# Best place to buy cables?



## Dr.StephanHeimer (May 1, 2006)

Hi guys.

I've had a couple of equipment failures at my last 2 gigs and i'm going to be doing some revamping of my rig and gear which is going to include some new cabling.

Looking for recommendation on where to get the best bang for my buck.


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

If you're talking just instrument cables the Studio One Cables from L&M are a little on the spendy side of things but they have a lifetime warranty. I have returned a few and they just exchange them no questions asked.


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## capnjim (Aug 19, 2011)

Chitmo said:


> I have returned a few


That doesn't sound like very good quality to me. Nothing worse than have a noisy crappy cable during a jam.
I am also trying to fond a good reliable cable as well.


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## Dr.StephanHeimer (May 1, 2006)

I'm going to be hitting up amazon for pedal connectors as they seem to have the best pricing I can find.


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## Fuzzy dagger (Jun 3, 2016)

L&M had 20' braided cables for a while. They were in a bin by the cash, like they weren't a stock item. I have one and it has been worry free. I went to get another one and they were out. I bought a studio one. Seems like a fairly heavy duty thing. I use two and I always keep a third in my kit. Even the best cables malfunction.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

For pedal interconnects, I bought some cheap cables with really cheap pancake right angle connectors. What a waste of money. They ended up being no end of problems. I also have some slightly less cheap molded ones that are still working after a decade or so. If you gig, there is no amount of savings that will justify troubleshooting a pedalboard while the rest of the band is tapping their foot, waiting for you to get your shit together.

I've since increased my stock of good Switchcraft 228 right angle pancake plugs and have made my own (had to interconnect 2 new pedalboards a decade ago). I have Switchcraft 228's from the 70s that are still working flawlessly, after being stepped on and tripped over and probably anything else you can imagine. I haven't had any intermittent pedalboard issues since.

But I did recently buy a few stereo cables off of Amazon for what I consider 'non critical' applications: they are used for my footswitch and don't carry audio. I can live without my footswitch for a night but a bad audio path is unacceptable. So far, those cables have worked fine. The quality of the right angle plug on the one end, although Asian, is far superior to the ones I bought a decade ago (they were complete crap).


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

capnjim said:


> That doesn't sound like very good quality to me. Nothing worse than have a noisy crappy cable during a jam.
> I am also trying to fond a good reliable cable as well.


Considerring the punishment some (most) musicians put their cables through, it's damn near inevitable - that's why we carry spares (like @Fuzzy dagger said). That's also why I don't use molded. As long as they use quality parts (they do - Amphenol connectors, which is my preference for 1/4 TS and TRS - yes, I prefer them to Neutrik) then there's hardly more one could expect (Yorkville's workmanship is not sloppy either). 

That said I have not used these in particular (I been rolling my own for years now), but if I were to buy a cable, Amphenol connectors AND lifetime warranty redeemable at any L&M; I know what my choice would be.


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

capnjim said:


> That doesn't sound like very good quality to me. Nothing worse than have a noisy crappy cable during a jam.
> I am also trying to fond a good reliable cable as well.


I returned one because a cat bit through it and the other was my own stupid fault putting a chair with steel legs on it and cutting through it... never had any actual failures from manufacturing issues!


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

Been using Planet Waves for years now -- also a great warranty but never have had to use it. I have the Custom Series version.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Were your cable failures by instrument cables, or on your pedalboard?

I'm a sucker for fancy schmancy instrument cables, particularly ones with silent plugs. But they're not cheap regardless of where you get them. Here's a run down from my experience. None have failed me.
1. Custom cables made by Mike Vegas at Nice Rack Canada.
2. Lava's Ultramafic and Retro Coils. Light weight and well made.
3. Divine Noise coils. Very heavy so I don't like them pulling on my guitar. I use them from pedalboard to amp.
4. Bullet coils. Ugly and heavy. My wife doesn't want to see them.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I really like the green Digiflex Tourflex cables. Not cheap.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Spectraflex make some good affordable cables.
The last ones I got though were within the forum when Scott was selling gear, a good while ago.

For pedalboard cables, check out EBS Flats.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

sulphur said:


> Spectraflex make some good affordable cables.
> The last ones I got though were within the forum when Scott was selling gear, a good while ago.
> 
> For pedalboard cables, check out EBS Flats.


EBS flats are amazing. I found them by accident a couple weeks ago on a visit to Cosmos music. I put together a very small compact pedal board so was looking for something just like that. Seem like really good quality. So far so good.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

Maybe it is time for another round of Mogami with @greco


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Hammerhands said:


> I really like the green Digiflex Tourflex cables. Not cheap.


