As much as I hate "beating a dead horse" threads

[steve_k]

As much as I hate "beating a dead horse" threads, I wanted to post this.....

If you don't think that instrument cables can make a hell of difference in the overall tone of your rig - think again.

I have been using the same high dollar Zaolla cables for about 3 years now. They are rugged, large diameter and are very clear and HI-FI sounding cables and served me well. I usually keep them packed with the pedal board in its case for hauling around and gigging. And, I keep a few Monster expendable cables around the man cave for practice, running over them with cabs, stepping on them or rolling my desk chair over. I never really paid attention to the difference, until now.

When I got this Cameron Jose mod amp last week, I retubed and biased them amp, plugged it into a Bogner cab and let it rip. Immediately, it was instant gratification as I set the amp's EQ up on the LG and HG settings. The next morning, I was getting ready for gigging and had full intention of taking the Jose for them. I wanted to see how the pedals ran up front of the amp and got out the pedal board and played the amp using the Zaolla cables. Well, fuck me to tears, I could not get the amp dialed up for shit. It was all of a sudden to bright and when I tried to dial it out, it either went from ice picks to mud with no in between. I even tried with different cabs, but nothing. And, I swapped my Chinese V1 for a real Blackburn Mullard and couldn't get the tone back. So, I packed up the Aldrich mods for gigging instead of the Jose.

This morning, with all my shit still packed up, I fired up the Jose and grabbed the Monster cable off the hook and played the amp, and the original tone was back, as I remembered it to be. Then, the light bulb in the brain went off and I realized that it must be something to do with the instrument cables. I had another short Zaolla here and swapped between it and the Monster and sure enough, it makes that much difference. I always heard that Monster cable and other less expensive ones will darken an amp a bit. I remember Slash talking about this in an interview and a plug for Monster cables that he specifically found the cables affected his output in a positive way.

So, moral of the story----high end cables are good, but that HI-FI articulation may not specifically be the thing that you need to use with certain amps. This is not a plug for Monster nor a dis for Zaolla - only that there is some difference in response on some amps to different cables.

That's my opinion and I am sticking with it. That and $4 will buy you a Starbucks coffee But, before you call BULLSHIT on me, try it out if you got amp that tends to hover on the bright side and you have some problems knocking the tone down a few Hertz.

Now you know the rest of the story. G'day

 

[roadifier]

I noticed the exact same things happened when I use different insttument cables. The monster cuts off some highs, and my planet waves cable is a lot clearer, and hi-fi. Cables make a big difference in my rigs, I have my instrument cables with certain rigs because they work the best for that amp.

 

[steve_k]

I bituced the exact same things happened when I use different insttument cables. The monster cuts off some highs, and my planet waves cable is a lot clearer, and hi-fi. Cables make a big difference in my rigs, I have my instrument cables with certain rigs because they work the best for that amp.

Good advice.....

 

[glpg80]

which is why i always run mogami for anything out front, will never run wireless, planet waves for ANYTHING in the back, and dimarzio speaker cables exclusively

 

[The Hoff]

Wouldn't surprise me to know that they make a noticeable difference. I'll have to do some experimenting, should be fun

 

[steve_k]

Maybe it is just that older amp circuits were built around impedance levels of what was available at the time and by coincidence, they are easier to dial up. I started using the Zaolla's when I got my first VH4 as I think that is an amp that can further benefit from the qualities of a HI-FI cable. It is minor, but still a contribution to the overall tone of a rig. Some may think it quite anal, but I think it is quite interesting, and save a few Ben's in the process. One of the things I do not like about Monster cable though is the small diameter and they tend to keep their rolled up shape and want to knot up. There is no reinforcement at the plugs either, like heat shrink.

 

[university81]

you tried different speaker cables yet? =) also does something

but yes it definitely makes a difference, one of the local guitar shops is really into all things cables, has about 5-6 different hi-end stuff (evidence, analysis, spectraflex etc..) , did a test while swapping things out, quite a noticeable difference, i still want to try out a coily cable a la srv/hendrix

ofc as you say depends on what kind of tone you want, but it's yet another variable to throw into the loop and one people don't necessarily think of

it kinda makes you think companies charging a decent amount for a sought after vintage tone, when back then i doubt it was super high-grade covered/coiled/braided hi-fi stuff (i'm talking cables)

with non uni-directional cables, try swapping the plug ends into the input , that was an eye opener

 

[steve_k]

you tried different speaker cables yet? =) also does something

but yes it definitely makes a difference, one of the local guitar shops is really into all things cables, has about 5-6 different hi-end stuff (evidence, analysis, spectraflex etc..) , did a test while swapping things out, quite a noticeable difference, i still want to try out a coily cable a la srv/hendrix

ofc as you say depends on what kind of tone you want, but it's yet another variable to throw into the loop and one people don't necessarily think of

it kinda makes you think companies charging a decent amount for a sought after vintage tone, when back then i doubt it was super high-grade covered/coiled/braided hi-fi stuff (i'm talking cables)

with non uni-directional cables, try swapping the plug ends into the input , that was an eye opener

i still haven't figured out what make a unidirectional cable work differently in one direction.

