sales@effectrode.com

  • About Us
  • Knowledge Base
    • Tubes
    • Pedals
    • Science of Tone
    • Binson Echorec
    • History
    • Quality
  • News
  • Press
  • FAQ
  • Vacancies
  • My Account
  • Login
logo
  • Store
  • Stockists
  • Artists
  • Contact
  • | Newsletter
  • Store
    • Accessories
    • Pedals
    • Vacuum Tubes
  • Knowledge Base
  • Stockists
  • Artists
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • About
  • News
  • Press
  • Newsletter
  • 0

    Shopping cart

    0
    Cart is Empty

Jack Plugs – The Gold, the Brass and the Cheap

  1. HomeKnowledge BaseJack Plugs – The Gold, the Brass and the Cheap

Jack Plugs – The Gold, the Brass and the Cheap

by Phil Taylor

Where there was once an arid, barren desert swirling with the dust of marketing possibilities, there is now a crazy circus showcasing a bewildering choice of guitar gadgets, gizmos and gimmicks to chose from. That’s right, today even the simple task of buying a jack plug for a guitar cable ain’t as simple as it used to be. There are so many choices; endless choices; perhaps needless choices. Choices that never used to be, but now consume us: nickel plated, gold plated, and now even rhodium plated jack plugs. What next? Platinum? Iridium? How can you possibly choose? Well, in this world there’s two kinds of people: those with loaded guns, and those who dig. And we’re gonna dig… for facts. But there’s no need to pick up a shovel, just grab a coffee and dig in for a gripping read on what makes a jack plug good, bad, or just plain ugly.

Invention

There are many aspects of audio electronic and guitar equipment that owe their inheritance to the legacy of the telegraph and telephone industry. One well-known example is the 600Ω impedance of the balanced inputs and outputs found on pro-audio equipment, which originated from the choice of wire thickness and position of the insulators on the telegraph poles that began springing up across the American continent from the 1840s onwards.

jack_plug_patent2
Original patent drawing for the "spring-jack switch".

Another is the ¼” jack plug connector commonly found on instrument and microphone cables and headphones. This simple connector also owes its existence to the telephone industry. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the jack plug as we now know it came into existence, but it was sometime in the late 19th century. A cluster or patents were filed at the time relating to a “spring-jack” connector for use in telephone switchboards. Charles Scribner’s—of the Western Electric Company—patent filed in 1893 describes a plug that opens a switch contact when inserted. The switch blade contacts resembled a “jackknife”—a knife with a folding steel blade—hence the name “spring-jack”, which ultimately became shortened to “jack”. The drawings of Scribner’s spring-jack are remarkably similar to a modern 1/4″ mono TS (Tip, Sleeve) jack plug.

Another patent filed a few years later in 1895 describes a “plug and spring-jack for telephone boards” that closely resembles a 1/4″ stereo TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) jack plug. The patent explains how “The invention is applied particularly to a ‘triple plug’ and a corresponding ‘three part spring-jack,’”. Additionally, an Electrical Review article from 1903 describes how triple contact plugs were used for telephone jacks during this period. Further information can be found ”International Library of Technology: …Principles of Telephony…” International Textbook Company, Scranton, PA; published in 1907.

Brass Jack Plugs

brass_bakelite_jack_plug
Brass jack plug with bakelite body

These early jack plugs were constructed from brass (an alloy of 70% copper and 30% zinc) with hardened rubber insulators and a Bakelite body. Brass was used rather than copper because it is harder and tougher than pure copper and hence more resilient to wear. However, both brass and copper are prone to oxidation and corrosion as the metal reacts with salts and acids. This isn’t necessarily a problem in the short-term in a benevolent environment. That is, if the jack plug isn’t used in a damp atmosphere or exposed to corrosive substances, then the simple act of inserting and removing it from its socket will remove any small build-up of dirt and oxidation, keeping the contact clean and reliable.