I'm looking up the prices on these cables and they don't seem expensive to me.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

https://www.primecables.ca/c-3111-professional-audio-cables

All of the cables I bought from these guys have worked well for me and look like good quality cables. It's the only place I buy cables from now.


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## Judas68fr (Feb 5, 2013)

amagras said:


> Maybe it is time for another round of Mogami with @greco


I'd be in! @greco


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

@amagras and @Judas68fr 

Thanks for the vote of confidence! 

It is pleasing to know that the cables are holding up and being used. @Fox Rox also told me recently that he like the cables I made for him.

Unfortunately, my plate too full at the moment to take on a project of this nature. 

If anyone else wants to make up some cables with Mogami, please PM me and I will provide (likely a bit outdated by now) all the information I can to assist. You need buy at least 200 feet (61 meters) or more to get a decent price/unit length.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> I'm looking up the prices on these cables and they don't seem expensive to me.


OK, what's expensive to you? When I was first buying them they were less than a dollar a foot, but they are more than twice that now.

The blue Studioflex ones are even better. I think they used to make the green ones with Canare GS-6, but that's only on the blue ones now.

They used to have the bigger Neutrik NP2C ends that I like, I think you can still get them, but the catalogue has the skinny NP2X plugs.

I've been pretty resolute to make my own cables, but the price of GS-6 cable, and generally the convenience of gettimg something done well, keeps me from doing it. I'm pretty sure you can get very good at it pretty quickly.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

greco said:


> @amagras and @Judas68fr
> 
> Thanks for the vote of confidence!
> 
> ...


Well if Greco is bowing out, I've got a km or 2 of Gotham GAC-1 guitar cable (black) and black Amphenol M series jacks - mostly straight but some r angle. No gold; waste of money (rubs off after a while with repeat insertions). The Gotham is every bit as good as the Mogami but much cheaper; in some ways maybe better (double Reussen shield is better at EMI rejection; a conductive PVC layer over the center conductor's insulation allows any static build up from movement to leak to the shield and be grounded before it has any harmful effects such as microphonic pops and clicks - that's out of their prod lit; never had a problem with pops and clicks with any cable as far as I recall, but I have always used the shortest cables possible, which also helps). Well respected in both guitar and HiFi circles. I have built a few things for folks around here.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Hammerhands said:


> OK, what's expensive to you? When I was first buying them they were less than a dollar a foot, but they are more than twice that now.
> 
> The yellow Studioflex ones are even better. I think they used to make the green ones with Canare GS-6, but that's only on the yellow ones now.
> 
> ...


I'm finding Digiflex guitar cables for about $25 for 10'. I searched digiflex tourflex as you had mentioned but all that comes up is rca ends. Dimarzio is about $50 for 1o'. Evidence is $188 for 15'. I would consider Evidence very expensive and Dimarzio getting on the high side. I would consider the Digiflex price an average good price if they're decent cables. Right now I'm using a Fender custom shop cable for guitar and a Mogami Platinum for amp to pedal board. I'm looking around for something a little better then I'll put those 2 cables in my bag for backup. I want a 10' for guitar and a 15' for amp and don't want to pay anymore than $150 for both all in. Looking for the lowest capacitance I can find. I'm going to check if zerocap falls in to my budget.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

Wrapping your cables.

When I was a teenager, a friend showed me how he wrapped his cables around his arm, then folded that in half. Presto, it was done. Teenagers are stupid, don't ever do that.

I was taught, by threat, by a guy with some very old cables to never to wrap them like that. Don't stretch them. Hold the cable with one hand and make nice even loops, try not to overlap the loops.

Ziploc bags are really cheap, and if you put your cables in them, they will not tangle. There's a pretty good scientific understanding about why cables knot and tangle, and pretty much any cable over 2 feet long is going to do that.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Fuzzy dagger said:


> L&M had 20' braided cables for a while. They were in a bin by the cash, like they weren't a stock item. I have one and it has been worry free. I went to get another one and they were out. I bought a studio one. Seems like a fairly heavy duty thing. I use two and I always keep a third in my kit. Even the best cables malfunction.


i have one of those, and it's pretty old (for me) it's about 4 yrs old, and still works just fine.



Hammerhands said:


> Wrapping your cables.
> 
> When I was a teenager, a friend showed me how he wrapped his cables around his arm, then folded that in half. Presto, it was done. Teenagers are stupid, don't ever do that.
> 
> ...


and best of all, they won't get stale! hahahaha


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> I'm finding Digiflex guitar cables for about $25 for 10'. I searched digiflex tourflex as you had mentioned but all that comes up is rca ends.


