Instrument cables that don't break every two months

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adamrobertt
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Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by adamrobertt » Mon Sep 08, 2014 7:10 am

I don't buy cable hype. I will never pay $100 for a Monster cable. I do not believe that they sound any different than the $15 cable that I can buy at any music store.

HOWEVER, I've been buying $15 cables for years and they certainly always do one thing - fail. I'm looking for an instrument cable that isn't going to break in two months. What's out there? I won't pay $100, but I'd pay $50 or $60 for a cable if it's gonna last me a few years!

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U.K.L.Lee
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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by U.K.L.Lee » Mon Sep 08, 2014 7:35 am

My longest lasting guitar cables have been the S100 monster cables which are (updated) best priced at 17.99 for 21' http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... &A=details.

I picked up 3 of the 20' for $15 each at a Guitar Center, they have all lasted about 7 years without needing replaced. I didn't buy the hype either they were just on sale making them the longest cheapest cable that visit. I'm pretty sure its the molded design that gives the longevity because anything with a removable metal barrel ultimately fails. Great that they can be repaired but if you don't solder its not worth the access. The S100's do tangle up pretty wickedly though, its a stiffer cable and if it stays twisted it likes to take on that form if you can imagine a snake with rigor mortis.
Last edited by U.K.L.Lee on Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:04 am, edited 2 times in total.

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jorri
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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by jorri » Mon Sep 08, 2014 7:39 am

adamrobertt wrote:I don't buy cable hype. I will never pay $100 for a Monster cable. I do not believe that they sound any different than the $15 cable that I can buy at any music store.

HOWEVER, I've been buying $15 cables for years and they certainly always do one thing - fail. I'm looking for an instrument cable that isn't going to break in two months. What's out there? I won't pay $100, but I'd pay $50 or $60 for a cable if it's gonna last me a few years!
klotz were pretty good, they've only gone after 5-10 years- i cant remember when i got them. i guess its bad luck-- i found some unbranded i think diy neutrik on ebay which are great and the least signal loss i've had. planet waves and often others on the top shelf of guitar shops have had loads of loss and break really quickly.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by shoule79 » Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:06 am

I've got a couple Rapco's that have lasted the better part of 20 years (i'm not even sure if they still make them though). I'm a few years in on a couple Planet Waves ones that are working quite nicely, but I don't think they will have the same longevity.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by slavemaster » Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:19 am

I have a fender cloth-covered one that has been working without any problems for 10 years. Also, a VOX coily has been serving me well in the past 6 years. Can't remember the prices really - I just remember that the coily one was a bit more expensive.
We got people playing stringed instruments! It's the end of days.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by rumfoord » Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:42 am

I've got the DiMarzio cloth covered ones, and they've lasted nine years so far. But I might be easy on my cables. At the time they seemed like a good balance of price and low capacitance.

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Grandmasterdavid
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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by Grandmasterdavid » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:04 am

CBI,I've still got cables from 1996 that made it through hundreds of shows and are still going strong.Can usually be had for under 30$ for a 20ft.

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schoolie
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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by schoolie » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:30 am

Most cables stop working because they flex too much near the plug. I usually repair them, and use several coats of liquid tape on the back of the plug, and the 3 inches of cable behind the plug. After doing this, they last for years. If you make this section rigid before they break, then they will last a long time. At least that's my experience.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by Mad-Mike » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:37 am

I have some monster cables and some "cheapos" I use.....

The Monster Cables are 8 years old, I've gigged with them everywhere during that span of 8 years, and never had an issue with them, the first set of cables I've ever owned that were that stable.

Surprisingly, another set of cables that don't give me trouble are the ones First Act used to sell at Wal-Mart, I have 2-3 of those laying around for jamming at home, never had to fix them either, I think one of those just turned 10 years old.

Then I have piles of cheapo cables that I've cut, repaired, and soldered myself. Most of the ones I've built myself last longer than the off-the-rack Horizon/Peavey/Store-Brand crap I used for years, but they still need a "touch up" every few years or so under heavy use.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by saxjag » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:46 am

Visit Lava Cable. They have a range of cables with good sonic quality at every price point, listed under categories like Standard, Premium, Studio, and Stage. They'll sell you any length you require, and you get your choice of connector hardware. You also have the option of ordering your cable with a plastic sleeve over the entire length, which supposedly helps any cable stand up better to the rigors of heavy use.

Dunno how much you know about cables, or how much you wanna know, but it might be worthwhile to bone up on subjects like shielding, single-conductor vs. twisted-strand & how this translates to stiffness/flexibility, or how cable length affects capacitance & therefore tone. There's info about this all over the Lava site & elsewhere on the internet. Once you know this stuff you can base your cable choice not only on cost & durability, but also on freedom from ambient emissions, suitability to your amp, and whether it flatters the highs, midrange, or bass frequencies.

I don't know of any audiophiles who think that Monster is a good cable. It's a generic low-end cable that retailers like to sell because of the high markup.

Mogami by all accounts makes excellent cables at a few different price points. I use several Mogami Golds in my home studio. They are often described as quiet & sonically neutral, & that's been my experience as well.

My guitar cables are made by Quantum Audio Designs. They are in Quantum's EPI line, described as "oxygen-free high definition." Oxygen-free may be hype, but high-definition they certainly are; this may simply mean good shielding & low capacitance, which are good things for a guitar cable to have. Quantum cables can be hard to find in shops but are worth seeking out. They cost about double or triple what you're used to spending on no-name cables, but that's still waaaaay less than Monster.

Enjoy the search.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by hoddyman » Mon Sep 08, 2014 12:28 pm

I've has two "spectra flex" cloth-covered cables for, like, twenty-five years with no failures, ever.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by øøøøøøø » Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:45 am

I make my own cables out of Canare GS-6 and Neutrik connectors.

I beat the hell out of them and take them all over the world. They get stepped on, they get closed in doors-- heavy doors of studio iso booths without proper tie lines, for instance. They get pedal board lids closed on them, they get mistreated in just about any way you could imagine.

I've got four that I use regularly. The oldest is about 10 years old at this point. It has seen so much use that a small part of the plastic sleeve on its (now-discontinued!) right-angle connector has broken, leaving the solder joint almost exposed. Still no failure, still in regular use. My other ones have connectors from the era since Neutrik improved the connectors (no plastic)... or maybe I just bought a better model, who knows. But point being, aside from the blue cable coloring being a little faded and dingy, they're no worse for the wear.

I have actually never had a single failure since I started making my own. I like to squirt hot glue in the connector as I close it up. This serves as strain relief and extra protection against shorts.

I can make a 20-footer of excellent sound and quality for myself for about $20, and it will last decades if not a lifetime. You could probably do the same, if you know how to work a soldering iron. I order my bits from Redco.

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by PJazzmaster » Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:33 am

I posted this a couple of months ago in a different thread:

my journey (and it's been a long one) for RELIABLE cables that you can gig with (for a fair price, since I don't wanna spend more than 50$ for a cable) ended when these came out, the american stage series from planet waves with the neutrik plugs as shown below:

http://www.sweetwater.com/insync/hands- ... ge-cables/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Image

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by spook » Tue Sep 09, 2014 6:32 am

I bought one of these at the start of 2007 and it's worked perfectly under heavy use with no crackle or anything ever since.
http://www.bassclubchicago.com/product_p/fjprst589.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Instrument cables that don't break every two months

Post by LHR » Wed Sep 10, 2014 12:55 am

hoddyman wrote:I've has two "spectra flex" cloth-covered cables for, like, twenty-five years with no failures, ever.
+1

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