Cable advice and questions

[Rockstar216]

I recently bought a new Wah and now I need to buy another cable to hook it up.

My first question is if my first cable going from my guitar to the pedal is 10ft or 15ft and the next cord going from the wah to the amp is 10ft or 15ft will the signal start to degrade or will my high end still be intact? I know the general rule of thumb is to not get a cord 20ft or longer but does this still apply when the two cords measure out to over 20ft?

My second question is what brand of cable or cables are good to decent quality? I know you get what you pay for with anything but im not trying to get too expensive for a 15ft cable.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Yes. Unless there's a buffer in the signal chain, the cable length before/after the pedals all counts.

I generally go with Live Wires for cables that are pretty good for not too much $$$. I haven't tried their instrument cables but Hosa stuff seems pretty good too.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Thanks so it looks like ill be probably looking at two 10ft cables. Is their a defined or certain length at which the signal starts to degrade like an exact measurement?

 

[uOpt]

Re: Cable advice and questions

I recently bought a new Wah and now I need to buy another cable to hook it up.

My first question is if my first cable going from my guitar to the pedal is 10ft or 15ft and the next cord going from the wah to the amp is 10ft or 15ft will the signal start to degrade or will my high end still be intact? I know the general rule of thumb is to not get a cord 20ft or longer but does this still apply when the two cords measure out to over 20ft?

My second question is what brand of cable or cables are good to decent quality? I know you get what you pay for with anything but im not trying to get too expensive for a 15ft cable.

That rule of thumb is nonsense. The capacitance per meter for common instrument cable material varies quite a bit. All that matters here is capacitance (and robustness of course).

The post- and pre-pedal cable length is added when there is a true bypass (currently active). If not cable changes the impedance and it isn't sensitive to capacitance after the pedal.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Cable advice and questions

That rule of thumb is nonsense. The capacitance per meter for common instrument cable material varies quite a bit. All that matters here is capacitance (and robustness of course).

The post- and pre-pedal cable length is added when there is a true bypass (currently active). If not cable changes the impedance and it isn't sensitive to capacitance after the pedal.

Ok so it sounds like I should be ok then running two 15ft cables. I'm rarely ever that far from the amp since in most places I play I'm either standing right in front of my amp if not sitting right on top of it so I don't need nothing super long anyway. Only reason I asked cause I've heard people talk about once the cables get so long you start to loose high end but wasn't sure if it was true or just a bunch of myth.

The companies that people seem to speak highly of are Mogami, Lava cables, and planet waves.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Cable advice and questions

All those cables you mentioned should be just fine. Most good cables will have picofarad level capacitances, which will be nigh unnoticeable. I wouldn't worry too much about high end losses. Are you running a wah only, and which wah?

 

[hermetico]

Re: Cable advice and questions

That rule of thumb is nonsense. The capacitance per meter for common instrument cable material varies quite a bit. All that matters here is capacitance (and robustness of course).

The post- and pre-pedal cable length is added when there is a true bypass (currently active). If not cable changes the impedance and it isn't sensitive to capacitance after the pedal.

Sorry, uOpt. This time I cannot agree with you.
Cables SOUND different, despite of some other issues, like microphonics and other ****.

I've found the best relationship quality/price with Bulk Mogami 2524 instrument cable.
I make my own cables, all them (including patch cables) with that bulk cable.
Use also quality jack plugs, as Neutrik ones.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Cable advice and questions

All those cables you mentioned should be just fine. Most good cables will have picofarad level capacitances, which will be nigh unnoticeable. I wouldn't worry too much about high end losses. Are you running a wah only, and which wah?

Yup just one wah pedal and it's a MXR Custom Audio Electronics Wah.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Sorry, uOpt. This time I cannot agree with you.
Cables SOUND different, despite of some other issues, like microphonics and other ****.

I've found the best relationship quality/price with Bulk Mogami 2524 instrument cable.
I make my own cables, all them (including patch cables) with that bulk cable.
Use also quality jack plugs, as Neutrik ones.

