Snap Jack Cable

tjohnson14 · #1 11-26-2011, 10:10 AM

Just ordered 20' straight tip Snap Jack cable. The only reason I ordered it was because I saw Victor Wooten used it (reason enough for me). Anyone have experience with these?

ggunn · #2 11-26-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjohnson14

Just ordered 20' straight tip Snap Jack cable. The only reason I ordered it was because I saw Victor Wooten used it (reason enough for me). Anyone have experience with these?

Well, Victor also endorses the $199 power cable. He's a great player, but I wouldn't buy a cable just because he uses one like it.

zackthompson · #3 11-26-2011, 01:19 PM

I borrowed one from my sound guy to try it out one time. Its good if you stand perfectly still the entire time you play. Every time i moved, i stepped on the chord and it came unplugged. I very quickly gave it back to my sound guy and plugged in my trusty monster cable.

bongomania · #4 11-26-2011, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

Well, Victor also endorses the $199 power cable. He's a great player, but I wouldn't buy a cable just because he uses one like it.

In fact that's proof that he hasn't got a ####ing clue about how cables work or what makes a cable "good", so I would never buy a cable (or anything technical) based on his endorsement.

I will be adding Snap Jack to my reviews page soonish; I've read a number of other threads and reviews about them, and the general consensus is they are fine until and unless the cable gets pulled/tweaked at an angle, when it will just pop apart with little effort. So now they have a version that has a locking sleeve that prevents pulling at an angle--but the magnets are so strong in the straight-in-line direction that they won't pull apart! So the whole concept is defeated.

T-Bird · #5 11-26-2011, 09:52 PM

Hi.

Back in the day when I was doing research about heated motorcycle clothes power lead connectors, I ran into the magnetic type.

At first the idea sounded like a real winner, but on a closer inspection, nothing, and I mean nothing, warranted the ~10X price tag over speakon. The aforementioned inability of withstanding pulling at an angle, was the last straw.

When I later found out that they had "invented" to use 'em in signal leads, I was astonished about the lack of research they did.

So, good luck, chances are that You'll be disapointed.

Regards
Sam

kesslari · #6 11-26-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zackthompson

I borrowed one from my sound guy to try it out one time. Its good if you stand perfectly still the entire time you play. Every time i moved, i stepped on the chord and it came unplugged. I very quickly gave it back to my sound guy and plugged in my trusty monster cable.

This was my experience. They're great for quick bass changes, which is why I got one. But then after you change the bass, you have to *play* the bass, and when the cable snaps apart because you're moving and stepped on it ... not so great.

WashburnBasser · #7 11-27-2011, 12:35 AM

I have one that I got for free. It's a pretty nice cable, but the magnetic thing is kinda gimmicky, and does come detached easily. My solution was to loop the cord though my strap so the amount of force to detach it would be greater.

ggunn · #8 11-27-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WashburnBasser

I have one that I got for free. It's a pretty nice cable, but the magnetic thing is kinda gimmicky, and does come detached easily. My solution was to loop the cord though my strap so the amount of force to detach it would be greater.

Gimmicky, yes. IMO, it's a solution in search of a problem.

Big John66 · #9 11-27-2011, 11:01 AM

I got one of these cables from a friend a few months ago. He complained about it coming unsnapped all the time so he gave it to me. I think it's a great cable, now that I've installed Neutrik connectors on it.

matt descending · #10 11-28-2011, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big John66

I got one of these cables from a friend a few months ago. He complained about it coming unsnapped all the time so he gave it to me. I think it's a great cable, now that I've installed Neutrik connectors on it.

Nice

tsverrir · #11 11-28-2011, 03:42 AM

I use them all the time and they're good cables. I do believe they have saved my gear from damaging once or twice when someone got his foot tangled in the cable. They are perfect for using at home or in rehearsals to protect your gear.

Chris K · #12 01-11-2012, 12:14 AM

Started using them and discovered something i would never believe if somebody told me.

They sound much better.

I bought one, used it to connect my bass to my tuner, but used another cable (of a well respected brand) to connect the tuner to my amp. For some reason at a particular moment I plugged it directly into the amp. And noticed a big difference. I ordered a second cable, but it took some time to arrive and I just forgot about the above experience. When I got it, I had just been playing on my other cable, and instantly noticed the same difference in sound again.

It might be that the effect is stronger on passive, low output pups (mine are Barts).

To avoid disconnecting by stepping on the cable, I just run it across my lower strap button, just like any ordinary cable. Thus, the advantage of silent plugging in is still there.

brendanbassist · #13 01-11-2012, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

... So now they have a version that has a locking sleeve that prevents pulling at an angle--but the magnets are so strong in the straight-in-line direction that they won't pull apart! So the whole concept is defeated.

The sleeve slides back so that you can properly "snap" the cable of at an angle rather than pulling it straight apart, while preventing it from accidentally coming undone. Works quite well. I have one; its a solid cable that makes quick changes easy. I only use one bass at gigs, so I never really use it though.

MatticusMania · #14 01-11-2012, 12:39 PM

A guitarist friend of mine is in the snap jack video ad, if its the same one I saw a few years ago.
He used to play lead in my current band.

edit: yeah, this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvBJmG7D3PM
A mutual acquaintance works in video production and edited the video.

bassgod0dmw · #15 01-11-2012, 02:33 PM

Is it really that difficult to just plug/unplug a regular cable? I really can't see how swapping instruments would be that much quicker.

MatticusMania · #16 01-11-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

Is it really that difficult to just plug/unplug a regular cable? I really can't see how swapping instruments would be that much quicker.

I belive its actual purpose is to protect your jack from getting busted, say in the event you were to step on your cable and make some radical movement.

Ive done that just once, ever. In my early days of playing, I had climbed my bass amp, and on the downbeat did this awesome jump. When I landed my foot was on the cable, and the sweeping motion I made with the bass resulted in my cable breaking at the jack. Luckily I was able to get the bits out of the jack easily enough, and the bass was fine.

ggunn · #17 01-12-2012, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris K

Started using them and discovered something i would never believe if somebody told me.

They sound much better.

I am skeptical, but if you hear a difference then it's real for you.

AHDBassist · #18 01-13-2012, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zackthompson

I borrowed one from my sound guy to try it out one time. Its good if you stand perfectly still the entire time you play. Every time i moved, i stepped on the chord and it came unplugged. I very quickly gave it back to my sound guy and plugged in my trusty monster cable.

Do you not loop your cable through your strap?