Looking for a high quality instrument cable thats supple and light.

[Thunderthumbs73]

I use Rattlesnake cables. While I appreciate the toughness of them, I do have two issues with them. One, they are not supple and they are heavy. When you plug it into a pedal box thats on a table, it will lift the pedal box up due to how stiff it is. Secondly, the sleeve that it comes with, while tough, is seriously abrasive. I don't gig, only play at home. I would like a cable thats high quality, supple and light. I don't need super protection as the cables just sit on a carpet and I'm not gigging. I don't mind paying fr quality as long as the value is there. I have looked at the thread regarding cables, but i'm hoping to get some general recommendations with my specific needs in mind. Thanks!

It's not the answer you're looking for, but for playing at home, almost any halfway decent cable will do. I've had some for 15+ years that were in the $10 range (and probably still are), and those are still working perfectly fine and sounding good with absolutely no issues or reason to replace them whatsoever. THIS is value: The combination of Inexpensive, good and lasts.

I've only had ONE inexpensive cable go bad, and that was a gig where I was wearing biker boots, and there was a hard floor, and I crushed the sheathing with my weight, boot sole stiffness, and bandstand surface. If any one of those three details had been different, I'm pretty confident I'd still be using that cable today. AKA- it was the fault of my judgement and accident, rather than some inherent flaw of the cable due to its inexpensive price.

But you do you...

 

[sacahill42]

I have three custom 15' instrument cables and a dozen patch cables from Lucid Audio Project:

Quality Guitar Cables Handmade in the USA

Quality cables handmade in the USA for guitars, instruments, mics, pedal boards, studios, IEMs, wireless, Line 6, Shure, Sennheiser by Lucid Audio Project.

lucidaudioproject.com

Going on ~ 10 yrs with them and no issues whatsoever. IME excellent customer service as well.

 

[Ralph Manak]

Audiopile, good value: Audiopile, LLC - Audiopile Pro Audio / EWI Cables and Cases

 

[avi]

I have a worlds best cable (wbc) off Amazon. Mogami cable with Nuetrik ends. What's not to like? Stay away from Monster cables. They eat barrel jacks.

 

[FugaziBomb]

Slow down there partner. Different cable is different. Consider inductance, resistance, capacitance, reactance at audio frequencies, insulation characteristics (stiffness, durability, max voltage rating, etc.). There are many books written on the engineering of cable.

But I think I get what you're saying - that pretty much any decent audio cable should technically work fine for guitar use.

Instrument cable is cable is cable. Sometimes I feel like I've accidentally stumbled onto TalkSemantics when I'm here

 

[Rojd]

I use Rattlesnake cables. While I appreciate the toughness of them, I do have two issues with them. One, they are not supple and they are heavy. When you plug it into a pedal box thats on a table, it will lift the pedal box up due to how stiff it is. Secondly, the sleeve that it comes with, while tough, is seriously abrasive.

I have a number of rattlesnake instrument & patch cables, but I stopped buying them for the reasons you mentioned. I find they're too stiff and unforgiving, especially the patch cables. I've had them push pedals apart and lift pedals up.

I've been buying ProCo cables from Sweetwater and EBS flat patch cables instead. They're very flexible and forgiving.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...llines-instrument-cable-10-foot-angled-angled

https://www.sweetwater.com/c1221--E...11048db80dbe087797&_index=production_products

 

[bucephylus]

I’ve been using Spectraflex Baldee cables for the past 10 years or so. No complaints. Pretty well match the OP description.

https://www.amazon.com/Spectraflex-Baldee-Right-Angle-Instrument/dp/B001RNHFKM/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rI5_A4I9I49wGJp9eMsxNgQIcKLW8hUULxYtlMgyGiRBbwKXlrIIR-nWmQ9ekf4i3yEdryIwqR-r5YHj8v9ghg0CEpHkOtcxpTqZ8PvarjQ.xIdy1LmRzG_aWBjaoR8XsuiMGVk9vohX0qakx8X6E2g&dib_tag=se&keywords=Spectraflex+baldee&qid=1738441524&sr=8-3

 

[Jhass]

I use Rattlesnake cables. While I appreciate the toughness of them, I do have two issues with them. One, they are not supple and they are heavy. When you plug it into a pedal box thats on a table, it will lift the pedal box up due to how stiff it is. Secondly, the sleeve that it comes with, while tough, is seriously abrasive. I don't gig, only play at home. I would like a cable thats high quality, supple and light. I don't need super protection as the cables just sit on a carpet and I'm not gigging. I don't mind paying fr quality as long as the value is there. I have looked at the thread regarding cables, but i'm hoping to get some general recommendations with my specific needs in mind. Thanks!