I was looking at Mogami but I think they want like near $60 for a 15ft cable thats a bit steep.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Yeah, if it's the only pedal, I wouldn't worry too much. Unbuffered wah pedals generally have problems with impedance mismatches, not a tiny bit of cable capacitance.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Sorry, uOpt. This time I cannot agree with you.
Cables SOUND different, despite of some other issues, like microphonics and other ****.

I've found the best relationship quality/price with Bulk Mogami 2524 instrument cable.
I make my own cables, all them (including patch cables) with that bulk cable.
Use also quality jack plugs, as Neutrik ones.

They sound different. The capacitance really matters, and you need enough capacitance because you pickup has been designed to sound right with a certain load capacitance.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Ok so it sounds like I should be ok then running two 15ft cables. I'm rarely ever that far from the amp since in most places I play I'm either standing right in front of my amp if not sitting right on top of it so I don't need nothing super long anyway. Only reason I asked cause I've heard people talk about once the cables get so long you start to loose high end but wasn't sure if it was true or just a bunch of myth.

The companies that people seem to speak highly of are Mogami, Lava cables, and planet waves.

Those care cable brands. What you need to look at is the specific material used, as in the manufacturer's specs (material maker, not cable brand).

2x 15 meters without an impedance changing pedal sounds like a lot.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Cable advice and questions

I use both monster instrument cables and George L's. the George L cables I like as patch cables. You can cut the to a desired length and screw the ends on. They work really well. But in your case I would go with either Monster or Live wires. I also keep a couple of spares in my gig bag just in case one does choose to go bad. Monster; I think are guaranteed for life. Seeing that you are only using 2 cables buy something decent. Live wire or Monster should be fine for your application

 

[trevorus]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Monster is severely overpriced. Even with the guarantee, I wouldn't buy one. There is the same quality for less out there.

 

[Matt42]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Monster is severely overpriced. Even with the guarantee, I wouldn't buy one. There is the same quality for less out there.

I agree with this. I'm not a fan of Monster or Planet Waves. I've had cables of both brands fail on me (4 different Planet Waves ones). I've never been able to get them replaced either, even though they are supposed to carry a guarantee.

I use Lava or Live Wire mostly. I'm planning on redoing my board with some George L's at some point. I also have a nice cable I got from a local cable/pedal builder ($40 for a 15 ft super beefy cable).

 

[BTMN]

Re: Cable advice and questions

I was looking at Mogami but I think they want like near $60 for a 15ft cable thats a bit steep.

Guitar Center has Mogami 20 footers about 54 dollars WELL worth it!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...1-4-straight-instrument-cable/333170000000094

 

[Farkus]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Personally I don't hear a huge difference when using long cables, but most of my amps have effects loops and the only thing in front is a wah or OD and I play with gain but YMMV.

When I was a kid my uncle turned me on to Whirlwind cables. I've been using them since the mid 90's and have had great luck with them. You'll have to go amazon.com or similar to find them but they are great. I still have one that I've used since '95 (or before) and it still works with no issues. I've tried monster, mogami, and several others but when I found I could get the Whirlwinds again I've stuck with them.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Here's the short version:
Yes, cables matter. Yes, adding pedals matters. The cheapest/easiest way to fix the tone drain from a wah and cheap cables is to add a buffer. The guy from this1smyne makes a very affordable neutral buffer. It's cheap enough that if you don't like it, you won't lose a fortune reselling it. It's also cheaper than upgrading cables.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Cable advice and questions

Here's the short version:
Yes, cables matter. Yes, adding pedals matters. The cheapest/easiest way to fix the tone drain from a wah and cheap cables is to add a buffer. The guy from this1smyne makes a very affordable neutral buffer. It's cheap enough that if you don't like it, you won't lose a fortune reselling it. It's also cheaper than upgrading cables.

My Wah is True Bypass there is no tone loss I can hear. Just that the Shi!ty back up cable I have is not a true guitar lead so I get this real bad static and hum when I use the gain channel you would think I had single coils. I need to get some new cables anyway and keep the one i've been using as a back up. I was trying to avoid a buffer since the wah is only pedal I use in my rig.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Cable advice and questions

I just checked out those whirlwind cables and they are real cheap like $20 for a 18ft cable thats not bad at all. I think i'm either going to go with the whirlwind or Lava demon blue cable which are like $40 for 15ft.