Cables

[okstrat]

So anyways, the whole reason why I called my little thing Gigmods was because I'm a gigging musician. I play small clubs, and modding modules started with me not getting what I wanted out of my stock modules.

Well, another thing that has been bugging me are... cables. I used to be George L guy. Fairly quick to put together, sound great! ... but flimsy, easily damaged and it seems like on mine the ends would come loose eventually.

So, I've been building some custom cables. Going to send some out on a 'tour' to guys in a few weeks, get some feedback, etc... and I might make them available if I can find a good balance between what my time is worth and the end cost. I'm guessing I can beat a planet waves or monster cable price pretty easily, and beat their performance to boot.

Cables with no gimmicks - no weird plugs, no fancy weaves (which in my experience pick up smoke and crap from the stage, and are harder to clean than just plain cables) just a good full range sound, reliable and won't crackle and pop if they move onstage.

\The plug/connectors are important too - been testing some from Neutrik, Switchcraft and G&H.

Just curious - what are you guys using right now, and what do you like/not like about them?

Pete

 

[droptrd]

Hey Pete, Ive been building my own cables for years. Currently using Canare and Gepco cable. Have used Mogami before too and liked it. For connectors Ive only used Switchcraft and Neutrik. For straight connectors I can go with either brand. For the right angle connectors I like the Switchcraft best. The Neutrik is still very good, but lacks a little in design when compared to the Switchcraft right angle. I usually buy the top of the line from both brands.

 

[okstrat]

Hey Pete, Ive been building my own cables for years. Currently using Canare and Gepco cable. Have used Mogami before too and liked it. For connectors Ive only used Switchcraft and Neutrik. For straight connectors I can go with either brand. For the right angle connectors I like the Switchcraft best. The Neutrik is still very good, but lacks a little in design when compared to the Switchcraft right angle. I usually buy the top of the line from both brands.

Sweet. I have some G&H plugs coming in, which I've heard great stuff about. Neutriks were good, so were switchcraft. I have some Mogami and Canare cable, I like the Canare but have some Gepco on order too. At least on paper, Gepco is about the same as George L's regarding capacitance, so I think I'll probably dig it.

Pete

 

[bhuard75]

monster cables since i bought mts gear. wanted a better quality cable than my local music retailer stocked. if your building a better and cheaper cable i would try it. based on your rep of course.

 

[droptrd]

Hey Pete, Ive been building my own cables for years. Currently using Canare and Gepco cable. Have used Mogami before too and liked it. For connectors Ive only used Switchcraft and Neutrik. For straight connectors I can go with either brand. For the right angle connectors I like the Switchcraft best. The Neutrik is still very good, but lacks a little in design when compared to the Switchcraft right angle. I usually buy the top of the line from both brands.

Sweet. I have some G&H plugs coming in, which I've heard great stuff about. Neutriks were good, so were switchcraft. I have some Mogami and Canare cable, I like the Canare but have some Gepco on order too. At least on paper, Gepco is about the same as George L's regarding capacitance, so I think I'll probably dig it.

Pete

The Gepco is good stuff depending what line of cable you get from them. They have some cheap stuff too. I buy 8/2 wire from them to make speaker cable too. The gepco is a little cheaper then the canare and mogami, but the pvc jacket is on the stiff side. So its better suited for pedal boards and racks instead of stage cables (guitar to amp).

 

[GtrGeorge!]

and they are really nice people BUT..
after a few years of using them...they just can't handle rough conditions. I think the actual wire they use sounds superior...and it is smaller in size...so it has the advantage of better sound, less space, less weight...
But those jacks are USELESS to me.
pete..maybe use his wire...but use a MANLY jack,instead.

 

[okstrat]

and they are really nice people BUT..
after a few years of using them...they just can't handle rough conditions. I think the actual wire they use sounds superior...and it is smaller in size...so it has the advantage of better sound, less space, less weight...
But those jacks are USELESS to me.
pete..maybe use his wire...but use a MANLY jack,instead.

I actually have soldered George L's to other plugs, but it's just so... wimpy feeling. If I had to emergency wire a pedalboard for a gig, George L's would rock for that. but I've had a few times where my rack was doing weird stuff and it ended up being a George L that wasn't making a great connection.

The Gepco stuff I'm getting in has the same pf per foot that the GL has... so it should have the same clarity and brightness. Plus it's a 'normal' sized cable... we'll see!

Pete

 

[Firefighter1428]

I am using George Ls as well with soldered ends from Neutrik. I am using the .225 cable for pedalboard, rack, and guitar. The sound is ALOT better then my peavey cables I had before... I have not giged them yet nor have I had them for that long but seems to be holding up well. I figured the solder less plugs would not last long and order some plugs through a different company. That was my two cents

 

[rectifier]

i use planet waves and monster...i think anything more expensive is a waste...i dont think anybody wants to spend over $100 on a cable,,hell thats almost a module....and im really not sold on the oxygen free copper and all the gimmicks...i think the main thing in any cable should be reliability..i know i have had my share of snap,crackle,pops..and it seems always the solder connections on the ends..yep im looking for something that will last and i can depend on...and not have to rob a bank to get..hehehe

 

[shred-o-holic]

Moghami and Monster

 

[Shinozoku]

Using monster and I love the flexibility of the cable (tried George L's, couldn't stand it because it felt tiny and wouldn't stop curling), but it seems like the ends might wear out easier. I thought the metal ends normally found on other cables would cause more damage when bent at the base than the monster style, but I'm beginning to think otherwise. I also like angled ends for certain Gibson type output jacks, cuz they bend and pull less

 

[tung]

Monster= great cables, but too expensive
Planet waves Gold tip= less expensive alternative, but not as good tone wise, not reliable as on gigs.

 

[MikeT]

Canare GS-6 with Neutrik ends. This cable has been reliable over the last 6 years - no clicks or pops even after a fair amount of abuse.

My $90 Monster cable shorted out after one month.

Mike

 

[muudrock]

I always have used Mogami for my rack wiring and on larger pedal boards. For the small club rig, George L's for pedal board and Mogami for feeding the amp input. Nuetrik and switchcraft.
I found the best deal on the cable and connectors at redco.com

 

[okstrat]

Did my cable comparison - I prefer the G&H/gepco xb20 cable over the canare/Neutrik by a slight margin. Sent an evaluation cable to a friend here on the board for him to check out, see what he thinks. The gepco is about the same price as the canare, but is slightly louder overall - more of everything. Either cable kills the low end guitar center stuff - the braided cable that is around $20 for a 20'.

Pete

 

[MasterOf1Angel]

I have zaollas which are really nice and hard to find. they are pure silver in the core. after using these in my randall, I can't stand the sound of monster cable rock!

 

[MasterOf1Angel]

I have zaollas which are really nice and hard to find. they are pure silver in the core. after using these in my randall, I can't stand the sound of monster cable rock!

 

[khingpynn]

Guys I'm all about the Monster Cables Studio Pro 1000's.

Yes they are expensive... but it's not like you will be buying them once a year... the warrantee is honored without the reciept... thats what they are telling me here anyways.

The Monster Rock Guitar cables are not even comparable to the SP 1000's. If I was going wit hanything else it would Zaola ( another great cable ) they too are expensive and hard to find.

Monster Cables are easy to find here in Calgary anyways.

Anyone that has used them will tell you theres no going back.

Clarity across the freq spectrum and a very hot signal... I hadto back all my gain's off a couple of points ince i started using them.

I have completely changed out my rig... gtr to pedalboard loop between all pedals out to amp head to both cabs.

Craig

 

[droptrd]

Ready for another batch of bulk cable. Just ordered some Gepco XB20 and Switchcraft connectors. Ive used Gepco before but have never used the X Band series wich is suposed to be better than their regular low cap cable that i have used in the past. Im excited to try something new.

 

[bhuard75]

where are you getting the bulk cable from? the Gepco XB20 and switch craft connectors offer better quality than a monster rock cable?

i'm interested in building some custom cables as my 22 month old adopted german sheperd seemed to bite the monster cable mentioned earler into 7 pieces in less than a minute. this was a $70 cable.