# Coiled Cables - thoughts?



## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

After watching the PG interview with the guitar tech for The Black Keys I was thinking about picking up a coily cable. My thought was that it would stop me from treading on my cable on stage, a constant annoyance.

They seem pretty heavy though. Do they weigh you down?

They're not cheap and I don't really need another 15-20ft 1/4" cable if this doesn't do the trick.

Any experiences?


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## RobQ (May 29, 2008)

I used to use them when they were plentiful in the 70s and early 80s. They are a pain in the ass. For one thing, they tangle hopelessly with everything else in your cable bag. They have a much shorter life, IIRC. And there is more strain on the cable ends because more of their mass is hanging.

No thanks.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

RobQ said:


> I used to use them when they were plentiful in the 70s and early 80s. They are a pain in the ass. For one thing, they tangle hopelessly with everything else in your cable bag. They have a much shorter life, IIRC. And there is more strain on the cable ends because more of their mass is hanging.
> 
> No thanks.


I had a half & half cable--so I used the straight half to plug into my guitar and the coily at the amp--or the pedals

The half & half went bad before a straight cable I used even more.
Others' experiences may differ--this is just mine--but the tangling thing is also my experience.

So it's up to you to decide, but that's my input.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The curlies tend to have more cable capacitance than straights, partly because of the extra length involved, and partly because of the materials used. In some contexts, that curly=capacitance aspect can be strategically used to tame brittle top end in single-coils. In other contexts, it just sucks tone.

The half and halfs always struck me as a decent idea, since they strove to balance off convenience and tone. But never having used one, I can offer no testimony.

I think many of these cord/cable types would vary in usefulness with how much any of the given musicians in a gigging context moves around, including the person using the curly cord.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

I use one. I love it. I used to always step on my straight cables even though I just play on my in my house. how if i step on it, it does nothing. no worries. they're easy to put away. the weight doesn't bother me either, but that's more of a personal thing. I can see it bothering someone else.

i have a Lava and a Bullet. I like the Lava a lot more. i don't think I'd buy another Bullet. the jacket on the Bullet cables has too much friction and the coils are larger than I like.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

I love mine. It has hever gotten "tangled" with any of my other gear and is a snap to pack away after I'm finished. One of the best accessories I've bought!


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

I use a Traynor coily cable for gigging. 20' stretched out.I really like it for convenience and the looks(because it seems more rock and roll). I also liked to tame a bit of high end on my Liverpool. I've thought about trying different brands to see if others are a bit quieter. This one is not bad, but you can swing it and hit it against things and I do hear some crackle through the amp... but really nothing anyone would notice except a picky soundman for a different style of music. For instance, it is totally worth it to use for a live rock gig for me, but using it to play in church is not really worth it because the sound-guy gets really confused when it causes noise.

I'm interested to check out the Lava to have a spare. Any other good ones to recommend? Bullet no good then?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect one is likely to get the biggest thumbs-up on curly cables from folks who tend to plug directly into the amp and essentially stand in front of it, or at least in a bee-line from the amp to the mic or wherever they position themselves. In those circumstances it is like an automatically-adjusted cable that is as long as you need it to be without dragging all over the floor.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

nkjanssen said:


> I occasionally used a coiled cable back in the 80's when I was learning to play because it was all I had. As soon as I got a straight cable, I never went back. Couldn't figure out why anyone would want to use a coily cable out of choice. Way too much cable length, too heavy, they get tangled with other cables... I'm still not totally sure I understand. Apparantly some people like them, though.



once I went curly, I never went back to straight. my bullet cable tends to get caught up on other gear, but not my lava.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

mhammer said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect one is likely to get the biggest thumbs-up on curly cables from folks who tend to plug directly into the amp and essentially stand in front of it, or at least in a bee-line from the amp to the mic or wherever they position themselves. In those circumstances it is like an automatically-adjusted cable that is as long as you need it to be without dragging all over the floor.


