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Cables for FX

B

BassProle

Jul 2, 2007
47
0
#1
Alright dudes,

you seem to know your sh1t sooooo.....

does it really make much difference what cables I have connecting my pedals together in terms of their quality?

Also, im going from a tuner to overdrive to chorus to a limiter enhancer...theyre all in series and running through the fx loop on my amp...

anyone see any problems with this?

Cheers guys! :bassist:
 
#2
As per Spanky: PDASF (Please Do A Search First) There are a huge number of posts (and heated debates!) regarding cables in here and signal loss or line noise. Good places to start? George L's, Monster, Planet Waves, Bayou Cables.

IIRC most pedals don't like going through your effects loop. You might want to run them all before the amp.
 
#3
TheMutt said:
IIRC most pedals don't like going through your effects loop. You might want to run them all before the amp.
Click to expand...

+100

You're fairly new, aren't you? I'll spare you the flogging :D

At any rate... those pedals - and most others for that matter - don't belong in the Effects Loop. They'll be easily overdriven and overloaded in unpleasant ways. The pedals won't be harmed, but it won't sound pleasant.

The effects loop delivers a higher output than most effects pedals can handle... it's best reserved for rack effects. Run your pedals into the regular input of the amp for best results.

As for cables... once you get above the really cheap quality cables (i.e., Hosa), there isn't a difference in sound, IMHO. However, there is a difference in durability in customizability.

Most of us are either using decent-to-expensive patch cables, or we're using customizable cable kits like the ones made by George L's and Planet Waves.

Get whatever fits your budget, but try not to skimp on this one. It really isn't about the sound (because if you spent the extra dough, you're covered already)... it's about getting cables that won't fail or fall apart easily.
 
#7
planet waves (i've used them for a long time and can testify to their ROCKivity... they're fantastic.) or george l's (i've heard manymanyMANY good things about these) would be the way to go.

mogami cable (for the longer ones) is really kickass. so is planet waves.

i would avoid monster. they break far too frequently, in my experience.

by the way: mogami and planet waves both have the same lifetime warranty that monster has.
 
#10
BassProle said:
If I run the FX straight from Bass to Amp though, wont I get tone suck?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that, based on what little you told us about the pedals you're using, that they're all Boss pedals.

Yes, there will be some minor tone suck with those particular pedals, but it's to be expected. If you don't like it, you'll have to hunt down a different pedal to replace it. Placing them in the effects loop doesn't fix that problem; it just moves them to a place in the chain where they really shouldn't be. But if you don't mind getting unpleasant distortion from overloaded pedals, be my guest. :D

BassProle said:
I dont think the pedals have got a decent true bypass built in?
Click to expand...

It's either true bypass or it's not. In the case of Boss, it's buffered bypass; the signal passes through a buffer circuit when bypassed. Boss pedals don't have the best buffer circuits out there, but they're not too bad.

I recommend searching for some threads on true bypass and buffered bypass; both have their merits and problems. Neither one is perfect.

With only a few pedals in your collection, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
 
#12
I've been using a couple Planet Waves Cable Stations for about a year and a half and I've never had any issues with any of them.

I've also been using a couple 12 ft. Monster cables for about six years and I've never had any problems with those, either.

As long as you don't buy the cheapest crap out there, you should be alright. Most mid to high end cables will work very well and should be shielded enough to keep noise at bay.

Good luck.
 
#13
MonkeyWrench32 said:
A big thumbs up for LiveWire patch cables.
Click to expand...

mmhmm, you shop at GC don't you?

thats where I get all of mine, except for like 2 of them, one is a hosa, the other is some brand that I don't know what

also, all Hosa's aren't crap. if you get hosa, get the ones with metal ends and white covers on the ends

I also have two 25' Livewire cables for bass to pedalboard and pedalboard to amp, they have failed me, but I have repaired them, and they work great now
 
#18
BassProle said:
does it really make much difference what cables I have connecting my pedals together in terms of their quality?
Click to expand...

If by quality you mean sound quality or tone, no. Absolutely no difference. :hiding: Cables are cables and they just transmit electricity, not sound. Most cables for audio, whether the big brands or the small brands are all pretty much small gauges and offer little to no resistance as well, *especially* at the short distances you are using to connect between effects pedals.

Think about it this way - the "wire" or circuits on the boards inside your pedals are waaaaaayyyy smaller than the wire in your patch cables. Same for the insides of your preamp and power amp too :hiding:

If by quality you mean quality of construction - yes. Absolutely yes. All the various brands vary quite a bit in construction quality and long term durability. Spend what you can afford and try to buy good molded cables that are less prone to breakage on the ends. Some cables, like Monster, have free lifetime warranties too so that if you break them you get a free replacement.

BassProle said:
Also, im going from a tuner to overdrive to chorus to a limiter enhancer...theyre all in series and running through the fx loop on my amp...

anyone see any problems with this?
Click to expand...

YES! There is a problem with that. Most pedals are not built to handle the signal level from an effects output.

Also, speaking to your concerns of tone suckage - you still get tone suckage (probably worse) out of your effects loop... consider that your effects loop is a little 'break' in the wire from your preamp to your poweramp.

Plug 'em into the FRONT of your preamp for better signal quality and less tone suck.

My 2 cents. :cool:
 

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