The Truth About Guitar Cords

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Yeah, some people say that a simple cable cannot make a difference. A higher quality cable can make all the difference in the world, and truly is the final piece of the puzzle.
 
Never heard a guitar player say cords don't make a difference.

I think 99% of us just don't care. Buy a good quality cord and done. I see people paying $500 for a 10' cable. They're idiots. :yes:
 
People make a huge fuss about guitar cords, but the fact of the matter is, if you're using a buffer 1st in line on your pedalboard, then the only cable that REALLY will make a difference is the one from your guitar > buffer.

Everything after that, the whole capacitance measurements are kinda negated, since the buffer is driving them with a strong, low-impedence signal. As long as it's relatively high quality and not total garbage (i.e. noisy), will work fine.

I'm not saying "go use radio shack crap cables". But I'm saying if you have a 30 foot, $200 XYZ brand cable made of titanium dipped in unicorn nutsack sweat AFTER your buffer, you've wasted your money.
 
I've read articles on both sides of the fence, always backed with "science", and I'm not convinced about anything. I've compared a handful of cable companies, some sounded the same, but others like Planet Waves verse Mogami, there was definitely more presence and highs with Mogami. I'll let my ears do the "science" instead, even though I can't explain why this cable sounds better than that... hell, maybe it's all a placebo effect, but at least I'm content with the purchase.
 
And yet there are those who say that using a guitar cable is just a bad idea, as a cable is just an antenna for noise and degrades your signal. Instead, you should be slamming the front of your amp with a high-quality wireless signal.

I do have to say that I DO seem to get better tone using a high-quality wireless. Who knows?
 
I get a laugh out of guys that spend thousands on boutique guitars and amps, effects, etc and then refuse to sink a little money into decent cables, because they're "just cables". Like buying a Ferrari and putting donuts on it. Yes, cables do matter!

You don't have to go crazy and buy Aeon Flux resin unicorn hair core, titanium oxide transfer spec, but get something good. :lol: :LOL:
 
The difference between a good cable and a very good cable is usually somewhat noticeable.

The difference between a good cable and a bad cable can be night and day.
 
Some seem to go overboard about it, it's just one EQ source in a chain of sources. :lol: :LOL:

Diminishing returns applies imo.
 
Evidence Audio Cable makes a noticeable difference - even over Mogami.....
 
RockStarNick":2e91qson said:
People make a huge fuss about guitar cords, but the fact of the matter is, if you're using a buffer 1st in line on your pedalboard, then the only cable that REALLY will make a difference is the one from your guitar > buffer.

Everything after that, the whole capacitance measurements are kinda negated, since the buffer is driving them with a strong, low-impedence signal. As long as it's relatively high quality and not total garbage (i.e. noisy), will work fine.

I'm not saying "go use radio shack crap cables". But I'm saying if you have a 30 foot, $200 XYZ brand cable made of titanium dipped in unicorn nutsack sweat AFTER your buffer, you've wasted your money.
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Yea, but not all buffers are the same and for some sinking a bunch of money on a Cornish buffer may not be for everyone. I'd rather not use em at all.
 
Lester - very true. Some people don't like buffers.

For me, I use Canare cables for all my pedalboard routing, and board > amp cables. Durable, sounds good, low noise. For me, they're a great cable, that can be made for a good price.

Still, if you have 20' of cable, a board filled with TB effects, and then 20' more of cable out to your amp, you WILL get treble-loss.
 
Badronald":2nbye6iz said:
Never heard a guitar player say cords don't make a difference.

I think 99% of us just don't care. Buy a good quality cord and done. I see people paying $500 for a 10' cable. They're idiots. :yes:
Click to expand...
:lol: :LOL:

I guess if all you do is sit and play alone with your eyebrows furrowed and ears cocked listening for very tiny undesirables in your tone, then expensive cables are for you.

I went down that road with Evidence Audio Lyric cables 10 years ago, just to see what they were all about.
They sounded a little brighter compared to the cheapo cables, but the handling noise was actually horrible, and the solid core made them so awkward to use live as they weren't very flexible. There is a very slight difference in sound but that difference is absolutely gone when turned up in the mix with a band.

I'm fine with a good quality cable...could care less about the really expensive ones.
 
I will say, that when I moved to the Gepco cable. It made a very considerable difference. My volume pots roll back with better results now, and the top end seems to come through much nicer.
 
I think the effect of cables like a lot of things gets over played on the forums. For the young guitarist just starting out, a nice cable is one of the last things they need to worry about. Even for me, for the first 5 years I was playing guitar, quality cables were lost on me and my rig. Only after I got to a certain point with knowing what I like in amps and guitars did Cables enter in.

So yes I think cables make a significant difference and I found the article as good info, but I think people go a little nuts on cables. I go with Canare or proCo cables that I put the ends on and I have been happy. I haven't tried the higher end stuff though. I do adhere to the keep the cables as short as possible. At a gig I bring sets of 6ft, 10ft, 15ft, 20ft and will use the shortest I can get away with, within reason of course....
 
PeteLaramee":2jzww70q said:
The difference between a good cable and a very good cable is usually somewhat noticeable.

The difference between a good cable and a bad cable can be night and day.
Click to expand...


Completely agree. I've heard with my own ears. :yes:
 
There's definitely a difference between cables; now, whether you like what an expensive cable does or not, is a whole different deal. :D

I'm lucky, I usually prefer the cheap ones :lol: :LOL:
 
I would use monster pro cables all the time thinking it was the best $100 cable exclusively. That was until my german shepherd bit the cable into 3 pieces with one bite. After that I was forced to resort to building my own to avoid enduring the potential financial burden with this dog again. I will say I'll never buy another manufactured cable again.

+1 on the Gepco XB20UB cable.
 
Cabling arguments fail the weakest link tests miserably. Unscrew the cover on the back of your guitar, and take a guess at how much that wiring from your pickups to pots cost.

Same goes for home audio buffs. :)
 
I can sound just as bad with a $300 cable as I can with a $30 cable, but I have more money for beer
 
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