which cable?

[leftyhook]

So do the more expensive guitar cables really make that much difference? I'm not just talking about the guarantee, durability etc.

I mean the signal/sound?

Which would you recommend?

20 ft, I will pay no more than £30

[b]A Planet Waves[/b] lead failed on the guitarist in my band last night. The lifetime guarantee meant nothing to him as he lost 60 seconds worth of a song. Straight in the bin, vowing to never buy one again (approx 3 months old)

appreciate input (pun intended)

Thanks

[discreet]

Um... have we had this before?

obbm on here does great cables at a great price and offers great service. Recommended.
A lot of members on here use them and have done for years.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/user/12-obbm/"]http://basschat.co.uk/user/12-obbm/[/url]
[url="http://bassic-bits.co.uk/"]http://bassic-bits.co.uk/[/url]

Edited February 5, 2012 by discreet

[lettsguitars]

I believe most cables have some sort of impact on tone. Couldn't say which are worst but i noticed a particularly bad fender curly patch lead which rips the highs from my signal.

[musophilr]

I got some GYC cables from Jack White's in Ipswich, about £20 each, they had a straight jack plug on one end and a 90 degree plug on the other ... AND one of those velcro things that stops it getting ravelled up in your gig box. IIRC they're marketed by JHS.

I've also got some cables that I've had for almost 20 years. Still working, mainly 'cos not abused.

[icastle]

The ready made 'brands' are pretty immaterial IMO.

You want Neutriks jack plugs and a good quality piece of cable inbetween (Klotz or Van Damme).

[bassace]

OBBM

[StraightSix]

Klotz cable and Neutrik jacks do it for me

[flyfisher]

Good quality cable and connectors are a good start but they're only the start. Much depends on how the cables are handled, coiled and stored - that's where I'd say 99% of the damage is done.

[thisnameistaken]

Yarr look after any cable and it'll do you for years. I've still got one no-name shop-bought cable that I've never had to resolder been gigging it since 1995.

In terms of sound quality, I find there's little difference. The big factor is cable length and with 30ft+ of any cable I can hear the top end being lost. Fortunately I've got a really good line driver from Max/SFX.

[xilddx]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1328458610' post='1527338']
Um... have we had this before?

obbm on here does great cables at a great price and offers great service. Recommended.
A lot of members on here use them and have done for years.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/user/12-obbm/"]http://basschat.co.uk/user/12-obbm/[/url]
[url="http://bassic-bits.co.uk/"]http://bassic-bits.co.uk/[/url]
[/quote]

Yep, I wouldn't dream of using anything else. Neutrik and Klotz or Van Damme, superb build quality. And exceptional value for money.

[lettsguitars]

I use neutrik jacks on my guitars. The thing is they are 1/4" (6.35) and as far as i know, most cables are 6mm which creates problems with the stereo sockets. WHA GWAN? Should probably put in a new topic but what the hey, as they're seems to be some cable knowledge right here. Am i wrong? or am i wrong?

[icastle]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1328461172' post='1527393']
Good quality cable and connectors are a good start but they're only the start. Much depends on how the cables are handled, coiled and stored - that's where I'd say 99% of the damage is done.
[/quote]

I reckon you're spot on there.
I'm generally a 'loop loosely and velcro it' guy, but the temptation to just shove everything into the lead box after a gig is pretty high.
Every month or so there's a pile of leads with duct taped 'CR*P' labels that need to be checked and repaired.

[chris_b]

[quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1328458510' post='1527334']
....So do the more expensive guitar cables really make that much difference?....
[/quote]

You probably won't hear much difference down the Dog and Duck or playing through the average gear that is in general use, but if you own a Glockenklang rig or play in a studio and if your hearing hasn't been too damaged you might be able to hear some differences between cheap and expensive.

Get OBBM cables. They are much better than cheap cables and in most semi pro playing situations they're better than most expensive cables; because you're not spending your money on something you're not going to hear.

[icastle]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1328462333' post='1527433']
I use neutrik jacks on my guitars. The thing is they are 1/4" (6.35) and as far as i know, most cables are 6mm which creates problems with the stereo sockets. WHA GWAN? Should probably put in a new topic but what the hey, as they're seems to be some cable knowledge right here. Am i wrong? or am i wrong?
[/quote]

I thought the usual problem was with the shape/profile of the tip bending the +R contact so it loses it's 'springyness'.

