Members RaVenCAD Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I'm looking to buy some good 10' - 15' cables. What are you guys using these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I've settled on Planet Waves Classic. Cheap. Flexible. Quiet. Clear, ultra low capacitance sound. Completely unstageworthy. I give it 5 out of 6 stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chris Loeffler Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I dig them (have quite a few). I've played through many different types, expensive and cheap, and other than truly bad cables, it kind of comes down to HOW you want the cable to color your tone. Direct from guitar to amp, I'm a bit pickier, but the moment I have a few pedals or a buffer the cable is the least of my problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SteinbergerHack Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I've been using the same pair of Whirlwind Leaders for almost 20 years. They've lived through incredible use, gigging literally nationwide. FWIW, my view is that a "lifetime warranty" is worthless if the cable starts making noises or gives out during a gig or recording session. Quality components and assembly are worth paying for if you are someone who is paid to perform. Nobody wants to hear excuses about your cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I'd have my tech put in new output jacks on my guitars, and he'd always say, "It's probably not your jack. Probably just your cable." Heh. I owned a Fender Custom cable that costs $60, and it lasted a year. I had Giglines that lasted longer. Now, I'm using some brand that had woven thread and nice cable ends, but I don't recall the name. They've lasted me a while. I think there are more important components to tone quality than cables: strings, pick material, and how many pedals are in your chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rcalvo008 Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 Was wondering if someone can help...I have a Yamaha dtx 12 drum pads... which I believe has 2 unbalnced outputs..which I run to my Tascam vls5 moniters that have bal and unbalnced inputs..if the dtx12 has unba lnced can I just run it through a Mackie mix 5 mixer and that would convert my output signal to balanced to run to the Tascam moniters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted December 31, 2016 Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I'm looking to buy some good 10' - 15' cables. What are you guys using these days? I'm runnin g a couple of haomemade cables with switch craft connectors and beldon cable. I have some whirlwind stuff too. My pedal board has Lava solder-less EC connectors. I like the Lava Cables , might try some George L's down the road, but I hear they are stiff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted December 31, 2016 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2016 I've got a Lava ELC and it's been a good cable. But I need 3 more to replace the old ones I'm using to connect my pedalboard to the amp and effects loop. Don't really want to drop $60 per cable. Oh and I don't gig or play out. These cables will live a pampered life. I want good cables, but they're not going to be expected to survive a world tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted January 1, 2017 Members Share Posted January 1, 2017 . . . I owned a Fender Custom cable that costs $60' date=' and it lasted a year. I had Giglines that lasted longer. . . .[/quote'] You may not like Giglines but they're made by Quantum, right here in Missouri. Their regular Quantum branded cables are quite good, in my experience: http://www.elderly.com/accessories/cables-accessories/instrument-cables?manufacturer=269. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted January 1, 2017 Members Share Posted January 1, 2017 The ability of cable to block hum is a matter of shielding. Budget cords may only have 70" shielding. They better cords have 90% and are very quiet. The other item is the quality of the connectors. One piece military grade connectors are the absolute best but are hard to find. When it comes to the best bang for the buck you cant beat Monoprice. They sell 15' chords here for $7.59 . http://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=115&cp_id=11509&cs_id=1150901&p_id=601415&seq=1&format=2 I was buying some other specialty cords and bought one of these guitar cords (not that I really needed one, I have hundreds of cords in my studio) They have a similar but superior design with the cloth covering as Fender does. Connectors are high quality and the shielding is excellent. I been using one for a year with zero problems. The only thing I'd note is the cord is a bit stiff, stiffer then a fender cord (Fender uses really cheap core wire) but that stiffness is what resists curling up curl so it lays flat when you unwind it. The cloth doesn't stick to itself either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Drummer44 Posted January 1, 2017 Members Share Posted January 1, 2017 Was wondering if someone can help...I have a Yamaha dtx 12 drum pads... which I believe has 2 unbalnced outputs..which I run to my Tascam vls5 moniters that have bal and unbalnced inputs..if the dtx12 has unba lnced can I just run it through a Mackie mix 5 mixer and that would convert my output signal to balanced to run to the Tascam moniters? I don't fully understand your question... but you CAN run a Yamaha DTX-Multi 12 into a mixer. On our set-up, I use unbalanced (instrument) cables to similar jack on the mixer. (Usually mono; don't often bother with stereo.) That doesn't convert to balanced signal from pads to mixer. FWIW, our output from the mixer uses balanced (microphone) cables to powered speakers/sub. -D44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikesr1963 Posted January 1, 2017 Members Share Posted January 1, 2017 I'm looking to buy some good 10' - 15' cables. What are you guys using these days? I've used Live Wire for like 15 years. If one breaks, which they don't, they replace it no questions asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FrankenTelly Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 After dealing with failed cables as well as cables that weren't the optimal length, I simply bought a 60 foot long spool of Mogami cable several years ago that was reeled off and cut from a much longer spool. I now build my own cables using Switchcraft or Neutrik plugs when I need to, which is not very often because this Mogami cable is very quiet and tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 I've bought a lava cable a few years back, and I must say I was very impressed by the fullness of the signal going through compared to my previous mid range cables. The difference isn't night and day, but it is noticeable enough. I've recently done my