
@@danwatt5789 maybe they use "erbs" to save ink?
@@etarepsedllits48 what about aloominum
Thanks for this, it’s very helpful for all of us wannabe techs. I was wondering what you think about using solid core cable like Lava Tightrope for patch cables. It seems harder to get a solid tip connection.
You can use it...some people prefer solid core, I find it's inflexible and more likely to break if you're manipulating it a lot.
9:28 Thank you for this tip! I will check all my cables, in case any have some resistance I need to re-solder them cleanly?
I'd de-solder them and strip them back to new on the cable.
What's the difference between the SP400 and SP500? As well as the SPS4 vs SPS5? Is it just the size of cable going in?
Mechanically, they're the same, it's just the diameter of cable that will fit in them. The 5/500 series does larger cable diameters, the 4/400 series does smaller. I stick with the 4/400 series using Mogami 2314.
When I test cables with my DVM I also like to cross check the signal line and ground looking for shorts. And I like to put a drop or two of liquid flux on every joint. I just love the way it makes the solder flow. The flux really good on solder braid as well. Pulls all the solder right out of the joint.
Good trick!
Now for some reason, I don't think this video is getting enough ❤.
if you are using Mogami 2319 shouldn't you be using SPS500 due to the diameter of the cable?
yes!
Can jacks be reused? Like if I have patch cables that use a cheaper cable but I want to upgrade the cable to mogami, can I unsolder the old cable and solder the mogami cable to the jack?
That's more depending on your ability to disassemble them; some are molded on and can't be removed. If you can properly disassemble the jack then you can reuse it.
When I strip the inner plastic, sometimes i cut a few of the inner strands, is it a big deal ? I am using Mogami 2314
I did the same but had no issues. Try a fresh Xacto knife next time.
Ever since i started watching your vids ive learned so much, i make my own patch cables thanks to you
Glad to hear it!
Glad I found this channel. Amazing stuff man
Great video! Definitely want to make my own DIY Cables! Cheers!
Go for it!
I thought this tutorial was very informative and I'm going to get all my materials together and give it a go thank you Mason. 🤘🤘
Glad it was helpful!
@@VertexEffectsInc I had one more question do you need some kind of heat shrink wrap on either the patch or instrument cables?
@@thrashtilldeath946 no, not necessary. For the most part any strain relief is coming from the plug itself and the hardware that's part of the housing. Usually heat shrink will only help with lateral movement and can't help with a pull. For a patch cable this isn't so useful.
I'm guessing the insulator on the 2319/2314 won't melt at 650-700? That's the problem I run into, but I haven't used the mogami stuff. Also LOL'd at forgetting to put on the boot before soldering the second plug. I have *NEVER* made that mistake. :D
Besides continuity, any test in case there is any noise (not sure if there would be any but curious)? Thanks.
You can test each on as you finish them to see how they compare to say a "baseline" cable you've already built and qualified.
Thank you very much for your efforts with those videos, they are a host of information. My main issue with cable management in my pedalboard is how to deal with pedals like Boss LS-2 and NS-2 which add a ton of extra cables. Do you have any suggestion on how to deal with stuff like that? Also, do you have any opinion on flat patch cables like those from EBS or Rockboard?
The NS-2 can accept all SP400 or SP500 and you just feed them the opposite direction when dressing them, on cable goes 3:00 and the other 9:00 so they don't bump into each other. The bottom cable should loop around under itself so you can get it going in the same direction as the same cable on that side. These cables I recommend are a professional solution. EBS and Rockboard are a consumer level solution that is not at all comparable, but better than most solderless varieties out there.
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you for the info, I appreciate it.
Excellent video, thank you for that. I plan to redo my entire Bass board during the holidays and found some SP400 and SPS4 plugs... 2314 however is basically impossible to get in Europa, so I went with the Sommer Cable Tynee. Do you have any experience with it? It looks good, but the SP400 does not really tightly grab the cable, so there is no strain relief. Is this similar for 2314 or are they maybe a little bit thicker? I also got some 2319, which is a very tight fit with the SP400, but it does work (but I prefer the thinner cable)...
If you close your eyes..it sounds like Josh Gad is teaching you how to build patch cables
Fascinating, just last week someone wrote that I sounded like Ricki Lake.
@@VertexEffectsInc haha
What model Hakko Solder Iron/station is that?
