what cables is everyone using??

[I-am-he]

My first post here. Hope I’m doing this right and don’t end up with a foot firmly planted in my mouth, although it wouldn’t be the first time.

I absolutely agree. DIY is the way to go -- as long as you can solder. And that's easily learned with alittle practice.

And G&H are the best plugs going. Only ones with a copper core. Who knows what Neutrik plugs are made of. … Because they sure don’t tell you. Looks like some cheesy alloy. Certainly not copper, or I’m sure they would tell you.

Copper is the best signal conductor, except for silver, which is too expensive for most of us. Even better than solid gold.

If you don’t want to build the cables yourself, these guys seem to have some of the best cables going and certainly some of the best prices. G&H plugs too.

Death Valley Cable Company (http://www.deathvalleycable.com)

With their 20-foot cable at $35, I found I was only saving about $8 by building it myself (with the best G&H gold-plated straight and angle plugs and $1-a-foot cable) …. That’s a heck of a price. Don’t know how they stay in business with those prices.

Plus they give a lifetime warranty. I couldn’t give myself a lifetime warranty ;-) ;-) ;-)

 

[Sustain]

probably such a great price because they use cheaper solder, and more importantly CBI cable.

http://www.thecablefactory.net has mogami (with neutrik, not G&H ends) for 34 bux for a 20 footer. They also use silver solder afaik.

they also have canare cable there. Anyone have opinions on Canare cable?


I have other links to get them cheaper than this, but i cant find them right now, will post urls to other online retailers as i find them.

I know hotwired! cables has an ebay store with good mogami cable prices too, will post more links as I find them again.

 

[mbmesa]

Lavacable makes a kit with everything you need for soldered cables including a quality solder. I have one of these "in the mail".

 

[ja22y]

this ebay store has the best price I've seen. Cheaper than I can make my own.
http://stores.ebay.com/Premium-Audio-Cables

 

[ja22y]

BF2P-NNN - straight connectors - $1.84
RF2P-NNN - right angle - $2.96

Don't worry about the other options. These plugs are what the pros are using.

Here's everything else I can think of.

Heat Shrink tubing - get a few multi-packs from Radio Shack

Soldering Iron/Station - Hakko 936 - $78.79
http://www.kiesub.com/prostores/servlet/Detail?no=3

Solder - I've NEVER heard a difference in tone between the solders I've used. But (BY FAR) the best joints are with Cardas Tri Eutectic (lead free - 4% silver content. High ocnductivity and they NEVER fail!
Cheapest place to get it (LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT OTHERS CHARGE!!!) - $6 for 24 feet or $45.50 a pound.
http://soniccraft.com/products/connections/solder/cardas.htm

That 'bench' is called helping hands. These are a couple of good options - they'll prevent an otherwise inevitable suicide:
http://www.sjmediasystem.com/12-051.html
http://www.jackstoolshed.zoovy.com/product/HA-MG8949?meta=FRG&utm_source=GBASE&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=&utm_campaign=

Hope I've helped!

camsna,
I'm looking for a good/solid soldering station. The one I have heats up everyhting but the part where I want to join!!! Is Weber good? The Hakko link you gave doesn't work. Thanks for the tip on the helping hands, man do I need one.

 

[10gc]

I'am using proel cables...they're good!

 

[RR]

I'm using Comcast, I did not looking into other cables. But my DSL, phone and cable is hooked up Comcast.

I thought about going satellite but since I'm on Pacific Time I would be watching Eastern Time TV programming which I'm not used to so I stayed with cable.

 

[Lou]

this ebay store has the best price I've seen. Cheaper than I can make my own.
http://stores.ebay.com/Premium-Audio-Cables

That is where I woulnd up buying mine.

Funny as I simply did an eBay search after reading this thread.

Plus used form eBay I got a 20' right angle and 2 10 right angle plant waves for a grand total of 12 bucks!!! Nice!

 

[jdurso]

I really like my Core X2 cables. I have a Monster cable that's alright, but the Core X2 just seem very tough and reliable. Reasonably priced too. Never had a problem with one yet. I use the instrument and speaker Core X2's. They do have kits too. Never tried the kits though.

you gotta love how the cable threads on this forum are consistently the longest.

I posted a thread regarding a recent guitar player's cable shootout:

I thought Hendrix sounded great using his ten dollar radio shack telephone cord type cable. It still comes down to the fingers.

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=24181

i agree with the above quote (although the amp, spkrs and pickups have a big part as well).

as far as corex2 is concerned, I have the 20' instmt cable as well and it's kinda dark sounding, esp. compared to the bright george l's I've tried. I also use the mogami 2524 cable for instmt and corex2 and monster sp1000 for spkrs.

you'll get so many unique opinions and resopnses on this subject but george l's are a good value...

i think what that quote was in reference to was your cord from guitar to amp. since my setup isnt so simple i was inquiring for the guys that have a lot of pedals, switching systems, etc. when you have a lot of ins and outs i think quality cables make a huge difference. but as for your main guitars cables or speakers cable(s) i cant hear that much difference from cable to cable as long as they are good quality.

