I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

TimmyPage said:
Cables are a huge part of our sound that we completely neglect. For a little while I was wondering why my tone was so sterile and dull since I placed a few pedals between my guitar and amp. At first I thought it was just poor true bypass in the pedals, so one day in a fit of frustration I unplugged the pedalboard and plugged myself in directly to the second patch cord only to find that the crappy tone was still there. I compared the budget Stagg cable causing the dull sound to a Fender cable I've had for years and it was like night and day. I'm not even advising that Fender makes particularly amazing cables, but having a poor one can be a huge hit on your sound.

I really want to try some high end ones, George L and whatnot. I don't think good cables can make your rig sound better than it should, but they'll sure as hell make it sound like it's supposed to.
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I use these:

DV016_Jpg_Large_331638.077_12ft_coiled.jpg

they seem to be better than everything I've used before, but I wouldn't shell out the big bucks for those "eq" ones.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

In my experience, I have shied away from using Monster cables because of their high capacitance.

Without a doubt, my favorite budget cable is the 18'6" Road Hog cable by Rapco that Guitar Center sells. They are marked RH186, with a black rubber coating. I'm not sure who actually makes them, but the Live Wire Elite mic cable seem to be doing nicely in some of my PA applications. I also have some Mogami, ProCo, Spectraflex, Peavey and Fender guitar cables around; no complaints with any of them. The braided cables are a bit more resistant to physical damage than the rubber coated ones.

Back in the '70s, I read an article about the Greatful Dead's rigs. I began using the same blue Belden cable that they used, soldering the cables myself with brass mil-spec 1/4" ends. That cable had the lowest capacitance of any cable available at the time. The extra high end really brought my old 1960 Strat to life. The Belden cable wasn't super durable, as it used a foil-wrapped shield, but the tone was a big improvement over any of the commercially available cables of the day. Soldering will always be a PITA, but it was worth the trouble--and it was a cheap way to go. Eventually, the quality of cabling improved; I got tired of soldering, and then I ran out of the Belden cable. Not sure if they still make that cable, but it did a good job for me, and certainly raised my awareness of how much a cable can affect one's tone--good or bad.

Bill
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

I actually like the generic cloth cables at my local Sam Ash.

But from now on I'm looking to save money and I'll just buy the cable and plugs and make them myself.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

years ago I got 50 foot of George L cable

then a few years later, found a music store that going out of business
got forty assorted ends for $1 ea

that was my cable set up for ten years

then I was in GC last year
grabbed a couple of the braided store brand cables for $5
they sound good, slightly darker than the Ls, but not bad
dont tangle


then round Christmas was ordering from Carvin
got their braided 20 ft cable for $20
it was identical to the GC store brand
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

Over the years, of doing things like buying one good cable at guitar trade shows, I've ended up with a box of everything from Monster, Colossal, Fulltone, Lava, Planet Waves, that I don't even care anymore. Most of them are perfectly fine. I grab whatever, and it's usually pleasing to the ear, especially since they're high end.

That's one thing I learned from guitar trade shows. When you can grab something at wholesale, get things like cables, tubes, strings, and picks. You'll amass so many good ones, that you'll rarely find yourself shopping for them on the retail market.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

I've had an okay experience with monster cables. They haven't gone bad, or anything. I saw the cable ends were "sealed" in some kind of plastic which to me is funny because, well I mean oxidation isn't exactly a concern for anyone who intends to use a cable for less than one complete human lifespan. Yes, that's an exaggeration but I still think it's a valid criticism.

Honestly, my ears aren't good enough to hear the difference between george l's cable, monster cable, ibanez cable, and all these other no-name brands I have laying around. If it carries a signal, I will use it.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

I use monster pro 1000 for my guitar instrument cables and guitar amp-to-cabs speaker cables and think they are just fine. I don't know the saga about their tradmark wars but it sounds like they won!

I love that there are guitarcenters in about every city and you can take in speaker cables from monster and they just replace em, hassle free (I keep receipts and UPC codes). in my experience speaker cables go bad and not just monster cables...
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

Everdrone, you should see Lava Cable's Tephra! I ordered one recently and this thing is sooooo badass. Not too pricey either. My other speaker cables are self-built with Switchcraft ends and Belden or Mogami, FWIW.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

Jolly_Rancher said:
Everdrone, you should see Lava Cable's Tephra! I ordered one recently and this thing is sooooo badass. Not too pricey either. My other speaker cables are self-built with Switchcraft ends and Belden or Mogami, FWIW.
Click to expand...

very cool, I see you also dig thick cables and guitar sounds ;)

lava-tephra-comp.jpg

I dig the orange, I use mine for my orange stack and my bass 810 stack
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

I have never really read any bad reviews about monster pro 1000 cable and I dig mine





I dig the pro 1000 writup and reviews, this cable has been around forever:

Monster''s Most Advanced Instrument Cablefor the Clearest, Most Accurate Sound Reproduction
This is it: the reference instrument cable used by topartists, award-winningengineers and producers to deliver every nuance oftimbre and tonality duringperformances and recording sessions. Studio Pro 1000features Monster''stop cable technologies including 3-way BandwidthBalanced® construction,patented MicroFiber® dielectric and Time Correct®multiple gauge high,mid and low frequency wire networks for extremelyaccurate sonic reproduction.When you''re ready to capture your music with ultimateclarity, detailand depth ...you''re ready for Studio Pro 1000.

