6.3mm Jack Placement

[Poste]

Hi guys,

Here is a quick question;

What is the better method of for jack placement, one on each side (like most manufactured pedals from what I can tell) both on one side, or both on the "top side"

I have read that placing both on the top side makes a pedal board more compact, but seeing that most pedals that you buy have jacks on the side, which is better???

Can you also buy connectors that are really "short" ie dont have much length betweent the connections to achieve the same idea with side mounted jacks.

Sorry if this has been covered before I spent about 15minutes looking through the search function with nothing.

[Ronsonic]

You're asking for best on a matter of opinion. I like top side. It often requires a slightly larger pedal than side mounts. Some people consider small a priority (yeah, even if it means a larger footprint in use).

[Hides-His-Eyes]

They make decives to connect boss type pedals directly but they're a bad idea; they take all the 'slack' out of in between the pedals so that stamping on one could put lots of pressure on the jack sockets of those next to it.

In 1590B enclosures there isn't really room to topmount the jacks, though; so it comes down to preference and viability. 1290S enclosures are ideal for top-mounting the jacks as they have more vertical room.

[elshiftos]

Top is good for saving space on the pedalboard but results in a longer run to the stomp switch. I usually find it necessary to use screened cable to avoid clicks, crosstalk, etc.

I agree that the non-flexing jacks are a bad idea for linking pedals. I go for homemade links, using a low profile right angle jack like these: http://tinyurl.com/2afbfwm

Plenty of room for top mounting imho http://www.steveevans.org/pedals/       

[liquids]

Top is good for saving space on the pedalboard but results in a longer run to the stomp switch.

I agree.

I usually find it necessary to use screened cable to avoid clicks, crosstalk, etc.

I personally don't find it necessary - and most of what I current do is complex, multiple-board, and higher voltage (+/-15v charge pump) designs.

In 1590B enclosures there isn't really room to topmount the jacks, though; so it comes down to preference and viability. 1290S enclosures are ideal for top-mounting the jacks as they have more vertical room.

Mouser makes many of the enclosure sizes used around here with depths closer to 1.5-2" or more.  I use these exclusively at this point, as it's painless to get jacks on top, DC jack on top, and have pots 'over' all that without much trouble, as you can work in 3D.  Not common around here but I do it.  My most recent uses a 1590U, and it's awesome - like a 1590BB when used 'on it's side' but with the same length, too (4.7x 4.7) and 2" deep.  With jacks on top, It probably takes up the same amount of pedalboard space as a 125B with straight jacks on the side.  And I can (and do) put other pedals right up next to it when need be, without awkward cable twists and strain.

[jasperoosthoek]

I have them on the 'bottom' side right next to the true bypass switch!


This is an image of my UBE Screamer 808 (combined Run Of Groove UBE Screamer with TS808). I didn't have an extra box with three holes and only the large 24mm Alpha pots.

Boxes: http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=566 or http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=960
Switch: http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=23 with millenium bypass to switch the LED. 3PDT switches are too big to fit in this box.
Jack: http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=90 or http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=91

It fits perfectly and very tightly. The jack sockets cannot even rotate as the almost touch the switch and the corners that with the crew hole. I thought that I would be able to save space on the pedal board only to find out that I had to place the pedals further apart to avoid stepping on two switches on the same time! Having the patch cables to the 'foot' side doesn't cause any problems at all. You don't touch them when stomping the switch.

I was even able to fit a massive Small Clone perfboard modeled after the Tonepad PCB in that box! I had to change some 10uF bipolars for physically smaller tantalum caps as they were over the 24mm Alpha pots and the back cover wouldn't close .

[liquids]

For a visual - pre- painted and labeling...look closely and you can see the jacks all on top...



Gutshot - not proud of it actually but it works without issue. 
I'm working toward condensing boards (multiple boards is truly a pain) in the future and using larger enclosures when need be, it's not worth the trouble
of jamming it in and using the enclosure walls, most of the time.  I also  have aquired ribbon cable to make at least the pot wiring less ugly.

[jefe]

Just to be contrarian: I think it's ultra cool to have the jacks on the top of the box:

[jefe]

And here's a DIY example:

[Lurco]

Top is top - but what is "top"?

[liquids]

The Burst Box, of course.....   

[Lurco]

Read: "which" side is "top"? The surface that looks to the ceiling or the one that is facing away from your stompfoot?

[liquids]

I think most people mean the side opposite your feet...but Jefe is right, some people / builders really mean top - as in the 'face' - of the enclosure.

[Poste]

So it seems that it comes down to personal preference, the only reason I asked in the first place is I am about to build my first pedal, a Tap Tempo Tremolo and can not decide on where to put the jacks.

Im leaning towards the away face ("top side" not top) as I think it is the most practical but what elshiftos said about interference is sort of making me think twice...

Can somebody say for sure that interference will not be in issue.

[liquids]

It will definitely be an issue if you are sloppy, use bad design, ground poorly, solder poorly, etc.

It will more than likely not be an issue if you are neat, use good design, ground well, solder well, etc.

Plenty of big complex pedals use jacks far away from the stomp switch (look at the large EH pedals, or the lovetone pictured above).  This thread is the first i've heard of anyone having issues due to how far the jacks are from the switch.  Usually the only issue I hear is when high gain pedals don't have their circuit grounded and or oscillate, which again, can be remedied by good design.  An extra inch more or inch less of insulated wire is rarely the real issue in a 9v circuit - goood practice, layout, and design however, are another story.

Nonetheless, if you do encounter an issue, it's an easy fix issues caused by long wire runs with shielded wire/coax like Rg-174 from smallbear.  And if that doesn't fix it, than the length of a wire run probably wasn't the core problem to begin with...

Anyhow, all that to say, don't worry,  especially for a tap tempo controller, go jacks on top.   And anytime you can keep interference (whatever that may mean - from RF, noise, hum, etc) off a breadboard version, you should have no problem in a well built pedal.

[davent]

Double ended plugs. 

http://store.guitarfetish.com/Straight-Male-Male-Interconnect-Perfect-for-Pedalboards_p_1142.html

And offsets for a real tight 1590A pedalboard.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/Solid-Brass-Offset-Pedal-board-interconnect-Heavy-Duty_p_1143.html

[Ronsonic]

The problem with the rigid links is that every box has at least a two degree angle on the sides for mold relief. So they stress the jacks and assembly right from the get go.

[davent]

Ooo... good call, never considered that... haven't any of those plugs but use Hammond boxes so i won't be getting any of them either.  Thanks for the heads up!

dave