What's the the best solid/thick guitar cable out there?

[xanda-panda]

(at a reasonable price obviously)

 

I currently have a couple of 20ft George L's cables which sound fine but they're annoying in that they coil up all the time and have never straightened out.

 

I'm looking for 2 new leads and a bunch of new patch leads.

 

I happened across a picture of thurston moore's effects and would like to get something similar (thick cable even for patch leads).

 

http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/eq/06tfx04.jpg

 

this cable would be ideal. anyone know what it is?

 

 

[also, check out: www.myspace.com/serpentinepadmusic]

 

 

(SORRY FOR THE INCREDIBLY BORING NATURE OF THIS POST BUT MY CURRENT SITUATION IS PISSING ME OFF A FAIR BIT.)

 

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

Why do you need thick cables? If you mount your effects to a pedal board, they won't move and the cables won't get stressed. I built my own cables from Gepco wire and switchcraft parts, but they are not thick at all, just a high quality wire.

 

I use a Monster guitar cable which is very thick and costs something over $50. But I also have Planet Waves, Horizon, Whirlwind, and other standard cabled guitar cords (probably mostly made with Belden 8410 and switchcraft connectors, covered with custom labeled shrink wrap.) Thyey all work fine. The Whirlwind cables I bought back in 1977, still going strong.

[picker]

It looks like Belden cable, but they are probably custom made by Moore or his guitar tech. The Belden website shows a cable #9907 that would work fine.

 

As far as "the best" goes, Monster Cable is probably as good as any, and as expensive too.

[Caevan O’Shite]

I can say that Zaolla cables are pretty nIce, but they're also pretty REALLY expensive. I got mine free as a generous gift. I like it enough that I'd consider buying more if I were playing out and recording regularly, and I could budget for 'em.

[skipclone 1]

I have one of these-very slinky, never tangles and has no `memory` as far as shape.

 

 

http://www.vovox.com/neu/content_e/03_02_05.html

[anderz]

Probably Monster cables.

[PBBPaul]

If you're into rolling your own, go to a radio/electronics supply shop and ask for RG-8/U mini RF cable. You can buy this stuff for under US$.20/foot and it makes outstanding instrument cables. Some versions have very stiff casing though.

[Ed H.]

These did well in Guitar Player Cable Shootout, and when they had a sale I bought some and am very happy with them. Nice tone. Thicker than the George L's, but more flexible than some. They make guitar cables and they make pedal connectors with a more flexible wrap, too.

 

http://www.armorgoldcables.com/armorgold/instrument_cable.html

[G. A. Donis]

I had a couple Planet Waves cables but after the second one failed on me during a show (mid song no less) I tossed it in the garbage. I know they have a lifetime warranty but I was rather upset and didn't care. I bought the Planet Waves after a LiveWire literally came apart in my hands just minutes before a show. I decided then that I was tired of cheap cables and I wouldn't skimp on a cable ever again.

 

I now use Mogami Platinum's. They are very expensive but I really like the fact that I can "hot switch" guitars without the loud and dangerous buzz. They have a nice rugged feel to them. I can't say I honestly hear the difference but my ears are old and have been abused.

 

I'm actually thinking about making my own from now on. I need a couple of cables for use at home and I'm thinking about buying some bulk and some of the Switchcraft ends that are on the Mogami cables.

[Jasco]

Cables are still one of the highest profit margin items in the biz.

 

I wouldn't waste money on any of the botique expensive ones with lifetime warrantees that they usually don't offer. ("We can't do a direct replacement - we don't make that model any more.")

 

Either make your own or go with a decent mid-price cord, like Rapco, for example.

 

 

[Kaliwiaka]

The problem may not be with your cable, but how your winding it for travel. I'll try to explain how to wind/coil your cable so that it will always be straight.

 

Hold the cable in your left hand, plug end pointing out, make one coil normally, by rolling the cable, making a circle and holding it in place with left hand. Here's the trick. When you roll for your next coil, twist the cable between your fingers on your right hand, so the coil falls over your right hand, and then place the coil in your left hand to hold.

 

By repeating this process, the cable will be coiled and when you hold one end and toss the cable to uncoil it, it will land flat and straight.

[G. A. Donis]

The problem may not be with your cable, but how your winding it for travel. I'll try to explain how to wind/coil your cable so that it will always be straight.

 

Hold the cable in your left hand, plug end pointing out, make one coil normally, by rolling the cable, making a circle and holding it in place with left hand. Here's the trick. When you roll for your next coil, twist the cable between your fingers on your right hand, so the coil falls over your right hand, and then place the coil in your left hand to hold.

 

By repeating this process, the cable will be coiled and when you hold one end and toss the cable to uncoil it, it will land flat and straight.

 

I think there is a video of that technique on the Planet Wave web page. I saw it and started rolling my cables this way about 2 weeks ago.

[Roscoe East]

Hold the cable in your left hand, plug end pointing out, make one coil normally, by rolling the cable, making a circle and holding it in place with left hand. Here's the trick. When you roll for your next coil, twist the cable between your fingers on your right hand, so the coil falls over your right hand, and then place the coil in your left hand to hold.

