Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
The Best Guitar/Bass Cable
- Thread starter mesaphlin
- Start date
Everyone will have their favorite. There is no best- that is relative and depends on price point, features and the user's needs.
The best advice I can offer is to do a search on "cable reliability" on TB. People do have some good advice and pertinent experiences to share, but much of the rest is BS. If it is a reasonably priced cable, the capacitance is not too high and it won't fail you in the middle of a gig, then you're good.
If you have loads of money, buy into boutique snake oil products and become a cable fanboy on TB, it will help the manufacturer sell more.
The best advice I can offer is to do a search on "cable reliability" on TB. People do have some good advice and pertinent experiences to share, but much of the rest is BS. If it is a reasonably priced cable, the capacitance is not too high and it won't fail you in the middle of a gig, then you're good.
If you have loads of money, buy into boutique snake oil products and become a cable fanboy on TB, it will help the manufacturer sell more.
Answer: buy any major brand cable, avoid walking on it or pulling on the ends. It will last for 10+ years with no problem. Carry spares; if you stay away from high priced cables made of unobtanium you will be able to afford spares.
The Monster cables with the gold ends made SPECIFICALLY for bass. They carry strong signal..and will be replaced, for life, as many times as needed for free. You play hard and break it? no problem..walk into the store and trade it over the counter. They're all I use. Don't go for the cheap monsters...buy the heavy duty ones made FOR BASS. Over time..you'll save money..since you only buy them once.
play hard..have fun!!
play hard..have fun!!
Please present scientific, measurable and verifiable proof of that.
ALL cables in good working order "carry strong signal."
Yes, they offer lifetime replacement. But since you can buy about 5 cables for the price of a single Monster cable, and those 5 cables will last for many years and provide backup cables as well, I fail to see the advantage. Also, while I might want lifetime replacement on a $50 cable, I don't need it on a $10 or $12 cable. I also don't need to be without any cable while I am sending my ultra-expensive Monster cable in and waiting for a replacement; during that shipping period, I might have to go out and buy some standard cables anyway so that I had something to play through.
Monster Cables also have widely reported to have a known defect of being oversize and springing the output jack on basses so that other cables won't make good contact.
i hate to rain on your parade...but monster cables also have another defect (at least the 4 we have used in the last year.)
the central pin in the cable ends eventually fractures & comes out, and you have to get a new cable.
this has happened to us 3 times since we bought the cable less than a year ago...i am still waiting for the 4th one to bite the dust.
admittedly, as you say, you do get free replacements and GC has always been great about just swapping out our defective one for a new one, but it is a PITA to do, and I shudder to think what will happen if it does this at gig time.
i believe, if i had it to do over, i would get a Mogami, which also has a lifetime warranty.
the central pin in the cable ends eventually fractures & comes out, and you have to get a new cable.
this has happened to us 3 times since we bought the cable less than a year ago...i am still waiting for the 4th one to bite the dust.
admittedly, as you say, you do get free replacements and GC has always been great about just swapping out our defective one for a new one, but it is a PITA to do, and I shudder to think what will happen if it does this at gig time.
i believe, if i had it to do over, i would get a Mogami, which also has a lifetime warranty.
bongomania
Commercial User
The Monster labels for bass, jazz, rock, etc. are a total joke, and believing them is like believing in "male enhancement" pills, or anti-baldness cremes.
well, speak of the devil. my latest monster cable just went out today, as i said above.
took it to guitar center and talked to my buddy.
the upshot was, he sold me a new mogami gold cable...came to 70 bucks with tax.
then he took back the (4th) defective monster cable and swapped it for another mogami cable.
two mogami golds for 35 bucks apiece, and we now have a spare.
pretty sweet....good ol' guitar center!
took it to guitar center and talked to my buddy.
the upshot was, he sold me a new mogami gold cable...came to 70 bucks with tax.
then he took back the (4th) defective monster cable and swapped it for another mogami cable.
two mogami golds for 35 bucks apiece, and we now have a spare.
pretty sweet....good ol' guitar center!
I've owned the bass monster Cable for the last 4-5 years. I Got the 30 footer. So It was the longest one They had. And I can Now reach the fridge in our practice pad / my shop. Which is 30 foot wide.
The other guys guys have Got to unplug or take their guitars off, When getting something To drink. Lol
But I have not had any issues ,at All, with my cable from them. Maybe its Just me. Yet, I've been Thru several dimargios, over the years. Not saying their bad, at All.
But I Like monster cables.
The other guys guys have Got to unplug or take their guitars off, When getting something To drink. Lol
But I have not had any issues ,at All, with my cable from them. Maybe its Just me. Yet, I've been Thru several dimargios, over the years. Not saying their bad, at All.
But I Like monster cables.
At first I thought it was Monster then I thought it was custom cables.
Now I am convinced as long as it sounds good and doesn't crackle it's the BEST cable.
I am still using a Monster S-100 series cable for my bass.
And a Horizion custom double braided cable with Neautrix connectors for my SM58.
You can get one made for you here for the non tech savy people like myself at Invalid Link Removed
The cables shop has custom guitar, mic, and stage snake cords.
Now I am convinced as long as it sounds good and doesn't crackle it's the BEST cable.
I am still using a Monster S-100 series cable for my bass.
And a Horizion custom double braided cable with Neautrix connectors for my SM58.
You can get one made for you here for the non tech savy people like myself at Invalid Link Removed
The cables shop has custom guitar, mic, and stage snake cords.
Over priced. Over hyped. And corporate bullies on top of it.
Rather chew aluminum foil and shave my head with a cheese grater than buy anything with "Monster Cable" on it.
Love these threads though!
Rather chew aluminum foil and shave my head with a cheese grater than buy anything with "Monster Cable" on it.
Love these threads though!
I do not believe in the cable hype that goes on. I met a guy that makes his own cables and he hooked me up with a couple 3 years ago and, I have not had one go out on me yet and, I am very hard on them! They are called Tommywire, go check them out!
I have also been abusing their mic cables and they are still going strong!!
I have also been abusing their mic cables and they are still going strong!!
All the "higher-end" cables sound the same to me, IMO since I don't use anything longer than 12 feet.
I bought a Monster cable before I knew better, and tbh, they work just as fine as any cable I've used. I also have a Mogami that was given to me for my birthday and it's same to me.
The biggest pluses I found with these expensive cables is the warranty. No fuss exchange.
I now buy my cables from monoprice. I don't hear a difference, and if taken cared of it will last for years.
I bought a Monster cable before I knew better, and tbh, they work just as fine as any cable I've used. I also have a Mogami that was given to me for my birthday and it's same to me.
The biggest pluses I found with these expensive cables is the warranty. No fuss exchange.
I now buy my cables from monoprice. I don't hear a difference, and if taken cared of it will last for years.
