[John_Strychnine]

O.k so i wanna get some panels at front and back to make setup time quicker and easier, gonna make a panel for the XLR outs for the pod, the jack in to the pedals/tuner, a jack out to go to the engl and also a speaker in/out for the Hughes and kettner redbox i'm getting sent. Also midi in/out for the pedal/to the engl.

I'm half ok at soldering, but im all about the quick way round and doing the quickest way possible, so is there any panel mount xlr/jacks that have just an ordinary XLR connector instead of having to solder it all together?

Yeh lazy way out, but after the frustation i suffered on saturday of trying to fit my speaker cable into the new jacks i got, i'm not not having to do that for about 8 sockets, urgh.

Also, anyone know where i can buy some cable management ala trunking or loops/hoops i can screw in?
Last tour my rack was an absolute mess by the end of it, wanna make sure that spaggetti junction doesn't happen again.

Ta!

[7 Dying Trees]

Cable ties. Simple. You have the cables that exit the rack all cable tied together by destination and colour coded. I wouldn't bother with panels, as if they go wrong you're in bigger shit.

Plus, you then, at the end, roll up the cable, tie it together with a velcro strap, and put into rack case. When you unpack, you unroll it, ie:

one "umbilical cord" to the floorboard and control, which could be: midi lead + power + possibly instrument cables to and from FX if you have a wireless system.

one "cord" to the amp (FX send/return + midi + amp in) colour coded. Sperate power lead from power conditioner, or run in the same.

And hey presto! Cable tie ALL of them together into thick tentacles. Setup time: minimal, pack up time: minimal.

Basically, have everything attached within the rack, and cable tie all the cable tied umbilical cords to the rear rails of the rack so you can't pull them and disconnect anything internally.

That's how I'd do it, anyway...

[John_Strychnine]

Originally Posted by 7 Dying Trees

Cable ties. Simple. You have the cables that exit the rack all cable tied together by destination and colour coded. I wouldn't bother with panels, as if they go wrong you're in bigger shit.

Plus, you then, at the end, roll up the cable, tie it together with a velcro strap, and put into rack case. When you unpack, you unroll it, ie:

one "umbilical cord" to the floorboard and control, which could be: midi lead + power + possibly instrument cables to and from FX if you have a wireless system.

one "cord" to the amp (FX send/return + midi + amp in) colour coded. Sperate power lead from power conditioner, or run in the same.

And hey presto! Cable tie ALL of them together into thick tentacles. Setup time: minimal, pack up time: minimal.

Basically, have everything attached within the rack, and cable tie all the cable tied umbilical cords to the rear rails of the rack so you can't pull them and disconnect anything internally.

That's how I'd do it, anyway...

This sounds like a better plan!

[7 Dying Trees]

Originally Posted by John_Strychnine

This sounds like a better plan!

And one that doesn't involve a soldering iron

[John_Strychnine]

Originally Posted by 7 Dying Trees

And one that doesn't involve a soldering iron

it will though!

Gotta make the leads

[7 Dying Trees]

Originally Posted by John_Strychnine

it will though!

Gotta make the leads

Ooh! If you are doing that, then get some multicore cable from somewhere, and use that, even tidier than multiple leads!

Still, I used to hate making them, but go into maplins and get one of those helping hands things, crocodile clips to hold everything in place while you solder = less trying to scratch your eyes out...

[7 Dying Trees]

Helping Hands: Maplin > Helping Hands with Magnifier

these suckers

[John_Strychnine]

Originally Posted by 7 Dying Trees

Helping Hands: Maplin > Helping Hands with Magnifier

these suckers

Ah this is amazing!
I'll do that tonight i think.

Gonna have to make a panel for the midi if i want phantom power though, engl did the very helpful option of putting their power on pins 1 & 2 instead of 1 & 5

[7 Dying Trees]

Man, i hate it when people wire stuff so you have to use "proprietry" products.

In that case, I'd get a netrik jacked midi lead, pop it open, and quickly swap the wires you need to swap on it round, so the lead does the coversion. Saves having to have a panel!

ANd those helping hands are genius