Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi, all:

Today, I dropped off my McGuinn RM 370-12 to my local guitar "guy" for restringing, etc. And, he told me that I should consider a new guitar cable that will really bring out the best sound-- George L's.

I must confess that I don't know much about guitar cables. I once paid $79 for a Monster Cable at Guitar Center. But, I never really heard any fantastic difference. And, many of my friends have claimed that there is NO BIG difference in sound quality. So-- for years, I have bought just about any cable!!!!

Does anyone have any insights?????

Thanks,

Karl

kvalois wrote:...I once paid $79 for a Monster Cable at Guitar Center...

Monster Cables are grossly overpriced garbage that make whatever you plug them into sound like a cat being fed through a meat grinder.

Karl,

Like you, I've used cheap cables over the years, under the assumption that the difference in sound quality is negligable. I highly recommend Live Wire cables, which are affordable and carry the same lifetime warrranty as the Monster Cable and Mugami. I've had absolutely no problems with mine.

Robert

Karl, I've used George-L cables for guitar-to-amp and pedalboard applications. Are they great? Yes. But be warned, they are dreadfully stiff and impracticle for stage use (unless you don't move much or played 100% seated). When stepped on they squeal like harpies.

For home and studio use I LOVE them. Very clean, crystalline sounds are achieved with the George-L's. Your sounds will be a little more three dimensional than with average cables (at least to my ears) with lots of upper mids and high end clarity.

This is a hotly debated subject however...

some interesting reading

http://lavacable.com/cable101.html

http://lavacable.com/TheTruthAboutGuitarCable.pdf

http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/49- ... r-08/34729

Wow!!!! A great start!!! Thanks everyone. And, I hope that many more members put in their two cents!

Karl

Hi, all:

I must add that Roger McGuinn himself just e-mailed me to say that, in his experience, there was no big difference in guitar cables!!!!! For many of us, that should be enough!!!!!!

I'm a big fan of Vox cables, especially the "vintage curly cable." It's been one of the most durable and reliable cables that I've ever used.

kvalois wrote:Hi, all:

I must add that Roger McGuinn himself just e-mailed me to say that, in his experience, there was no big difference in guitar cables!!!!! For many of us, that should be enough!!!!!!

Yup.....rather suspected that.
JimK

lennon211 wrote:I'm a big fan of Vox cables, especially the "vintage curly cable." It's been one of the most durable and reliable cables that I've ever used.

+1!! I have beat the living **** out of my two Vox curly cables for over two years worth of crazy gigs, rehearsals, recording sessions, you-name-it, and they are inexplicably still going strong! I never expected them to be this awesome.

I've been playing electric guitars since 1963 and frankly my dears, I have never heard a difference from one cable to another. I remember the days when the Grey color cables came in the case with guitars from Fender, Gretsch, and Rickenbacker, or you bought them at Radio Shack or through the Lafayette or Allied catalogs.

I am sure that there are better quality cables, in the sense of durability and better soldering jobs, but whether they produce better sound, that's debatable.

Remember in the 1980's when home stereo speaker cables became super thick claiming better sound? (as opposed to the thin cables supplied in the box by the stereo manufacturer?). Did anybody ever notice ANY difference? I sure didn't. In any case I did notice a lot more resistance...a certain "choking" of the signal, can't explain it, I'm no electronics expert. But better sound? nahh.

Ditto for guitar cables, you're just paying a whole lot more $$$ for a silly cable. Sorry to burst the Dream Machine guys!

Hey Zurdo, I've only been playing electric guitars for about a year and a half. And what you're saying has been my considered suspicion all along.
JimK

P.S. I'm beginning to wonder if this discussion continues whether it might be best moved out of the Byrds subforum, and into Forum 51--the Quest for Tone. The discussion seems to be drifting away from a Byrds related topic.
jrk

I'll put a little Byrds back into the thread--my 370-12RM has worked equally well with a variety of different make/price of cables.I prefer coily cords,easier for them to not get stepped on.

I've used George L cables for a while now but Noel is correct.... very stiff and they definitely don't like being trodden on. Keep those chicks with the stiletto heels well away from them or they're dead meat!

I have a 90' George L that I've used a few times for stepping on to the dance floor. Great fun but you can't help but be nervous about ruining a $120 cable!!

I would be more concerned with durability, I bought some of the Fender vintage cloth wrap cables and they only lasted a year so I may look into the Live Wires

tnelson wrote:I would be more concerned with durability, I bought some of the Fender vintage cloth wrap cables and they only lasted a year so I may look into the Live Wires

...but, they looked good.

Check out Whirlwind cables, I have been using their instrument cables since the mid '70s; in fact, I still have one from back then that works just like the day I bought it.