In more adverse environmental conditions where the plug is exposed to substances such as beer, sweaty hands, smoke and dirt its performance will ultimately be compromised. Over time the jack plug will lose it’s shiny appearance tarnishing to become duller in appearance as the copper and zinc react with the salts and acids in these substances. Tarnish is a layer of copper and zinc oxides (and other salts) which is a poor electrical conductor (an insulator). This oxide layer significantly increases contact resistance degrading the fidelity of signal transmission through the jack plug to the cable causing tone loss and a bad or noisy connection. This is not a irredeemable situation though as the barrel of a jack plug can easily be cleaned using very fine wool and solvents such as carbon tetrachloride (a degreasing agent) to restore it’s original performance. Brass jack plugs served the industry for many decades until nickel plating became a practicality.

Nickel Plated Jack Plugs

Nickel is much more resistant to oxidation than brass or copper and coating a jack plug with a thin layer of nickel prevents oxidation to improve it’s performance and durability. The process is technically known as electroplating. The nickel plating not only provides corrosion resistance but is also aesthetically pleasing because it doesn’t tarnish (it’s shiny). Nickel is also a relatively hard metal so that the plating is resistant to wear over time. The first practical bright nickel plating bath was developed by Max Schloetter in the 1930s and it is estimated that nickel plated jack plugs first became available in the 1940s.

copper_core_jack_plug_320px
Nickel-plated jack plug with copper core

Nickel is not completely inert though—it will oxidise or react in adverse environmental conditions or over long periods of time. Nickel oxide and its salts can be seen as a green discolouration or patina on the metal surface, but for all practical intents and purposes, under normal conditions it can be considered as being virtually immune to serious corrosion. Nickel plated jack plugs were a genuine step forward in terms of reliability and durability—I have nickel plated connectors that after 30 years of use where the brass underneath is only just starting to showing through. Nickel plated audio connectors were the industry standard for a several decades and used by players from Scotty Moore to David Gilmour to record some excellent guitar tones. However, the audio connector industry then shifted to adopt another plating material… gold.

Gold Plated Jack Plugs

gold_plated_jack_plug_wear
Gold-plating might look pretty but is so thin and soft it quickly wears off to reveal the nickel plate beneath.

Gold-plated connectors are a relatively recent development. They first became widely available in electronic hardware shops, such as Tandy (Radio Shack in the U.S.A.) during the early 1980s. They were real novelty at the time and there was an instant association with high quality because gold is a precious metal. One outstanding property of gold is that it’s almost indestructible or, to be more scientifically correct, it’s chemically inert. It’s unreactive and exceptionally resistant to corrosion, only being attacked by a mixture of concentrated hydrochloric and nitric acids. It has far superior corrosion resistance in comparison to copper, brass and even nickel—if you happen to be gigging on the surface of planet Venus then gold-plated jack plugs are definitely the ones to go for.

But gold is also a very soft and expensive metal. What this means in practical terms is that manufacturers deposit only the merest hint of gold plating, just enough to give the impression that the jack plug has a gold-like appearance. It’s so thin that it quickly wears off after just a few insertion/removal cycles of the plug to reveal good old nickel plating beneath. There were genuine technical justifications for plating connectors with nickel, however gold plating serves no practical purpose other than to act as ‘eye candy’.

Another property of gold is that it is an excellent electrical conductor. For comparison, if pure copper has a relative conductivity of 100 then silver is 8% higher, gold is 74% that of copper and nickel is 25%. As an aside it’s interesting to note that because silver is the best conductor silver plating is used for hi-fi phono connectors and has been used on test instrumentation connectors, such as oscilloscopes for many decades. It’s not been utilised on guitar connectors… yet. If taken out of context these figures could be used to suggest that gold-plated connectors are superior to nickel, however it must be remembered that the thickness of the surface plating is extremely thin. The guitar signal current flows through the plating and the metal beneath—through the metal core inside the jack plug.

The Core

The core is a metal rod inside the jack plug that connects the tip to solder tag housed within the barrel. The total resistance to signal flow is the resistance of the core in parallel with the surface plating. The core is typically brass, however there are plenty of eastern manufacturers that utilise steel, which is a lousy choice of material. Steel is not only a relatively poor conductor of electricity (3% that of copper) but also ferromagnetic—not a fantastic choice for an audiophile connector but it is cheap. A list of resistivities of metals and alloys can be found in the following table. Just testing a handful of audio connectors and adapters (of unknown origin and manufacture) that I had lying around in the workshop with a magnet revealed that all of them were magnetic. The lesson here is to know what you’re buying.

