A good buddy of mine, Phil, of Phil ‘N The Blanks, e-mailed me the other day, raving about ZZYZX Snap Jack instrument cables. Even though I’m a gear freak, I had to admit that I never heard of ’em, so I did some research.
According to company ZZYZX company blurb:
Snap Jack Tips are made out of neodymium magnets with 24 carat gold plated contact. Snap Jack magnets allow for quick separation when the cable is subject to excessive tension, thereby reducing the risk of personal injury and damage to your equipment, while eliminating any obnoxious popping or screeching sounds when it snaps. It also avoids the popping screeching sound during plugging or unplugging of the cable while the amplifier is on.
Very intriguing. In fact, that’s downright cool. We’ve all experienced jacks popping out with the accompanying snap, crackle and pop of our amp, and the ensuing hum… Sound familiar? With a Snap Jack cable, if the tip releases, you don’t get any of that pop. This could be used for some quick axe changes as well.
I’m intrigued enough where I’m going to buy a couple, along with some extra tips. The cables themselves aren’t that expensive – under $40 – so it’s definitely worth a look. Here’s a link to Musicians Friend.
Rock on!
Guitar Gear 
Thanks for the tip. I’ve been looking to try some new cables. Cables always seem to be the last link in that tone chain to which any attention is paid (and incorrectly so, I might add…) I’ve never heard of these either, but I did read an article in which Eric Johnson touted the superiority of gold-plated jacks vs. conventional jacks.
Apple came up with that idea for laptop cables, so that in case your cord was across an aisle or hi-traffic area, it would quick disconnect if someone tripped into it. Then your laptop wouldn’t fly of the desk and hit the floor.
Glad to hear follow-up on the zzyzx guitar jacks. I’d heard of them too, but not from anyone using them.
Cool!!
Tweed… EJ is infamous for his extra keen ear being able to detect tonal nuances that don’t register with us mere mortals. 🙂 Reminds me of dogs being able to hear a “silent” whistle.
Strato – I’ve got a MacBook Pro, and I must admit that the quick release power cord is a definite lifesaver. It just comes right off.
I was at the Summer NAMM in Nashville this year, and I actually saw it and got one. It’s the coolest ever! They have lots of artists playing with it like Dweezil Zappa, Motorhead – Phil Campbell, Victor Wooten, and lots more.
Genius idea and it sounds great!
Interesting handle, Basadai… A karate form… 🙂
Long time later I find this, and product no longer exists, and nothing similar anywhere on the planet! What happened to this awesome product idea?