Good point. If I am plugging into my pedalboard at my feet is a 20ft coily cable still going to collect on the ground underneath me? 

Another point to consider, why Am I spending so much time even thinking about it?! Perhaps I should just try a Lava cable and get on with it!


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

hardasmum said:


> Good point. If I am plugging into my pedalboard at my feet is a 20ft coily cable still going to collect on the ground underneath me?
> 
> Another point to consider, why Am I spending so much time even thinking about it?! Perhaps I should just try a Lava cable and get on with it!


when it's under no stress, it stays relatively coiled, even the part hanging off the guitar. the lava cables are 25' stretched I beleive, and not stretched they're not even 10' i can measure tonight when i get home.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

I still have the same coily from lava since almost 2 years...still a coily cable.

I love them for the style!


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I have the Bullet cable coily, I find it too heavy and I've stopped using it since I bought some Evidence Forte's and Melody's. They do look cool though.


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## RobQ (May 29, 2008)

Personally, when I wanna bleed off some highs, I reach for the tone knob!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

mhammer said:


> The half and halfs always struck me as a decent idea, since they strove to balance off convenience and tone. But never having used one, I can offer no testimony.


That was part of the reason I tried one.


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

*coughwirelesscough*

9kkhhd


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Brennan said:


> *coughwirelesscough*
> 
> 9kkhhd


I've always felt that a wireless rig was for my stadium gigs. Doesn't feel right in a club....to me anyway. Plus the cost of 9v batteries.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

To me, they're a thing of the past. But that's just me.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

keefsdad said:


> To me, they're a thing of the past. But that's just me.


Interesting point. I mean this as a conversation point so I hope it doesn't appear argumentative!

A few have mentioned that it's a "thing of the past" but isn't most of the gear we lust over antiquated? Tube amps, Germanium fuzz boxes and sixty year old guitars? 

Couldn't it be argued that the high end loss in coiled cables is part of the tone that many of us here lust for? Those of us that worship at the altar of Hendrix, Page and Clapton may achieve sonic nirvana by using a coily cable.

Or is it something best left in the past like ungrounded amps and tuning forks?


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Picked up a Lava Retro Coil on the way to rehearsal tonight (purple, only one they had left). 

So far I LOVE it. Neat and tidy. I can walk over to the mixer without fear of getting my cable all twisted on the floor. I don't find it heavy at all. 

Looking forward to using it at a couple of gigs coming up soon.

Thanks for all your feedback.


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## hummingway (Aug 4, 2011)

It's weird but reading this thread I was really struck how the experience could be so different across the years. The only thing I remember about curly cords is that they were inclined to failure and inconvenient and yet here we are at the end of the thread and you're quite happy with one.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

hummingway said:


> It's weird but reading this thread I was really struck how the experience could be so different across the years. The only thing I remember about curly cords is that they were inclined to failure and inconvenient and yet here we are at the end of the thread and you're quite happy with one.


I had the same impression, but I'm sure the quality of cables is better now than it was when I was using curly cords.

Since the 80s I've been wireless. I can't imagine using a cord now, but I know lots of guys feel there's an impact to tone.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Milkman said:


> hummingway said:
> 
> 
> > It's weird but reading this thread I was really struck how the experience could be so different across the years. The only thing I remember about curly cords is that they were inclined to failure and inconvenient and yet here we are at the end of the thread and you're quite happy with one.
> ...


My first electric guitar came with an old coily cord. That was nearly thirty years ago so I don't remember much about it. From what I do remember this Lava cable does seem higher quality. The jacks are high end and are assembled nicely with heat shrink for extra support. The cable sleeve/jacket (is this what it's called?) is definitely of better material and overall is thicker and heavier than my old cord.

I am speaking more of build quality of course. Fidelity wise I have yet to compare it to my straight cords. I haven't noticed any high end loss, I am playing through an AC30 clone which I find gets pretty bright anyway so I might welcome some treble loss.

Time will be the test though, I'll see how it holds up over some gigs.


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