Unfortunately the majority of jack plug manufacturers do not openly specify the core material—possibly because it is not an obvious thing to market like the surface plating is. The only manufacturer I know of that does is G & H Industries in the U.S.A., who utilise pure copper for the core. Copper is an excellent choice because it is very good electrical conductor. Although German connector manufacturer Neutrik don’t appear to obviously specify the core material used in their jack plugs, a quick dissection of one reveals that it’s made of brass. And Switchcraft—a long established and reputable company—conspicuously state that they use a copper alloy (a.k.a. “brass” by qualified metallurgists) for the construction of the core and sleeve.

steel_core_jack_plug_320px
Some jack plugs are manufactured from steel and then plated with nickel or gold.

Brass and especially copper are both appropriate choices of material for the core, however it’s not a simple case of copper/brass verses steel. The quality of the copper and brass should also be considered. It should be realised that as these metals become scarcer, they are being recycled more frequently and as this process is repeated contaminants such as iron and steel are introduced affecting the composition of the brass. More information on issues affecting brass quality can be found in this well written short article ‘Getting Down to Brass Tacks on Quality’ by Jim Burstein. Both Neutrik and Switchcraft utilise single piece tip and rod construction, whereas the G&H rod is bonded to a brass tip. To summarise, the type of metal plating on the jack plug surface is quite literally just the tip of the iceberg. The internal composition of the core has as much bearing on the durability and tone of the jack plug as do the physical differences between gold, nickel or silver plating.

Insulators

Additionally, there are other internal factors such as the quality of insulation materials. Several different types of material have been and are utilised for the bushings and spacers within jack plugs, including hardened rubber, various types of plastics such as thermoplastic, mica, phenolic, fibreglass and nylon. Each material has its own strengths and weaknesses in terms of insulation resistance and durability and price. Mica is a superb insulator and resistant to high temperatures (again, suitable for use on for Venus) but brittle, nylon has good longevity in comparison to rubber and plastic because it more chemically inert. Many of these materials are excellent insulators and perform more than adequately in normal gigging/studio conditions. Some plastics do not have good long term stability and will consequently limit the life of the jack plug. There are countless types of plastics and it is impossible to know what you’re buying unless you purchase from a reputable manufacturer who specifies the materials they utilise.

One excellent type of plastic that seems to have been overlooked by jack plug manufacturers in the guitar industry is PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). This is often used in BNC connectors (for test instrumentation) and in the hi-fi industry for phono (RCA) sockets. It is and excellent dielectric, is immune to most solvents and acids, has a very high melting point (for a plastic), is extremely tough and it also has very low friction—practically perfect in every way for use as an insulator. A silver plated jack plug with PTFE insulators would be this engineer’s dream of something made from the appropriate materials with no corners cut.

You Get What You Pay For

It could be argued that even the poorest quality metal—steel in this instance—is a more than adequate material for the core and sleeve. After all the fraction of an ohm resistance in a jack plug is vanishingly small in comparison to several thousand ohms already in series with the signal from, say a passive pickup or a low impedance buffer (which may still be in the order of ohms or tens of ohms). So why all the fuss? Does it really matter? Well, the issue here is that it’s not just that steel is cheap, it’s the cheapest metal that can possibly used. Iron (Fe) costs less than $0.20/lb. Compare this to Nickel (Ni) at $8.40/lb, Copper (Cu) at $3.00/lb and Zinc (Zn) at $0.94/lb. When a manufacturer specifies steel over, say brass, that’s not an engineering decision, it’s an accountancy decision. There are no physical properties of steel that would induce an engineer to even consider it in preference to brass, copper or a host of other more suitable metals and alloys. This kind of penny-pinching raises further doubts and suspicions: If the cheapest metal is being used to fabricate the plug then what about the other materials and processes used in manufacture? Could the insulation material be made from poor quality plastic? Is the plating process well-controlled? Profits are surely the prime motivation here, not the desire for engineering excellence or a love of music. Personally, I don’t want anything to do with this kind of dime-a-dozen hooey. I want peace of mind that what I’m purchasing is a quality product, that the company who makes it is genuine and takes pride in their workmanship. Now that’s something I can get behind!

