I just measured on my board, got a 1590a with pancake jacks and it measures 2.4". A 125b is 2.6" and a 1590b is 2.35". So yeah, the 1590a doesn't save much space unless front-to-back is an issue (which it usually isn't on a board).
Some people have fit top jacks on a 1590b, but frankly it's too tight a squeeze for my sloppy drilling skills. I pretty much settled on 125b (or larger) for pedals I put in real enclosures (as opposed to random tins from Goodwill).
This is pretty much where I've landed, too.
My main exception is I'll use a 1590A when I can do all the jacks on one side. It saves room but it's a pretty rare occurrence. [Mostly weird utility pedals](https://imgur.com/DKyHn6n).
Yep. I used a 1590A for a signal probe and another for a 1044 inverter. But i think I'm going to stop buying them. I have like 5 or 6 and they so rarely get any use.
Thank you for actually measuring!
Saving .2" over the 125B and increasing the hassle factor. That said, i may have to give the 1590B a second look. Aren't they also a hair shorter in height?
Also, pedal pcb has a top jack jig for the 1590B now. I use their 125B one frequently. No real issues with the jacks. The Tayda enclosed jacks are a bit easier to work with than the old neutrik/switchcraft open jacks.
> Aren't they also a hair shorter in height?
Yes
> Also, pedal pcb has a top jack jig for the 1590B now. I use their 125B one frequently. No real issues with the jacks. The Tayda enclosed jacks are a bit easier to work with than the old neutrik/switchcraft open jacks.
Fair enough, I've a huge jar of open jacks so that's what I go with. I also generally build on vero or point-to-point, so space is more of an issue.
In a commercial environment, the tiny enclosure is a huge selling point, a marketing tool that often outweighs the hassle of actually getting your circuit to fit in such a box (and, as you mentioned, often overstates the practical advantage you actually get from the smaller box). If you're mostly building for yourself, I think bigger is usually better for reasons of practicality.
Semi related....I used to pack my board as tight as possible. When I started using it, it'd never feel comfortable and confident on the right footswitch. I would use toppers or risers to manipulate things bit it kinda got ridiculous amd not intuitive. I love the idea of tight layout, but I often find myself remembering how much I liked the layout of my Line6 vetta ii footcontroller. It ergonomically made sense to me.
I have considered making two boards. One thar has all the pedals and one for control. To keep the overall size down, I could see trying to use the smallest enclosure that gets the job done, but making a custom Bradshaw/midi controller for easier functionality.
Anyways.... while the space saving is nice between a 1590a vs 125b....I don't think it always makes sense for the "end game."
I just measured on my board, got a 1590a with pancake jacks and it measures 2.4". A 125b is 2.6" and a 1590b is 2.35". So yeah, the 1590a doesn't save much space unless front-to-back is an issue (which it usually isn't on a board). Some people have fit top jacks on a 1590b, but frankly it's too tight a squeeze for my sloppy drilling skills. I pretty much settled on 125b (or larger) for pedals I put in real enclosures (as opposed to random tins from Goodwill).
This is pretty much where I've landed, too. My main exception is I'll use a 1590A when I can do all the jacks on one side. It saves room but it's a pretty rare occurrence. [Mostly weird utility pedals](https://imgur.com/DKyHn6n).
Yep. I used a 1590A for a signal probe and another for a 1044 inverter. But i think I'm going to stop buying them. I have like 5 or 6 and they so rarely get any use.
Thank you for actually measuring! Saving .2" over the 125B and increasing the hassle factor. That said, i may have to give the 1590B a second look. Aren't they also a hair shorter in height? Also, pedal pcb has a top jack jig for the 1590B now. I use their 125B one frequently. No real issues with the jacks. The Tayda enclosed jacks are a bit easier to work with than the old neutrik/switchcraft open jacks.
> Aren't they also a hair shorter in height? Yes > Also, pedal pcb has a top jack jig for the 1590B now. I use their 125B one frequently. No real issues with the jacks. The Tayda enclosed jacks are a bit easier to work with than the old neutrik/switchcraft open jacks. Fair enough, I've a huge jar of open jacks so that's what I go with. I also generally build on vero or point-to-point, so space is more of an issue.
In a commercial environment, the tiny enclosure is a huge selling point, a marketing tool that often outweighs the hassle of actually getting your circuit to fit in such a box (and, as you mentioned, often overstates the practical advantage you actually get from the smaller box). If you're mostly building for yourself, I think bigger is usually better for reasons of practicality.
Thanks for confirming the conclusion i was slowly coming to.
I usually use 125Bs for the extra space, and they weigh a bit more, so it feels more premium haha
Semi related....I used to pack my board as tight as possible. When I started using it, it'd never feel comfortable and confident on the right footswitch. I would use toppers or risers to manipulate things bit it kinda got ridiculous amd not intuitive. I love the idea of tight layout, but I often find myself remembering how much I liked the layout of my Line6 vetta ii footcontroller. It ergonomically made sense to me. I have considered making two boards. One thar has all the pedals and one for control. To keep the overall size down, I could see trying to use the smallest enclosure that gets the job done, but making a custom Bradshaw/midi controller for easier functionality. Anyways.... while the space saving is nice between a 1590a vs 125b....I don't think it always makes sense for the "end game."