1/4" to 1/4" coupler...Where can I find these?

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh275/sbparker01/1-4_male_coupler_crank_250.jpg

Does anyone know of a decently priced source for these? Would also like to find ones that aren't offset like the one in the picture that just go straight across.

Putting together a pedalboard and trying to get my pedals as close as I can and keep it as clean as i can.

Wondering why more people don't use these couplers since almost everyone's pedalboards seem to have one type of patch cable or another. These to me seem pretty simple, less cable needed. Only downside i can think of is cost, so am i missing something here?

I have a bag of GLS connectors and some lave cable on the way as well, but unless anyone has reasons why these couplers are a bad idea for pedals where the input jacks line up perfectly side by side let me know!

Also a good source for these would be great. thanks!

No problem using them - although I can't help you with sourcing them, if that's what you like, then go for it.

A lot of pedals have the power connector on the side (I'm thinking MXR specifically right now) so this wouldn't be a good option because the power cable wouldn't fit between two pedals linked like this. For a string of Boss-type pedals where the power is on the end, this would work out fine.

Monster Cables make them, greatest cables since ever! I love guitar center!

I can think of two places that sell them off the top of my head. But in all honesty, unless you are running all of the same brand pedal in the same enclosures, this really isn't a good idea. Sometimes even a standard box from boss or mxr can be slightly off from the same enclosure and you could mess up the jacks or the coupler. To get them as close as possible i'd suggest using GLS (or some other brand) pancake connectors and some Mogami 2319 cable, and soldering them up yourself. then the cables can be as short or long as you'd like, and the connectors are super narrow.
If you still want to go the coupler route, here are a few places that sell them:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/musicians-gear-effect-pedal-coupler-straight/330079000000000

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Straight-Male-Male-Interconnect-Perfect-for-Pedalboards_c_214.html

I've read that the reason more people don't use these is that may pedals have sides that are not exactly straight up-and-down (i.e. perpendicular to the floor). When the boxes are die-cast, it's easier to get them out of the die if they slant slightly inward from bottom to top. So if you use something like this to connect the pedals, you could be putting some pressure on the jack.

In the picture you posted, it looks like the plugs may rotate up and down a little, which would fix this problem, but if you're looking for the non-offset versions, they probably won't rotate.

Planet Waves also makes them. They can used as jumpers between pedals, too. Musician's Friend stocks them... I think they are "buy one, get one."

I can think of two places that sell them off the top of my head. But in all honesty, unless you are running all of the same brand pedal in the same enclosures, this really isn't a good idea. Sometimes even a standard box from boss or mxr can be slightly off from the same enclosure and you could mess up the jacks or the coupler. To get them as close as possible i'd suggest using GLS (or some other brand) pancake connectors and some Mogami 2319 cable, and soldering them up yourself. then the cables can be as short or long as you'd like, and the connectors are super narrow.
If you still want to go the coupler route, here are a few places that sell them:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/musicians-gear-effect-pedal-coupler-straight/330079000000000

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Straight-Male-Male-Interconnect-Perfect-for-Pedalboards_c_214.html

i already have a bag of GLS connectors and just waiting for the Lava cable to be delivered. Was just tossing around ideas, but you make some good points against using the couplers.

I think Hardwire (Digitech) might have them too.

One way to make these work is if you build individual tiers for your pedals on your diy board so that they all line up perfectly. That is in stone there, though, and if you change your line up you're in trouble. I vote for the pancakes -check out the "Show Us Pedalboard" thread a couple pages back. There's a great implementation I saw of the pancakes. I posted a little note-to-self there on the kind he was using.

I think they are great when they match up close enough to be used. Sometimes you don't have to have a pedal attached to your pedal board and can use them instead.

Just a note on those couplers.
I bought 7 of them around the beginning of this year and all of them seem to have an issue passing the signal after a while. My pedalboard is velcroed down good but somehow, just stomping on pedals and shifting the pedals slightly seems to mess with these HOSA 1/4" couplers.

I am going to try the straight couplers next. If they act the same I am going back to using short patch cables.

