How Long? Cables.

[Chienmortbb]

I am making a cable for the raffle at the SW Bass Bash. I said I would make it 6 metres long but then began to think that I woud not use a 6 metre cable, so can you help by telling me your preference.

Edited October 3, 2022 by Chienmortbb
Added half metre lengths added

[franzbassist]

I don't think that's a bad length, but perhaps 4.5m would be a good shout?

Edited October 3, 2022 by franzbassist

[Chienmortbb]

1 hour ago, franzbassist said:

I don't think that's a bad length, but perhaps 4.5m would be a good shout?

Thanks I added that the half metre options.

Edited October 3, 2022 by franzbassist

[scrumpymike]

2 hours ago, franzbassist said:

I don't think that's a bad length, but perhaps 4.5m would be a good shout?

Yep, from the voting that's looking like a good compromise.

[Matt P]

i've voted 4m as that's the length i use most often it seems the best compromise for me between enough length to let me move about and not so much that i trip over it all the time. 

 

Matt

[Lozz196]

6m is what I use, this from either pedal or amp to bass. The amp to pedal cable being 3m.

[PaulThePlug]

Plugs?.. Angle to Straight might cover most needs...

[Rob Bisby]

I'm liking 4m leads lately, always handy if you need to grab something when your plugged into effects, and handy for bigger stages when you have a pedalboard and don't wan to tug it too much

[bertbass]

30 foot, sorry, about 10 metres for me.  Anything shorter and you can guarantee that you will get to one or more gigs where the lead will not be long enough.  I've had to lend leads to guitarists on many gigs where they thought their 6 metre lead was long enough and it wasn't.

[Newfoundfreedom]

Same as above. If I'm not wireless I'd always go with a 10m cable. 

[Jack]

All of my cables are 5m now (incidentally, Thomann cannot count to 5 as some of them are nearer 6...) so I'd vote for that.

[Doddy]

Mine are all 21 feet, so around 6 and a half metres

[itu]

Whatever length:

1) learn to coil the cable,

2) use quality silicone cable,

3) use plugs from Neutrik, 

4) add a velcro to the amp end (Neutrik silent is in the bass end), and

5) always have a spare cable in your bass case.

[Phil Starr]

On 03/10/2022 at 14:48, Lozz196 said:

6m is what I use, this from either pedal or amp to bass. The amp to pedal cable being 3m.

me too

[Chienmortbb]

1 hour ago, itu said:

1) learn to coil the cable,

Agreed, it is a skill worth developing and makes life easier all round.

1 hour ago, itu said:

2) use quality silicone cable,

Again I agree, Sommer, Klotz or Mogami. Van Damme guitar cable has let me down several times over the years, so I never use it.

1 hour ago, itu said:

3) use plugs from Neutrik

Getting boring, but in general I agree. There are some good plugs made by others, but few have the quality range that Neutrik have. I also like many of Neutrik's budget range, Rean.

2 hours ago, itu said:

4) add a velcro to the amp end (Neutrik silent is in the bass end), and

Other hook and loop systems are available. I have Velcro on all my cables and put them on all the longer cables, I sold. I think I will offer it as a no cost option in future.

 

2 hours ago, itu said:

always have a spare cable in your bass case.

Or 2 or 3. Happy to make them for you…

 

On a serious point, I have been thinking about doing a thread on cables and connectors. It will have to wait until after the SW Bass Bash.

[itu]

11 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

Or 2 or 3. Happy to make them for you…

While working in Outside Broadcasting, I made and fixed quite many cables: 1/4", Bantams, multicores at least up to 24 balanced channels, digital... We used connectors from LEMO (yes, those tiny ones), Amphenol & Souriau (yes, the big ones), Neutrik etc., so I think I am now able to build some cables. We also fixed mixers, as well as built and fixed patch bays in cars (very uncomfortable!).

 

Once we were building an OB car and went to a local dealer to buy two boxes of Neutrik XLRs. Came back to the office just to find out that we needed a few more boxes. The next week the same lady behind the dealer's desk said to us:

"You can solder them twice or even more, you don't have to buy a new one every time."

 

Thank you anyway, very polite offer from you.

[Chienmortbb]

14 hours ago, itu said:

While working in Outside Broadcasting, I made and fixed quite many cables: 1/4", Bantams, multicores at least up to 24 balanced channels, digital... We used connectors from LEMO (yes, those tiny ones), Amphenol & Souriau (yes, the big ones), Neutrik etc.,

I used to work for Panasonic Broadcast, got to love those ******* Lemo connectors. I tried using Amphenol for guitar cables, but the good ones had a horrible cable retention systems that, to my mind, was not ideal. There were also as expensive as Neutrik. HiCon are OK, but again the range varies from superb to cheap and nasty.