How To Solder Patch Cables

In this video I share how I make high quality patch cables for pedal boards. I also demonstrate the RIGHT WAY to solder guitar cables, so that you don't end up with tone loss or signal cutting out. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful!

I'm using Lava Cable Mini ELC cable and SquarePlug SP500 plug in this tutorial.

✧Soldering Equipment (Amazon Affiliate Links)✧

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission (at no cost to YOU). This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!

[FakeGlasses]

You gave me the power of creation. The world will never be the same.

[friedemn]

This might be the best soldering video on YouTube

[jepatawaran]

Man, i've been soldering a lot of pickups and pots on my guitar, and it's a pain in the back. This video helped me a lot. Specially now that i'm planning to solder my own patch cables. Thanks!

[patrickmckay]

after Dan from that pedal show suggested this video your numbers will rise😀, great video!

[ColtonRhody]

What a great tutorial! Best one out there!! Thanks so much!!

[GrungeIsNtDead]

Im doing these on my broken patch cables and extra broken cables, good thing I haven't throw those out yet. Thanks for this video!

[jay-shredds]

I just realized how terrible my soldering jobs are . Thanks for showing me the basics now I can get rid of that stinking hum

[evane]

For only having 3 videos your videos are pretty well done lmao

[jmch]

I might've put the grounding wire under that lug to keep them apart, but this is good stuff. Thanks.

[bjrn]

Such a helpful video! Thank you so much man!

[jeremiaberndtsson]

Wow, this was awesome! Thanks! Could you do one on how to solder TRS? And maybe TRS to dual SP400 TS?

[johnmiller]

this was very helpful thanks for this. I was trying to get the wires into the little eyelets on the tabs, unnecessary!

[MayhemJames]

Hi, Joshua! This is a really great video, but I'm having trouble with the section between 7:30 and 9:00. Yes, I agree that those ground contacts dissipate a lot of heat. And I'm trying to replicate what you're doing, but I can't get that contact to tin, even after using the utility knife as you did to pull it away from the outer housing. And it seems like the longer I try to get that contact to heat up, the more damage I seem to be doing to the paper shielding et al just heating up other components instead. When I apply the tinned wire to the contact, again, the same issue. I'm just getting a lot of damage to the paper and plastic shielding and I can't get the contact as hot as it seems it should be. When I do get a decent joint, it's still concave down, very round (not flat or smooth) and highly indicative of a cold solder joint. Ultimately, I'm having some of my cables fail after a couple of weeks. Do you have any advice here for getting that contact hotter without damaging other nearby components? What temperature are you putting your iron at? Are you using a conical tip or the flatter looking tip as shown in the link you provided? Thanks so much!

[p_lawls]

thinking about making my own cable. got tired of always having cables that are a little too long or too short. so you don't run the cable through either of the circles on the lugs for the tip or sleeve, right? just a connection via the tinning on those lugs?

[danielhenry]

How is the solder iron your using ? I just purchased a ten dollar one and it can only ten the tip of the iron I’m thinking of using your link for that 40 dollar one

[rh]

Any advantage to using shrink tubing as additional strain relief / insulation?

[thefreak]

Thank you for that instructive video appreciate. Any solder reference you would recommend and use in this video please? Thanks!

[TYB]

Aren't you suppose to remove the black conductive insulator?

[dandelionboy]

How did this soldering station hold up. Do you have any recommendations? Trying to but one but it seems regardless of where they are made every soldering station sub $400 has dodgy reviews at best and terrible qaulity control

[siavashmassoudi]

I’m having trouble with some of my patch cables that I’m soldering. Most of my cables are experiencing signal loss. They are also negatively affecting how my compressor pedal works (drops the volume of the pedal when engaged). Also some of the cables will cut out if I move their cable around.

Any tips on what I did wrong? It’s also worth mentioning that I’m using unleaded solder for my connections.