tld Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Just made up a bunch of new short cables for various new stomp boxes, and made a long cable for a friend while I was at it. I never used to make my own. When I put my studio together about seven years ago, I honed my soldering skills and made all the audio cables for the studio to save money, so I decided I might as well make some guitar cables as well. I'm so glad I did. They're cheap and are without question the best guitar cables I've ever owned. I use Switchcraft SW280 plugs and Canare GS-6 cable. At $1.69 per plug and $.54/ft for the cable you can't go wrong (once you get good at making them). I get the materials at markertek.com: SW-280 Plugs GS-6 Cable It's definately worth the effort. Tom http://www.digitalaudiorock.com The Protools Plugin Preset Co-op Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A String Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 It's all I'll use. I got sick of having to spend a small fortune on cable, to reach across large stages, so I started building them. Been doing it ever since. I use Switchcraft ends and Belden cables. Craig Stringnetwork on Facebook String Network Forum My Music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingerstyle_Jim Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I used to when I played in bands, a reel of Belden cable and a soldering gun and away I'd go. I got into making effects boxes as well, I still have my custom distortion/splitter/power supply stomp box but I haven't built anything for years now, Jim My SoundClick Page My New Music Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruupi Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I would but I don't have any ore for the copper. My soundclick site: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=397188 My YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/gruupi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braxat Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 i tried once.... didnt work out very well I Am But A Solution In Search Of A Problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I do all mine, with whatever comes to hand, but I used Neutrik(?) bits for my main cable. G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 For years I made my own, now I'll only buy common guitar cables... not worth the effort when someone always has a $10 or $12 special on a major brand going on. Same with mic cables. But I've wired many, many studios. I keep a roll of Canare and about a dozen or so of most common connectors laying around all the time for those special cable needs, like the pedal board, etc. In fact, when they built the Pernel Center at Carnegie Mellon, they hired me and a few of my friends to do the termination of the audio and video lines. The building houses a theater, student theater, and television production center as well as various rehersal rooms and a bunch of rooms tied together by intercoms, and a shop/paint shop for scenery. I spent about six weeks wiring mic lines, tie lines, Whirlwind Masspin connectors (276 wires in a 2.5" space), and the various smaller Whirlwind multipin connectors. Makes for a long day. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Wow! I'm shocked Bill! I would've thought you'd have one of many exceptional cables available (GeorgeL's, Zaolla, etc.) given the audible difference. I mean, how much were your studio monitors? I built some cables using Mogami quad and Switchcraft ends when I worked at MARS and haven't had need to build any since. Of course, I also have the wonderful Zaolla Silverline cable Rob gave me to audition. It sounds wonderful. I don't know if I could justify that expense for all my cables, but they are rugged and sound wonderful. Building cables is easy enough, but it really pays off when you need to build a lot of cables or put together odd length runs, especially ultra long and ultra short lines. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Rob offered one to me at a trade show, and I passed. (nice guy, by the way...) I do have one of the fancy extra heavy duty Monster guitar cables... I don't use it much because it doesn't lay flat. I just gave one of the gold-ened Moster guitar cables to a friend who's kid just got his first guitar. No, I've never heard the difference between mic or guitar cables, once you reach the level of decent stuff. (Now, in a bad environment, you can make a case for star quad for mics, but for unbalanced stuff???? uhhhhh....) I've never bought anything less than a good Belden or West Penn Wire. Not that long ago a friend did some work at a convention center and gave me a bunch of cut offs from the terminations. It is all top of the line 110 ohm digital mic cable... why they pulled that kind of cable, I'll never know. Has to have been a drag to pull and terminate, and it isn't meant to be in conduit... but I'm happy to have the cutoffs, 'cause many were 20 feet long. No, I've got Whirlwinds and other such standard guitar cables, used them since I dumped my custom rig, sometime in the 80s. I make my own shorties, I don't believe in long runs for unbalanced, and having spent years dealing with sound, I've banned anything longer than 25 feet for a mic cable, because they are always in knots. I'd rather just tag together two or three or however many 25 footers for most applications. (sure, there are exceptions, but not many.) Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Well, my jaw hit the floor when I first heard a standard, Whirlwhind cable followed by a GeorgeL's. After that, I knew I wanted something better because I could hear the difference. (BTW - When my manager at MARS dragged me to the guitar dept. to hear the GeorgeL's, he didn't tell me what I was supposed to be looking at or hearing. I didn't even see the guy playing switch cables because I was looking to see what was so amazing about the amp. (It was a garden variety Fender combo, though I don't remember which one.) When I heard the difference I assumed someone had hit a switch on the amp. They hadn't. All that changed was the cable. Whirlwind to GeorgeL's. Between the Zaolla and the GeorgeL's I think the Zaolla wins out, but I have to say it's a really subtle difference. That's why I can't see spending the money given the price difference between the two, not to mention the almost inherent build-your-own philosophy of GeorgeL's, so cable lengths are appropriate. I've never heard a difference between mic cables. Don't know why, but the difference isn't nearly as apparent between Whirlwind, et al and the high end cables. Least ways not to my ear. As for long runs, I hear you, though I prefer to have runs of at least 50' available for mic cables because typically that's necessary if I'm not using a snake or if only a single snake is available. Most cables are 15' and 25' though. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Yeah, When I was at CB,I., I got them to settle on 6 and 25 feet. Oddly enough, these ended up being perfect lengths for mic cable on stages if you, like I, use many subsnakes. (I'm also big on that...)but it also works well in smaller productions, too. Once I got them to use wireless mics for all Q&A audience mics on the industrials, the need for long mic cables pretty much went away. (As we both said, there are situations, but...) Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I always make my own cables, but I have a client who gives me George L's & various people have left Monsters at my studio. I also use a Carvin, which is the one cable I have purchased in the last 30 years, based on a GP review. They all sound slightly different, & none can be said to be better than the rest IMO. Just different. Scott Fraser Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tld Posted March 22, 2006 Author Share Posted March 22, 2006 I see several here mentioning Beldon cable. Never tried that before. I'd definately recommend that Canare GS-6 though. In addition to the overall quality, it's very flexible and durable. I never even bother using any sort of strain relief and have never had a cable go bad. Neutrik connectors definately good as well. I used them for other connetors in the studio (XLRs etc). Tom http://www.digitalaudiorock.com The Protools Plugin Preset Co-op Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILLO Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Yup, I do... my guitar cables, and the cables on my VERY RECENT pedalboard are George L's. "Without music, life would be a mistake." --from 'Beyond Good and Evil', by Friedrich Nietzsche My MySpace Space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILLO Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Anyone tried these? Is this a Musician's Friend brand? I don't think I have seen them anywhere else... http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=332506 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/General/Accessories/Cables?sku=332502 "Without music, life would be a mistake." --from 'Beyond Good and Evil', by Friedrich Nietzsche My MySpace Space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Well, they are obviously trying to hook into the Monster market by putting out a cable with a look-alike connector, but as it is a house brand, I look upon them as similar to house brand anything else.... usually much less expensive than what they are being sold for. (A friend owns a shop, and he sells cables labled as 'talent enhancing', and it is a joke and we all get it and it is fun... ) I remember a local stereo store that was buying 'houser branded' speakers for $88 a pair and selling them for $350 a pair. Are they good cables? Don't know. Never used one. Are they worth the cost? House brand stuff is usually rebadged cheap stuff on which the house can make maximum profit. Since I stopped making my own, I've bought major brands. I can't really talk about much else. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.