 

[MesaDCLP]

I talked to the guy at lavacable.com (cool dude) and he told me that the instrument cable matters most (and any other cables from guitar to preamp), then speaker cable, then cables in a rack.

call him and ask...

You've got a point.

http://www.lavacable.com/Suitability_Guide.htm

Mark is very knowledgeable and willing to help.

vdH is great, but I only have that from head to cab. $$$

+1 on the EA
8)

Can I quote myself?!

 

[nomad100hd]

the shorter cables between fx don't matter as much if your FX have buffers. a.k.a not true bypass. One buffer is good, but a bunch of them suck! The buffer helps keep signal loading down, and reduced the effect of cable capacitance on your signal.

 

[jdurso]

I talked to the guy at lavacable.com (cool dude) and he told me that the instrument cable matters most (and any other cables from guitar to preamp), then speaker cable, then cables in a rack.

call him and ask...

ok maybe if your comparing a monster pedal cable to say a george l's cable of the same length. But if you get a shitty quality cable (say hosa) no matter how short it is, compaired to a better quality cable you'll hear the difference (or at least i do). Plus with something like the rg-16 having all the ins and outs it does, even with it's input buffer, quality cables make a difference. Plus to keep things clean, DIY cables is the way to go because the length from the unit to the pedal varies depending on where the pedal sits in the rack. That was the real reason i started this topic, as advice for wiring the rack, not what to run from my guitar to amp.

 

[Kaz]

I talked to the guy at lavacable.com (cool dude) and he told me that the instrument cable matters most (and any other cables from guitar to preamp), then speaker cable, then cables in a rack.

call him and ask...

ok maybe if your comparing a monster pedal cable to say a george l's cable of the same length. But if you get a sh!t quality cable (say hosa) no matter how short it is, compaired to a better quality cable you'll hear the difference (or at least i do). Plus with something like the rg-16 having all the ins and outs it does, even with it's input buffer, quality cables make a difference. Plus to keep things clean, DIY cables is the way to go because the length from the unit to the pedal varies depending on where the pedal sits in the rack. That was the real reason i started this topic, as advice for wiring the rack, not what to run from my guitar to amp.

What are you using, or are you re-doing your setup? I'm going to need quite a new bit of patch once I pick up a G System and as of right now am kind of indecisive.

 

[jdurso]

I talked to the guy at lavacable.com (cool dude) and he told me that the instrument cable matters most (and any other cables from guitar to preamp), then speaker cable, then cables in a rack.

call him and ask...

ok maybe if your comparing a monster pedal cable to say a george l's cable of the same length. But if you get a sh!t quality cable (say hosa) no matter how short it is, compaired to a better quality cable you'll hear the difference (or at least i do). Plus with something like the rg-16 having all the ins and outs it does, even with it's input buffer, quality cables make a difference. Plus to keep things clean, DIY cables is the way to go because the length from the unit to the pedal varies depending on where the pedal sits in the rack. That was the real reason i started this topic, as advice for wiring the rack, not what to run from my guitar to amp.

What are you using, or are you re-doing your setup? I'm going to need quite a new bit of patch once I pick up a G System and as of right now am kind of indecisive.

i still havent pulled the trigger on buying/building cables (rg-16 had to be sent for repairs :? but its being repaired by rob for nothing or replaced), but when i do i'm pretty set on mogami cable and g&h plugs. Either that or i'll go the solderless route with the george l's

 

[Kaz]

Sounds like a plan. Definitely report on the results! By the way I wound up emailing Mesa about the headshell thing, no reply as of yet so I may have to call them about that... At least they don't do those annoying "PRESS 1 FOR ENGLISH" BS menus.

 

[mrmax]

George L's are all I use. (since the 90's) It pays to check your ends from time to time.

 

[jdurso]

George L's are all I use. (since the 90's) It pays to check your ends from time to time.

totally OT but i cant but help getting enjoyment out of your board name (mrmax)... thats what i call my 120 lb german shepherd. he too big for just max so we call him Mr. Max

 

[mrmax]

George L's are all I use. (since the 90's) It pays to check your ends from time to time.

totally OT but i cant but help getting enjoyment out of your board name (mrmax)... thats what i call my 120 lb german shepherd. he too big for just max so we call him Mr. Max

Mrmax is a slight variation of a childhood nickname from a friend of the family , I've been Mr Mac since I was a todler. Thanks 8)

 

[kissing]

any one using whirlwind or planet waves cables? any coments?

 

[Sustain]

any one using whirlwind or planet waves cables? any coments?

there are some comments earlier in this thread regarding planet waves.