[chris_b]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1328462025' post='1527424']
....look after any cable and it'll do you for years....
[/quote]

My Whirlwind instrument cable has been problem free and just gone out of it's guarantee period. That's 20 years!

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1328462627' post='1527440']
I thought the usual problem was with the shape/profile of the tip bending the +R contact so it loses it's 'springyness'.
[/quote]hmm. dunno. With the sealed stereo sockets There just seems to be a bit of wiggle right from the off.

[icastle]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1328462576' post='1527438']
Get OBBM cables. They are much better than cheap cables and in most semi pro playing situations they're better than most expensive cables; because you're not spending your money on something you're not going to hear.
[/quote]

+1

OBBM is using the exact same components that you'd expect to find on a good quality pre-made lead.

The big difference is that you're cutting out a 'middleman' by buying direct from a manufacturer and can be sure that there won't be a 'production line' defect because he's making them as he needs them - so essentially 'one offs' each time round with the care and attention to detail that bulk manufacturing has a tendency to remove.

[TRBboy]

MAKE THEM YOURSELF!!! It really is soooo easy, and much cheaper than buying them. When I made some a few months ago, I got all the stuff from proaudioshop.co.uk. I used Van Damme cable (there's a choice of colours too) and gold plated Neutrik jacks. I made three guitar cables and a mic cable.

Can't see myself ever buying an "off-the-shelf" cable again!

[icastle]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1328462824' post='1527445']
hmm. dunno. With the sealed stereo sockets There just seems to be a bit of wiggle right from the off.
[/quote]

I'm no mechanic but I'd guess that you need a little bit of lateral movement or else the contacts won't have enough 'travel' to be able to push against the plug.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1328462627' post='1527440']
I thought the usual problem was with the shape/profile of the tip bending the +R contact so it loses it's 'springyness'.
[/quote]

Funny you should mention that. I don't know if there are any standards for such things but our guitarist's electric-acoustic guitar has been playing up for a couple of weeks because of a 'noisy' connector or cable.

Despite his constant exhortations that he'd get it looked at, I finally sorted it this weekend within about 5 mins. Nothing wrong with the cable but the tip connector in the socket was bent back so it didn't make a solid contact, resulting in the cable plug sort of 'rattling about' in the socket causing inevitable noise/crackling problems.

It was a simple enough job to bend the contact back into place and it now works perfectly and noiselessly, though it'll be interesting to find out how long it lasts.

[icastle]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1328463183' post='1527456']
Can't see myself ever buying an "off-the-shelf" cable again!
[/quote]

I've never actually bought one.
Ever.
I've been given a few over the years as part of various 'deals', but all the rest have been home made.
I'm a Neutriks and Klotz man.

The biggest catch is always going to be soldering proficiency though, so it's not a solution for everyone.

[icastle]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1328463610' post='1527466']
It was a simple enough job to bend the contact back into place and it now works perfectly and noiselessly, though it'll be interesting to find out how long it lasts.
[/quote]

Yeah, that sounds about right.
I generally bend them back as well when they start playing up, but each time you do it the weaker the metal gets and the time between 'failures' gets shorter.
I usually give up and replace it if I'm on my third go.

[chris_b]

Wind the cable around the strap then it can't pull on the socket and damage it.

[discreet]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1328463726' post='1527470']
The biggest catch is always going to be soldering proficiency though, so it's not a solution for everyone.
[/quote]

This. I can solder OK, but for peace of mind would still much rather have someone else do it!
At least then if anything goes wrong I don't have to blame myself!
But I use obbm cables, so faults are [i]extremely[/i] unlikely.

Edited February 5, 2012 by discreet

[steve-soar]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1328463183' post='1527456']
MAKE THEM YOURSELF!!! It really is soooo easy, and much cheaper than buying them. When I made some a few months ago, I got all the stuff from proaudioshop.co.uk. I used Van Damme cable (there's a choice of colours too) and gold plated Neutrik jacks. I made three guitar cables and a mic cable.

Can't see myself ever buying an "off-the-shelf" cable again!
[/quote]Totally agree with this.