 

[joepete77]

I have found this to be true also. Many use the old style coil cables to roll off some high end brightness, there was even an article somewhere about this. I have also seen rigs where extra length cables were used and left half wrapped up as the extra length smoothed out the tone. I guess it could help or hurt depending on the rig.

 

[university81]

also explains to some extent why line6 have a cable length sim in their wireless units

 

[parntz145]

I went through this whole cabe deal a few years ago. There are major differences between cables. I found when it comes to cable's for the front end of your rig the best one is Van den Hul. Its expensive, but man the tone of this cable is great. I also really like Kimber speaker cable's. Thats the best combo I hasve found.

 

[steve_k]

also explains to some extent why line6 have a cable length sim in their wireless units

I bet the Axe FX II doesn't even have that sim (someone had to say it).........

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Cables make a huge difference. Those who say otherwise are deaf or ignorant.

I like cable that restores all of the high end back to my tone. I use colossal cable because I like the conductive properties of silver cable for the crisp high end and added (revealed) harmonics.

 

[steve_k]

Cables make a huge difference. Those who say otherwise are deaf or ignorant.

I like cable that restores all of the high end back to my tone. I use colossal cable because I like the conductive properties of silver cable for the crisp high end and added (revealed) harmonics.

For some amps, this is exactly what I want to do. But, for this particular amp, I am knocking it back down a few notches and finding the cheaper crap works better. Weird stuff huh?

 

[duodecim]

also explains to some extent why line6 have a cable length sim in their wireless units

I bet the Axe FX II doesn't even have that sim (someone had to say it).........

I've heard from a reliable source they're working on that for the Axe FX III, though.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

I'm just a new guy here I don't know anything but I'll say I bet the weather had more to do with your tonal challenges than your cables.

 

[glip22]

Cables make a huge difference. Those who say otherwise are deaf or ignorant.

I like cable that restores all of the high end back to my tone. I use colossal cable because I like the conductive properties of silver cable for the crisp high end and added (revealed) harmonics.

For some amps, this is exactly what I want to do. But, for this particular amp, I am knocking it back down a few notches and finding the cheaper crap works better. Weird stuff huh?

A good middle of the road works well. I like the Lava clear connect, and the Klotz, Speaker cable Evidence Audio and Cardas Crosslink.

 

[steve_k]

Weather is always the same here. It's hot and it sucks.

 

['63-Strat]

There's no doubt cables play a role. I've never used a coiled cable a la SRV/JIMI etc. but I have no doubt those probably cut some high end which was probably a good thing in their case. Cables that are super transparent can end up sounding too bright but is that because the cable is bright? Or simply that you're hearing a frequency bump that is in your rig, but was simply low passed before from the cable? It's interesting stuff.

I've also noticed a wide range of what people think is too much or too little high-end in general though. Most drummers I've played with prefer my tone when it's BRIGHT and that's because they've probably lost a bunch of their high-end. Years and years bashing cymbals at close range will do that. As a result I don't think drummers should be involved in mixing things as a rule It's not just drummers though, I've seen lots of guys young and old dial things IMO too bright/grating for a live mix, though with the young guys it's often out of overall noobness. With the older guys, many of whom are great players, I think it's a case of them having lost some high end too, and so when they dial it bright it sounds "right" to them. It's a vicious cycle though, because the more time you spend with loud high freq's the more that is going to get rolled off in your ears.

I've been playing with loud bands since I was a like 14/15 and had it drilled into my head early on to wear earplugs (not that I always remember, but most of the time I use 'em) or end up always going "huh? what?". My first guitar teacher took me to see this old guy who was ripping (forget his name now, but was murdering us with high end through a vintage tele into an old twin, fuck that was painfully bright ). This teacher also dialed things fairly bright but not extremely so, and was like "I guarantee you it doesn't sound as bright to him as it does to you."

 

[Nico]

Cables make a huge difference. Those who say otherwise are deaf or ignorant.

I like cable that restores all of the high end back to my tone. I use colossal cable because I like the conductive properties of silver cable for the crisp high end and added (revealed) harmonics.

For some amps, this is exactly what I want to do. But, for this particular amp, I am knocking it back down a few notches and finding the cheaper crap works better. Weird stuff huh?

Its just the way things were built. Same things go with amps and tubes.
Some amps don't need NOS tubes to sound great.