The Old Price vs Quality Debate

[timd]

In my latest Tayda order, 9 out of 13 1/4 mono jacks were defective. The threads have a minor defect that you can't notice until you screw the nut down. The nut just keeps spinning and won't get tight enough to hold it to an enclosure.

I tried different nuts I had on hand with the same result. Has anyone had this happen to them? I guess cheaper doesn't anyways mean better. I'll contact customer service and see what happens. Its almost like they bought a big B-stock batch and mixed em in...

[midwayfair]

I've used tayda's jacks in almost every build larger tHan a 1590a I've eever made. I've never had one do what you describe. I did have a switch with an incorrect but once. You're not the only one who's mentioned this, though. Maybe you guys are jUST unlucky ...

[jimilee]

In my latest Tayda order, 9 out of 13 1/4 mono jacks were defective. The threads have a minor defect that you can't notice until you screw the nut down. The nut just keeps spinning and won't get tight enough to hold it to an enclosure.

I tried different nuts I had on hand with the same result. Has anyone had this happen to them? I guess cheaper doesn't anyways mean better. I'll contact customer service and see what happens. Its almost like they bought a big B-stock batch and mixed em in...

i have. I don't order jacks from them anymore, those still come from mammoth .

[Arcane Analog]

Tayda jacks are far too cheap to use in even DIY builds. Neutrik are one thousand times better.

[pappasmurfsharem]

Tayda jacks are far too cheap to use in even DIY builds. Neutrik are one thousand times better.

No. No and NO. (not that I dislike neutrik, but to say they are far too cheap is beyond exaggeration)

I like their plastic switchcraft style jacks.

They were better when they were .50C a piece now they are higher.

I've only had one that did what the OP describes, and it only did it because the locking washers I had are way to thick and it only had 1or2 threads to grab.

OP I would goto the hardware store with one of the jacks and find a nut that fits better. that fits better at least it wont be a total waste.

I will say you can't torque them down too hard, but you really shouldnt have too.

[timd]

I already tried to thread a bunch of different nuts. The problem is what they are threading onto. The shaft was machined improperly and won't fit any size.

[pappasmurfsharem]

I already tried to thread a bunch of different nuts. The problem is what they are threading onto. The shaft was machined improperly and won't fit any size.

That's a bummer, email/call/skype/facebook them

Customer Service Contact # : +662-6195817 ( Monday - Friday )
Customer Service : Please use Contact Us page or use Help Desk section in your Tayda Electronics account.
SKYPE : taydaelectronics
MSN : taydaelectronics ( @ ) hotmail  .com

I would probably use the helpdesk portion and facebook. You can post on their facebook page and possibly get more attention since it's advertised that you aren't satisfied it says 100% Satisfaction Guarenteed on their site so I bet they will fix it no problem, don't let it turn you off to them. It's a great store.

[timd]

They normally have good stuff, and I have ordered from them multiple times in the past without issues.

[petey twofinger]

same exact issue with two seperate batches of tayda 1/4 inch jacks Tim , the threads are like tiny little ridges , almost non existant . you can literally strip them with out using a wrench , just fingers and they just will not thread properly at all .  the real bad part was that on my first order , i bought quite a few . i did use a few of them because i had no choice, by adding fingernail polish or lock tight , but then they are tough to remove later to replace with a properly manufactured part which i did . i do not purchase them anymore , now i get the plastic style but i am not thrilled about my last batch of those , they have a double washer and seem a bit cheap / meltie . also they sent the wrong nuts more than once with the plastic style.  i believe it really was the only issues i had with tayda stuff . this was over a year ago though . i am guessing they watch our videos and send the good stuff to the " real pros '    

[timd]

HAHAHA!

[LucifersTrip]

If you're going to spent time researching, breadboarding, tweaking, soldering & boxing a pedal, it would seem crazy to skimp on the one part that will be used /plugged /unplugged over & over again.

I've got to say to go with at least Neutrik, Switchcraft on even higher quality if you can find em priced reasonably. There's few things worse than wasting time debugging a pedal for hours only to realize the guitar jack is not making a perfect connection with the 1/4" jack.

[timd]

You're right. I guess the build is only as good as the weakest link.

[timd]

i am guessing they watch our videos and send the good stuff to the " real pros '    

Or how about this one. You're demoing a diy pedal in a video and the jack falls out of the enclosure while you're filming. "got this gem from Tayda!"

