A cable for active basses?

madbassplaya · #1 07-29-2011, 04:43 PM

This may seem like a really stupid question but "knowing is half the battle" so here goes:

I used to have an instrument cable that would not pop when I unplugged it from my bass with it still plugged into an amp that was turned on. The sound guy at the time bought it for me because I played active basses and I like to unplug them when I'm not playing them. Somehow that cable got lost at church and then I started playing a passive bass so it didn't matter much anyway because I could leave it plugged in. Now I'm playing an active 5er again and I want a chord like that again. Right now I'm having to unplug the chord from the amp before unplugging it from the bass.

I can't turn the amp off because it is DI'd to the board and it pops when I turn it back on.

Any of you guys know of an instrument cable that works that way?

collins81 · #2 07-29-2011, 04:45 PM

do you have a tuner in line with your amp? if so just mute the tuner, or if the amp has a mute. I know it might be a redundant answer, but

bongomania · #3 07-29-2011, 04:45 PM

Planet Waves makes a cable with a "silent plug" to avoid the popping.

JeffBTZ · #4 07-29-2011, 04:53 PM

Neutrik also makes a connector that does this. It works with any instrument, not just active ones, by using a spring loaded connection that essentially disconnects the cable before it comes out of the jack.

I'm no EE, so many someone can elaborate. Is the popping noise caused by the tip coming in contact with the sleeve portion of the jack? That's the only way I can see that this connector would stop the popping. Just an observation.

madbassplaya · #5 07-29-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by collins81

do you have a tuner in line with your amp? if so just mute the tuner, or if the amp has a mute. I know it might be a redundant answer, but

The amp does not have a mute (it's not mine, it's the church's) and I don't run a tuner between me and the amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Planet Waves makes a cable with a "silent plug" to avoid the popping.

I'll have to check this out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffBTZ

Neutrik also makes a connector that does this. It works with any instrument, not just active ones, by using a spring loaded connection that essentially disconnects the cable before it comes out of the jack.

I'm no EE, so many someone can elaborate. Is the popping noise caused by the tip coming in contact with the sleeve portion of the jack? That's the only way I can see that this connector would stop the popping. Just an observation.

I'm not sure how it works either.

The cable that I had had a gold ring around the end that wouldn't pop. You did not have to do anything to it, it just worked.

bongomania · #6 07-29-2011, 05:03 PM

The gold ring slides around the shaft (

) to prevent the tip from contacting the sleeve--which is exactly what causes the popping.

madbassplaya · #7 07-29-2011, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

The gold ring slides around the shaft (

) to prevent the tip from contacting the sleeve--which is exactly what causes the popping.

Would a gold tipped plug work then?

JeffBTZ · #8 07-29-2011, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Would a gold tipped plug work then?

No. That's not quite how it works. Gold plated connectors are actually common place. In fact, that's what I used on my last batch of cables. I'm not sure how that gold ring would work. Gold is just as conductive as the rest of the connector, so I would think that it wouldn't help at all... unless it were insulated... Good chance of me being wrong on that though.

redhed · #9 07-29-2011, 05:12 PM

Get a KORG pedal tuner, great tuner and will work as mute switch so you can unplug your bass all you want......

Von Felgenhauer · #10 07-29-2011, 05:12 PM

the popping is it just grounding out momentarily. The plug prevents the cord from grounding out when unplugging. It's not just a gold tip but the mechanism they use.

bongomania · #11 07-29-2011, 05:27 PM

Right, when I said the ring slides, I meant it literally moves, it is a spring-loaded outer sleeve that momentarily moves up around the tip to prevent the tip from shorting out. Gold has nothing to do with it.

madbassplaya · #12 07-29-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffBTZ

No. That's not quite how it works. Gold plated connectors are actually common place. In fact, that's what I used on my last batch of cables. I'm not sure how that gold ring would work. Gold is just as conductive as the rest of the connector, so I would think that it wouldn't help at all... unless it were insulated... Good chance of me being wrong on that though.

I'm not sure if the gold ring did anything. I think it was just to let you know which end was for the instrument.

Quote:

Originally Posted by redhed

Get a KORG pedal tuner, great tuner and will work as mute switch so you can unplug your bass all you want......

No thanks. I don't need a pedal tuner and don't want one.

scotch · #13 07-29-2011, 05:32 PM

Here you go:

DAddarioPlanet Waves » Cables & Connectors > Instrument » Circuit Breaker Series

kcole4001 · #14 07-29-2011, 05:38 PM

Not what you asked, but I prefer a volume pedal. You could probably find one for about what a circuit breaker cable costs.
And you can use it for swells and effects besides.

cnltb · #15 07-29-2011, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

This may seem like a really stupid question but "knowing is half the battle" so here goes:

I used to have an instrument cable that would not pop when I unplugged it from my bass with it still plugged into an amp that was turned on. The sound guy at the time bought it for me because I played active basses and I like to unplug them when I'm not playing them. Somehow that cable got lost at church and then I started playing a passive bass so it didn't matter much anyway because I could leave it plugged in. Now I'm playing an active 5er again and I want a chord like that again. Right now I'm having to unplug the chord from the amp before unplugging it from the bass.

I can't turn the amp off because it is DI'd to the board and it pops when I turn it back on.

Any of you guys know of an instrument cable that works that way?

Sounds like the cable was fitted with a neutrik silent plug.
Any cable fitted with it will not pop when unplugged at the bass end.
Just fit your current cabels with it and you're there.
Neutrik - Audio - silentPLUG

parsons · #16 07-29-2011, 06:03 PM

You need to make sure that the cable will work with an active bass because they use a tip ring sleeve jack instead of just a tip and sleeve jack that a passive bass uses. The Neutrik site even warns you about their tips NOT working with an active bass....

scotch · #17 07-29-2011, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parsons

You need to make sure that the cable will work with an active bass because they use a tip ring sleeve jack instead of just a tip and sleeve jack that a passive bass uses. The Neutrik site even warns you about their tips NOT working with an active bass....

The vast majority of active basses use a standard tip-ring plug. It's actually pretty rare to come across a bass that requires a trs plug.

martinmcfly · #18 07-29-2011, 06:19 PM

Save money. Just turn your volume off on your Bass. I mark my knob with a pencil.

mmbongo · #19 07-29-2011, 07:11 PM

I use nothing but Planet Waves Circuit Breaker cables now.

Bassamatic · #20 07-29-2011, 07:18 PM

The NEUTRIK Silent plug has a small magnetic reed switch in it, that is held closed by a magnet, shorting the cable. When you plug it in, the gold ring slides back, moving the magnet and opening the switch. For passive basses, it is the bomb.

I can promise you that it is NOT FAST ENOUGH to prevent an active bass from popping. I have one, and 2 active basses - I speak from experience. What works best is reducing the volume on the bass when removing the plug, and the pop will be minimal.

A cable with a switch, such as the Planet Waves, is best, but you have to remember to work the switch!