A Final Note

How guitar cables and jack plugs affect guitar tone has been known to spark heated words between musicians and studio engineers. This isn’t helped any by the endless stream of factoids that circulate and swirl over the internet, nor the hot air the big manufacturing companies pump out—relentlessly seeking our attentions in a crazy marketing show to beat the competition. Don’t get me wrong, there are still a few good men out there, but there are many, many bad bandidos too—bandidos that will do anything for a fistful of dollars. You’ll be able to see them coming now—now you’ve read this. Consider yourself fully armed and loaded with essential facts on jacks. Adios.

If you enjoyed reading this article you may also find our article on guitar cables of interest too.

In This Section

  • A Look Inside an Effectrode Pedal
  • BS 3504:1962 – Specification for Magnesium activated nickel cathodes of electronic tubes and valves
  • Conductivity Of Metals Sorted By Resistivity
  • Copper Core Jack Plugs
  • Custom Work
  • Developments in Trustworthy-Valve Techniques
  • Guitar Cables For Working Musicians
  • Jack Plugs – The Gold, the Brass and the Cheap
  • Printed Circuit Board Verses Point-to-point – an Engineer’s Perspective.
  • The Chemistry of Jack Socket Washers
  • The Fascinating Story of Nickel Plating is Characterized by Resourceful Individuals and Companies Responding to Industry Needs.
  • Who is Phil Taylor?
logo
+44 (0) 1782 372210 sales@effectrode.com
facebook instagram twitter pinterest rss soundcloud
Newsletter

Useful Links

  • Shipping Policy
  • Refund Policy
  • WEEE Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Warranty Policy
  • Register Your Pedal

Instagram

Copyright © 1963-2022 EFFECTRODE THERMIONIC. All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
_GRECAPTCHA5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by Google. In addition to certain standard Google cookies, reCAPTCHA sets a necessary cookie (_GRECAPTCHA) when executed for the purpose of providing its risk analysis.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
JSESSIONIDCookie used to allow the Worldpay payment gateway on the website to function.
machineCookie used to allow the Worldpay payment gateway on the website to function.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
wordpress_logged_in_Users are those people who have registered an account with the WordPress site. On login, WordPress uses the wordpress_[hash] cookie to store your authentication details. Its use is limited to the Administration Screen area, /wp-admin/ After login, WordPress sets the wordpress_logged_in_[hash] cookie, which indicates when you’re logged in, and who you are, for most interface use. WordPress also sets a few wp-settings-{time}-[UID] cookies. The number on the end is your individual user ID from the users database table. This is used to customize your view of admin interface, and possibly also the main site interface.
wordpress_sec_1 yearProvide protection against hackers, store account details.
wordpress_test_cookieTest to see if cookies are enabled.
wp-settings-1 yearWordPress also sets a few wp-settings-{time}-[UID] cookies. The number on the end is your individual user ID from the users database table. This is used to customize your view of admin interface, and possibly also the main site interface.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
CookieDurationDescription
_gat1 minuteThis cookie is installed by Google Universal Analytics to restrain request rate and thus limit the collection of data on high traffic sites.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
CookieDurationDescription
mailchimp_landing_site1 monthThis cookie is used to keep track of newsletter sign ups and client emails at checkout, Mailchimp utilises cookies to store information captured from user input for remarketing purposes.
mailchimp_user_email1 monthThis cookie is used to keep track of newsletter sign ups and client emails at checkout, Mailchimp utilises cookies to store information captured from user input for remarketing purposes.
mailchimp_user_previous_email1 monthThis cookie is used to keep track of newsletter sign ups and client emails at checkout, Mailchimp utilises cookies to store information captured from user input for remarketing purposes.
mailchimp.cart.current_emailThis cookie is used to keep track of newsletter sign ups and client emails at checkout, Mailchimp utilises cookies to store information captured from user input for remarketing purposes.
mailchimp.cart.previous_emailThis cookie is used to keep track of newsletter sign ups and client emails at checkout, Mailchimp utilises cookies to store information captured from user input for remarketing purposes.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
CookieDurationDescription
woocommerce_recently_viewedsessionDescription unavailable.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo