Guitar Cables

[bubs_42]

So lets not make this too hard or over think it. But I asked myself this last night and I don't know the answer. Why am I using .155 George L's between all my pedals but running Monster Cable from my guitar to my pedalboard, pedalboard to the amp and amp to cabinet? The pedal board is getting a 2014 revamp. So i'm open to changes in a plan of attack for a consistant signal chain.

Guitar, Buffer, wah, tuner, OD, OD, Clean boost, Trem/Vibe, Delay, Amp.

[hamerhead]

Because you like expensive cables?

[tbonesullivan]

as long as you have the buffer, what comes after it is not as important, as it negates a lot of the effects of capacitance. that's what I've been told anyway.

[dragan]

like george Ls , not a fan of monster . I been using a pro co LGCSN-186 nice cable with an end that shuts off when unplugged ( and works well ) much like the high end mogami but less than 1/3 the cost.

[bubs_42]

Because you like expensive cables?

No where near the top of the market.

as long as you have the buffer, what comes after it is not as important, as it negates a lot of the effects of capacitance. that's what I've been told anyway.

Interesting point. Plenty of guitar players use this cable or that cable but what does it matter when the whole chain isn't "That" cable. I'm wanting to know if i'm getting it wrong or doing it wrong is some way. If not then great!

[dragan]

capacitve reactance is negligable on short cables & only works at very high frequencies anyway. also with a buffer & all the "boost " you use its probably not an issue unless your running like 100ft of cable to & from your pedal board. If it sounds good it is good ( isnt that someones slogan ?)

[murkat]

fixed.

Guitar, Buffer, tuner, OD, wah, Clean boost, OD, Trem/Vibe, Delay, Amp.

[bubs_42]

fixed.

Guitar, Buffer, tuner, OD, wah, Clean boost, OD, Trem/Vibe, Delay, Amp.

Relocation I can do, but why the Clean boost between the OD's? My thought process what that if i'm using and od as color change with minimal added gain, I wanted to boost the signal after the pedals instead of boosting it into the pedal.

[murkat]

boost the od, kick it in it's nads

an OD (ts9 type) in front of a wah..... oh so yummy.

[murkat]

OD / boost / OD

you have what you want, described, and then some, as I have described

[dragan]

boost into od "blooms" harmonic content of od?

[bubs_42]

boost into od "blooms" harmonic content of od?

I think of it as turning a SD59 into a Custom 5 sorta thing?

boost the od, kick it in it's nads

an OD (ts9 type) in front of a wah..... oh so yummy.

I'll try it when I get to the rebuild.

[murkat]

boost into od "blooms" harmonic content of od?

oh yeah

[bubs_42]

Well we learn something every day.

[tbonesullivan]

Here's a video with Pete Thorn and Thomas Nordegg where they demistify buffered pedals vs true bypass and also signal cord length. It's got some nifty EQ graphics:

[bubs_42]

That was a very simple way to put it all in perspective. I for one reason or another run 20ft to the board, into the Visual Sound Buffer, then into all true bypass pedals (Not Intentionally) and 20ft Back. I have stood there with a cable and strummed cords pull the cable and plugged in the board and it sounds damn close. All in all i'm pretty darn happy with what I have going, i'll try the Murkat pedal swap when I free up enough funds to buy the final 2 pieces of the chain.

Gotta Love the Pete Thorn Video's.

[RCM78]

Good quality buffers are the best way to preserve your signal but you dont necessarily need a seperate buffer if your pedals allready contain one. My signal chain is as follows:

Guitar > 20' Lava Blue Demon > Polytune > Koko Boost > EP Boost > 20' Lava Blue Demon > Bogner Ecstasy input > EFX Loop Send > 20' Lava Blue Demon > TC Nova System > 20' Lava Blue Demon > EFX Loop Return > 3' 16awg Speaker Cable > 2X12 cab with Vintage 30's.

The Koko provides a good buffer at the begining of my chain and the loop in the bogner is buffered. Even though I'm using what some consider good cable I do have 80' of it. The buffers preserve my signal and I cant hear one bit of difference when plugging straight into the amp vs through my board and the loop...

[django49]

At the risk of a dumb question.....I assume that as long as AT LEAST one pedal is buffered, I am good to go(?)

Second, I assume there is no negative (and probably no net positive either) if more than one pedal is buffered(?)

Finally, if there is a long cable AFTER the buffer (going to the amp) would that not tend to reintroduce some loss of frequency?

FWIW, I THINK I can tell the difference between high quality cables, with a caveat......Using a Lava coil (20-25 feet) vs a Lava 12 foot (Ultramafic or ELC). The latter are identified as having very low capacitance per foot, whereas they are not clear on the coiled variety (though, to be fair, the latter is twice as long). For purposes of this comparison, I plugged straight into the amp, with nothing but the one cord in between.

Inquiring minds want to know!

[bubs_42]

At the risk of a dumb question.....I assume that as long as AT LEAST one pedal is buffered, I am good to go(?)

Second, I assume there is no negative (and probably no net positive either) if more than one pedal is buffered(?)

Finally, if there is a long cable AFTER the buffer (going to the amp) would that not tend to reintroduce some loss of frequency?

FWIW, I THINK I can tell the difference between high quality cables, with a caveat......Using a Lava coil (20-25 feet) vs a Lava 12 foot (Ultramafic or ELC). The latter are identified as having very low capacitance per foot, whereas they are not clear on the coiled variety (though, to be fair, the latter is twice as long). For purposes of this comparison, I plugged straight into the amp, with nothing but the one cord in between.

Inquiring minds want to know!

#1 Yes

#2 Yes: I cannot look at work but on Youtube there is a video from Visual Sound Guys on this point.

#3 No that is what the buffer is for.

I do not buy into the whole expensive cable mojo BS but I do use a good quality cable.

[dragan]

I have a lot of "recomended " cables I've bought in the last few years . evidence audio ,mogami , monster ,klotz . George L s cable is the only one I could hear a difference in when using ( better high end ). However I found that after a year or so they have a mircophonic thing that happens , you can hear them moving around on the floor & slapping against it through the amp. so while I think its important to use good cable spending a bunch of money on cables is not necsessary . I use the Pro co cable because of the switched end it works really well and its handy as a precaution both live when swithing guitars & in the studio when recording direct ( I had a bass player blow a tweeter in the studio monitors when unplugging his guitar ). They're about $60, within my comfort zone for a good guitar cable .

[django49]

I know there is a lot of opinion over cables. I agree some are way over the top in regard to claims (AND price!). Key is to use something good.

Many years ago, a studio guy in LA with good ears (while selling me a Mesa Mk2C+ with EVM for $600, so consider his state of mind!) recommended "Lightning" cables sold by a small but upper end guitar shop in West LA. I bought some and another pro that I did some trading with (and took some lessons from-----Let's just say he was good enough to sit in with the Hellecasters when one of them could not make a gig) came over and tried them out. In his words, it was the proverbial "take the blanket off your speaker cab" moment and he went out to buy some......They were something like $40-50 IF one of their friends sent you.

Wanted to buy more, but have never been able to find them again. I was later impressed with the George Ls and more recently with some of the Lava products. The latter makes a range and some are pretty expensive. On the other hand, they frequently have direct sales (like around holidays) where they give 30% off. And sometimes contests where you can win a coupon for 40 or even 50% off........Which is when I added some to my stash. If you "friend them" you can get updates. Not sure how that makes their retailers feel......The Ultramafic is great----Retails for over $90 (12 FOOT!, but at half off......). The red, white and blue coil cord is cool-----NOW I gotta experiment with/without buffer as the frequency loss on the 25 foot (coil) was noticeable.

Anyway----A long winded way to say there are some great cable options that need not break the bank........Definitely better in all respects (IMO) that the $6.99 specials at Guitar Center!

[murkat]

mogami.

they go bad,

I just exchange for new.

good cable,

boards, hardwire GL's wire

[JohnnyThunders]

Tried a few back in the tone search days, bought like 3 or 4 from Lava Cable and the winner was vovoxx, sold the rest. It sounded markedly better. I've had it for 7 years, occasionaly use a DAM Red Rooster with a short piece of LYriC I think it is. But mostly straight in, don't like pedals.

[Gino]

I'm always quite confused about corksniffer cables. I still use 2 of the Whirlwind cables I purchased over 30 years ago - on both the plugs had to be replaced (instead of the fancy plastic plugs they came with they now sport old school Switchcraft plugs). They just don't die! Then I have a few cables I made myself aboz 25 years ago from bulk Belden cable and some Switchcraft and Neutrik plugs - same story: won't die...

But I do bear witness to the whole buffer business - night and day difference!

Now as to cables: Even if there is something about "high-end"-cables - after the buffer it doesn't matter at all, does it? As I understand, after the buffer, things are low-z, so cable capacities and all really don't matter.

[django49]

Appreciate the earlier response. Good excuse to pick up a Visual Sound volume pedal with built in buffer. May well negate the advantage of some more expensive cables. Guess I will see. But at least I better understand where I was going wrong.