 

By repeating this process, the cable will be coiled and when you hold one end and toss the cable to uncoil it, it will land flat and straight.

 

I think there is a video of that technique on the Planet Wave web page. I saw it and started rolling my cables this way about 2 weeks ago.

 

 

I've been coiling cables that way since 1980, and while it does prevent them from getting tangled and prolongs cable life and keeps them kink-free, it most certainly does not allow you to toss the cable and have it land flat and straight. It'll land flat with a twist every ~20".

[Larryz]

I like the 20' Planet Waves Circuit Breaker...as for coiling I just wind chords up in about a 10" circle and throw each one in a large clear plastic sandwich type bag...they have their own memory...my biggest complaint is having two or more chords tangled up when I go to set up so I keep'em seperated...

[davisreed]

I have had a cbi gold rush for a while now and its a great piece. Gold plated jacks and vintage cloth covered cable. I got it from mars music so it is probably more than a couple years old.

[A String]

Hold the cable in your left hand, plug end pointing out, make one coil normally, by rolling the cable, making a circle and holding it in place with left hand. Here's the trick. When you roll for your next coil, twist the cable between your fingers on your right hand, so the coil falls over your right hand, and then place the coil in your left hand to hold.

 

By repeating this process, the cable will be coiled and when you hold one end and toss the cable to uncoil it, it will land flat and straight.

 

I think there is a video of that technique on the Planet Wave web page. I saw it and started rolling my cables this way about 2 weeks ago.

 

 

I've been coiling cables that way since 1980, and while it does prevent them from getting tangled and prolongs cable life and keeps them kink-free, it most certainly does not allow you to toss the cable and have it land flat and straight. It'll land flat with a twist every ~20".

 

Yeah, I coiled all my cables that way for years. I coiled so many cables that way, that eventually, I started doing all cables that way out of habit.

 

Problem is, after many years, they tend to want to keep that shape. It becomes awkward and difficult to manage them.

 

If you replace cables every few years, it wouldn't be a problem at all. If you keep your cables for ever, then you may want to reconsider doing it this way...

[Caevan O’Shite]

I coil cables sort of the same way- only I let the cable sort of go the way it wants to, so to speak, feeding freely through my open hand, rather than my actively twisting it; it will follow its own bias, to a degree. Maybe we're talking about doing it the same exact way, and maybe not quite.

 

In any case, when I carefully loop 'em up that way, without putting stress on them, they seem to last well and I haven't noticed any tendency to retain much of a 'memory' of shape- which is NOT to contradict anyone here, but simply my own experience. YMM(andWill!)V... ! Maybe it's 'cause I tend to loop 'em up in as wide a loop as I can for the given cable and where it's going to get stashed, and maybe it's also 'cause I haven't looped 'em and un-looped 'em over and over again nearly as many times as you probably had!

 

Another brand of ready-made, commercially retailed cable that I've liked is Quantum; a good "normal" cable with a good "normal" price, and their woven jacket models are particularly nice, resisting tangling and less likely to having lots of dirt

sticking to 'em. Mine lasted a long, long time- it just got stolen!

 

And as I recall, some members of this forum really liked Lava cables, too. I have yet to try them, but they have a great rep.

 

Hold the cable in your left hand, plug end pointing out, make one coil normally, by rolling the cable, making a circle and holding it in place with left hand. Here's the trick. When you roll for your next coil, twist the cable between your fingers on your right hand, so the coil falls over your right hand, and then place the coil in your left hand to hold.

 

By repeating this process, the cable will be coiled and when you hold one end and toss the cable to uncoil it, it will land flat and straight.

 

I think there is a video of that technique on the Planet Wave web page. I saw it and started rolling my cables this way about 2 weeks ago.

 

 

I've been coiling cables that way since 1980, and while it does prevent them from getting tangled and prolongs cable life and keeps them kink-free, it most certainly does not allow you to toss the cable and have it land flat and straight. It'll land flat with a twist every ~20".

 

Yeah, I coiled all my cables that way for years. I coiled so many cables that way, that eventually, I started doing all cables that way out of habit.

 

Problem is, after many years, they tend to want to keep that shape. It becomes awkward and difficult to manage them.

 

If you replace cables every few years, it wouldn't be a problem at all. If you keep your cables for ever, then you may want to reconsider doing it this way...

[Larryz]

I've been coiling cables that way since 1980, and while it does prevent them from getting tangled and prolongs cable life and keeps them kink-free, it most certainly does not allow you to toss the cable and have it land flat and straight. It'll land flat with a twist every ~20".

 

Yeah, I coiled all my cables that way for years. I coiled so many cables that way, that eventually, I started doing all cables that way out of habit.

 

Problem is, after many years, they tend to want to keep that shape. It becomes awkward and difficult to manage them.

 

 

 

Haven't noticed much of a memory eh Cave???? Memories...draped across the cables much like wine......