Cheaper Solderless cables – anyone using them?

paganskins

I notice Thomann have introduced (or are about to introduce 15/11) their own-brand solderless patch cable at £18



Which look very similar to these Rayzm ones at £14


And there's also these Hellion ones on Amazon at £30



Has anyone had any experience of these more affordable solderless solutions?

Clarky

the lead that came with my Strat [frmo Fender] is solderless
you just cut the end off the cable, stuff it into the jack and tighten a little screw at the side..
I've had this lead since 1980 and it's only needed repairing about 2 or 3 times..
simply cut off about 2" and then re-connect it..

it is my oldest and most reliable lead

richardhomer

Clarky said:

the lead that came with my Strat [frmo Fender] is solderless
you just cut the end off the cable, stuff it into the jack and tighten a little screw at the side..
I've had this lead since 1980 and it's only needed repairing about 2 or 3 times..
simply cut off about 2" and then re-connect it..

it is my oldest and most reliable lead

And possibly your shortest?

hotpickups

Buy cheap, buy twice

axisus

I only play at home but I seem to have got through so many leads over the years. Never heard of these before but I think I need one!

longi

I bought a Ryzom set to try and I've found them far, far easier to use than the SIS set that I also bought around the same time.

 Again, you just cut the ends of the cable off and screw the set screw in and off you go. So far they've worked first time every time. No complaints here.

The jacks appear to be very well made and don't look cheap at all. I'm really quite impressed. 

paganskins

longi said:

I bought a Ryzom set to try and I've found them far, far easier to use than the SIS set that I also bought around the same time.

 Again, you just cut the ends of the cable off and screw the set screw in and off you go. So far they've worked first time every time. No complaints here.

The jacks appear to be very well made and don't look cheap at all. I'm really quite impressed. 

That’s good to hear, I was hoping for first hand reports - thank you. 

I appreciate the buy buy cheap buy twice sentiment but the price for the brand name products is eye watering and I do wonder how much of that is the name and originating the concept. 

colourofsound

Anyone find any that aren’t right angled? I could do with straight plugs for my loop switcher...

crunchman

The Hellion ones look like a George L rip off. I had all kinds of problems with genuine George Ls and went back to soldered cables.  I don't remember having a patch lead problem since.

Don't know what the other designs are like, but after my experience I'm sticking to soldered cables.

paganskins

Just been reminded to update this by another thread on solder less cables:

Rayzm/Harley Benton style – (2 x Rayzm and 1 x Harley Benton branded but same design). I tried the HB ones first and got them to work eventually but one lead has failed since, 1 pack of Rayzm went together flawlessly and worked first time but the 2nd pack ordered at the same time have been a nightmare.

I can't trust them and am currently waiting on a load of flat EBS pre-made cable to rewire my board with (can't go normal pancake as layout is already fixed around the smaller Rayzm plugs).

They work by the set screw cutting through the cable outer to contact with the inner shielding but mine haven't been going quite far enough in to break through. Also seems quite a tenuous connection is made even if they do work.

The Hellion ones are working but a nightmare to wire up, 2 or 3 attempts on each plug. Fairly rough on the hands too when screwing the back into the plug. I'm stuck with these as they're being used on the top row of a Helix's loops and I haven't found any other style of right angle plug which will sit over the lower row of jacks.

John_A

I bought some of the Hellion ones from Amazon, put 5 together and one worked, re-build 4 and then 2 worked, gave up and returned them  Not great IMO

timmysoft

I used to work for a subsea cabling company so I know a little bit about cable termination. The main problem with a lot of these solderless kits is they’re destructive during  installation. That in itself is fine, things like crimps have worked like that for years, but the cheaper stuff is never as good quality.

id always go soldered, but then I’m pretty good at soldering and always do things like IR testing to make sure I’ve got exactly what I want

jdgm

I've used George L's for many years as guitar leads and they generally work fine but now I think a soldered joint is best, especially for patch cables.