guitar/amp cable

[Marty Bradbury]

Good mmorning folks. My wife bought me an acoustic amplifier for xmas and a cable. I am loving the amp so my question is "how important is the quality of the cable" and what would you be able to notice between bad and good? Any suggestions on what brand would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much!

 

[krysh]

Good mmorning folks. My wife bought me an acoustic amplifier for xmas and a cable. I am loving the amp so my question is "how important is the quality of the cable" and what would you be able to notice between bad and good? Any suggestions on what brand would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much!

hi marty, use your ears and compare yourself. what you like is good for you.

I use horizon silverflex for electric guitar and vovox for bass and acoustic guitar.

 

[Marty Bradbury]

Will do!! Thanks much...........

 

[fronobulax]

My ears have never been good enough to hear a difference between cables although there are audiophiles who claim that they can hear a difference and thus purchasing a specific brand is justified for them.

Personally, I am much more interested in the mechanical reliability since after a few years most cables become intermittent from bending and such.

 

[alpep]

I have used probably every cable out there. recently I have been using CBI they are made in the us and have lifetime warranty and 1/3 the cost of monster cable.

 

[dapmdave]

I think that the better cables are the ones which can be repaired, if necessary. This means that they aren't all molded and sealed. Instead the connectors can be opened and re-soldered if need be.

Dave

 

[fronobulax]

I think that the better cables are the ones which can be repaired, if necessary. This means that they aren't all molded and sealed. Instead the connectors can be opened and re-soldered if need be.

Dave

I used to think that too, but I have several cables that could be repaired and I look at the effort to do so and compare it to the effort of hitting a local store and dropping $20 on a new cable and the latter has been winning. That said, part of it is my lack of diagnostic skills. I am only guessing when I attribute a problem to the wire and not the plug and so when I slice off a hunk of wire and re-solder the plug I really have not fixed the problem. I also have difficulty preserving and reapplying whatever strain relief was originally present.

I'm kind of reminded of computers. For years the advice was always to buy one with expansion capability. Except for my first computer, a Heathkit in 1979, I have never actually added anything significant as an expansion. I tend to replace the machine instead which means the extra money spent for expansion capability was wasted. In my geezerhood it seems that if the best advice involves investing my time in a project, such advice is usually not the most practical.

 

[dapmdave]

I think that the better cables are the ones which can be repaired, if necessary. This means that they aren't all molded and sealed. Instead the connectors can be opened and re-soldered if need be.

Dave

I used to think that too, but I have several cables that could be repaired and I look at the effort to do so and compare it to the effort of hitting a local store and dropping $20 on a new cable and the latter has been winning. That said, part of it is my lack of diagnostic skills. I am only guessing when I attribute a problem to the wire and not the plug and so when I slice off a hunk of wire and re-solder the plug I really have not fixed the problem. I also have difficulty preserving and reapplying whatever strain relief was originally present.

I'm kind of reminded of computers. For years the advice was always to buy one with expansion capability. Except for my first computer, a Heathkit in 1979, I have never actually added anything significant as an expansion. I tend to replace the machine instead which means the extra money spent for expansion capability was wasted. In my geezerhood it seems that if the best advice involves investing my time in a project, such advice is usually not the most practical.

Like so many things, it's all up to individual preferences.

I can clip, solder, and re-apply a piece of heatshrink tubing in a few minutes. Well worth 20 bucks and I kind of enjoy this sort of thing.

And if I go to the music store to pick up a cable, I'm liable to walk out with a cable and something else that I probably wouldn't have otherwise bought. :!:

Dave

 

[bluzman]

You can buy some Monster and Mogami cables with a lifetime warranty.
When the short out or start making noises, bring em back and get a free new one.

 

[thomj513]

It really does come down to personal choice/preference. If you're adept with electronic tools then doing your own work is cost effective however the warranty replacements noted are also a valid option. "Ya pays yer money at takes yer choice" as my dad would say. I use both home made and store bought cables. I've been in the wire and cable business for over 25 years and have seen what the audiophile/lunatic fringe folks use and it's not much different that the aerospace stuff.....of course you pay a whole lot more. Just my $0.02. Thom.

 

[AlohaJoe]

I have used probably every cable out there. recently I have been using CBI they are made in the us and have lifetime warranty and 1/3 the cost of monster cable.

What he said!