They have them at Best Buy, Cosmo, Henry's.

I used to buy them at Gordon Price/Mother's Music, now I get them at one of the local music stores. They also have them at the local electronics store that used to be Active123, a repair shop, and Oakwood Audio.

I think they are from Montreal, the website is sfm.ca.

On websites, they may not be listed as tourflex, the product codes are:
HPP - Performance
NPP - Tourflex
NPP-D1 - Studioflex, but not the GS-6 ones
CPP - Studioflex, GS-6

Products

My feeling about them is that they used to make really, really good cables, now they make pretty good cables. But the Studioflex ones are probably really, really good.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

The Studioflex ones are blue, not yellow...must edit everything..,

I think they used to be yellow or white. Oh, well.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm reading good things about Planet Waves American Stage but I can't find exactly what I want with them. I want a 3 foot speaker cable for my head to cabinet in right angle to right angle, a 10 or 15 foot guitar cable from amp to pedal board in right angle to right angle and a 10 foot guitar cable from guitar to pedal board, right angle to straight. Right angle to straight is all I can find.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Hammerhands said:


> Wrapping your cables.
> 
> When I was a teenager, a friend showed me how he wrapped his cables around his arm, then folded that in half. Presto, it was done. Teenagers are stupid, don't ever do that.
> 
> ...


Don't forget the bit about the finger roll to prevent twisting! Cheaper and better than ziplocks are velcro cable ties (better cause they don't wear and need replacing and you don't loose them at gigs cuz they're attached). I have those too FYI (2 sizes, both black).









Anyway - if you wanna roll yer own I can link you with the parts. 

Also, it's amazing to me how most of us (before the internet anyway) learned how to wrap cables properly in exactly the same way - some older tech dude freaking out at the old wrist-elbow technique.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

What's the finger roll?


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## Analogman (Oct 3, 2012)

I rewired my board last year with Evidence Audio cables...they’re super expensive but IMHO totally worth it! I used planet waves before but had a lot of issues, seemed like I was spending more time trying to find the bad cable in my signal chain then actually playing...plus they’re bulky.


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## Analogman (Oct 3, 2012)

Lava cables are pretty good too


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Hammerhands said:


> What's the finger roll?


How you twist the cable counter to the direction it wants to buckle with each loop. You gotta be doing that or your rolls wouldn't be so neat in the pic above.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

I use Lava cables for my pedal board and use a Line 6 G30 wireless from the guitar to the pedal board. My back-up cable is the one that Dave (Greco) made for me. I also have another Mogami which I also got from someone here on the forum a while back maybe at least 10 years now. But I always use my wireless whether I'm rehearsing with the band or playing in a gig.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Hammerhands said:


> What's the finger roll?


If you do it right, you should be able to hang on to one end and toss a cable, it unspools completely and lays flat on the ground,






There are other youtube vids that may be better, I just grabbed the shortest one. Also referred to as the over/under wrap.


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## Vally (Aug 18, 2016)

Guitar101 said:


> https://www.primecables.ca/c-3111-professional-audio-cables
> 
> All of the cables I bought from these guys have worked well for me and look like good quality cables. It's the only place I buy cables from now.


The cables also come with life time warranty. I have some, so far so good and great price


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Chito said:


> I use Lava cables for my pedal board and use a Line 6 G30 wireless from the guitar to the pedal board. My back-up cable is the one that Dave (Greco) made for me. I also have another Mogami which I also got from someone here on the forum a while back maybe at least 10 years now. But I always use my wireless whether I'm rehearsing with the band or playing in a gig.


I've resisted wireless all my life but I'm wondering if its something I should consider. I'm not sure I would benefit from it much as I really don't have a lot of opportunity to wander too far from my pedal board anyway. So I have a couple questions.
#1. Even if you are standing pretty much always infront of your mic do you find it liberating to be wireless. Or is it pointless if you aren't going to wander around the stage and bar?
#2. How is your tone affected? Is it different than when cabled?


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I've resisted wireless all my life but I'm wondering if its something I should consider. I'm not sure I would benefit from it much as I really don't have a lot of opportunity to wander too far from my pedal board anyway. So I have a couple questions.
> #1. Even if you are standing pretty much always infront of your mic do you find it liberating to be wireless. Or is it pointless if you aren't going to wander around the stage and bar?
> #2. How is your tone affected? Is it different than when cabled?


