Off Topic Guitar Cable question

[robelinda2]

So guys, what brands of cables do you guys use/prefer? For a long time I used various middle of the road types, but for a few years Ive used George L's, yet so many times people at gigs/studios keep telling me there are better, more boutique cables out there, I dont know I buy into the whole thing, a good quality cable seems to suffice for me. What do you guys like?

 

[candid_x]

I switched to Mogami Gold cables about 5 years ago, and the difference in fidelity and transparency immediately blew me away. When I went back to using a couple of pedals, I also chose to patch them with a Mogami Gold cables, just to keep the signal chain as consistent with the leads as possible. They're a bit on the high end but not crazy expensive, and they have a lifetime warranty. So far not a hint of trouble with them.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

To be honest, with the drummer bashing away and all the other factors / noise that happen in a gig in the real world you really cant tell the difference between a 'boutique' cable and a good quality one. I used to use Planet Waves, but I found they were not super durable and I kept breaking them.

These days I use Award Session cables:

Award Session Cables. Welcome to award-session.com ClearTone Cables

They are 100% custom made for you in any length, with angle jacks, straight jacks, whatever you want. They also do the auto muting Neutrik jacks which are great. The best part is they are super reasonably priced!

You may spend some top dollar on cables, but even when you come to record in a professional studio, the cable the engineer uses to mike you up is just some old XLR lead of dubious heritage!

I used to work for a company that supplied HD TV Mixers and signal processors for broadcasters. I had a similar conversation with their engineers about cables. They used to laugh that people spent £100's on Scart leads, HDMI cables when all TV studios are wired up with bog standard Co-ax!

 

[paulstew64]

Hi Rob

I'm currently using a mixture. I've tried George L's and been pretty disappointed. In fact I've had more problems with them than any other wire. One day they work, next day I'm having to waggle the wire to find which one isn't performing. I've spent ages to make sure each wire was set up right but it seems that the movement from transporting my pedalboard is causing too many issues.

I'm about to order new patch cables as the George L's let me down for the last time yesterday. I need something far more reliable.

With regard to tone, I didn't notice any improvement in tone by changing patch cables.

Paul
Radiance red Luke
Next purchase tobacco burst Luke BFR

 

[Jonny Dubai]

monster are good to my ears.


J

 

[robelinda2]

Only recently have I experienced problems with patch cables, but when I went to get replacements my local shops just have standard low budget fare, oh well.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Hi Rob

I'm currently using a mixture. I've tried George L's and been pretty disappointed. In fact I've had more problems with them than any other wire. One day they work, next day I'm having to waggle the wire to find which one isn't performing. I've spent ages to make sure each wire was set up right but it seems that the movement from transporting my pedalboard is causing too many issues.

I'm about to order new patch cables as the George L's let me down for the last time yesterday. I need something far more reliable.

With regard to tone, I didn't notice any improvement in tone by changing patch cables.

Paul
Radiance red Luke
Next purchase tobacco burst Luke BFR

I had exactly the same problem as you with George L's which is why I stopped using them ages ago. Its a nice idea, but in practice they keep conking out.

BTW Award session will make you patch cables and they are very reliable!

 

[candid_x]

You may spend some top dollar on cables, but even when you come to record in a professional studio, the cable the engineer uses to mike you up is just some old XLR lead of dubious heritage!

I think the more savvy engineers would be pretty anal about using transparent and noise free cables, despite the dubious cables a guitar player yanks from out of his gig bag. I know if it was my session, we'd be using reputable cables.

 

[Ripper]

I switched to Mogami Gold cables about 5 years ago, and the difference in fidelity and transparency immediately blew me away.

Right choice there Bruce. Mogami are good. Been using the original Boss patch cables (Mogami's OEM to Boss) all these years, very good, no noise!

Here's my recommendation to Mr AL - forget about boutique cable, this will do the job: Canares cables, with Neutrik jack. Clear and quiet.

 

[dstockden]

Whirlwind for me, ive had one of them for 15 years now and its still going strong!

 

[Sweat]

I have the middle of the road monster cables, and they work fine, also going to try some of the new EB cables soon, seems to me better things to spend bucks on than high end boutique cables.

 

[mikeller]

I use George L's on my pedalboard - however I hated them as guitar cables. I thought they were bright, sterile and lacked smoothness.

I bought some Mogami gold's for my guitar cables and have been delighted.

