Guitar cables...the more expensive the better? Experience?

[Razorblade_beat]

hey guys, I'm in the market for a new guitar cable, not patch cables, anyone use lava or other higher end ones? Think they make the difference for the money?

[JackGriffiths]

After asking the very same question not so long ago, I've come to realise that with guitar cables, the tone is 95% about capacitance. The longer a cable is, the more capacitance it will have and the more high end it will chop of your signal. The high frequencies are the only frequencies audibly affected, but you will notice the difference between a cheap, typically high capacitance cable and a well made, low capacitance cable, particularly one of short length.

That being said, if you buy an expensive cable like a Mogami or Monster, then you will probably notice a little bit of difference, but that might be because you're listening with your eyes and not your ears, and your wallet is on its knees begging you to notice a difference.

I now use Van Damme cables - I noticed an instant improvement in clarity from my Planet Waves. They also use Neutrik jacks which are, as far as I'm concerned, the best you can get for a guitar cable.

Have a look on eBay, they're not too expensive. Plus, you can order a variety of colours and jack ends, and it's the colour of a cable, as we all know, that makes the true difference.

Jack

[monquixote]

The main difference with medium priced cables over cheap is how long they last. The main difference between medium priced and expensive is how gullible you are.

Buy Kabl stuff. You can spend a hundred times the price and you won't get any better.

People freak out about trying to get rid of cable capacitance when even the most expensive cables have it and most people actually like the sound of it.

The Line6 wireless has a cable capacitance simulator in it because people don't like the sound without.

[Razorblade_beat]

Thanks for the input! Anyone else? I've been looking at the lava magma...funny thing is I've used the same cable I got 18 years ago when I first started playing, whirlwind the leader. Never let me down yet! Just I need a right angle plug : (

[RolandG]

Have a look at Justin Sandercoe's website. He has recently done a blind test of half a dozen different cables. Cheap cables tend to be noisy, and don't last very long. Very expensive cables may be worth using in a recording studio, but not in normal life. My recommendation is to make your own from mic cable and Neutrik plugs, or if you don't fancy that then buy them from Kabl.

[Bidley]

Go Kabl, you won't be disappointed.

[JackGriffiths]

Just I need a right angle plug : (

If you've got a little bit of soldering skill, I'd suggest just buying a right angled Neutrik jack for a couple of £, clip the current jack off, strip the cable back and solder it to the new jack. There're some great demonstration videos online, like this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smg68...eature=mh_lolz

Jack

[Razorblade_beat]

Cheers for the info guys!!