Electrical Contact cleaner like Deoxit with cotton swabs might help this problem. I have this happen even with regular pedal connectors. Moisture, oxidation, and stuff. Rotate them every once in a while, and pull 'em in and out of the jacks to get the metal-to-metal connection fresh again.

Electrical Contact cleaner like Deoxit with cotton swabs might help this problem. I have this happen even with regular pedal connectors. Moisture, oxidation, and stuff. Rotate them every once in a while, and pull 'em in and out of the jacks to get the metal-to-metal connection fresh again.

Oh really? I will have to take my board apart and clean the connectors/ports then and see if the problem goes away.

Thanks!!

Use a flashlight to see the metal jack inside the pedal and how it's oriented. Spray inside the jack quickly, then spray a little on a cotton swab. Push the swab in lightly so that it touches the metal part at the end. Work carefully back and forth. You'll see it'll come out with dark stuff on it. Go around the circumference of the jack inside also. Then Go up and down and all around the plug/coupler with a cotton swab. If you don't have contact cleaner alchohol can work in a pinch. I use a red and white can called CRC "QD Electronic Cleaner 05103" you can get it at Wal Mart in the automotive section. Hope this helps!

These inflexible "couplers" are a bad idea. The sides of pedals are not perfectly vertical. Using these will result in your pedals not sitting level, which will also result in connections in adjacent pedals becoming noisy and shorting out.
When you step on one pedal, the pedal next to it will move also, and the connections get noisy and eventually loose from all the moving around.
Deoxit is fine for dirty or unused connections. "Couplers" do not cause these problems.
Hope this helps.

You might be right -don't know, just know that whenever I have short-out/noise problems, this helps. And if you have plastic jacks on any of your pedals, don't even think about using those kind of couplers! Those kind of jacks break if you just look at them funny!

These inflexible "couplers" are a bad idea. The sides of pedals are not perfectly vertical. Using these will result in your pedals not sitting level, which will also result in connections in adjacent pedals becoming noisy and shorting out.
When you step on one pedal, the pedal next to it will move also, and the connections get noisy and eventually loose from all the moving around.
Deoxit is fine for dirty or unused connections. "Couplers" do not cause these problems.
Hope this helps.

this is the problem I am having with these connectors.

I went to step on my BD-2 and turn on my dist pedal and my signal level was cut in half (audibly) for some reason. Kicked the BD-2 without turning it on and my sound jumped back up to full output.

Dangit, if I have to redo/replace the jacks in my pedals I'm not gonna be a happy camper.

:sad:

i ended up just using the GLS connectors and Lava cable. everything arrived yesterday and i wired it all up. looks and sounds great. posted a pick of the final product in the 'show us your pedalboard thread'

i ended up just using the GLS connectors and Lava cable. everything arrived yesterday and i wired it all up. looks and sounds great. posted a pick of the final product in the 'show us your pedalboard thread'

Looks like that's what I'm gonna have to do too.

:mad:

Looks like that's what I'm gonna have to do too.

:mad:

it's super simple and i highly recommend it. just have basic soldering knowledge and skills and you're in business. You'll have better components, the cable of your choice/personal preference, can made them in whatever lengths you want, and know it's done right.

being able to make the cables whatever length i wanted really helped because it allowed me to lay the pedals out on the board in a way tailored around ease and frequency of use, which meant the pedals i used most, or stepped on the most i could put upfront. look at the picture to see what i mean. my signal path is: tuner > compressor > RAT > Amp50 >Full-Drive 2 > Small Stone phaser, tremolo, then delay, but the phaser on the board is next to the RAT on the top row. i wasn't hindered to/restricted to the standard 6" pre made patch cables.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh275/sbparker01/IMG_2430.jpg

I wouldn't recommend the 1/4" - 1/4" coupler. For the reason that most enclosures do not have 90 degree sides, they usually have an angle on them. With any angle, those couplers would put a strain on the jacks as you stomp on the pedals, no give when pressure is applied. It's best to just go w/ a patch cable.

I use George L plugs and cable (right angle), which gives a very tight and close arrangement of pedals. The cable can be an inch long.

I have had similar probs with the couplers.

Man, I wish I wouldve known this info back in january...

:(