Double shielded with 97% coverage copper braid and carbon-infused dielectric for superior noise rejection.
MultiTwist™ impedance-balanced construction for maximum signal transfer and noise rejection.
MicroFiber® dielectric-wrapped wire networks for the fastest transients, maximum clarity, definition and presence.
Multiple gauge high and low frequency wire networks for accurate, natural sound reproduction.
Heavy-duty black nylon mesh jacket provides maximum durability and visual appeal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

not to change the subject too much but once you buy $200 of cable the only thing left to do is to get the top of the line furman for the best electricity if you really want to maximize the sound of your amp in any venue when the bassist and lights are sucking all the power out of the ground

I have this furman:

http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=P-1800PF
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

science is science

tone is full tone :)





sp1000_I_img2.jpg
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

astrozombie said:
I use these:

View attachment 50305

they seem to be better than everything I've used before, but I wouldn't shell out the big bucks for those "eq" ones.
Click to expand...

I use the same ones. Reasonably priced and I've never had one fail. I recently bought a couple planet waves American Stage cables. They seem to be pretty good as well and I notice no tone difference between them and my Monster cables. I bought a few Planet Wave classic series for my pedal board, and they seem to work fine too. I've never used any high end cables at all, but the mid-grade stuff seems to be reliable.

I tend to shy away from the really low end stuff as I've had issues in the past. Cables going out has to be one of the most annoying things every, especially if you have a pedal board or rack and have to trouble shoot it.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

everdrone said:
In my experience speaker cables go bad and not just monster cables...
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Really? The one no-name speaker cable I bought years ago has yet to fail me, and now I just make my own using 12 gauge solid-core wire with great results. With me, instrument cables are the ones failing every few months with the hot wire to the tip coming lose/breaking off.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

Myaccount876 said:
Really? The one no-name speaker cable I bought years ago has yet to fail me, and now I just make my own using 12 gauge solid-core wire with great results. With me, instrument cables are the ones failing every few months with the hot wire to the tip coming lose/breaking off.
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cool, glad they work for you, I dig that you make them. I tend to be a buy and hire guy and dont tweak much on my own except for mixing and amp knobs.

I am talking about a span of 20 years of my guitar playing and me moving from very warm to very cool places and being hard on cables

the warranty thing is just too cool with some of these cables. I have only had one or two bad monster cables, and lots of them in other brands and the cheapo no-name brands.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

everdrone, I do indeed enjoy thick cables, sounds, and my fiance is pretty thick :) I also believe in a good power source. I have one of the Furmans for my computer rig. I was looking at the AR-1215. Back on the topic of cables, The only thing about the Monster 1000 is the price. I'm not sure if they sound bad like the Rock because I would never spend that much on a cable. I just made a 16' Mogami / Neutrik cable for like $30 and the tone can't really be beat. I know Mogami rolls of the lows and highs a bit compared to some cables, but it's pretty flat and sounds perfectly awesome. Finally, I can run to my amp on the other side of the room from my pedalboard and have it sound like it should.
 
Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

everdrone said:
cool deal with your setup, I have this furman for my monitors and pedals when I use them at home: http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?div=01&id=PST-6_PRO

I use a mogami cable at home and for my pedalboard I use Planet Waves Cable Statio
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Yep! Good stuff! That's the one, but mines an 8. PST-8........... ;)

When I started my pedal board, I made a bunch of my own patch cables with those huge Neutrik connectors... I don't know why. I just thought it would be less expensive. But when I was ordering from Lava Cable I also got myself a soldered mini ELC kit.. Haven't needed any more cables so I haven't built any with the Lava kit yet.
 
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Re: I hope none of you waste your money on Monster Rock cables...

I refuse to support any company that talks to me like that:

Monster''s Most Advanced Instrument Cablefor the Clearest, Most Accurate Sound Reproduction
This is it: the reference instrument cable used by topartists, award-winningengineers and producers to deliver every nuance oftimbre and tonality duringperformances and recording sessions. Studio Pro 1000features Monster''stop cable technologies including 3-way BandwidthBalanced® construction,patented MicroFiber® dielectric and Time Correct®multiple gauge high,mid and low frequency wire networks for extremelyaccurate sonic reproduction.When you''re ready to capture your music with ultimateclarity, detailand depth ...you''re ready for Studio Pro 1000.

Double shielded with 97% coverage copper braid and carbon-infused dielectric for superior noise rejection.
MultiTwist™ impedance-balanced construction for maximum signal transfer and noise rejection.
MicroFiber® dielectric-wrapped wire networks for the fastest transients, maximum clarity, definition and presence.
Multiple gauge high and low frequency wire networks for accurate, natural sound reproduction.
Heavy-duty black nylon mesh jacket provides maximum durability and visual appeal.
Click to expand...

In Klotz and Neutrik I trust. Good quality and no babble!
 
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