Side Jacks or Top Jacks?

[fuzzyhead]

Which way do you prefer? Jacks on the side or on top?

[mth5044]

Prefer on the top, usually put on the sides.

[closetmonster.]

I prefer top-mounted. Gives you a bit more horizontal real estate, so you can have your effects right beside eachother.

[Mark Hammer]

The compromise is mounted on the rear skirt.  This lets you snuggle the pedal up beside each other, and lets you use short patch cords with right-angle plugs.

[GibsonGM]

The compromise is mounted on the rear skirt.  This lets you snuggle the pedal up beside each other, and lets you use short patch cords with right-angle plugs.

+1  I do all mine this way, just works for me. YMMV

[amptramp]

The compromise is mounted on the rear skirt.  This lets you snuggle the pedal up beside each other, and lets you use short patch cords with right-angle plugs.

+2

This keeps you feet away from a tangle of cords when you stomp the switch and allows you to build wider effects with no penalty in pedalboard size.

[R.G.]

OK, so who else likes short rear skirts?

[Canucker]

I keep em on the back side but it makes you have to build in a larger enclosure I find....but I prefer those cus I have big feet and it allows for larger artwork on the pedal. 

[akc1973]

I always mount them on the rear...makes the most sense to me.

[greaser_au]

OK, so who else likes short rear skirts?

...with (strain relief) boots...

[samhay]

I'm confused by the nomenclature. Is the 'top' the side that usually has the pots mounted to it, or the short edge (of a 1590B)? If the latter, where is the 'rear'?

In either case, I vote for the top/rear/short edge/edge furthest from the stomp switch. And you can (well at least I can) fit the two audio jacks + DC jack on this edge with a 1590B. Only down side (not sure if there is an intended pun there) is that it pushes the pots a little closer to the stomp switch.

[bluebunny]

I'm confused by the nomenclature.

Nah, the top is the front.  The back is the rear, and the rear is the bottom.  Is that clearer, Sam?   

[petemoore]

 Vertical jacks require no additional 2-D [looking down] space on the pedal-board, [only one row because the cables prevent stomping a back row.
Horizontal out the back, allows side to side pedal along the front row, much neater looking, an elevated backrow is cool with back-loaded-jacks pedals.
The use of box sides as jackplates <-l  l->is a curious convention to me [I have a long list of subjects that may renew curiosity about convention], and requires additional pedalboard space between the pedals, is unnecessarily difficult to work the plugs into the jacks [especially when you are 1 cable short of having enough angle plugs], and cause failure when a straight plug...sticking out the side end of the PB, gets stepped on and bends the plug or destroys some of that pedal's circuit.
  When conventions like 1/4'' plugs and jacks used in most mechanical connectivity junctions for guitar are to be re-scrutinized for reliability, size and ease of operation, I'll complete this sentence differently and perhaps even improve my review of content.
  Another ''interesting'' convention is the use of barrel jacks which will allow AC or DC power application for circuits which aren't damaged by DC of correct polarity.

[duck_arse]

Which way do you prefer? Jacks on the side or on top?

I'm finding the answer is "where do they fit?" or, perhaps that is another question.

also, until recently, mine were all on the away up-face.