There is only a link for the Weller WE1010NA digital soldering station....
We're using a Weller here, not sure the equivalent model in Hakko.
@@VertexEffectsInc Weller WE1010NA digital soldering station is your recommendation? I have a solomon sr965 so I want to be sure what to get next. Thanks
VERTEX, which guitar cables and patch cables use Quad Core Conductive Copper? the Quad Core is suppose to do what differently compared to Non-Quad Core cables?
I dig it!
Thanks Walter!
Great video and very informative, but for those that would like to avoid soldering, do you know if the 2319 cable can be used with solderless connectors? I have a bunch of Evidence connectors that I like but would like to switch to the Mogami cable.
I think the solderless plugs require their native cable.
If you want a great solderless cable try Evidence Audio SIS, it's a solid copper core that screws directly into the plug
I love how Mason smiles while talking about not forgetting to put on boot. He knows, he knows that damn feeling.... T___T. Great vid, thanks!
Is the 2314 cable more susceptible to noise than 2319?
Not in this context. I use 2314 more than any other cable.
I’m timid about such high temperatures! Is this why Warren Zevon wrote “I Was In The House When the House Burned Down”?
Your videos are incredible!
Thanks for watching!
I have found you can make an excellent clamp for 1/4" 6.3mm jacks with a drill in 2 mins. Drill a jacks length into bit of wood (like cheap pine offcut) with a 6mm drill bit then gently move the running drill round in a small circle so the hole you are left with is 6mm at the bottom and slightly wider than the 6.3mm jack at the top. It will grip the jack as hard/soft as you want depended on how muck you push it in. you can put in a few holes if you want to do several cables in a row or have your right angle jacks all facing the same way relative to the cable.
Thanks for this video, I've made 500mm Moogami 2319 with Squareplugs spS5 and sp400 which solves loads of wee problems :)
Question
Can I use my LavaCable tightrope cable and solder it with SP400 and SPS4's?
Sure!
@@VertexEffectsInc awesome
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you Mason
Thank you very much!!! how about some heat shrink tips and advice? I like the look and feel of patch cables with this on.
If you use what we show you to do here, there is no value in using heat shrink. Pairing the right cable with the right plug, e.g. Mogami 2314 with SPS4 or SP400, and Mogami 2319 with SPS5 or SP500, you already have all the lateral stability you need. The time to use heat shrink is when you need to restrict lateral movement in the housing. This happens when the plug housing is larger in diameter (on the opening) than the cable is. The strain relief internally will help some but it's nice to build it up with heat shrink as well so you have some protection of movement side to side, where the strain relief does more for a pulling movement as opposed to side-to-side.
@@VertexEffectsInc so it’s better to use 2314 with SPS5 and heat shrink for extra support as opposed to just 2319 straight?
I watched this yesterday, amongst many other videos, and I'm watching the Lindsey Ell video now. I notice you use different patch plugs in different places. Looks like straight on top jacks, and angled on side jacks? Any particular advantage to straight plugs, over angled?
Just depends on the spacing and what puts the least stress on the cables. There's not "wrong" way just what makes for the least pulling and most natural path into the input/output jack.
@@VertexEffectsInc thanks!
@@SD_Marc sure thing!
2314 is impossible to find in Europe easy 2319
Both are good
Love your videos, thank you so much for clearing up a lot of misconceptions I had 😁👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks very much for this video. I was on the fence about ordering all the parts and materials vs buying ready made cables. But customisation and the fact that I'll do it myself made up my mind. Very detailed infor. Thanks again.
Wasn't this topic covered in other videos already? 😂😂😂. Then again, it's good to have a refresher.
Also, can I mention it's always a good thing to have a packet of soldered patch cables just in case if for whatever reason, you'd want/need to patch in another pedal, or if a cable goes down at an inconvenient time, whatever it is, it's always a good idea having those. (Especially if you're working as a tech/roadie)
Also, cable tabs won't hurt, either. Primarily, because it allows you to label each cable so you know what it goes to, and if it's a spare cable, even better.
PS. I'm still begging you, please, please, PLEASE!!!, do a "WHY you need an interface box?" video, not How, not When, or What, but Why? If not for me, then for those that don't know. I already know why, but for those that might still have doubts about it.
Good idea!