Rattlesnake will happily make you a cable without the woven outer sleeve. You will get a lighter, suppler cable with all the awesome Rattlesnake build quality and great customer service.

 

[deadline_]

The flexible ones from Ernie Ball are super.

 

[steelbed45]

I use Mogami with G & H plugs like others here. (W2524 to be exact.)

The one cable Mogami makes that lacks the flexibility is their platinum. I have one and it's a bit stiffer.

 

[luckydawgg169]

Common sense would tell you to anchor the pedals better rather than looking for a lightweight cable, which just seems like an over complicated solution to a problem

 

[songwriter21]

Had a mogami patch cable and after not using it for 2 years the plastic shell around the leads crumbled off. Not buying those again.

Agreed. Especially for the price, Mogami are garbage.

 

[Tony G]

If you want supple and light, look no further than the Ernie Ball Flex cable:

Amazon.com: Ernie Ball Flex Instrument Cable Straight/Straight 20ft - Black (P06435) : Musical Instruments

Buy Ernie Ball Flex Instrument Cable Straight/Straight 20ft - Black (P06435): Instrument Cables - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Flex Instrument Cables

Ernie Ball Flex cables feature a quality design made with reliable components that are built to last. This single conductor design provides crystal, clear tone, and extra flex for easy coiling. Flex cables utilize 95% shielding to reject unwanted noise and preserve your signal, and the durable...

www.ernieball.com

 

[eadg98005]

I have never experienced a better built, cable, better responsive customer service, or better cable value than...Rattlesnake Cable.

 

[Aidenn7]

so you are looking for the thinner cable gauge and smaller jacks. I would stay at 20 ft max. plus I'd get a buffer thru junction box and screw it to your board.. if that jack breaks it's easy to fix then a pedal.. or just just go wireless with the cable extension on the instrument side. looks nicer and the wireless is hidden in the strap by a black pouch.

 

[Bodhi46]

Common sense would tell you to anchor the pedals better rather than looking for a lightweight cable, which just seems like an over complicated solution to a problem

My pedals sit on my desk, and I swap them out a lot. Having a large stiff cable, which lifts any pedal I own and also sticks out at a weird angle is a problem. Common sense solution seems to me to get lighter more flexible cable, rather than mount my pedals and change my setup.

 

[Bodhi46]

Audiopile, good value: Audiopile, LLC - Audiopile Pro Audio / EWI Cables and Cases

These look pretty good. The Silent switch neutriks plugs are interesting. Might try these.

The flexible ones from Ernie Ball are super.

If you want supple and light, look no further than the Ernie Ball Flex cable:

Amazon.com: Ernie Ball Flex Instrument Cable Straight/Straight 20ft - Black (P06435) : Musical Instruments

Buy Ernie Ball Flex Instrument Cable Straight/Straight 20ft - Black (P06435): Instrument Cables - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Flex Instrument Cables

Ernie Ball Flex cables feature a quality design made with reliable components that are built to last. This single conductor design provides crystal, clear tone, and extra flex for easy coiling. Flex cables utilize 95% shielding to reject unwanted noise and preserve your signal, and the durable...

www.ernieball.com

I was looking at these. Not too pricey plus easily available. Don't seem to have right angled plugs for the flex series though which I would want at least one of. Having a straight plug out of my Stingray would be no bueno.

 

[Tony G]

I was looking at these. Not too pricey plus easily available. Don't seem to have right angled plugs for the flex series though which I would want at least one of. Having a straight plug out of my Stingray would be no bueno.

I use them with my EBMM Stingray 4HH everyday. No, they don’t have right angle plugs, but the plugs are a bit smaller than normal cables and the flexibility and light wieght of the cable is really nice. I’ve never had any cable before like these.

If you are looking for a right angle cable, I recommend the MXR Pro Series Cables:

Amazon.com

MXR® 20 FT PRO SERIES INSTRUMENT CABLE - RIGHT / STRAIGHT

From picks to pedals and every accessory in between, Dunlop Manufacturing has been creating world-class gear for musicians for over 50 years. We consistently create the best selling picks and analog electronics, and carry a large line of accessories that set industry standards in their...

www.jimdunlop.com

They are very flexible also, but are a decent amount heavier than the Ernie Ball Flex cables. I use the MXR cables for gigging, and the Ernie Ball Flex cables for home practice and band practice.

 

[meisi]

The connectors are what go for me.

Has nothing to do with the cables. I had a couple jackets disintegrate from prolonged beer soaks but that’s about it.

Just buy what is cheap. In person is better for cables. Hold them in your hand and you know a quality enough pair.

Buying cables online stinks. Over pay or get wildly weird gauges, jackets or connectors.

 

[Tommy Szell]

I’ve had good luck with Asterope cables.