Snake Rebuild Project
Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 8:45 am
Bought a PA from a defunct band a while back and sold off everything I didn't want. Ended up with a 25 year old Rapco snake that's been laying around on the garage floor for well over a year now. Decided it was time to make it viable again.
The box looks pretty bad, but all of the connectors are fine and the inside is still in good shape, however, the fan out was horrendous. The wires were tangled and beat all to hell. Lots of cuts in the heat shrink that left wires exposed. So, obviously the old wire had to go. The old Switchcraft XLRs showed their age but probably could have been reused.....but, I'd rather just solder on a new Neutrik connector than to have to de-solder and re-solder the old Switchcraft.
The snake was originally in a 24 x 3 configuration with the 3 returns having paralleled XLR and 1/4" jacks. There was a spare pair in the snake that wasn't being used....not unusual back then for there to be a spare inside.
The plan was to add more returns, so I re-configured it as a 22 x 6. However I paralleled return 5 and 6 to channel 23 and 24 - so, with just a gender changer on the fan end (or change out the connectors), you can make it a 24 x 4.....that's mostly in case I decide to sell it at some point - a 22 x 6 might confuse the neophytes.
First, I ordered all the parts....connectors, heat shrink, and a new cable bale. That a new term for ya'? That's the hanger or strain relief that is on most every snake at the fan end.
Here's the progression.....
Cut the snake to make a clean start using a hack saw.....way easier and cleaner than trying to chew away at it with side-cutters.
Got it all stripped back and slid on the new cable bale and the heat shrink for later.
Half of the pairs have the heat shrink applied......I typically buy 4 foot lengths of heat shrink, but since I need so much, I bought a 100 roll on Amazon for about 17 bucks shipped to my door.
All of the pairs are complete now.
The box looks pretty bad, but all of the connectors are fine and the inside is still in good shape, however, the fan out was horrendous. The wires were tangled and beat all to hell. Lots of cuts in the heat shrink that left wires exposed. So, obviously the old wire had to go. The old Switchcraft XLRs showed their age but probably could have been reused.....but, I'd rather just solder on a new Neutrik connector than to have to de-solder and re-solder the old Switchcraft.
The snake was originally in a 24 x 3 configuration with the 3 returns having paralleled XLR and 1/4" jacks. There was a spare pair in the snake that wasn't being used....not unusual back then for there to be a spare inside.
The plan was to add more returns, so I re-configured it as a 22 x 6. However I paralleled return 5 and 6 to channel 23 and 24 - so, with just a gender changer on the fan end (or change out the connectors), you can make it a 24 x 4.....that's mostly in case I decide to sell it at some point - a 22 x 6 might confuse the neophytes.
First, I ordered all the parts....connectors, heat shrink, and a new cable bale. That a new term for ya'? That's the hanger or strain relief that is on most every snake at the fan end.
Here's the progression.....
Cut the snake to make a clean start using a hack saw.....way easier and cleaner than trying to chew away at it with side-cutters.
