patch cables with flat "heads"

Oreomeister365 · #1 04-09-2008, 01:01 PM

So you know how when you have two boss units lined up next to each other, most patch cable have these huge heads if you knowhatI'msayin. It means you have to accomadate for a lot of space on the board for them. However, I remember seeing some patch cables with flat heads, which would save me a lot of space...anyone know what these are called? Thanks.

Pilgrim · #2 04-09-2008, 01:05 PM

You may be thinking of 90 degree plugs......they work fine. There are other options as well, including all-metal connectors that go straight through, and those which help to offset the pedals. Do a search for "pedal board cables" and surf the results.

livingstone · #3 04-09-2008, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oreomeister365

So you know how when you have two boss units lined up next to each other, most patch cable have these huge heads if you knowhatI'msayin. It means you have to accomadate for a lot of space on the board for them. However, I remember seeing some patch cables with flat heads, which would save me a lot of space...anyone know what these are called? Thanks.

I think you are referring to George L's right angle plugs. http://www.georgels.com/

thesteve · #4 04-09-2008, 01:10 PM

I believe this is what you're looking for?

http://www.hosatech.com/hosa/products/CFS-107.html

Oreomeister365 · #5 04-09-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

I believe this is what you're looking for?

http://www.hosatech.com/hosa/products/CFS-107.html

oh yes those exactly, thank you much.

livingstone · #6 04-09-2008, 01:15 PM

You theman thesteve.

JanusZarate · #7 04-09-2008, 01:55 PM

There are more reliable space-saving cable solutions than Hosa, IMO. I used to have a pair of these particular ones. They tended to unscrew themselves...

Rattman · #8 04-09-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

There are more reliable space-saving cable solutions than Hosa, IMO. I used to have a pair of these particular ones. They tended to unscrew themselves...

Yeah... I remember that style of connector, but had almost forgotten all about them. I had a cable once that was my 'main' cable with that flat-end style connectors.. and I also remember why I finally had to replace it: I just got so tired of constantly cutting back the cable and re-terminating it in the flat ends.. too delicate, too problematic.

infamousxtopher · #9 04-09-2008, 09:39 PM

agreed, i've had a few of those hosa's they break too easily, check out george l's they have nice compact connecters

Oreomeister365 · #10 04-10-2008, 12:15 AM

I'm not seeing which of the george l's are "compact"? All I'm seeing is connectors no smaller than most other patch cables.

livingstone · #11 04-10-2008, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oreomeister365

I'm not seeing which of the george l's are "compact"? All I'm seeing is connectors no smaller than most other patch cables.

From the George L's site:

Oreomeister365 · #12 04-10-2008, 06:43 AM

hmm, those look just as big as what I'm currently using. The hosas are flatter though, hence my interest.

Thanks though.

rustynuts · #13 04-10-2008, 06:45 AM

Good luck with the hosas. They may be okay for a pedal board where there won't be much movement but I never had much luck with them as instrument cables. As noted earlier, they tend to fall apart.

kevteop · #14 04-10-2008, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oreomeister365

hmm, those look just as big as what I'm currently using.

The benefit is the way they don't have 1" of plug after the right-angle. Try getting six regular right-angle plugs in a Boss LS-2.

magneezius · #15 04-10-2008, 11:51 AM

HOSA is the WORST cable you can possibly buy.....Horrible quality, Unreliable, and Degrades your signal.

I regret ever buying HOSA.....Thats my honest opinion...

You're better off doing it THE RIGHT WAY the first time with GEORGE L'S cables.

Consider yourself Warned!!

James Hart · #16 04-10-2008, 12:30 PM

the Hosa stuff has done fine by me on many occasions. If on a pedal board with limited plugging / unplugging they should be fine. The ONLY time I've witnessed cable issues within pedal boards were 3 different players with 3 different boards ALL ended up swapping out a failed George L for a 'backup' Hosa

Personally I've replaced 80% of my cables with star-quad canare based customs from Pro Cable & Sound.

::Saint:: · #17 04-10-2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

The benefit is the way they don't have 1" of plug after the right-angle. Try getting six regular right-angle plugs in a Boss LS-2.

Don't use the flat heads for this .. I was doing this with my LS-2 as well, and the problem is that the flat connectors, while fairly flat, are also too wide to use right next to each other on the LS-2, as the heads will overlap and prevent each other from going all the way in. They are also really awkward to maneuver around each other in such a confined space, and tend to need to be angled downward, which forces the attached cable to bend in an unnatural fashion.

I had to stop using all of my flat-head connectors before they were cutting out due to (I imagine) the connector be really hard on the connecting cable.

Now I use some basic generic 1 footer cables with regular 90 degree connectors - they aren't perfect, but if you offset the pedals a bit you can fit one connector in the space above / below the next pedal's connector and get them pretty close together.

JanusZarate · #18 04-10-2008, 03:25 PM

An alternative if your pedals' jacks are aligned:

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-METAL-GUITAR-E...QQcmdZViewItem

A pedal "coupler" or "connector" like the one above is the shortest possible link you can have between two pedals, and they're durable. I keep two around just in case I need them. There is no better way to save space, but it only works in a few special cases.

I've used a few to connect pedals which use the same chassis type and jack arrangement - i.e., EHX XO series pedals (the jacks line up perfectly), Boss pedals, etc.

For pedals whose jacks do not align when placed side-by-side, "offset" versions of those connectors also exist.

Chris V. · #19 04-10-2008, 03:49 PM

EBS makes a connector between pedals - straight and slightly off.

Jumbotron · #20 04-10-2008, 03:55 PM

Those jacks that hosa uses are available at Radio Shaq, for what they're worth. I've got several of them in my pedalboards just for the space saving, and, as others have noted above, they work fine so long as you aren't always plugging and unplugging them. I'd never use them at the instrument or amp end.

I'm a big fan of couplers, too, but the drag is that if your pedals have top-mounted jacks, you can't do it.