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WHY ARE WE STILL USING 1/4" JACKS!

#163
FretNoMore said:
The most common occurence (for me) is stepping on my own cable, it has happened many times, and I do believe the cable coming lose must have saved either the cable or the jack, or both, more than once.

Not any more though, since going wireless.
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So I take it you never looped your cable through your strap?
 
#166
BlueTalon said:
Do you loop your cord through your strap when you play? Or do you just leave it hang? I use a 90-degree plug on the bass end of my cord, and I loop it through my strap. Functionally, I can't see a difference between my set-up and any kind of locking plug system -- if someone kicks my cord with enough force to pull the plug when the bass is sitting on a stand, the bass is going to fall. Even with a straight plug, if it's looped through the strap, that same cord kick would be more likely to know the bass over than it would be to pull the plug out. (The chances are just about zero that the force of the kick on the cord would be in alignment with the plug.)

So I'm wondering, what circumstances have you encountered or envision where the possibility of the plug being pulled would actually protect the bass? If the chances of that happening are small enough to be insignificant, then what does it matter if the plug is locking or not?

I understand if you prefer the simplicity/reliability/ubiquity of the 1/4" plug, but the no-locking-plug thesis strikes me as irrelevant.
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I can plug in a 1/4" plug entirely by feel very quickly. A different kind of plug takes a bit more messing around. Admittedly, it's a minute bit of more messing around, but there you have it.

And, like you, I loop the cord through the strap. I leave a bit of slack so there's some give when I step on my own cord. If it pulls out of the amp, then that's good enough notice to pay attention! Also, I don't leave it plugged in if I'm not playing. Problem solved. It would work the same way with an XLR or other jack, but the 1/4" works just fine. So, your point about irrelevance is well taken.

The amount of current it has to carry to transmit a signal is so small that I doubt anybody could tell what jack you were using if you did something else.
 
#167
I use a 90 degree 1/4" plug, with no slack at all going back to the strap. I don't want my looped cord to catch on a cymbal stand or anything, and for me it's just one less thing to worry about. But for the purpose of the plug coming out of the bass if the cord is kicked, the plug is effectively locked. I mitigate this risk by not stepping on my cord, being careful with the cord when I set the bass down, and not working with idiots.

Hypothetically, if I switch to a new type of connector, I'd want a 90 degree plug like I have now with 1/4". I wouldn't care if it locks, and if it is something like an XLR that only goes in one way, the 90 degree plug would tell me which way the plug is oriented and allow me to plug it in quickly by feel.
 
#170
Just think if we moved away from 1/4" jacks. Every company would develop a proprietary jack, and we could have massive flame wars about which jack sounded best! Then of course there'd be the question, 'What's the best jack for metal?'
 
#172
JoeWPgh said:
Just think if we moved away from 1/4" jacks. Every company would develop a proprietary jack, and we could have massive flame wars about which jack sounded best! Then of course there'd be the question, 'What's the best jack for metal?'
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I know you're joking, but it could happen. There's a lot of proprietary stuff flying around (in many industries) and all it does is give people headaches.

PhillipCarr said:
Then Apple would make their own proprietary cable, and everyone would have to get a new case...
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+1 :D:D
 
#174
BlueTalon said:
So I take it you never looped your cable through your strap?
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That saves the connector on the bass on a P or J where it is at right angles (less leverage if a right angle jack) but the risk of tripping over something that doesn't come out always concerns me. I saw a bassist trip over his cable and come face first off stage once... oww. I've avoided that so far at least.
 
#175
-Asdfgh- said:
That saves the connector on the bass on a P or J where it is at right angles (less leverage if a right angle jack) but the risk of tripping over something that doesn't come out always concerns me. I saw a bassist trip over his cable and come face first off stage once... oww. I've avoided that so far at least.
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Sounds like that bassist deserved it
 
#177
Yeah, and I hope he broke his leg and needed a pin installed surgically.

:p

Ya, definitely not the most sporting thing to say. People trip and fall sometimes. But I'm glad you never do it, Ed...you must be way advanced ;)
 
#178
This amazes me too. Guitarists are so superstitious and terrified of technology Even though we constantly claim to love it, we have to be dragged by our teeth into something new. Something as simple as changing a plug just makes people turn white with terror.
 
#179
JimmyM said:
Yeah, and I hope he broke his leg and needed a pin installed surgically.

:p

Ya, definitely not the most sporting thing to say. People trip and fall sometimes. But I'm glad you never do it, Ed...you must be way advanced ;)
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It may well be the most f***** up comment I've seen on TB in a long time. Seriously, dick move eddododo.
 
#180
BlueTalon said:
Whenever I have problems with a cable/jack connection, ~99% of the time it's caused by a lose wire in the plug, and only ~1% of the time does the problem have anything to do with the jack.
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LOL. My experience is the exact opposite! I wonder if this means you're using newer basses, better jacks, or if I'm using better cables/plugs. :p

This is actually serious. I'm using 30 - 40 year-old basses and amps, while my cords are new with Switchcraft or Neutrik plugs on Belden cable. I think where our individual problems arise are definitely connected to where our individual "weak links" are.

And, yeah, Ed's comment really confounded me too.
 

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