Questions about open frame jacks

[Haberdasher]

I pretty much sold my soul to Switchcraft in the jack departement. More expansive but worth every penny to me.

I have tried the Mammoth economic option before, the nut seemed really cheap to me and the Tip hook was not always well alligned.... so.. ..meh..!

Agreed with Jon about the feel with Neutriks, but i think that it's possibly your best option to maintain a good quality level vs budget pricing.

Honorable mention to the TRS Switching Enclosed jack sold by BLMS. The nut is less beefier than a switchcraft but it's still very good. Overall quality of the jack could cut it for production stuff.

+1 on the Switchcraft switches. In Europe you can find them quite chip at Banzai.

Nowadays I'm using the small Kobiconn jacks Hardbeasher uses (I think also Juansolo used a pair on the last batch of builds)

i wish i could get more of those; they seem to be gone now.  if i had known they were saying bye bye i would definitely have bought more.

i like the neutriks.  they do have a smaller hole but that hasn't caused me a problem yet.  in fact i kind of like it, because it will hold a bent wire in place while i solder (if i hold my tongue just right).
of course the switchcrafts are great too though but a little more expensive.
i have some of the mammoth ones from a group buy a while back but i have never used any.  they struck me as a little flimsy, i dunno if i would like them.
i'm with rully on this one, i hate how the tayda variety push the plug back out.  the quality seems good but it's an annoyance i can't get past.

[Leevibe]

Anyone who is building commercially should check out CE distribution for switchcraft jacks. They are $1.20 each for quantities over 10! You have to be a business and you have to apply for an account (not really that difficult). There may be better deals out there but I've yet to see them myself...

+1 on Switchcraft and CE. Skimping on jacks for personal builds might be permissible, but I put Switchcraft in the stuff I sell that uses open frame and cliff in everything else. At least so far. 

[alanp]

Tayda 1/4" jacks are garbage. Except for the plastic frame Cliff UK style ones, they're okay. (I'd still prefer Smallbear ones in that style, but I can live with Tayda ones.)