Can anyone recommend a...

[B2D]

...good quality, affordable patch bay for a live guitar rig application?

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

I checked out a Neutrik one at GC today for a hundred bucks that seemed OK.... anyone else have any alternatives?

[Zerberus]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Cheaper alternative: Drill, aluminum sheet, 20 1/4" jacks, 2 rolls wire, one roll solder, 2 hours time, patience

if you calculate your time in, the Neutrik is cheaper again

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Cheaper alternative: Drill, aluminum sheet, 20 1/4" jacks, 2 rolls wire, one roll solder, 2 hours time, patience

if you calculate your time in, the Neutrik is cheaper again

What kind of 1/4 inch jacks would be best to use?

[Robert S.]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

How many jacks do you intend to use? I use Neutrix 1/4" jacks for this kind of thing. My "patch bay" is only two jacks in the front of my rack that I use to add my wireless receiver in before my Triaxis. I used a steel single rack space cover and drilled two holes through it to install the jacks. I think the total cost was under $15. The steel space cover was under $5 at GC and the Neutrix 1/4" jacks are around $5 a piece if I am not mistaken.

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

How many jacks do you intend to use? I use Neutrix 1/4" jacks for this kind of thing. My "patch bay" is only two jacks in the front of my rack that I use to add my wireless receiver in before my Triaxis. I used a steel single rack space cover and drilled two holes through it to install the jacks. I think the total cost was under $15. The steel space cover was under $5 at GC and the Neutrix 1/4" jacks are around $5 a piece if I am not mistaken.

I'd need 4 total, so I guess that makes 8 jacks? No stereo/parallel stuff or anything like that. Just in and out, tip to tip.

Where can I get these Neutrix jacks? I'd like them to be 1/4" - 1/4"

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Whirlwind makes patchbays.

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Whirlwind makes patchbays.

Looking at their website and at Neutrik's.... cool stuff.

[J Moose]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

I'd need 4 total, so I guess that makes 8 jacks? No stereo/parallel stuff or anything like that. Just in and out, tip to tip.

Where can I get these Neutrix jacks? I'd like them to be 1/4" - 1/4"

Since you only need 8 jacks I'd highly recommend that you build your own.

Get a blank or predrilled rack panel and some regular old 1/4" jacks like the kind that are inside a guitar.

The store bought patchbay won't hold up too well in a guitar rig. That stuff doesn't like to be moved too often.

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

What about strapping THIS to a rack shelf?

[J Moose]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Seems a little 'cheese-whiz' to me but if it works for you...

Going the DIY route will yeild a far superior product. And it's not THAT hard to do!

[JLagoon]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Behringer makes patchbays (PX series), and they are very customizable without having to modify the routing electronically.

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

Seems a little 'cheese-whiz' to me but if it works for you...

Going the DIY route will yeild a far superior product. And it's not THAT hard to do!

I suppose... I understand as far as wiring and fixing up the plate and the "in" jacks but what about the other end? Is there something like a shell I can buy? Do I get another plate and jerry-rig it up? What? Do I just get a single metal plate and mount up 1/4" female to 1/4" female plugs? What?

[J Moose]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

I guess it depends on what you need the other side to be.

What's the application? Patch into sht on the front rather then going behind the amp & rack all the time?

I'd probably bundle & cut the rear cables (going to the gear) to length with 1/4" male jacks on one end and bare on the other...solder the bare ends to 1/4" jacks that are mounted to a one-rackspace panel.

Can't be more then $30-50 of parts there including the rack panel...that's probably $15-20 alone.

Anyway, it's the most solid & reliable way to have a traveling patchbay. Your signals gotta travel through all those connections, they should be as few & high quality as possible!

[B2D]

Re: Can anyone recommend a...

I guess it depends on what you need the other side to be.

What's the application? Patch into sht on the front rather then going behind the amp & rack all the time?

Basically. 4 ports
~Amp input (coming from pedal on board, going into amp input)
~FX loop send and return jacks. (duuur)
~Amp channel selector jack (mono 1/4 plug with the tip being the hot)

The idea is to have all the appropriate stuff and connections kept wired to the head, so for live gigs I just pop open the rack, plug the connections from my board straight into the front panel, and go.

I'd probably bundle & cut the rear cables (going to the gear) to length with 1/4" male jacks on one end and bare on the other...solder the bare ends to 1/4" jacks that are mounted to a one-rackspace panel.

Can't be more then $30-50 of parts there including the rack panel...that's probably $15-20 alone.

Yeah I thought of just hardwiring the cables to the jacks, but I'm afraid of them coming undone for getting yanked loose somehow. Any way to protect them if I go that route? I'm currently looking into boxes and panels that Whirlwind offers and I've already decided on Neutrik chassis-mount 1/4 jacks with gold contacts and a lock mechanism. As far as using cables... i wonder if Planet Waves cablestation cables will work for that... whats a good bulk cable to use for apps like this?