The Silenzer The Silenzer

Every year I comb the NAMM show for cool little problem-solvers from companies you've never heard of. Usually, this requires a trip downstairs to the last hall in the gigantic Anaheim convention center. Hall E, or the "little guys" room is where all new NAMM exhibitors start out. Some established vendors actually seem to prefer the quieter, more relaxed environment in the NAMM underworld-I sure do.
Patch cable with the Silenzer
The cord being plugged in

Not surprisingly, my pick for coolest, cheapest gadget was tucked in the last row of Hall E: the Silenzer, from Sensonics. This Colorado company has developed a solution for that most annoying of problems: the hideous squawk that happens when you unplug your guitar, bass, fiddle, etc. from your amp or PA without first turning down the volume. Sound familiar?

The Silenzer follows in the footsteps of a special plug designed by Switchcraft a few years back, which used an over-sized connector body and a tiny plunger-type switch that popped out as you removed the plug from your instrument. When the plunger popped up, signal from the plug was suppressed, thus avoiding the dreaded squawk. Unfortunately, this required soldering a new connector onto your cord, or buying a cable with it already installed. A cool idea, but not widely adopted.

The Silenzer, on the other hand, is a thin loop of flexible wire that clips onto the end of your existing guitar cord. Its ingenious design pushes the wire out of the way when you plug your instrument in. When it's time for a fifteen-minute break, you yank the cord from your axe and the little wire loop snaps out instantly, shorting the tip connector to the sleeve and stopping that horrid squeal before it even starts. All this for just $9.95. My only question is: why didn't anyone think of this sooner?