Sometimes it's the lesser heralded, helpful products that catch my eye more than some fancy new compressor or microphone. Stedman'sPureConnectconnector cleaning kit series – theGP-1Gig Pack,SK-1Studio Kit, andPK-2Pro Kit – offer up 2 mL tubes of CAIG Labs DeoxiT, custom 3/4-inch cotton pads, plus custom-made microfelt tips (a larger combo one for both inside 1/4-inch jacks and a hole for XLR male pins, and a small 1/10-inch one for inside female XLR jacks). The kits also include a threaded aluminum handle for the tips, plus cases. TheGP-1Gig Pack is meant for musicians and includes pads and tips for 1/4-inch cleaning, and 1 tube of DeoxiT, in a small, metal Altoids mints-style box. TheSK-1Studio Kit adds the tiny 1/10-inch tips for female XLR connectors plus a few more pads and tube cleaners in a reusable cardboard box. But thePK-2Pro Kit is the one I want you to buy, as its sturdy plastic case includes two handles, 25 combo tips, 50 1/10-inch tips, 15 pads, and three tubes of DeoxiT. In fact, I would suggest ordering this kit and spares of everything – stock up and get to work cleaning cables and jacks all over your studio! In use, I especially was mortified by the amount of grey gunk coming out of female XLR jacks on some adapters I've had for decades, and cleaning out the jacks on our overused stompboxes, instruments, and guitar and bass amps was similarly terrifying. How did they even pass signal? All kits include instructions in the box, and this process way less messy than spraying DeoxiT into a guitar jack and wiggling a Q-Tip around inside. I asked Stedman if they would make aPureConnectkit for TT patchbays, and they said, "There has been a lot of interest in that size. We hope to have it out sometime in 2020." Excellent news!

$26, $48, $116www.stedmancorp.com -LC