Male/female jack at start and end of board

PopDufc

Does anyone else have a female jack at either end of their board so not constantly plugging in guitar n amps to precious pedals? I made 2 little male to guitar socket females. Now have an in and out socket. 

Funkfingers

Some of the more complex professional boards are already built that way. 

Individual pedals are connected via short cables that stay plugged in. 

Guitar input, expression pedals and amplifier/desk outputs are the only elements that are regularly connected and disconnected.

If the board features computerised loop selection, you don't even need to stomp on any individual on/off switches.

Danny1969

Those plastic Boss pedal boards used to have a female input and 2 female outputs (for stereo) 

You can't win sometimes though as often a jack plug left plugged in may still cause problems as oxide can build between the tip connector and socket in the same way effects loops sockets on amps go faulty even though the contacts are touching. In the days of analog desks in studios TRS jacks left in patchbays and insert points could cause problems and you could spin the jack in the socket and hear the sound change. 

All of those is because the jack plug was originally used in the post office in huge quantities (they handled telephone call routing) and thus was plentiful and cheap. It was then adopted as a connector for audio because it was cheap, not because it was good  and we've been using it ever since. 

digitalkettle

I've got one of those Bright Onion patchboxes...mostly so all cables connect at the same point.

https://brightonion.co.uk/products/shifter-switch-patchbox-v2

PopDufc

I was a BT exchange engineer and spent a bit as manual board maintenance guy. Spent most of my day doing jack plugs!!! 
Give the plugs a twist that's enough. Pushing and pulling plugs is where the faults start. Only a couple of quid to replace my female plugs and no dodgy pedals.

Supportact

digitalkettle said:

I've got one of those Bright Onion patchboxes...mostly so all cables connect at the same point.

https://brightonion.co.uk/products/shifter-switch-patchbox-v2

This is what I do (although I have a simpler one than the one in the link). Also aids a quick set up at gigs. I have a box on my board with guitar in/amp out, and one with a send/return for a volume pedal. Quick and easy, especially on a dark stage. 

PopDufc

Always best to keep it simple.