NegativeEase
New member
If you have tone controls after your guitar to pedal cable -it just doesnt matter that much
Cables ........... Do you I have to pay that much for Mogami ......... ?
- Thread starter Dr.Mavashi
- Start date
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Agreed - as long as the cables you're using don't totally suck. I've run across high capacitance cables that just eat highs. It's easy to knock back the treble with most tone controls, but adding highs that have disappeared never seems to work as well.
NegativeEase
New member
Yeah, I can show anyone on a scope the slight roll off from the capacitance of various cables and it's easily recovered with a tiny bump on tone knob on a downstream pedal -if you can hear it at all AND a lot of people prefer to roll off some highs pre-pedal -especially on single coils.
For cables connector and connection quality would be my primary concern.
Mikelamury
New member
I'll have to check those out now that I'm recording into my volt, I was just giving you props for being endorsed by a good brand. The Metal clad cables wrap very easily too.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
I have been using the PIG HOG drain snake cable myself with great results. I love how it never tangles. I only have one going from the guitar to the board. Plus it is long enough to get to the beer fridge without taking off the guitar.
playas
Well-known member
I used to pay the least possible for cables and was constantly replacing them and they were plainly crap. My uncle (who was into radio/music and a bit of electronics) told me that you needed shielded cables with tubes so when I got a tube amp I bought a couple of decent cables.
I still have them and use them regularly.
God knows how many crap cables I used to have as I was always buying replacements. Probably spent as much as the price of a decent one.
I still have them and use them regularly.
God knows how many crap cables I used to have as I was always buying replacements. Probably spent as much as the price of a decent one.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I guess? It's not really the same thing. Tone knobs on pedals are rarely just straight-forward high-end boosts. They're generally messing with a whole bunch of ranges of frequencies, rather. Even if they are, they're usually centered around a frequency that's not the same as the "clarity" and "detail" that expensive cables give. Plus there's other stuff going on with some cables other than frequency differences. Plus the pedal gets noisier as you crank them.
I'm not as much of a cable snob nowadays. After I had to redo my mini pedalboard that I brought over when I moved countries, I just bought the cheapy flat Ernie Balls because they look cool, and you can get the pedals closer together.
But if I was more serious about it, like if I'm gigging constantly or, more importantly, recording, I'd definitely consider upgrading. Even if I'm using active pickups and pretty short cable lenghts, I do notice a difference just from going from D'Addario Custom cables to the American Stage ones. And neither is all that fancy.
But people value different things more or less than I do. So it's your call what you invest your money on, and what way you take to reach the tone you want. What I'm just saying is there is a difference from running the fancy stuff vs. the cheapie stuff. If that difference matters enough to you, that's all on you, and it's totally respectable what you decide to spend your money on.
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Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Weird, I've heard the general rule with active pickups is you can have about 25' of cable before you notice a loss of high end.
I wouldn't know. I got one of those 30' coily cables because it was on sale and most of the time I don't even notice a difference in sound.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Ok, what do you think of Vodoo Amps cables http://www.voodooamps.com/home/Products/Cables.aspx?
80's_Thrash_Metal
Slightly_Glazed_Believer
Yes they are worth it.
Buy once, cry once.
Buy once, cry once.
NegativeEase
New member
I understand what you are saying, Im not telling anyone what to spend their money on -Im saying the difference is so slight and fixable that it's not as important as a quality connectorization and ruggedness of a cable.
I think that should be the bigger consideration when people choose a brand
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
And to that, I agree 100%.
The problem I had with D'Addario American Stage is two of mine have started developing issues. NEVER had that happen on the lower-tier Custom line. So I used to bring out the Customs out to jams and for casual playing, and the American Stage to whenever I wanted to record or test mic'd tones or whatever.
Which is a shame, but that's kind of an exception. Most high-end brands offer reliable Neutrik connections and solder joints. It's not always the case, but more often than not, fancy cables are designed for reliability too.
And that was my experience with their instrument cables. I'm sure something you plug and unplug much less often, and that you don't constatly run over with your chair while practicing (LOL) would certainly hold up better. I don't think reliability is that much of an issue on pedalboard cables, TBH.
But as I said, you can find reliability much cheaper in the spectrum, like with D'Addario Custom series. You're 100% right.
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I have measured them with the multimeter once they're installed in the guitar the same way you'd measure a passive. I know the pots and the whole wiring messes with what the final reading from the output jack would be, but with passives, it always ends up measuring in the ballpark of what it should. At least in my experience.
Maybe that's not the correct way of reading them, but mine keep reading around 20K.
NegativeEase
New member
For Patch cables, those Ernie Ball low profile series are my favorite.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I left a bunch of the D'Addario stuff at home when I moved. Here, I use those EB's as well. They seem to hold up, but I've never put them through gigging or anything really demmanding.
solspirit
Ultimate Post Liker
I've been using all of these and have no problem.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
FWIW when I wired my studio, I discovered you can buy Mogami wire by the foot and a bunch of Switchcraft ends and solder them up and heatshrink yourself for HALF the cost of a new Mogami cable. Just double heatshrink if you want to sturdy up the end a bit. So there's that.
But again, sonically, I've had as good a result with other middle of the road brands. I'm on board with NegEase with regard to the connectors and ruggedness. That's where the Mogami gold failed me. The ends came apart after a few years of use. Meanwhile I've had Lifelines and Excellines that I've used for 30 years and never had a problem, sound or quality-wise. To date, after 35-40 years, the only cables where I noticed a sonic difference was the George L's, which for some reason sound thin, I lose bottom end when I use them. By way of contrast, similar in nature to the George L's (where you cut and screw the end on), I still have my Bill Lawraence cut-and-make-your-own from my first tour in '83, and they work and sound just fine.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
My main thing is are they quiet and preservation of signal strength. The prices per length of VooDoo amps cable looks competitive, what do you think ?
