90-degree cables - Who uses them? Why? Why not?

[Winkybiker]

My Jaguar is the only guitar I have with a front-mounted jack. So I bought a 90-degree cable to go with it. Seems like straight-in cable plugs get in the way a bit (but for some they arguably give the trem arm somewhere convenient to rest, espeically of a bit loose), but may also be a risk if you step on the cable, with the greater leverage perhaps increaseing the chance of something failing. Any thoughts? What do other use?

[cestlamort]

but may also be a risk if you step on the cable, with the greater leverage perhaps increasing the chance of something failing.

Maybe it’s my punk rock youth, I’m still surprised by seeing bands that don’t loop the cable through their strap.

[Winkybiker]

but may also be a risk if you step on the cable, with the greater leverage perhaps increasing the chance of something failing.

Maybe it’s my punk rock youth, I’m still surprised by seeing bands that don’t loop the cable through their strap.

Good point.

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Maybe it’s my punk rock youth, I’m still surprised by seeing bands that don’t loop the cable through their strap.

Oh boy. I‘m always very alarmed when I see someone who doesn‘t loop their cables in a live setting… especially with Les Pauls, Strats and Teles!

Also - I‘m a dedicated 90degree angled cables user since my early Les Paul days (which is about 18 of my 20 years of playing guitar).

[JSett]

but may also be a risk if you step on the cable, with the greater leverage perhaps increasing the chance of something failing.

Maybe it’s my punk rock youth, I’m still surprised by seeing bands that don’t loop the cable through their strap.

This. It makes me really nervous seeing someone onstage that hasn't done this

In reply to the OP, yes, I exclusively use cables with at least a right angle on one end to go into the guitar. I hate straight cables. The only reason to use one would be with the (poorly designed) Strat plate. But that's just one of many things wrong with those guitars.

[marqueemoon]

I use all straight cables just out of cheapness/laziness. The guitars I play the most have side jacks.

If I played a JM more I would probably go right angle eventually.

[sal paradise]

Just like fender vintage tuners, I’ve always loved seeing the shape/silhouette of a cable plugged into teles & Les Paul’s.



And I think front loading jacks look cool with the cable sticking out, too.



The cable fed through the strap is, of course, part of the look.

[cestlamort]

shape/silhouette ….

The cable fed through the strap is, of course, part of the look.

Actually, now that I think about it, I sometimes use a right angle plug cable but I always plug the right angle side into the amp or pedalboard. The lower profile / right angle part just feels weird connected to the guitar (jaguar, Rickenbacker, Ric bass), like it’s “trying too hard” somehow.

Maybe it’s my punk rock youth, I’m still surprised by seeing bands that don’t loop the cable through their strap.

This. It makes me really nervous seeing someone onstage that hasn't done this

“Nervous” is totally the right word here.

[MechaBulletBill]

i like angled jacks going in/out of the pedal board because it frees up a little space either side and makes it less likely to damage a pedal if someone steps on the lead.

someone told me that the neutrik straight jacks are more robust and reliable than the orthogonal version as something about the angle is a possible failure point?

[crazyzeke]

Maybe it’s my punk rock youth, I’m still surprised by seeing bands that don’t loop the cable through their strap.

Same, I was taught that really early on and even if I'm sitting down I loop it through. Don't want to break that jack.


I don't think I use almost any 90-degree jacks that aren't the rainbow-coloured patch cables for the pedal boards, all the long ones are straight. Probably because they're cheaper or something like that.

The Meteora was kind of a pain to sit and play because of the bottom edge mounted jack in weird place so when it was in for setup the tech kindly fitted a pickguard top mounted one (the route underneath actually extends that far), but this was mostly because the wireless kit would fall out of the other one, pretty awkward live if you're just about to do a solo or something.

[marqueemoon]

i like angled jacks going in/out of the pedal board because it frees up a little space either side and makes it less likely to damage a pedal if someone steps on the lead.

someone told me that the neutrik straight jacks are more robust and reliable than the orthogonal version as something about the angle is a possible failure point?

I like straight plugs in and out of the board. More likely to pull out cleanly when yanked on.

I loop the guitar cable through my strap as it getting unplugged from the instrument is the most likely scenario, but if there’s enough tension on the cable I’d rather just have it pull out from the board easily and hopefully do less damage.

I think the way the 90 degree Neutrik connector shells go together is maybe a little weaker than the straight, but they both have the same style of strain relief.

[andy_tchp]

i like angled jacks going in/out of the pedal board because it frees up a little space either side and makes it less likely to damage a pedal if someone steps on the lead.

someone told me that the neutrik straight jacks are more robust and reliable than the orthogonal version as something about the angle is a possible failure point?

The straight plugs are a little easier to work on, but I don't believe there's anything inherently failure-prone about the 90 degree 1/4" plugs. I still have a bunch of them floating around, pretty sure I've had one failure in about the last 15 years; I cannot attribute this to the plug itself.

I went to Switchcraft for my pedalboard patch leads as they're a bit are easier to work with and take up WAY less space.

[Caddy65]

I have always used right angles on my guitars with front mounted jacks, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Mustang and 335. Hsve since 1964 when I bought a new Jazzmaster. Just looks strange with a straight sticking out of them.