# Solder or solderless?



## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

Hi everyone, I'd like to upgrade from the cheap patch cables to something a little more reliable. I'd like to save some money and go soldered but is there a reason to buy solderless kits if I can solder?

Also, where can you order the pancake jacks and cable from in Canada? Haven't found anywhere nearby yet that either stocks or ships cable and jacks. Suggestions?


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

I havn't tried all the solderless kits but I was disapointed in the Lava kit I tried. This was before I learned to solder.

I say solder. Everytime.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

Yeah, its a bit of work, but soldered is better. When your pedalboard breaks down its usually the solderless cable that is the problem, especially if you're moving it around a lot.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Solderless connectors have been used with great reliability for decades in the computer world, and I think the needs of data transmission are more substantial than those of a pedalboard.

Having said that, ANY sort of crimped on connector relies on the "teeth" of the connector making good contact with the wire strands it is supposed to connect with. In the case of braided shield, there can be noticeable differences between cable types in the quality of "target" the shield provides. It can also be the case that the "teeth" are a little corroded and make poorer contact, that the shield is dirty in some manner, or that wire strands have broken off during the stripping of the insulation. Plus, it goes without saying that, in the world of electrons, crossing a micron gap is like jumping across Lake Ontario; i.e., the pressure applied to make the connection has to be sufficient.

It's a bit like stompswitches. If the failure rate was as high for commercial manufacturers as it appears to be for hobbyists, switch-makers would be quickly out of business. Which suggests that there are things commercial pedalmakers do when installing switches, that the rest of us don't do, or pay attention to. I think the same is true with solderless connectors. Mr. L would have declared bankruptcy if the big ticket clients had as much failure as us guys do.

None of that is to blame the victim. If anything, it suggests the technical information and explanations that professionals would already know needs to be made more explicit and clear, by the manufacturer, to folks like us who just want to whip up a pedalboard. Perhaps the "problem" lies in the very real possibility that folks who don't have the tools are sometimes the ones buying the solderless stuff (_because_ they don't have the tools). And quite possibly, the absence of tools can be a marker for absence of background knowledge. I am confident this is not the case for ALL disappointed users of solderless connectors, but may well be true for some.


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

Good points everyone! Thanks for the info. Sounds like I should solder my own cables, given I have the equipment and know-how.

Now, any idea where I could order connectors and cable in Canada (particularly Ontario)? I've been scouring for a good parts source but nothing has really stood out to me. Thanks y'all!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Pancake plugs:

These work out to be about about $1.25 each... However...I don't know about their quality.
The page also shows a list of stores that should be able to order them for you, if they are not in stock. (Click on "Where to Buy" ...there are 2 stores listed for Ottawa)1/4" Phone Mono Plug - Shielded, Right Angle, Pkg/10

I would consider using other 1/4" (90 degree) plugs personally....but I'm not a huge fan of pancake plugs. I just prefer working with Switchcraft and Neutrik...even if they are bulky and certainly are more expensive....they are well made, easy to solder and very durable.

Surely there must be a local supplier of instrument cable that you can purchase by the foot. 

Wait to see where others that living in the Ottawa area suggest.

If you don't get any responses, these folks have jacks and bulk cable. 

Q-components

Q-components

Q-components

Good luck.

Cheers

Dave


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

Thanks Dave, great links to get me started if nothing else emerges from them.

Awesome. Also found the switchcraft 228 plugs fit my needs just right. Might have to put in an order for a box of those. I'll keep everyone posted on which brand I go for. Is there an advantage to the brand name vs generic plugs?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Here is a link to an old thread about trying to solder the shield to a pancake plug. 

You might not want to spend too much time trying to solder the shield and just compress it between the two halves of the plug.

Making cables with Switchcraft 228 (flat right ang... - Harmony Central

Some generic brands of plugs can be VERY poorly made. If you are plugging in and unplugging cables frequently (i.e., not like on a pedal board), you will never regret buying good quality plugs.

I can't help you with quality comparisons for pancake plugs, but I would certainly trust the Switchcraft brand.

Cheers

Dave


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## Nork (Mar 27, 2010)

I haven't had much luck finding a good cable supplier. Probably haven't looked as hard as I should though, so I've used Redco. Totally open to any suggestions.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I currently have my board and my rack done with Lava Solderless. I have some of the new Lava Soldered kits now and may try one of those on a future project. I struggled a bit at first with the solderless and had a few bad connections. Once I slowed down and took my time and did them properly, they went together quick. I have not had an issue with any of them since. Probably did up more than 30 of them in different sizes. The thing I really like about doing them with the raw cable cut to length is how neat everything is now. Always used to have precut lengths purchased at the store. Now everything is cut to the exact length required.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

A buddy contacted me who was having difficulty with his solderless connectors. What I recommended to him to do was to fold the shielding back a bit, like a turtle-neck sweater, and lightly tin the shield. The problem he was having was that he was tightening the screws in order to provide what felt like a more secure connection, and ended up poking through the shield and insulation of the inner conductor, grounding out the hot lead. The lightly tinned shield gives some strength to it, so that the set screw doesn't go right through.

As Bullwinkle used to say "Oops, don't know my own strength"


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

IIRC, even though Lava is pretty popular in the solderless cable dept., even they don't recommend going that route. Soldered connections > solderless is a given.


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## The Lullaby (Dec 8, 2010)

Solder,solder,solder!


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## georgemg (Jul 17, 2011)

If you are good at soldering and are the type of person that doesn't change your pedal board much, soldered plugs are a much better choice. Having said that, I'm lousy at soldering and change my pedal board quite a lot, so I'm using solderless plugs (George L's). If I can keep my pedal board constant for at least a year, I'll make the switch.


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## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

While I can solder, and have no issues doing it...I have been using the Planet Waves solderless kits for years now, and never had one failed connection (I've made and re-made the connections, probably 100 times+)

Highly recommended.

~Andrew


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## ElectricMojo (May 19, 2011)

I love solderless kits.


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

Hmm, My two lead choices are a local Ottawa guy (actually a friend from almost a decade ago: small world) or Lava soldered/solderless kits. I'd need quite a few patches (more like 12-15 cables), and it seems like either way I'm looking at a $200 bill all-in for high quality rigging! The price we pay for tone...


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

Okay, a side note to the original question but one that's been nagging at me over the weekend:

Are most people cutting to custom lengths every time they change their board, or do most stick to standard lengths for patch cables and then cable-tie the excess?

I feel like I'm more inclined to make up some 'standard' cables (6-15" lengths) than to make connections snapping tight between pedals. What do you do?


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## Nork (Mar 27, 2010)

I haven't done much changing so all mine are custom sized. 

If I was to go Lava now it would the Gepco kit I would get.


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