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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 8, 2020 0:26:14 GMT
I'm sure we all use lots of kinds cables. What do you prefer for practice? For gigs?
What do you not like or recommend people to avoid?
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Post by Bill h on Dec 8, 2020 3:55:48 GMT
Holy cow, this is a can of worms here. I’m sure everyone will weigh in on this one so I’ll be the first to throw an opinion. Over the years I’ve covered the whole field with guitar cables, expensive, cheap and middle of the road. I’m a firm believer in middle of the road as I can’t tell the difference in sound between those and the high end gold plated super duper zillion dollar cables. My experience has been that cables tend to fail in the same places, higher quality cables just last a little longer. I think if your running a bunch of gear you don’t want to go to cheap on a cable as to maintain signal quality. I like the durability of a braided cable and durability is everything to me. For me it’s, don’t go to cheap but don’t break the bank either.
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 8, 2020 16:30:48 GMT
I have a lot of different kinds of cables, as I'm sure everyone else does too.
I gig with a coiled Monster Cable and it has lasted for years without an issue. Before that I was gigging with George L's. I've found them to be pretty good but I have had the 90° ends fail time after time which I chalk up to a design flaw. The straight ones were pretty good but they also eventually failed and had to be cut back.
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Post by infant on Dec 8, 2020 17:36:30 GMT
I’m still using some old Spectraflex cables that I bought many years ago. They are braided in tweed cloth. Still very quiet and the plugs are still solid. I don’t believe any of the gold plug BS as the switchcraft jack in your guitar and amp is not gold plated. I’ve never had a problem with the male plugs on my cables.
There’s a local electronics shop here that sells Belden guitar and microphone cable as well as switchcraft plugs. I have picked up some of both to make spare guitar and mic cables for use in the basement and to make patch cable for my pedalboard.
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Post by Sinster on Dec 8, 2020 17:47:34 GMT
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 8, 2020 17:49:13 GMT
I also don't really buy into the idea of the gold plated connectors. I can't really tell a fidelity difference with middle of the road or better cables. Actually the Monster cable I use is unusual for me- I don't usually fall for that, but I had a $10 off coupon to Guitar Center years back and I treated myself because I was angry at the George L. cables.
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Post by johnreardon on Dec 9, 2020 9:06:18 GMT
Back in the 60s, I used some coiled leads and also made up my own. These days I'm using an Ernie Ball 30' Coiled Straight/Angle Instrument Cable. I have quite a few spare leads just in case any break, but as most of the ones I buy are strongly made, then of course they never do. I did try George Ls, but didn't get on with them. The jacks kept falling off  Ernie Ball leads |
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Post by zontar on Dec 9, 2020 9:47:25 GMT
I have a few DIgi Flex cables & I like them--good balance of quality & price.
I have some other brands--btu as long as it's not cheap quality and not super expensive I could see giving it a chance.
I don't gig & I can't justify the prices I see with some cables.
So the DIgi Flex ones work well for me.
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 9, 2020 17:53:48 GMT
Back in the 60s, I used some coiled leads and also made up my own. These days I'm using an Ernie Ball 30' Coiled Straight/Angle Instrument Cable. I have quite a few spare leads just in case any break, but as most of the ones I buy are strongly made, then of course they never do. I did try George Ls, but didn't get on with them. The jacks kept falling off Ernie Ball leadsThis one looks like exactly what I gig with, except mine is Monster brand. Even the colour is the same. |
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Post by zontar on Dec 10, 2020 7:53:46 GMT
Back in the 60s, I used some coiled leads and also made up my own. These days I'm using an Ernie Ball 30' Coiled Straight/Angle Instrument Cable. I have quite a few spare leads just in case any break, but as most of the ones I buy are strongly made, then of course they never do. I did try George Ls, but didn't get on with them. The jacks kept falling off Ernie Ball leadsThis one looks like exactly what I gig with, except mine is Monster brand. Even the colour is the same. At a fraction of the cost. |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 11, 2020 2:41:24 GMT
Actually my Monster wasn't much more than the Erie Ball. I think I paid around $35 or so for it with a coupon
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Post by zontar on Dec 11, 2020 7:38:05 GMT
Actually my Monster wasn't much more than the Erie Ball. I think I paid around $35 or so for it with a coupon With a coupon being the key phrase. That means you got a real good deal on it. At least compared to what I've normally been for those cables. I've been in series where they really push Monster cables (Or at least used to) Why? They cost more is at least one of the reasons. US$35 is a price I've never seen anything close to for a Monster cable. Especially depending on how long ago that was. Digiflex cables can cost around $20--soemtimes less--and when I bought most of mine they were less--but they've lasted. |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 11, 2020 19:16:44 GMT
Actually my Monster wasn't much more than the Erie Ball. I think I paid around $35 or so for it with a coupon With a coupon being the key phrase. That means you got a real good deal on it. It was a good deal. I think it was on sale ($5 off?) and GC sent me a $10 coupon with no minimum purchase. I figured for around $35 instead of $50 I would take a punt on the Monster. Like I said it has held up really well. |
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Post by zontar on Dec 13, 2020 10:12:23 GMT
Even $50 would be a good price for them around here.