Thank you very much
This is a very useful presentation of solutions that might take much longer to sort through otherwise.
A great video filled with tons of good advice, but next time, you really need to zoom right into the part when the soldering is taking place. Thanks.
If I’m getting a 0.1 or 0.2 reading when testing the cable, 1) is that acceptable to use on a board? And 2) any suggestions on why I might be getting this resistance and how to eliminate?
Mason I had a question about soldering irons, how high should the temperature go to for soldering instrument and patch cables?
Using around 700 degrees F.
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you so much.... and awesome response time!!🔥 🔥 🤘 🤘. I learn so much every time I watch one of your tutorials or I listen to the podcast. FUKKN AWESOME
I purchased all the necessary equipment (except for soldering iron, already had it) and already saved a small fortune. Thank you, Mason!
Great video but this is ridiculously complex. You need to spend $500 + (minus the pedals) just to avoid noise and supply correct power. Seems like there needs to be some innovation in this industry to make this streamlined. I shoudn't need to do all this. I admire the experts of course but this is not practical.
This is very practical, if you do some research on what you're buying you can get everything you need for under $100. Then about dollar per foot of cable and a few more for connectors, you really cant beat that. You can repair your cables for life and now you're handy with a soldering iron. If its too complex, do what everyone does and overpay.
I agree he makes it sound complex, but I totally disagree that it has to be; you don't need $ 500 in tools. A knife, cheap pliers and a $ 5 soldering iron are all you need to solder cables.
@@mikerotchburns7287 Just for more context, here in UK I'm looking at £30+ for 10m of Mogami cable, and every single Square Plug jack is around £6. That means if you wanted to make any patch cable it would cost a bare minimum of around £10 or $13 (just including the jacks) and every 15cm of cable (6") is an extra £4.50. At that point, just buy a patch cable for $13 each and save yourself the effort.
now we only have to learn to solder TRS cables!
Not for this pedal.
So does it have to be a 70W soldering iron?
No watts is an average for soldering iron, still it will be a lot easier
If you buy Earnie Ball flat patch cables, you pay 70 USD for 10 cables, if you build 10 cables, you need 130 USD (30 USD for Mogami cable and 5 USD for each Plug), at least because you are supposed to have a soldering station and all that is required for that, why should i build cables instead of buying one...?????
if you can work with the length of the ready made cables, great. I need custom length for all of them, that way I don't have any excess bunched up on top of the board.
You don’t need mogami cable. You don’t need expensive plugs. If you were to buy pre made mogami patch cables it would cost you about $35 each. Compare $350 to the $130 you would pay if you build the exact same cable. You could buy cheap cable and cheap connectors and build your cheap cables and would be the same as those Earnie ball ones which aren’t high quality.
@@Elniniss Latinos con cada idea tonta que aparecen, JHS usa esos Earnie Ball cables, entonces Josh un diseñador, creador de pedales a nivel mundial no sabe que cables son de calidad...??? Jajaja cada idea de cada tipo, la ventaja de hacerte tus cables es el tamaño exacto para tu pedalboard.
@@josed2828 Los cables no son de la misma calidad que un mogami. Hacen lo mismo y nunca vas a notar ninguna diferencia. Pero si abres un cable Earnie ball y lo comparas con un mogami te darás cuenta de porque cuestan 3 veces más. No dije que no sirven los cables, simplemente no son de la misma calidad.
It’s a hobby for some, I suspect.
Tricky ain't the word on the SP400 pancakes. That ground tab just refuses solder for me. I gotta do 30 of them and can't even get one to take solder. Get something else or you might regret it.
Take a piece of sandpaper and scuff it up a little and it will be easier to solder
Mr. Marangella, my cables may be too long. I have a distinct volume drop, almost 50%, when I use the effects loop on my PEAVEY ULTRA Plus. The chain is Guitar -> (18ft) -> Peavey rack EQ -> (10ft) -> Front of AMP -> [[EFFECTS SEND on rear of AMP ]] -> (10ft) -> BOSS OD200 -> (PATCH) -> Line 6 ECHO PARK delay -> (10ft) -> [[ EFFECTS RETURN on rear of AMP ]] -> (OEM PEAVEY CABLE 3 ft) -> 4x12 cabinet. Would you have anything to recommend for cable length or do you know of another issue to address? Thank you.
