What's your favorite instrument cable?

[Cave71]

Currently I use Klotz Kabels (German). A friend gave me some a few years ago and I like them. Good, high quality stuff. Haven't had the opportunity (or the need) to try anything else out recently.

[Boogie]

What connectors are the PRS cables sporting?

Ultimately, my key concern is the highest quality cable/connectors/assembly without paying for a name. The Mogami product is nice. Very nice, but you're paying for the name. George L's is the same way (my entire pedal board is done in George L's and love them). I also despise thick, stiff cables for going from the guitar and to the amp, which is why I prefer Canare. And considering that I have about 70' of cable in all, it has to be electrically superior. Add to that the amazing price of WAY less than $2/foot. With Neutrik X connectors.

[LSchefman]

+1 on Mogami.

Specifically the Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable. Kind of on the ludicrous expensive side as guitar cables go, but there is a difference that can be heard. It just has a bit more 'air' on top, more open somehow.

Years back when I had a full-on studio, Mogami actually sent us one for testing and we did a shoot out between that George L, and Monster, and like 5 other cables. The Mogami won out.

However, strangely, this extra bit of 'vibe' or whatever you want to call it, was very very difficult to record, but easy to hear/feel if you had the guitar in your hands. We kicked it up to 192k in ProTools (using 192 i/o clocked by an Apogee Big Ben) and you had to strain to hear it. Spent a lot time with different mics/pres everything and it always easier to hear it in the room and especially playing it.

So the conclusion was that spending the extra $$ was more from a player standpoint to get that little extra 'mojo' than it was anything that made a mega difference if you were gonna lay down some tracks.

(Also of note, this was before the advent / proliferation of PRS cables, and Lava, etc. so I'm interested to give these a whirl against the Mogami.)

Great post, and I agree completely.

My studio has been wired with Mogami for 20 years. Equipment, patchbays, instrument cables, mic cables.

For one thing, it sounds great, and it's also very flexible, especially the multipair snakes where you're running 8 or 16 channels in one cable. In that 20 year period, not one cable has gone bad. I know Ratchet has owned a large studio as well, and let's face it, when you're routing cables to and from 5-10 patchbays, you really don't want to be crawling around underneath your console or bay tracking down a bad wire. Everything's just gotta work.

So when Mogami came out with these pre-made guitar cables, I naturally wanted to try them, and I agree with the comments previously made by Ratchet.

However, that doesn't mean I won't try out the PRS cables and some of the other stuff out there. Just haven't gotten around to it yet!

There was a comment someone made above that with Mogami you're paying for a name. Well, not really; they are among the most flexible studio cables, they did pioneer some of the cable advances that other makers use, and they are one of the studio standards for a good reason. In fact, you can buy Mogami in bulk at very reasonable prices. If you have ever sat around trying to wire 500 patchbay channels with another cable, you would be very, very happy that you went with Mogami. Even the labeling on their multipair cables is brilliant.

Mogami is a company that earned that name recognition.

[Shawn@PRS]

PRS cable use Nuetrik jacks. We have regular and silent jacks, straight or right angle. They are probably the most tangle-free cables on the market

[Boogie]

For studio applications, especially low traffic areas, you are absolutely right. But since we're talking about guitar/instrument cables, IMO, the market is flooded with premium priced, pre-terminated cables. And yes, you're right about buying it in bulk and saving money, which is why I have my cables custom made. But the average guitarist is looking for reasonably priced, high quality cables for their rig, and $150 for 18' is not reasonable. Especially if you gig constantly and beat your cables up. There are cable brands that compete very well with Mogami for guitar applications, for much less $$$. PRS Is one.

Mogami, thoughvery good, earned their reputation for quality, not for value.

[gearhead]

I've been using Pro Cables N Sound (http://www.greatcables.us/)cables for a couple of years now and am very happy with them. Also use a few Lava cables, great stuff, and Mark is a great guy.