Even a few years ago, even accounting for differences in exchange rate
Most Monster Cables I've seen were $90+
Most were over $100
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 14, 2020 2:12:13 GMT
Wow, no they are a lot less around here. I think $50 is pretty normal. I'd never pay over $100 for a cable!
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Post by zontar on Dec 14, 2020 6:11:14 GMT
Wow, no they are a lot less around here. I think $50 is pretty normal. I'd never pay over $100 for a cable! Then you might be surprised that some people do--and that's in Canadian dollars As I can get a good cable that lasts & does the job for $20-30--I'll do that. And if it's on sale, etc for less--even better. |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 15, 2020 2:38:16 GMT
Wow, no they are a lot less around here. I think $50 is pretty normal. I'd never pay over $100 for a cable! Then you might be surprised that some people do--and that's in Canadian dollars As I can get a good cable that lasts & does the job for $20-30--I'll do that. And if it's on sale, etc for less--even better. Totally agree- I'm certainly not a cable snob! |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 15, 2020 18:36:49 GMT
So let's change gears from instrument cables...
What kind of XLR cables do you use?
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Post by zontar on Dec 16, 2020 0:20:52 GMT
I'm not sure what brand mine are
Probably Yorkville.
I have two mics.
A Cheap Shure I got on sale (it's not a hifi type mic--but works well for some things.
And I have an ART COndensot mic I also got on sale--but it cost many times the cost of the cheap one--and the sound is much better.
(And it's no an expensive mic--which shows how cheap I got the Shure)
I have used both for recording electric guitar and bass.
For acoustic 12 string & classical & mandolin I have used the ART.
My digital recorder has phantom power.
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 16, 2020 1:08:23 GMT
It looks like we need a mic thread...
I have some Rapco Horizon cables and some German-made Sommer cables. Both seem to be pretty good, but don't need 200' runs anyway. Any Chinese cheapies I had broke pretty quickly so they are probably all gone by now
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Post by infant on Dec 16, 2020 14:12:05 GMT
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 16, 2020 17:01:21 GMT
I like tweed cables- look very cool
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Post by zontar on Dec 17, 2020 6:56:37 GMT
I used to not like Tweed--but as time has gone by--either I have been worn down or I just chnaged--and I like it.
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Post by zontar on Dec 17, 2020 6:59:35 GMT
Certainly they are affiliated the Long family still owns & operates L&M, and Yorkville also acts as a distributor for many brands of musical gear. |
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Post by johnreardon on Dec 17, 2020 8:28:42 GMT
I like tweed cables- look very cool I have one that I have never used. I go over the top with spare leads/cables, always carrying loads in case any break. I bought the tweed one from Amazon a couple of years ago and noticed it's still in one of my gig bags yesterday |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 17, 2020 12:32:56 GMT
I like tweed cables- look very cool I have one that I have never used. I go over the top with spare leads/cables, always carrying loads in case any break. I bought the tweed one from Amazon a couple of years ago and noticed it's still in one of my gig bags yesterday I have quite a few cables that have never been used too. Some years back I did a local gig in my town and after setting up I realized I didn't have ANY instrument cables packed. I bought one to live in each of the cars, as well as the "gig backpack" |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 17, 2020 12:45:59 GMT
I used to not like Tweed--but as time has gone by--either I have been worn down or I just chnaged--and I like it. I don't have a huge opinion on tweed vs. plain. Main thing is I don't want the cables to fail on a job |
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Post by zontar on Dec 18, 2020 4:17:16 GMT
I love tweed now--although a tweed case wouldn't work well for me--it would get too dirty too quickly--but a tweed amp would be nice.
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Post by johnreardon on Dec 18, 2020 9:50:16 GMT
I have one that I have never used. I go over the top with spare leads/cables, always carrying loads in case any break. I bought the tweed one from Amazon a couple of years ago and noticed it's still in one of my gig bags yesterday I have quite a few cables that have never been used too. Some years back I did a local gig in my town and after setting up I realized I didn't have ANY instrument cables packed. I bought one to live in each of the cars, as well as the "gig backpack" Yeah, I get paranoid about cables breaking or valves going. That's why I seem to have spares for everything |
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Post by Die Bullen on Dec 18, 2020 12:56:18 GMT
It has happened to all of us where a cable failed at a bad time. Happened to me just a few days ago, we were setting up for a virtual concert and no signal on channel 2. Bad cable....
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