What Lead??

[discreet]

[quote name='Toasted' post='869231' date='Jun 16 2010, 05:02 PM']OBBM![/quote]

[size=4][b]+1!![/b][/size]

[CHRISDABASS]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='869719' date='Jun 17 2010, 10:23 AM']TBH you shouldn't have a problem with any instrument lead made with good quality jacks and screened cable and assembled properly, which why I have an issue with the claims made by a lot of manufacturers selling ready made leads.

I suppose "It gets your signal from one end to the other with minimal change in tone and won't break unless you seriously abuse it" is hardly sexy marketing, but IMO that's what we want from our leads.

What is really needed is a Basschat instrument lead shoot-out to see if these cables are really worth the extra money over OBBMs.

BTW I couldn't find a UK distributor/reseller for Spectraflex. Would you care to enlighten me?[/quote]

i think darren at the bass merchant have spectraflex cables! They're good but expensive!

[bassace]

There is only one. OBBM

[BigRedX]

When I did a Google search for UK stockists of Spectraflex the Bass Merchant came up, but when you actually go on their site there's nothing listed.

I'm sure that Spectraflex cables are good (at $50 for a 25' cable plus whatever the exchange rates/import duties bump that up to they really ought to be). However are they any better than a lead you can make yourself with good quality cable and jacks if you have the required soldering skills; or failing that the ones you can buy from OBBM?

[CHRISDABASS]

I dealt with the bass merchant on the phone and they had them in stock despite them not appearing on the website!

i currently use OBBM's cables but i do have a spectraflex cable too, both are great quality

[BigRedX]

Since you have both a Spectraflex and an OBBM instrument cable, how much did each cost and which do you think is the best?

[Krysbass]

To answer an earlier question; I've been using a lead with a straight Neutrik silent jack for about 4 years and it's only just given up the ghost. I think the reason it failed was possibly only due to me walking on my lead a few times, which eventually bent the jack slightly, causing the switching mechanism inside to seize.

I've recently replaced the lead and the new one has a right-angled silent jack - it certainly looks like it's built to last.

I tend to plug/unplug the lead a lot from my bass to save the batteries in the active circuit - it's useful not to have to worry about muting my amp when I do this, especially at gigs, when the amp volume tends to be fairly high.

[crez5150]

Just started using some Planet Waves cables.... quite like them so will be trying some more

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Krysbass' post='869826' date='Jun 17 2010, 12:28 PM']To answer an earlier question; I've been using a lead with a straight Neutrik silent jack for about 4 years and it's only just given up the ghost. I think the reason it failed was possibly only due to me walking on my lead a few times, which eventually bent the jack slightly, causing the switching mechanism inside to seize.

I've recently replaced the lead and the new one has a right-angled silent jack - it certainly looks like it's built to last.

I tend to plug/unplug the lead a lot from my bass to save the batteries in the active circuit - it's useful not to have to worry about muting my amp when I do this, especially at gigs, when the amp volume tends to be fairly high.[/quote]

Thanks for that, will watch where I put my size 12s.... no mean feet. No, I mean feat, no I mean no mean feat. Or something.

[gafbass02]

I've used monster cables for years but when they die I'll be onto obbm I reckon

[cocco]

I bought a Cordial about a year ago which is still perfect after countless gigs practices and god knows what else.

[51m0n]

obbm for me too.

Basically Dave's cables are exactly what I'd build if I were doing it for myself, but its actually cheaper for me to get them from Dave since:-

a. he clearly buys bits in more bulk than me and that makes his leads very competitively priced
b. it saves me the time of actually doing the manufacture myself

So I pay about what I would for the bits plus a couple of bob and get the lead I would have made turn up with 0 effort.

What is not to like about this deal?? It is clearly a win win situation for everyone (woot!)

Oh and they are damned good quality cables too....

Edited June 17, 2010 by 51m0n

[philbillbass]

Cleartone cables seem good aswel, i have a fair few! got some obbm ones aswel and they are just as good.
[url="http://www.award-session.com/cleartone_cables.html"]http://www.award-session.com/cleartone_cables.html[/url]

[KingPrawn]

I have used Lava for a while. Really solid high quality cable

[url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/LAVA_CABLES.html"]http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_sp...AVA_CABLES.html[/url]

[Lfalex v1.1]

I've got some Whirlwind-Branded cables (which look the same as Fender ones) that a mate gave me over 10 years ago. I still have the two 10' ones. Neither have even crackled. The 30' got lost during an eventful outdoor festival gig, but had given a decade of trouble-free service, so I replaced it like-for-like.
I also have a Planet Waves 4m. I like the "expanding" plugs and extra shielding. It, too, has been trouble-free. I have worn the gold plating off of the instrument end, though.