I haven't seen or heard of PRS cables, but I will have to hunt one down and give it a try. Thanks for the heads up on these.

[berto]

Lava... LOVE THEM

They made a noticeable difference in my tone. Totally worth the extra $15 over other high end cables.

[John Beef]

I had one for many years that I loved, had it so long that I forgot what brand it was. Then I was unpacking after a show and it wasn't in my equipment box. Damn! It sounded great and never, ever tangled. To make matters worse, the shop that carried them no longer exists.

So, I started looking for a new one, picked up a Fulltone 15 footer. So far so good, it's only been a few weeks, no gigs yet.

[justmund]

Well thanks to you enablers I just ordered 4 x 18ft PRS cables (because I use the 4CM with m7 Line 6 HD500).

It does make we wonder about the tone suck from the Line 6, and also the effect of using HQ cables in the effects loop of the amp, considering it's post-preamp...

Anyone?

[John Price]

Sommer Cable Grindycop Beast!

I also love the DiMarzio Cables.

[Danerada]

I use ProCo cables. I do use PRS Speaker cables though when using my Frenzel....

[Blackbird]

Sommer Cable Grindycop Beast!

I also love the DiMarzio Cables.

+1 for DiMarzio

[EricZ]

Lately I've been using a few different types of Lava Cables. Clear Connects and Blue Demons.

I also use some Evidence cables - a few I made, a few I bought.

I use Planet Waves solderless cables for my pedalboard.

I'll second the Evidence cables. Some can be pretty stiff so read the reviews to see what you can work with best.

[hippietim]

Lately I've been using a few different types of Lava Cables. Clear Connects and Blue Demons.

I also use some Evidence cables - a few I made, a few I bought.

I use Planet Waves solderless cables for my pedalboard.

I'll second the Evidence cables. Some can be pretty stiff so read the reviews to see what you can work with best.

I have some of the green ones (Lyric) and some blue ones (Melody). I got the Lyric's from a store that was not going to carry them anymore (they weren't selling) - so I got mine for less than half the going rate. The Melody's are all made by me so it was just the cost per foot for the cable which wasn't too bad.

I wouldn't by the Evidence stuff again. The green cables are far too stiff - just a PITA really. The Melody's are fine but not really worth it IMO.

If you're making your own cables I think Mogami is the way to go - very easy to strip and solder. Stuff like the Canare cable that has the interwoven shield is a hassle to deal with.

[justmund]

Courier just dropped off my PRS cables, I must say I'm impressed with the quality (as if anything with PRS written on it wouldn't be quality!), the cable feels nice and slinky and opening up one of the connectors reveals some very tidy cable finishing and soldering.

Looking forward to going home and A-Bing these babies, I reckon I'll use an A-B box, PRS cable common, A - PRS cable to amp, B - standard cable to amp. Roll on 4pm...

[crgtr]

RED Curley Bullet Cable!!!!!

[Brian Catron]

I am sure this is a silly question for most of you, but when using any sort of pedal board don't you lose some or all the benefit of fine cables unless every cable and connection is of the highest quality? What about the circuitry effect within any stompboxes? I have only seen Paul play through a single cable straight into the amp.

[LSchefman]

Courier just dropped off my PRS cables, I must say I'm impressed with the quality (as if anything with PRS written on it wouldn't be quality!), the cable feels nice and slinky and opening up one of the connectors reveals some very tidy cable finishing and soldering.

Looking forward to going home and A-Bing these babies, I reckon I'll use an A-B box, PRS cable common, A - PRS cable to amp, B - standard cable to amp. Roll on 4pm...

The A-B Box is fairly likely to eliminate some or all of the differences between the cables, since it adds its own resistance and capacitance. I'd simply do one at a time.

[slev]

I use ProCo cables. I do use PRS Speaker cables though when using my Frenzel....

Which ProCo and how do you like them?

[Jet Whitey]

PRS and Quantum for instrument cables.....Solid Cables for speaker cables. 400+ shows and not a failure!