Ah, geez...

[Enzo]

Well, I haven't done it in a long time, but it is something every one of us has done at some point. I feel like an idiot, but at least I was alone and no customer saw it.

I soldered a new TRS plug on the end of a cable without sliding the shell over the wire first.

Yep, that's what I did.

[bob p]

don't feel bad, Enzo. i did exactly that the last time i was making cables. i haven't done that it maybe 30 years... it guess it was just time for it to happen.

[xFallen]

I did this a couple of weeks ago too repairing a guitar cable, although I did remember the heat shrink.

Something I have done too many times is solder before I put the heat shrink tubing on, or better yet, accidentally hit the heat shrink with the iron just enough to make it immovable, of course after the connection is soldered.


Barry

[Regis]

hee hee, I can't even begin to count the number of times I've done this over the years. I'll probably do it countless times more before I go to that great gig in the sky.

[JJGross]

LOL, and it's always noticed as SOON as you finish the solder joint and look at your bench.
AW CRAP!!

[Mark Black]

I used to do that periodically when making up multipin lighting control cables (from the old analog control days) - extra suckage and forehead-smacking!

I've done it since on simpler cables too - guess it's just one of the things that keeps me humble...

[bob p]

don't feel bad, Enzo. i did exactly that the last time i was making cables. i haven't done that it maybe 30 years... it guess it was just time for it to happen.

i forgot to mention... i have only made cables 2 or 3 times in the past 30 years!

[52 Bill]

I'd be surprised if we all hadn't done this at least a few time in our lives!

Worst case for me was back in the day, customer came in near closing and needed a mike cable fixed. One side a 1/4" phone plug the other side a 4 pin amphenol plug. I was in a hurry, he was in a hurry. The cable looked ok, but plug wiring looked shakey, I thought the best solution was to cut off both plugs and resolder clean connections on both ends, good as new. I made sure that both the shells were on the cable, and soldered away. Of course when I went to re-assemble the plugs, the shells had mysteriously switched sides!

[bob p]

LOL. well, the good news is that you only had to undo one end of the cable to fix the problem!

I guess that's as good an example as any of why its always best to do the bench work in a back room, where the customer isn't watching you.

[Paleo Pete]

I've been reworking my guitar cables for at least 25 years, and have played more than once with a bare jack on the amp end of a cable, especially when I have to do one and be ready to play in 10 minutes, or during a 15 minute break...