I do look after my cables- coil them up tidily and loop them though the bass strap and through an amp/cab handle when in use.
I don't use any pedals, and I think that makes them a little less vulnerable to damage.
I also think that the sort of bands I've played in aren't too unkind to cables - No Grindcore for me, thanks!

[bigjohn]

I use OBBMs. All my rig cables are OBBM and I've got one short, 10ft instrument cable which I use most of the time.

I've also got a 25ft Whirlwind Leader which I've had for about 20 years and use for most gigs. It's still good as new. It was the only cable I owned for 15 of them. Quite hard to get hold of it seems in the UK.

[JimBobTTD]

I've used a couple of Planet Waves cables for about five years now. No problems at all. They're the ones with a moulded plug. I recently moved over to wireless, so I only use one now.

[woodster]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='869882' date='Jun 17 2010, 01:44 PM']I've used monster cables for years but when they die I'll be onto obbm I reckon [/quote]


+1

I've had the same 21ft Monster cable for 10 years!! There has been much debate over whether the expensive cables sound any better than the more reasonably priced ones but considering I do 300+ gigs/sessions a year, the £/outing ratio and the reliability is pretty impressive!!

[gafbass02]

I've got a zaolla too which sounds very different to my monster stuff. Much brighter and airy sounding

[xilddx]

I got my first OBBM (Bassic-Bits) cable yesterday. £20 for a 5 metre Klotz AC110 cable with Neutrik straight jacks - excellent value. It looks indestructible and so well built. Lovely! I'm a total convert and will use Dave (OBBM) for all my cabling from now on.

[benthos]

[quote name='silddx' post='875156' date='Jun 23 2010, 09:59 AM']I got my first OBBM (Bassic-Bits) cable yesterday.[/quote]

+1

Had an instrument cable and a speaker cable delivered yesterday. They are top quality.

[BigRedX]

Only you are particularly adept with the soldering iron and have access to the components at bulk-buy prices, I can't see how it's possible beat OBBM for price, service and reliability; unless of course "snake oil" is an essential ingredient to your sound!

[lozbass]

I've used a lot of premium cables including Fender Platinum (bass), Evidence Audio (Lyric, Lyric HG and Siren), Zaolla, Tara (Spectrum), Lava (Canare GS6) and Chord. All are extremely well built (including the Fender - just one slightly misaligned screw), reliable and sound good. Some higher end cables feel very stiff and so aren't brilliant (IMO) for stage use - Evidence Audio cables are particularly stiff. Lava - built with Canare GS6 - are a great, mid-priced, flexible and reliable product. I'd say they compare with cables supplied by OBBM: a guitarist with whom I play occassionaly uses the latter and he and I are impressed. I prefer a slightly heavier cable than those built by OBBM and usually opt for the Evidence Audio - I find that the lack of flexibility isn't a problem for most non-stage settings. After trying a lot of different products, I'd go for Lava (either Lava's own or Canare) or OBBM for good quality, reliable, work-horse, gigging cable

Edited June 23, 2010 by lozbass

[Big_Stu]

Whirlwind cables are excellent, last you for years.

I also have a 8m lead made of Klotz instrument cable & a couple of Neutriks from Maplins, less than £2 each. The whole lead was less than £10!
Soldering doesn't take long to learn, & before you know it you'll be putting new pickups in your guiatrs & everything, wondering why you didn't sound like that years ago.

[bigjohn]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='875242' date='Jun 23 2010, 11:49 AM']Only you are particularly adept with the soldering iron and have access to the components at bulk-buy prices, I can't see how it's possible beat OBBM for price, service and reliability; unless of course "snake oil" is an essential ingredient to your sound![/quote]


That's it isn't it!

Even if I was more handy with a soldering iron than I actually am (I'm not that bad!) I'd still get Dave to make my cables. The craftsmanship is impeccable and he makes them from parts that are the the best fit for the job at a price that's not far off how much those parts cost.

If OBBM didn't exist, someone would have to invent him