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leaving instrument cable plugged in on an amp - any problems?

Do you leave it plugged in?

  • Yes, and I've had issues

  • Yes, and no issues

  • No, just like you I always unplug

  • Constantly unplugging it can actually be a bigger issue than leaving it plugged in

Results are only viewable after voting.
#41
I leave mine plugged in but I, most people here and I assume You unplug it at least fairly often just to move the amp, change instruments, etc. you'll never have an issue.

Where You can run into trouble (it's happened to me). If You have a rack system with amp, tuners, EQ's, BBE etc. we tend to leave these connecting patch cables in for long periods of time. I've definitely had oxidation problems. Some is attributed to moisture. Some is attributed to Galvanic corrosion. Galvanic Corrosion

All you have to do is basically exercise the jacks periodically and not let them sit too long.

Edit: pedal boards should be disassembled and all the cables and jacks whipped down periodically as well.
 
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#46
Chicory Blue said:
Right! Mine's active, so any time I fall asleep with the bass still plugged in- which is tragically often- I loathe myself and wonder if the bass forgives me.
--^@
Click to expand...

Put a piece of blank sheet music on a stand, tempo 60 bpm, 4/4 time signature, and insert a whole rest with the number 1800 above it. 1800 measures (7200 quarter notes) is.... a 2 hour nap. Now you're not ignoring your bass, you're playing music. And reading, which makes you classier as well.

You're welcome
 
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#47
micguy said:
Put a piece of blank sheet music on a stand, tempo 60 bpm, 4/4 time signature, and insert a whole rest with the number 1800 above it. 1800 measures (7200 quarter notes) is.... a 2 hour nap. Now you're not ignoring your bass, you're playing music. And reading, which makes you classier as well.

You're welcome
Click to expand...

If I can just get the wife to buy it...
 
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#48
saltydude said:
I leave mine plugged in but I, most people here and I assume You unplug it at least fairly often just to move the amp, change instruments, etc. you'll never have an issue.

Where You can run into trouble (it's happened to me). If You have a rack system with amp, tuners, EQ's, BBE etc. we tend to leave these connecting patch cables in for long periods of time. I've definitely had oxidation problems. Some is attributed to moisture. Some is attributed to Galvanic corrosion. Galvanic Corrosion

All you have to do is basically exercise the jacks periodically and not let them sit too long.

Edit: pedal boards should be disassembled and all the cables and jacks whipped down periodically as well.
Click to expand...

Speaking of exercising Jack...

images(2).jpeg


I can hear it now... Jack who?
 
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#51
micguy said:
Put a piece of blank sheet music on a stand, tempo 60 bpm, 4/4 time signature, and insert a whole rest with the number 1800 above it. 1800 measures (7200 quarter notes) is.... a 2 hour nap. Now you're not ignoring your bass, you're playing music. And reading, which makes you classier as well.

You're welcome
Click to expand...

Wow! Who knew I could read sheet music? I'm such a scholar.

--^@
 
#52
I have never left an instrument cable plugged into amps that were not in use. I have never had issues due to plugging and unplugging. Why would I leave the cable plugged into the amp? How would I put it away like that? Live, I don't use instrument cables. I am 100% wireless.
 
#54
Killed_by_Death said:
For years I've always unplugged my instrument cable from the amp when I'm not using it, even if the amp is stationary & there's no chance of something hitting the plug before I use the amp again.

Has anyone ever left theirs plugged in all the time & did it cause issues?

The only issue I can think of is that the tip connector might lose its springiness, but I have read that it might cause oxidation on the contacts.

===

not related to the poll:

To go one step further, when I had a tube amp, I'd turn it off by turning off my power strip, and then hit the power switch. (after all the lights went off & the tubes stopped glowing)
I don't do that with my Rumble 40 though, it stays connected to power 24/7, but buffered by a UPS.
Click to expand...
Mine goes into a jack on the back inside the rack. Haven't unplugged it in two years. Just easier to unplug it from my pedalboard and tuck it in the back of the rack than than trying to do it in a dark club.
 
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#55
My home amps are plugged in all the time - to power, anything in the effects loop, and instrument cable into the input. Also so they're ready to go - they're usually always plugged into an instrument too, unless the last thing I played had active pickups in which case I unplug it.

At rehearsal room though everything gets packed away, so of course all cables are removed and coiled up for storage. I imagine this is the time that damage is most likely to occur. A few beers, 5-6 hours of playing, tiredness at the end of a long week... all reasons the cables may get tugged a bit harsh at a bad angle.
 
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#57
Killed_by_Death said:
For years I've always unplugged my instrument cable from the amp when I'm not using it, even if the amp is stationary & there's no chance of something hitting the plug before I use the amp again.

Has anyone ever left theirs plugged in all the time & did it cause issues?

The only issue I can think of is that the tip connector might lose its springiness, but I have read that it might cause oxidation on the contacts.

===

not related to the poll:

To go one step further, when I had a tube amp, I'd turn it off by turning off my power strip, and then hit the power switch. (after all the lights went off & the tubes stopped glowing)
I don't do that with my Rumble 40 though, it stays connected to power 24/7, but buffered by a UPS.
Click to expand...

I don't use an instrument cable anymore because I've gone wireless. But when I was using one, I would plug it in at the beginning of the gig and unplug it at the end of the gig. It stayed plugged in during breaks.

Actually I do use one for my USB interface to my computer for recording and that is always plugged in except for rehearsals and gigs - no problems.

Regarding turning on and off tube amps...when I had a 1966 bassman amp I always put it in stand-by before turning it off or on. Was told at the music shop that was easier on the tubes and I'd get longer life out of them if I did that. That was in 1966 when I bought that amp.
 

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