Guitar Player magazine just did a cable comparison, a couple of months ago. Pretty thorough, too. It's worth looking up, if you're interested in cables.
I never thought much about cables, past getting decent ones. Peavey, Rapco, Spectraflex, etc. The stuff you'd see at most music stores.
Then one day a student brought their new Monster Cable with them, to a lesson. And I could hear a difference, even though we were playing through a little solid state Peavey Rage (maybe a Backstage? Not sure of the model.). His Monster had more Highs, and there was some difference in the Mids, too. If we had a larger amp, we might have noticed a difference in the Lows, too. But......
Trouble for me, was that I didn't like the differences! I thought the extra Highs just made the cheap amp's EQ more harsh and unpleasant.
Then I remembered how Buddy Guy used custom 100' to 150' cables! So he could walk off stage, out the door of a club, and play on the sidewalk. When asked about a wireless set-up, he mentioned that he depended on the "loading" of the long cable and how it affected his tone. He didn't want more clarity.
And I thought about how I prefer to have pickups go through a Tone Knob with a capacitor in the signal chain. Even when turned fully "On" to 10, the Tone Pot seemed to thicken the tone of the PUs.
So, when you read about the clarity, and enhanced Highs, Lows, or Mids, be sure that's what you want. I difinately don't want a muddy, messy tone. But, I don't necessarily want total "clarity", either.
Now I use the Planet Waves Circuit Breaker guitar cables. I like the built in "On-Off" switch. Plus, they sound great! (To me).
I also recommend that you choose very carefully when selecting a Speaker Cable. When using a seperate Head/Cab combination, a good Speaker Cable can be a HUGE factor!
And I think that these are the 2 most important cables to consider. The Speaker Cable, and the Cable that runs from your Guitar to the Amp or Pedals. I don't think that the cables running from pedal to pedal, or from the pedals to the Amp are as crucial. Definately important. But, not as important.
I do like the Monster Speaker Cables I've tried. But, there are other choices that I think are better. Some I like: Lava, DiMarzio, Evidence Audio. And I really do want to try some more Guitar Cables that I read about in the GP article.
So, I would like to try an Evidence Audio Lyric, and a Melody. A DiMarzio Signature Edition, the new Planet Waves Signature Cable, more of the George L stuff, maybe a Klotz, and the top of the line Zoalla Cables. But, I think these would be fairly small changes from the PW I currently use. So, my main quest now, is for the best Speaker Cable.
Also, some of the Evidence stuff is solid-core wire. Great for your signal's clarity. But, resistent to being coiled up. And kinds stiff, when trying to move around much on stage. So, that's another consideration.
I think LavaMan Cables will send out a "Sampler" pack of High-End Cables. You keep the one you like, pay for it, and return the rest. So, I'm thinking of calling hom and "Taste Testing" some wires.
Another thing: If you use Georgr L's solderless cables for your pedalboard, you might consider soldering the ends to the cables, anyway. If you swap Pedals much, the George L's can fail on you more easily. Plus, how many times do you really have to change the length of your Pedal Cables?
Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30 or Custom 4 X 6v6 Head or Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats.
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner
