Buffer vs Better Cable

[Guitar Toad]

Does the use of a buffer improve tonally inferior cable? Would the use of a buffer with Musician's Friend brand tweed cable make the cable sound more like a high end cable, i.e. brighter highs?

 

[MDS]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Theoretically using a buffer to lower the impedance would help alleviate high end loss through any cable. How many pedals are you using and how much distance do you need from your guitar to your amp?

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Right now I only use two pedals and 20' of cable. But it's Musician's Friend cable so it can't be too good can it. And I plan to grow the pedal family I've got some pedal gas.

 

[vinterland]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

I wouldn't look at the fact of high end loss as a determinant here. Having played low end and high end cables, high end cables have better clarity throughout the entire spectrum.

 

[MDS]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Personally I wouldn't bother with the buffer and just get some decent cables. Don't fall for the Monster hype, but a good quality Mogami or Spectraflex would be sufficient. I ran a Valvulator for awhile and it definitely wasn't worth the weight or bulk on my pedalboard...I bet those MF cables aren't THAT bad either...

 

[aleclee]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

A buffer only helps with capacitance downstream. If you have a POS cable between your guitar and buffer, you're SOL.

 

[Willis]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

A buffer only helps with capacitance downstream. If you have a POS cable between your guitar and buffer, you're SOL.

That's the reasoning behind an onboard buffer. I'm putting one on my next guitar.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Bueffers are good for some cases but if you're using junk cables you're wasting your tme and money. A good cable doesn't have to cost a fortune and IMO a lot of the high dollar cables kind if suck anyway! Get some George L's cables for both going from your guitar to pedals/pedals to amp as well as from pedal to pedal and you'll be just fine. FWIW, Lew sells George L's cables so you can get them right here on the forum.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

That's the reasoning behind an onboard buffer. I'm putting one on my next guitar.

I'd rather just use a decent cable than go through that sort brain damage. In the long run, it's cheaper and less hassle.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

IMO if your cable runs are so long that you need a buffer, then what you really need is a wireless

 

[MDS]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

I love the wireless concept: We go crazy over strings, picks, pickups, pots, caps, wire, nuts, bolts, frets, neck pocket specs, tenon lengths, scale, fret size, pickup height, etc. and then we broadcast our tone via UHF!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

I've been using a combination of both, good cables and a buffer. To be quite honest, if you use a Boss pedal, you have a buffer. They have buffered inputs and outputs but not as effective as an external stand-alone buffer, which does wonders. I've got one sitting in the effects loop after the delay pedal and it makes a difference. There's some additional presence and clarity there, and that's all I needed it to do. I've got a layout for a DIY one that is smaller than a 9 volt battery.

 

[MDS]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Lets see it!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Lets see it!

It's the IC Buffer circuit from General Guitar Gadgets. Click on the "Tiny Layout" link.

http://diy.erikhansen.net/simpleicbuffer.htm

 

[RW James]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Please excuse my ignorance here... but what is a buffer? - in this context. How does it affect tone?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

Think of a buffer as a signal recovery unit. The more pedals and/or longer cables you use, the more signal that gets lost. Putting a buffer at the end of the pedalboard right before the cable to the amp helps kick the signal back up to where it should be so it can travel along the long cable run and retain a good strong signal.

Back in the day, both KK Downing and Glenn Tipton had a buffer between EVERY pedal on their boards including one at the end.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

I personally have always hated pedals without buffers, or old fashion impedance.
It have been that way for almost 20 years, only tb thing I see any use of is when it is done to the wah, well hehe.
Have always used good cables for as long as I can remember, Monarch Neopren cables with Switchcraft jacks, still have three of those cables, the rest is handed out to a few friends, who plays more jobs than I do now
They are at least 18 years old.

 

[Willis]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

I'd rather just use a decent cable than go through that sort brain damage. In the long run, it's cheaper and less hassle.

That's true, I'm not trying to compensate for cheap cables. I just figure it'll be a fun little electronics project.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

That's true, I'm not trying to compensate for cheap cables. I just figure it'll be a fun little electronics project.

If you're looking for a buffer project, put it in a small box that clips on to your guitar strap. That way you won't be pissed off every time you need to access your guitar's control cavity to changed the !#%*ing battery.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Buffer vs Better Cable

If you're looking for a buffer project, put it in a small box that clips on to your guitar strap. That way you won't be pissed off every time you need to access your guitar's control cavity to changed the !#%*ing battery.

That's a great Idea.

If you use a buffer signal with crappy cable, the buffer will strengthen the signal and will improve the tonal quality of the cables? As ErikH posted I can make a buffer for much less than a bunch of GeorgeL cable will cost. But it would sure be great to have some George L cable too. A buffer + Georgle L cable would really sound good, right?

Thanks for the information guys.