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Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:57 am
by JonnyAngle
What's the consensus on instrument cables? I have been rolling my own patch cables and they don't have a problem withstanding abuse.
My instrument cables are another story
It seems like I get a few months out of them and then need to put new ends on them. Is it worth biting the bullet and getting Monster or something?
I don't have the capability to do strain relief jackets (I don't think). I don't have a heat gun. I've been using the cheap $2 jacks from BLMS fwiw.
I trip over the cables, my kids pull on them, they get beat pretty hard.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:06 pm
by tremolo3
JonnyAngle wrote:
Is it worth biting the bullet and getting Monster or something?
Don't...
But if you are giving up at least get those Fender branded ones from GC, never had a single failure with those before I started to make my own.
And yeah, I also had to fix mine after a few months of assembling them, compared to patch cables, which I've never had a single issue, not even with the MIDI ones. However, things got better after I used higher (as in more expensive really) Neutrik plugs.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:49 pm
by waltdogg
neutrik. that's pretty much the key. mogami and livewire and a few others use neutrik connectors and most of these brands are guaranteed for life. so fuck fixing your cable, just take it back to wherever you bought it and they'll give you a new one no questions asked really.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:01 pm
by K2000
Reverb has cheap ones, look at the bottom of their home page for "merchandise".
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:32 pm
by raj007
I've been using Spectraflex. Been good for me.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:31 pm
by drolo
+1 for neutrik plugs, been using them for years
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:37 pm
by whoismarykelly
Neutrik and G&H plugs are where its at. If you're breaking plugs that's the problem. The failure point should be the solder joint if anything and you just have to disassemble and reassemble the one broken end. Good strain relief helps but its good practice to never pull on the cable, always pull on the plug.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:39 pm
by Jwar
I'll look at the brand I have. It's a great cable but it cost me like 60 bucks. It was well worth it man. I think instrument cables are the one thing people don't invest in and they are extremely important. Your signal is better with better quality. Monster cables are highly overrated but they aren't junk. I have several monster cables and they are all super high quality. A lot of cables carry a lifetime warranty as well. So if you get one, make sure it's a company that will exist in 10 years. LOL!
Or just get a coily cable. That's what I want. YOLO.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:45 pm
by whoismarykelly
Avoid monster cables because they can't be repaired. The plugs are filled with hard plastic resin during manufacturing. A good cable should just have heat shrink over the contacts so if you need to repair it you can just cut off the plug, strip the end of the cable fresh, and resolder.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 6:05 pm
by cantremember
I picked up a couple rattlesnake cables when he had em on sale and I like them a lot. Very durable and they have nice neutrik plugs on em plus they have some gnarly braided cover or something over the entire cable. I was using monsters up till a few years ago when I had to take one back to guitar center but they no longer gave out replacements so I went with the rattlesnake.
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:12 pm
by JonnyAngle
The reverb merchandise cables are stoopid cheap
I bought some neutrik plugs. I'll roll my own one more time
It's not me that's abusing the cables. Where did these kids come from?
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:15 pm
by JonnyAngle
JonnyAngle wrote:The reverb merchandise cables are stoopid cheap
I bought some neutrik plugs. I'll roll my own one more time
It's not me that's abusing the cables. Where did these kids come from?
Like they drag my pedals by the cord
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:20 pm
by PeteeBee
Maybe it is the kids... I had never had one give out for years, now I've had three die recently. Only in the last year have they been in the impact zone of kids
Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:18 am
by jrfox92
Duct tape your kids to a ceiling, maybe then your cables will live longer.
PeteeBee wrote:Maybe it is the kids... I had never had one give out for years, now I've had three die recently.

Re: Instrument cables
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:26 am
by waltdogg
jrfox92 wrote:Duct tape your kids to a ceiling, maybe then your cables will live longer.
PeteeBee wrote:Maybe it is the kids... I had never had one give out for years, now I've had three die recently.

I just may sig that...
