Let's talk about jacks...and a question to you builders

[Jwar]

I agree with a few things here that I'll highlight. OCD obviously above all affects what makes me decide what I do with ANYTHING. LOL. So it's kind of odd that I'm ok with it with the jack placement. Weird stupid OCD.

So the thing about the the power supply on top and the jacks on the side. I don't get that at all. The power supply on the side, jacks on top, that doesn't bother me in the slightest. Jacks on top, expression on the side DOES bother the shit out of me. It's why I never used expression on my Bitquest. I was always smashing it into place beside other stuff and never could fit the cable in.

Facemounts, I don't believe would be non friendly in any way and actually it would make for easier patching. They make cables of all lengths now and you could make it super easy. I would adopt that in a heart beat. I also don't think anymore or less gunk build up would happen if you had cables plugged in at all times. Maybe sitting on a shelf they would? Facemounts would make it more likely to bother those with OCD though. LOL. Sooo maybe not a win.

I think the real solution here is to smash all our pedals with a hammer and play without an amp all acoustic. If I've learned anything from my years as a Talkbass member it's that tone comes from the pelvic bone. So the more hip thrusting you do the better and you don't need effects. Just a good expensive instrument. You don't even need that really. Just a cheap instrument that is just as good as an expensive one. Oh and a good amp that's vintage.

[Teej212]

I'd love to build my pedals with face mount jacks but I'm too scared to do it

I only do side mount when I don't have space in the enclosure to do top mount. Usually has to do with my pcb design and wanting to make the circuit board as big as possible so I can have board mounted 9mm pots and switches.

[Jero]

Face mount is, uhh...dumb. Get a Patchulator if you plug/unplug that much
How the heck do you step on the pedals in the top row if you have cables sticking up in the row below? If you say, "you can just tuck the cables down the sides...," then you might as well go back to side mounted jacks.

-Goroth summed it up pretty well.
-I totally understand them on smaller mxr or mini pedals, but once it gets to 125b or bigger I think they should have everything on the top - including expression.
I'm slightly annoyed by the trend of putting the Expression on the side, but I'm at least thankful that builders are adding expression options these days (though on stuff the size of the Judder, the jack should be at the top). I've asked a lot of builders and they all have different reasons for side jacks - sometimes it's the circuit or shit's just in the way up there or they say their customers prefer them that way.
-You can still put space between each pedal for your big feets** with top-jack pedals, but with sidejacks you don't get a choice to pack them closely if you wanted to.

^All good points^

Side mount everything is the least time consuming to wire, and uses less resources. Seriously, being able to wire the led, switch, and all three jacks in one tight little spot is nice. As a benefit to the user, this may also result in lower noise (shorter runs of wire). A negative to this however; cables crammed too close (someone mentioned issue with a signal cable stressing the dc). Side mount i/o with power on top keeps everything nicely spaced.

Top mount looks the best, and makes most sense to me. It looks the nicest usually, and I need space between tiers. The knobs of the first row would hinder, or at least get hit, when I engaged something above.

Obviously most of this comes down to what board and pedals you're using, how you're using them, so on and so forth.

[UglyCasanova]

Face mount is, uhh...dumb. Get a Patchulator if you plug/unplug that much
How the heck do you step on the pedals in the top row if you have cables sticking up in the row below? If you say, "you can just tuck the cables down the sides...," then you might as well go back to side mounted jacks.

Ever heard of pancake cables?

Face mount ftw.

[Jwar]

Pancake cable, short custom cables, EBS flats. I really, really doubt it'd be an issue at all. You may accidentally step on the top of a cable, but I doubt it will do any harm.

[lordgalvar]

That's it...I'm converting everything to induction connections....

that way no jacks...and I can plug a little bits set on to it to have an env or lfo control fan, selfie printer, and my pedal board will also be able to follow a white line/move on wheels (via motor and sensor).

I'll draw a chalk line to the car and go home.

[Clean Channel]

Top mounted jacks for always and forever.

And note, BitQuest is in the top corner of my board and I pump it full of expression pedal all the time and it's the best.

Please allow my actions speak louder than my words...my board, in all its top-mounted glory:

[goroth]

Win.

[JonnyAngle]

You know what would be cool? Bottom mounted jacks. So it would be solid pedals up top with all of the wiring on the underside of the board.

[UglyCasanova]

Always loved that board, but....that Emperor is not top mounted...

[Jero]

Ever heard of pancake cables? Face mount ftw.

Show me. I don't see it.

[rustywire]

It really depends. My favorite pedals all seem to be big box effects with top mounted jacks.
But I also like side mounted jacks, a row laid out in an arc of compact Boss or Maxon pedals.
It's that left-to-right real estate that's limited, so side jacks on big boxes don't make much sense...but compact pedals are aided by the spacing & added stability.

What really drives me nuts is awkward power jack positions, especially when it interferes with the way you can run patch cords
I enjoy manufacturing where a practical standard is devised, implemented & adhered to throughout the product run.