[petey twofinger]

yeah two days ago i was chasing down a weak channel thru all my pedals and then the rack mount stuff to discover if i twisted the headhone cable it popped up 3 db ... that was not too cool .

i suppose if i consider how much $$$ i saved ordering from tayda , the little bit of hassle is totally fogivable but those parts were total garbage . it weasnt an issue of me not knowing what a jack is .... or how to tighten it . i would think tayda would be wise enough to realize THEY got burned and not pass that crap on to the customers . then again i supopiose its my own fault for not making a stink about it but i dont think they will be getting any of my jack money ever again though . it seems to me that when i looked into it , the switchcraft stuff was a lot more expensive so i would be interested in finding a supplier for affordable 1/4 inch jacks that are decent at this point .

[pappasmurfsharem]

yeah two days ago i was chasing down a weak channel thru all my pedals and then the rack mount stuff to discover if i twisted the headhone cable it popped up 3 db ... that was not too cool .

i suppose if i consider how much $$$ i saved ordering from tayda , the little bit of hassle is totally fogivable but those parts were total garbage . it weasnt an issue of me not knowing what a jack is .... or how to tighten it . i would think tayda would be wise enough to realize THEY got burned and not pass that crap on to the customers . then again i supopiose its my own fault for not making a stink about it but i dont think they will be getting any of my jack money ever again though . it seems to me that when i looked into it , the switchcraft stuff was a lot more expensive so i would be interested in finding a supplier for affordable 1/4 inch jacks that are decent at this point .

Clean the connectors. that's all you need to do.

Take steel wool or scotchbrite to the tip and ring connectors on the jack. If you twisted it and it jumped up then it's just dirty it happens

If it's an enclosed jack then I bet a Qtip with some acetone would work well enough

[deadastronaut]

Neutruks.....say no more..

[LucifersTrip]

I posted this before...maybe it'll help someone.

For the open jacks...the cheaper the jack, usually the worse the flanging and the more breaks in the flanging. On the Switchcrafts, there's virtually no breaks in the flanging at all, like this (cheap jack from my early days):


Switchcraft:


The Neutriks are quality, but the ones I've gotten over the past few years have not been as sturdy as the Switchcraft. They will many times have small breaks in the flanging, but nowhere near the level of the cheapo ones.

Neutrik:


The higher quality jacks will usually be made of a phenolic or phenolic-type (or fiberglass-type) material instead of the lighter cheap plastic type material in the cheapo above.

The heaviest duty ones I've gotten in the past years are ones used by the old ham radio guys. Those are phenolic, have virtually no break in the flanging, your guitar plug "clicks" into place stronger than the Neutrik or Switchcraft, and they also have two nuts for really tightening well...

[Pojo]

I just got a Tayda order in yesterday including a pair of the plastic 1/4" mono jacks and a pair the stereo versions. I haven't checked them yet but when I get back from work tonight I will and report back.

Start a helpdesk ticket and explain the situation, I will if I discover mine are defective too. They seem to be pretty good on wanting to keep their customers happy and if enough people speak up hopefully they do something about it and maybe get some better jacks in stock.

[midwayfair]

LT, that post is helpful, BUT one thing I've noticed about switchcraft and other jacks is that they grip the cable very tightly. If I risk damaging the cable trying to get it out of the box, I'm probably also abusing the jack. I've got about 8 different types of mono jacks around the house, and the only ones I use (when I can help it) are Smallbear's plastic "Low-Profile" jacks and Tayda's open jacks. I like Tayda's open jacks better than the switchcraft AND neutrik ones I have ... for one thing, I think the plastic casing is more durable than the phenolic casing on some Neutriks, which has actually fallen apart on me before (?!). The only think I have to do is gently "edit" the position of the tip because they all seem to hit the wrong spot on the cable tip (that bit of ill-fitting is 100% uniform, though ... I wonder if maybe it's from metric measurements for the cable tips?). If somehow Tayda HAS lowered the quality on them recently, then that really worries me, because they are actually my favorites out of what I've tried.

The switchcraft jacks I have don't look nearly as high quality as the one you posted. 

[Jopn]

Nowadays quality control, materials and R&D make up such a small portion of the total end consumer cost that you can never assume that paying more for something will actually result in a better product.  Production run size, exchange rate and labour laws in the country of manufacture, shipping weight, etc. make it so you can't simply look at a price tag to determine quality.