best cable cheap

My favorite was around $40 I think? Pro-formance is the company and it has a lifetime warranty.

 

I still wouldnt buy the cheap ones with molded connectors. They lasted about 3 months for me, someone who just started learning to play. I couldn't imagine how short that would be for someone who actually uses them frequently. I'd much rather spend $10 or 15 on the Hosa cables I get from Amazon. So far, they've lasted 9 months without issue. I even took a couple apart(y cables) and made new cables out of them with my own connectors.

Someone here also did a comparison of cables and how they affected your tone, then gave them all away. IIRC, it may have been @The-Kid

Edit: yep. I believe it was. Here's one of his threads about the cables and testing.

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/cable-project-and-progress.535080/

 

Livewires

 

I didn't check to see if anyone posted this today, but Guitar Center has these for their "Daily Pick" today, four for $25. I got four of them a year or so ago and they have been very reliable. They're even long enough that you can cut a 30' into something like a 12' and an 18' if you get a couple 1/4" plugs and do a little soldering.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Musici...Cable-1-4-30-Ft-4-Pack-Black-1415030765350.gc

 

THIS ^^^^^

 

the best cheap cable is...

the one you don't have to replace.

I assembled my own.
Amphenol TS plugs @ less than $2. a pop, and Mogami cable @ ~$0.80 per foot. a little time and solder...bingo!

will last you a couple of decades.

I buy from these guys.
https://www.redco.com

 

Ooof... sorry to read this!

I'm a fair to poor plumber myself. Soldering is easier. Especially cables. One of the first things I worked on as a ~14 year old.

 

that sucks. the trick to plumbing solder is really clean copper, neatly fluxed joints and even heating with the torch.

now for the bad news; if you used electrical solder in a plumbing system you'll need to redo it with plumbing solder...
lead is not good for you.

glad to help.

and...electrical soldering is so much easier.

 

Mmmm cable.
on pedalboard I do "advocate snobbery" and exclusively use Evidence Audio solid core (SIS) and for instrument cable I typically buy off-the-shelf nowadays.
Why the disparity?

flexible cables from instrument to pedalboard and amp are usually exposed to more repeated stress and damage than the pedalboard. I learned through experience that making cable did not make it cheaper, nor did they last longer.

I used to make my own from twin core shielded belden cable (100m roll purchase). That way I could make TRS or TS cables without worrying about the cable I had, I simply had to keep the 1/4" plugs I needed. Later on I got a good price on a 100m roll of Canare 23AWG mic cable - this was some years ago when the belden stuff got too expensive.

One advantage the twin core shielded cable was that it allowed you to change/make up XLR/Neutrik/Speakon cables as required without any additional reconfiguration.

Belden stuff on the 100m roll was Silver plated copper, low capacitance, teflon coated mil spec connector cable. Canare mic cable wass bare copper 23awg and more flexible. Still have some of it, I use it for AV cables these days.

To be honest I noticed no difference between either. Any noise experienced almost invariably came from a poorly grounded / noisy device / amp.

I recently went looking for a cloth braided cable some months ago, and could not find a supplier... which included the alibaba / banggood suppliers in PRC.

Whoever is manufacturing the cloth braided instrument cables is keeping their presence elusive, as I have not been able to find a (quality/spec) supplier.

I wanted the cloth braided stuff for aesthetics only, not for any specific wear-and-tear related issue, although I do believe it provides some minor additional abrasion resistance and less friction on floor surfaces.

I quite like the Fender tweed cable and the DiMarzio cloth braided cables which I have purchased for guitars here, both are low capacitance and use switchcraft plugs. I have not had any issues with either of them to date. I also know they test fine up to 350MHz on my scope without any appreciable degradation in the 'useable frequency' domain. (25hz-20KHz). I do know that what goes on in the guitars pot cavity route is far more important than the 18 foot cable between the guitar and my pedal board.

I do believe there is a supreme amount of BS and hype surrounding cable. These days most off-the-shelf "audio-quality" cable from a reputable supplier is using OFC copper with lots of conductors and good shielding. The main point of contention seems to be the cable sheath. That sheath is really what determines how resilient and resistent to damage the cable is and it would seem that everyone is trying to cash-in on the differences in aesthetic moreso than the construction of the conductors or the type of conductor.

Bottom line is still the same - you get what you pay for, and it pays to be informed about your choices.

reputable brand with warranty is always a safe option - if not seeking the cheapest.

I do believe the silver plated copper cables I used years ago were "better" but they were not up to the abuse I extended to them.
I have changed a great many things since then and would not presume to make anything other than an anecdotal statement in regards to performance versus price... and given a fender tweed cable is about 70AUD for an 18' I classify that as a mildly expensive instrument cable.

I recall the DiMarzio braided cables as being similar price for same length, and no appreciable difference between the two other than the flexibility of the fender cable was far better. (less stiff). Sonically the differences are imperceptible.

I have a few planet waves 10' cables I use for keyboard and they have given me trouble, but at the price (free giveaways) there cannot be cause for complaint.

 

Cheap? HOSA off Ebay or maybe GC, Sam Ash, etc. Wire quality seems good, cover soft and flexible, they use Switchcraft knock off plugs, shrink-wrap stiffeners on connections.

Like others said, don't buy molded.

 

I don't believe there were results or at least none that were credible imo.

 

Ironically, I bought my "cheap" cables 15+ years ago when Guitar Center in my town had its grand opening. I bought four 20' cables at $5 each. Gold plated plugs.

ALL FOUR of them are still going strong after all that time, and three of them are my primary home cables, so they get used every single day (I have a Mogami and a Monster cable for my live electric rig with one of the GC specials as a backup, Planet Waves for my bass).

 

Whirlwind Leader works for me. I have one that had regular use for about 20 years with reasonable care taken.

 

Without a doubt, and the name is stupid and presumptive, but... WBC World's Best Cable, and I cringe just typing the name, but for the money I have yet to find a better cable. I also use Mogami for my middle of the road cable, but WBC uses Mogami cable and Neutrik connectors (not sure that is the tech name, but am thinking I may stick with WBC Cables almost exclusively around the studio. Best wishes. Oh... Re: Fender cables. I have found that the Deluxe and Professional cables are "okay" but I much prefer WBC.

 

There's a guy on UK ebay who makes up cables using Van Damme cable and Rean jacks crazy cheap. I can't find a link at the moment
Found it


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271929062644