pedal board, and got a very good deal on their ultramafic pedal board kit..... And there again, the difference is plain to see, though not night and day again - it's subtle, just more pleasing highs, and fuller low end. Just for fun, after I did that, I swapped one of my lava cable for one of my regular patch cable, and the difference was very noticeable. Obviously, that difference is only noticeable with cleanish signals, delays and reverb will be OK. Once i engage my fuzz factory clone..... Nobody could notice a thing. Another thing..... Nobody but you will notice the difference. It's a subtle improvement. The deal I got on my pedal kit meant that each patch cable probably cost £1 more than custom shop fender patch cables, so it didn't really break the bank - I'm happy I've done that. As for my lava cable (15' each) going from my guitar to the board, and board to the amp, I like the lifetime warranty, and they are solid cables, very well made. I've had the 1St one for 7 or 8 years now, it's still doing very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ancient Mariner Posted January 2, 2017 Members Share Posted January 2, 2017 Been using 10' and 15' Canare cables with neutrik jacks for the last 10 years or so - they're quiet, reliable, seem to sound OK. Quietness seems more advantageous than getting absolutely every bit of treble tone through a cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rcalvo008 Posted January 3, 2017 Members Share Posted January 3, 2017 Hey thanks 44 for your quick reply..the reason I'm asking this question...I have read these new moniters with xlr and trs use a balanced signal hot cold and ground to get maximum output from the moniters sometimes 10db higher than from an unbalanced signed hot n ground...so the Yamaha dtx having unbalnced outputs I'm not getting full benefit of speakers...and using xlr cables are pointless since the Yamaha dtx outputs are unbalanced...so if I run the dtx thru a mixer with balanced outputs that would fix the problem.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wein Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I'm not really a fan of super expensive guitar cables...I use George L solderless in my pedalboard for the convenience but I'll use any decent instrument cable - Planet Waves and ProCo seem to be what I end up with most of the time. I usually spend $30-$40 per cable in the 15-20ft range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I've used different things over the years... a lot of my cables I made myself. Just buy a spool of good quality wire and a bunch of connectors and DIY. The two main commercial guitar cables I use more often than any others are from Fulltone. A friend brought a pair over when we were doing sessions for his solo album, and they got left behind... and became "mine." lol That'll teach him to leave nice cables behind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted January 3, 2017 Members Share Posted January 3, 2017 I used to make my own cables, Still have tons of them. The reason I quit making them is it cost more to make them now then it is to simply buy them now. A quality connector cost $5 each and then when you add in $.50 a foot for the cable you're looking at $20 to make your own cord plus the hassle. Heck I'll buy a 20' For $10 and it matches anything I can make. Back when I worked as an electronic tech repairing gear I could buy cable and connectors at wholesale prices so it made sense for me to make my own. Now the prices so high on connectors and cable its simply much cheaper to buy cables then make my own. I do keep speaker connectors for ones go bad, but even there I may opt to simply buy another cable. Those Monoprice cables are better then Proco or Planet waves and $7 a cable? That's like buying a pack of guitar strings. Sometimes you can save money buying a long cable and cutting it in half to make two shorter cords, but even there..... Finding good connectors at a decent cost is tough too. I was buying the good switchcraft single piece right angle plugs in bulk and got them for about $1.5 each. Now the Chinese are making cheap imitations that look identical. They are riveted together so one good bump and the sleeve separates and creates ground problems. If I could find them I'd buy the military grade plugs. They are a single piece jack that will last hundreds of years. I have two which I've had for nearly 50 years. The most I may need to do is polish the brass up every so often to remove tarnish but they are the only plugs that last. The cables solder to the little clips and the clips screw into the solid shaft. The ring shaft is solid from the tip to where the wire feed in. The tip is boared into the ring shaft and epoxied solid to the connection. Nothing can come loose or break besides the cable itself. This is how all the telephone exchange connectors used to be made (and is in fact where guitar cables used to come from) Operators would plug and unplug the cables all day long so they had to be super durable. The junk they stick on most guitar cords today is complete garbage in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted January 4, 2017 Members Share Posted January 4, 2017 Page full of 'em. http://www.switchcraft.com/productsummary.aspx?Parent=534 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheForkWigger Posted January 4, 2017 Members Share Posted January 4, 2017 I have a old planet wave cable with giant connector for 10 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted January 7, 2017 Members Share Posted January 7, 2017 I use George L's. They have a good high end and sound more transparent to me than anything else I've tried. Having the option to cut to length is handy and I find the solderless connections just as reliable as most soldered connections, provided I check the tightness of the retaining screws periodically. Only downside is the stuff isn't cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 7, 2017 Members Share Posted January 7, 2017 I'm a Planet Waves guy because I know they won't knock the sparkle off the top end of my tone. When I first got a Planet Waves cable I could definitely hear the difference. I got my wife (not a musician) to do a blind listening test and she picked the "good one" every time. Her comment was that one sounded like there was a blanket over the amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted January 8, 2017 Author Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 I made the same comment when I first tried my Lava ELC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 8, 2017 Members Share Posted January 8, 2017 Cool - that's what you want. There are lots of really good options. Just not cheap generic ones, especially for the long runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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