#1 Yes I do. I even use it when I"m practicing with the band. Allows me to move around the studio without worry of being 'entangled'. I actually miss it when I don't use it.
#2 The Line 6 Gxx wireless are one of the most transparent that I have had over the years. I also don't experience drop outs or pretty much any issue with it. My g30 also has an option to change the 'tone' if you want it to sound like you are going through a cable. It's got 3 options. The downside for me are the batteries. Mine lasts about 6 hours. The newer G10 though is rechargeable.

Wireless has gone a long way since. Much better than before.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I was returning Planet Wave cables for replacements , this was awhile back , maybe A year or so, but at some point there had been a change in Quaility , the cables I was getting back where so much better then what I sent away...The new cables have been great, no problems and how can you beat a life time warranty , and no need for receipts ...So I buy on line as L&M do not stock planet wave ..They of course stock mostly Yorkville...and if they do go bad I just take them to the store, no need to spend money on shipping ...


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)

Finger roll works for hoses and extension cords too.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

I was very impressed with this outfit:

https://www.primecables.ca/?gclid=C...zxaV8GZD4ADOv80Mk7G_iBTIe3DKBZpRoC57QQAvD_BwE 

I bought some hard-to-find items as well as some standard stuff. Prices were so low, that the high quality was a great surprise.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

KapnKrunch said:


> I was very impressed with this outfit:


Appears to have excellent specs ...
https://www.primecables.ca/p-312902...g-audio-cable-gold-plated-primecables#reviews


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

greco said:


> Appears to have excellent specs ...
> https://www.primecables.ca/p-312902...g-audio-cable-gold-plated-primecables#reviews


just had a quick peek at the web site and if you assume those are Canadian prices, they are fantastic value.
All you would have to worry about is quality...
Certainly worth an order to see what your getting.
G.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

GTmaker said:


> Certainly worth an order to see what your getting.


See @KapnKrunch 's comment in post #39


KapnKrunch said:


> I bought some hard-to-find items as well as some standard stuff. Prices were so low, that *the high quality was a great surprise.*


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

greco said:


> Appears to have excellent specs ...
> https://www.primecables.ca/p-312902...g-audio-cable-gold-plated-primecables#reviews


Did you see anywhere that it mentions capacitance? As well what is better for a guitar cable? A higher AWG number or a lower AWG number?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> Did you see anywhere that it mentions capacitance?


 No...but I'm curious about that also.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

High/Deaf said:


> If you do it right, you should be able to hang on to one end and toss a cable, it unspools completely and lays flat on the ground,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


One quick thing I'll mention. I'm a lefy as far as holding a bat, stick, etc, and I find doing this method the exact opposite easier. So I'm basically hold the end in the left hand towards me (instead of away from me like he does) and reversing his rolls. Both ways are exactly the same end result though.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Hammerhands said:


> Wrapping your cables.
> 
> When I was a teenager, a friend showed me how he wrapped his cables around his arm, then folded that in half. Presto, it was done. Teenagers are stupid, don't ever do that.
> 
> ...


DITTO! Never wrap on your arm! And Ziplocs are the easiest "ties".


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Guitar101 said:


> https://www.primecables.ca/c-3111-professional-audio-cables
> 
> All of the cables I bought from these guys have worked well for me and look like good quality cables. It's the only place I buy cables from now.


DITTO! Sorry, HH, musta missed your earlier post endorsing PrimeCables...


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

Granny Gremlin said:


> Cheaper and better than ziplocks are velcro cable ties


I bought some black Velcro cable ties from Lee Valley a while ago, I finally put them on some cables last night. The 8" ones I got are a little too long but they work great, although I guess I can cut them. You can get shorter thinner ones but only in purple. The last couple of cables I bought from Digiflex had Digiflex branded Velcro ties on them.



https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/home/electronics/cables/51955-velcro-brand-cable-ties?item=EA172












Another use I’ve found for Ziploc bags is to put everything for one project in one bag.


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## Vally (Aug 18, 2016)

Dr.StephanHeimer said:


> I'm going to be hitting up amazon for pedal connectors as they seem to have the best pricing I can find.


I ordered the Earnie ball flat ribbon cables on Amazon. Minimal space required


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

True story: I bought a single 50ft Whilrwind cable sometime in 1987/88 along with several US made 1/4" regular & right-angle jack ends (Chinese product infiltration wasn't nearly as invasive as it is now). I cut it up and made 15', 10', 3', 1' and 0.5' cables out of that one 50' cable.

I still use all of them today: no crackle, no cable memory, all still perfectly functioning. Funny how their reliability makes you never really think of them,. For me, these cables are just always there and working.


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