The Chetboard

I need a new good quality guitar cable of 15 feet. What are the best brands to use now?
It's been a long time since I have needed one and I understand that they DO make a big difference.
Hopefully under a $100....

I understand that they DO make a big difference.

For every post I have read that it does, I have read one that it doesn't. And there are some companies out there hoping you think it does. It certainly is an important part of the signal chain. I think that the cost/benefit ratio gets pretty thin after a $ point Cable longevity also has to be a consideration. I think when plugged in, your sound is only going to be as good as your worst component starting from the pickup and ending at the cone.

I would go to GC and see if they have some Mogami (?) silver or gold on sale. I think GC will let you bring the cable back if you are not happy. I have a friend who swears the gold cleaned up a lot of noise for him. Your mileage may vary.

I read somewhere that Chet tended to use the cable issued with the guitar.

I'm sure there is a difference in cables but whether it will make a difference to those people listening to you is another matter...

If you play well it won't matter. Come to think of it, if you don't play well it won't matter either.

Nowadays there is botique industries all over. Fifty dollar thumbpicks really expensive strings, really expensive guitar cables... Lotsa money to be made selling to those trying to gimmick their way to perfection.

If possible, go to a store that sells the high dollar cables. Bring your own guitar and use an amp closest to yours and test them.

That's how I see it anyway.

I'll chime in. I DO believe they make a difference. Just a few nights ago I was playing through my prismatone at a friends house. Awhile back I bought a few Klotz La Grange cables after getting sick of my George L's cutting in and out. My friend had a George L's cable at hand so we used that for awhile. Then we changed back to my Klotz - there was a clear difference. The L's cable was more attenuated and tamed a bit of highs - kind of like a presence knob. So I clearly haven't tried em' all - but I am very satisfied with the Klotz cables. A lot of people are satisfied with those. Give those a try if ya can.
Alex

There is likely to be a tonal difference due to difference in resisitance of the main conductor but even so, which sounds actually better is to the ear of the beholder. I think it is more important that a cable have durability. In fact if you buy a new cable, buy two. It is no fun to have a cable that "cuts in and out" and as we all know those kind of things happen at the most inconvenient times.

Try before you buy if you can.

Another thing. A lot of times if you take your guitar to a store to try things out, bring a guitar playing friend. Have them do the playing so you can stand back and make your judgement/choice without having to worry about whether you're playing well.

Guitar cables have been a problem I've dealt with rather directly for many years. I've paid as much as $25.00 for a 15 foot cord (I was in need of one immediately, and could not be choosy) and I've paid as little as 99¢. I once received as a gift one of those brand-named Monster cables made with gold-plated connectors which had 100% tinned-copper sheild which cost nearly $100.00, and I've also built my own. I have bought cords at local guitar shops (including Guitar Center) that have a "lifetime" warranty. I gravitate towards cords which have connectors on them that allow me to remove the plug and resolder / reterminate a suspected bad end. I will no longer buy cables with molded on connectors, simply because I cannot easily repair them. There are some where the shield surrounding the center wire is skimpy. Those break often. There are better ones built using shielded audio cable that has an 80% shield, which is to say that the shield wire is fairly dense, and totally surrounds the center wire, and the gaps in the shield are uniform througout the length of the cable. I tend to shy away from the aluminum foil shield, as they are very stiff. They are also difficult to repair, because the end wire is not typically bonded to the foil, and can be noisy when flexed after owning them a few months.

Now....having said all this, guitar cords come in only two varieties only....ones that are broken in some way (noisy, dead), and ones that have not broken yet. Nothing lasts forever. I am currently using a pair of cords I've had for nearly 3 years. Both of them have been repaired once in that time. One was one of the lifetime warrantied varieties, and the other is home-built.

For what it is worth, that is and continues to be what I've experienced with them.

I've been using Monster cables for a little over a year. I use one for my guitar & several of their component cables for my mixer, etc. I can hear the difference between them & the cheapies. I'm not a working musician but I use these cables nearly every day with zero problems so far. $40 for 12', $50 for 21 foot from zZounds. Lifetime guarantee. I like 'em. Your mileage may vary.

Nils

It's getting complicated (and expensive) to play guitar nowadays...

I love this thread. When I choose a piece of gear, I'm looking for a something that helps me feel comfortable making music. I've tried many different cables and they don't sound the same to me. And I don't feel the same about making music with them. I have chosen the cable I currently use because it works well with my other choices… guitar, strings, amp, etc.

One thing I don't ask myself is 'how much I am willing to pay for a cable.' Instead, I ask myself 'how does this cable work for me.' Compared to all the other gear I own, cables aren't a big expense. Would I spend an extra $10 a month to sound better… to enjoy playing the guitar more? You bet!

Like several others in this thread, I'm a big fan of comparisons on-the-spot. I would rather play than listen to someone else play because I'm the one who is going to do the playing when I get home. I know that most of my audience can't tell one cable from another. But I can tell… and I hope my audience can tell when I'm enjoying making music.

Just for reference, if some of you tried out a guitar at Kirk Sand's CAAS table, you were likely using my cable and amp. You may have even played my guitar.

John

I have chosen the cable I currently use because it works well with my other choices… guitar, strings, amp, etc.

John...great post as always...don't leave us hanging. What cable are you currently using?

Just for reference, if some of you tried out a guitar at Kirk Sand's CAAS table, you were likely using my cable and amp. You may have even played my guitar.

I may be the exception, but when one goes by a booth like that, you always ouu and ahh over the guitars and one always takes a look at what amp the vendor chooses...but I cannot ever recall being interested in what cable they chose.