Buffers
Clear, precise, and with no fluff. I wish some other DIY channels were this good.
Any recommendations for instrument cable/plugs? (From Guitar to pedalboard?)
9:28 besides a continuity test I’d also recommend to test if there is no short between the tip and sleeve of the connector(s).
Great stuff, thank you so much. I noticed the heat gun in the products list, but no shrink sleeves. Do you ever use shrink inside the housings?
That's a great question. Hi, I'm obviously not Mason but I've wired a ton of cables for myself and others. For me it depends on the diameter of the cable I'm using and the size of the hole that the cable goes though on the jack housing. Some cables need it and some don't. It's easy to see if after you've soldered one end there's way too much play even after you've used the strain relief. It's best to use a jack whose housing diameter is closest to the diameter of the cable but sometimes they aren't made or difficult to obtain. That said you don't want it too stiff either because it makes moving the cable around on the pedalboard difficult. When I do use it on a cable I like it to stick out a tiny bit on the end of the jack but not too far just enough that you can see it.
@@BeachJazzMusic many thanks! Great answer, cheers bruce.
@@heathband If you're using the right size plugs, the heat shrink won't help, and in fact detract from the stability of the cable. If you're using our recommended Mogami Cable with SP400/500 or SPS4/5 there won't be any need for heatshrink as it's only used to reduce lateral movement in the plug itself. These plugs are so tight, there is no lateral movement..
@@VertexEffectsInc right on. Much appreciated. Have a good one Mason.
@@VertexEffectsInc I totally agree. That's why I always try to use the plugs that are designed for the cable. Plus heat shrink tubing is a pain in the ass to get off if you have to repair a cable for whatever reason.
Hey Mason - any suggestions on how best to wire up my own TRS to 2x TS (stereo to 2 mono plug) splitter?
We use Squareplugs and Mogami 2528
@@VertexEffectsInc perfect, thanks so much!
This is exactly what I was looking for as well. Thanks!
I really love this channel, but the more I watch you re videos the more I notice that it's "high price" oriented, everytime I expect a real tips or something it always end up pricey. Even doing you own cable ends up needing High quality this or that... I can solder pretty good with the worst soldering iron, high quality tools won't make you capable of anything It will only help and make it a bit easier, so I thin you should not always mention high quality on everything you use, not everyone has a 110$/pedals, 5000k/pedalboard setup job and can or has to afford those things. Average even first price tools will work fine... still loving the content though
Thanks for the feedback!
Another killer video!
Thanks Bruce!
Are you familiar with WBC soldered patch cables.I purchased two kinds from them,one is Mogami and the other is Gotham model 4 times shielded that is a little bigger diameter. They're both about $33 for six 6" cables.My question is are they any good?They both use eminence plugs that are too big to work on most stereo pedals.Also do you know if the Fender custom shop patch cables are soldered or not??Thanks for all you do for this community.
Mogami and Gotham are good brands.
Maybe someone has asked this but do you have a diagram on how to make your own y / splitter patch cable?
I just repaired a cable I have been using for a while. When I opened it up the sheath of the cable was conected to the tip of the connector at both ends so it did funtion . What affects could wiring a cable up like this have?
Awesome video, thanks for the advice! Quick question - if I want to be able to fit the shield through the hole on the ground lug, is it okay to split the shield into 2 parts, cut off 1 half, and only use the other half? I’m finding the diameter of the entire shield braid to be too large to fit through the ground lug hole. Are there any sonic difference in doing so? Btw I’m using the CA-0678 cable from BTPA. Thanks so much for your help!
Yes you can! I recommend that on most braided shields.
Heh I got cables I made from 30 years ago and they still work. I made a three - quarter inch plug cable. A plug on each end of a 20’ cable then a middle of the cable plug wired in parallel.Plug one end of the cable into your amp plug the middle one into a guitar then the last one into your other guitar. The guitar on the middle plug controls the tone and volume. I heard it’s an old blues trick. It’s fun to mess with someone when you hide the middle jack guitar. Great tips and refresher. Thanks 🙏
Thanks for watching!
I believe if any of the square cable pancake ends are slightly touching each other its shorting out my signal, you ever run into this? Like the outsides are touching when plugged into the back of a pedal
You shouldn't have a grounding issue unless there is a problem elsewhere on the rig.