what cables is everyone using??

[jdurso]

I'm getting an rg-16 this week and was wondering what kind of cables everyone is using with their pedals..... i'm looking more into some type of kit so i can build the cables myself so i can cut them to the needed length.... ive seen the george l's kit and the planet waves kit which are both in the ballpark in terms of price and ease of putting together (i'd rather solderless).... so im open to anything and everything (even if its not a kit as portcityamps suggested to me)

 

[camsna]

I dig the sound of the George L's - but have had nothing but trouble with the solderless plugs. The Planet Waves sound good and the plugs are much more reliable - but the cable AND the plugs are way bulky!

So. It's a bit of give-and-take, it seems! But, if you've got the space for it - go PW. If your going to wire your stuff up and NEVER touch it - the George L's should be fine. But if you plan on moving and dis/reconnecting things - prolly not.

 

[mrd]

I use PW for all my crap... they sound 8)

 

[srf399]

Planet Waves are easy to find where I live... I use them for everything

 

[Silverwulf]

Monster Cables for pre-made, Planet Waves solderless for everything else.

 

[sick-guitars]

VOVOX !!!

 

[jdurso]

I dig the sound of the George L's - but have had nothing but trouble with the solderless plugs. The Planet Waves sound good and the plugs are much more reliable - but the cable AND the plugs are way bulky!

So. It's a bit of give-and-take, it seems! But, if you've got the space for it - go PW. If your going to wire your stuff up and NEVER touch it - the George L's should be fine. But if you plan on moving and dis/reconnecting things - prolly not.

what kind of issues have you had with the george l's plugs? i was leaning more towards that direction because each cable is going to be right angle on one end and straight on another because they will be in the 8 loops of the RG-16.... i dont think the planet waves have the straight plugs for the kit.... my plan is (hopefully) to just set the pedals up in a rack shelf and just leave it..... also i dont intend (for now) on using that many pedals.... basically an OD (or two), a clean boost and my eq.... none of those will be linked to each other but instead will be in their own loops so i can bring them in and out of presets using the rg-16

 

[jdurso]

anyone have experience with the CoreOne CoreX2?? seems to be similar to the PW kit and is priced pretty well for getting 20 ft of cable..... again the problem lies with getting the straight plugs as well as the right angle..... niether coreone or PW sell the plugs seperately

http://www.coreoneproduct.com/pages/corex2web/DIYGK20.html

 

[Turumbar82]

Mogami Silver Series.

 

[Gtr_Pkr]

I've used Monster Cables for a long time when I set up my pedals individually. I have also used the George L's recently in a stationary pedal setup. I am very pleased with both and have had no problems.

 

[metalblitz84]

MONSTER!!!!!

 

[DeFrag]

Monster.. through & through.

 

[wastoid]

what kind of issues have you had with the george l's plugs? i was leaning more towards that direction because each cable is going to be right angle on one end and straight on another because they will be in the 8 loops of the RG-16.... i dont think the planet waves have the straight plugs for the kit.... my plan is (hopefully) to just set the pedals up in a rack shelf and just leave it..... also i dont intend (for now) on using that many pedals.... basically an OD (or two), a clean boost and my eq.... none of those will be linked to each other but instead will be in their own loops so i can bring them in and out of presets using the rg-16

I like George Ls and use a lot of them. For the most part, they are really nice to work with. When I first started using them, I messed up a few cables because I pushed the wire in too hard which caused it to crimp up inside and lose the connection. So if you use them, just be sure to push them in gently and make sure you tighten the end piece firmly since it has to cut into the cable for it to properly ground.

 

[Sustain]

monster cables are better than junk....but they distort your signal. You can test it yourself and see....

What goes in one side of a monster cable is not what comes out the other. It is called distortion, and its not the good kind.

Buy Mogami

 

[Don]

what kind of issues have you had with the george l's plugs?

First of all you have to assemble them well. There's a special technique involved with the 90 degree type. The assembly of the straight plugs is easy.

Secondly, you have to make sure that you never pull on the cable when unplugging them. It's solderless and can lose it's connection pretty easily. This is mostly an issue with the 90 degree type.

Thirdly (is that a word?), if you pull the plugs in and out often the screw in caps tend to loosen up. This is only and issue with the 90 degree type.

When I first started using the 90 degree type plugs I had issues until I became good at making them and learned how they needed to be handled.

If you're using the 90 degree type it's best to use them on a pedal board where you won't be handling them much. In this case, they're the most transparent sounding cable that I've never heard.

I have had no issues with their straight plugs at all.

 

[Don]

When I first started using them, I messed up a few cables because I pushed the wire in too hard which caused it to crimp up inside and lose the connection. So if you use them, just be sure to push them in gently and make sure you tighten the end piece firmly since it has to cut into the cable for it to properly ground.

Push them in gently, but completely. There's a little spike in the bottom of the hole that needs to penetrate the core of the cable. You can actually feel when the spike contacts the core, then there's more resistance as the spike penetrates the core, then you can feel the cable bottom out in the hole (this is regarding their 90 degree plugs).

If you mess it up you just need to cut off about 1/4" (6mm) off the end of the cable and try again.

 

[wastoid]

When I first started using them, I messed up a few cables because I pushed the wire in too hard which caused it to crimp up inside and lose the connection. So if you use them, just be sure to push them in gently and make sure you tighten the end piece firmly since it has to cut into the cable for it to properly ground.

Push them in gently, but completely. There's a little spike in the bottom of the hole that needs to penetrate the core of the cable. You can actually feel when the spike contacts the core, then there's more resistance as the spike penetrates the core, then you can feel the cable bottom out in the hole (this is regarding their 90 degree plugs).

If you mess it up you just need to cut off about 1/4" (6mm) off the end of the cable and try again.

Yeah, that's why I said "when I first started using them." All my connections come out fine now, but I definitely had a lot of little 1/4" bits of GL wire laying around my house in the beginning!

 

[jdurso]

hey guys i appreciate all the great responses..... right now i'm really leaning towards the george l's because it seems the best "package" for the price.... mogami also looks intriguing but i'd have to buy the wire in bulk, find the right plugs and do a little soldering which isnt that big a deal but consider i can buy the george l's set for 60 on ebay and then hopefully get another 10 straight plugs from a george l dealer for another 50, i'll be able to get my setup going for around 110, which after checking out the 1' patch cables some of the mid to high end manufacturers put out i'll end up saving some $$..... anyone know if there are packages of george l's straight plugs out there? the site sells them in pairs but i'll need 10 to match the 10 right angle ones that come in the kit..... also does the silver, brass, and gold plating make that big a difference? does the gauge of wiring or the color make any tone difference either?

 

[camsna]

Some guys swear that the plating makes a difference. To be honest - I'm not willing to to the research to find that out! But the nickel ones sound great.

There is NO difference in tone between the cable gauges. Zero.

You'll have to purchase the straight connectors separately. And they're pricey. The cable is about a buck a foot. The connectors are, like, 4 bucks each! But, if you're not going to be moving and swapping your stuff around, they sound great!

The Mogami is another way to go. I prefer it - actually - when used with a BRUGHT amp. The George L's are bright sounding cable due to their low capacitance. The Mogami is darker. But it'll take a lot more work doing the Mogami. Lots of soldering and you have to watch out for partial shorts against the conductive PVC layer.

Lots of options, man!

 

[G.I.G.]

I've been using the 500 series instrument and speaker Monster cables for quite a while now with very good results. Never had a problem with the cables or the jacks, and never have heard them crackle.

I want to try the Zaolla cables but $100+ for a cable seems like overkill to me.