 

[Axilla]

Well, tried and bought heaps of cables over the years and have mixed feelings about the whole socalled high end or boutique stuff.
I tried out Monster Cables as well ass the extremely pricey VoVox cables but have to say I wasn't happy with them.
The thing is that I'm using a Diezel amp which already is capable of a huge range of sounds and tweaks and with the Monster and the VoVox cables, the sound became just too much of a HiFi equipment to me - didn't sound like Rock-Guitar anymore...
So I just went back to U.S. made "Megasound" cables. They are a very good mid price quality and have been in my rig for years and years. They never wore out and I have yet to see a Neutrik plug to fail on me...

The cables in my pedal board and routing are all custom made by my tech from "Megasound" and "Sommer Cable" material and Neutrik plugs. Always have been great and always will be I guess.

Oh - and one more thing: Wasn't it the most sought after vintage tones that were mostly recorded via 7ender spiral cables and some other old junk ?!
Can't have been THAT bad though when still today, many people are trying to achieve that sound...
On the other hand - if you wanna go ultra modern sound - go for the HiFi cables and modern amps if that sound is for you.

Not for me - I'm all hard rockin' and bluesin'...

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Planet Waves or Monster Cables for me. Never had a problem. You will find that if you manage to patch your effects through the SEND/RETURN of you amp and plug your guitar straight in the amp input your sound will always be on a True Bypass mode. Some say it's the best way to use effects and cables. Also the shorter the cable the better because even a high end cable longer than say 25ft will suffer a loss of top end signal (highs), so try and keep them within a reasonable length.

 

[beej]

Bill Lawrence cable. Looks similar to the George L's, but it's different wire. The wire and plugs are superior. Great stuff, fairly inexpensive. I buy a roll of it and cut to suit.

To be honest, I've had more trouble with Mogami and ends I solder than with the BL stuff.

 

[Mikey]

I always solder my own ones using Neutrik plugs. I'm not that kind of musician that can tell the colour of the cable by it's sound , so any quality instrument cable will do.
I think it's more important to replace the ones you use to step on while playing regularly in terms of reliability.
Just my two cents!

 

[candid_x]

To be honest, I've had more trouble with Mogami and ends I solder than with the BL stuff.

Wow, surprising, since Mogami (at least mine) use Neutrik plugs, and I've never had one of those come undone.

Axilla, I hear what you're saying, and I, at least partly, agree. While I doubt that Hendrix or Clapton was using Fender spiral cables, Hendrix is said to have deliberately used longer-than-needed cables for its "tone robbing" properties. Your hi-fi comment does make a lot of sense, to favor, or not, transparency of guitar cables. I've recently changed speakers, from ones that were "too pure" to my ears to more "guitar sounding" speakers, way less hi-fi sounding. But I really like the change Mogami Golds brought to my party.

Also, what do you consider to be "boutique" in the cable quest? I don't consider $45 for a high quality cable to be excessive, so as to be called boutique. Especially not, when considering the price of what's on both ends of that cable. Cables are the critical link between all that fancy gear, and it's the wrong place to unduly compromise. I'm not saying it has to be boutique, but reputable and reliable.

 

[jamminjim]

Jamminjim here

I use cheap Hosa cables and haven't had problems with them. I'm not a performing musician but I step on them alot... not always on hard surfaces though. These are great well made cables for less $$$ which should make you happy.

Hosa Technology, Inc

They've got this one out now and it looks like a good cable, but I can't find them for sale anywhere.....................
Harmony Central®: Hosa Technology Introduces Elite Series Guitar Cable

This is the one I use
Hosa GTR-225 Guitar/Instrument Cable, 25 ft.

and this one mine is 25ft though
Hosa GTR-518 Guitar Cable - Tweed Cloth Woven - 18 ft.

 

[Axilla]

...what do you consider to be "boutique" in the cable quest? I don't consider $45 for a high quality cable to be excessive, so as to be called boutique. Especially not, when considering the price of what's on both ends of that cable. Cables are the critical link between all that fancy gear, and it's the wrong place to unduly compromise.

Yupp, perfectly right, but those $45 you mention is less than the price of my "midrangey" Megasound cables here (Germany/Europe).
The Monster- and VoVox-cables usually go for around 99 Euros here which - considering the latest exchange rates - easily results in $150 and more for a cable...
I absolutely hear you with the "critical link". I'm playing top-of-the-line guitars, amps and FX, and this is why I'm not saving when it comes to cables. It's just that I chose after comparison what sounded best to my ears and was lucky enough it was not the $150 / Euro 99 cables

I'm not saying it has to be boutique, but reputable and reliable.

I'm absolutely with you here !

Cheers

Axel

 

[Spudmurphy]

I always solder my own ones using Neutrik plugs.

+1

Gonna have to dig out my 70's curly lead and see what that's like!!