Patch cables for your pedalboard - what do you use?

[Robert****]

I bought a George L cable kit for my pedal board last year. They are the kinds you don't need to do any soldering to attach the plug.

Well, after a long time and many headaches, I must say I don't recommend these. If you don't get a perfectly straigh cut, the plug may not connect properly. I have wasted a lot of cable recutting over and over when I've noticed static noises.

However, the worst problem is that the plugs seem to have a diameter that is smaller than what most pedals expect. My Rocktron and Danelectro pedals don't tolerate these plugs. I get problems with the sound cutting out, a really bad tone due to improper connection inside the pedal, etc.

I have started to replace the George L cables with some 15 year old patch cables I had, because at least I don't get these connection problems and static noise problems. The drawback with these old cables is that they don't have an angle plug, so it's hard to fit many pedals close to each other.

So, what do you use? I am thinking about trying the Bill Lawrence or Planet Waves pedal board cable kit. I have seen many positive comments about those two products.

[Spudman***]

I was wondering about the George L cables myself. I'm glad you said something before I invested $50 for the pedal cable kit.

I've always soldiered my own cables. For the right angle cables I've just relied on the cheapie pancake style. The are the same type ends that come on the cheap coiled guitar cables. Round and flat. The nice thing about them is that when the cable is inserted into the pedal not much cable sticks out so you can scrunch your pedals closer together. The not so nice thing is that they aren't bomb proof. I've had to re-do them a couple of times but at least it's easy to do. I also use just on of the pancake plugs to plug into the second 'out' of my pedal tuner so that when the pedal is engaged it goes mute.

Now I've got a few right angle plugs that I picked up from the guys at Ear Candy Cabs. They will get used on the new board. Much more durable but a little larger with more strain relief for the cable.

[Tone2TheBone]

Rob - Now that I'm a pedaling fool I'm glad you mentioned the problems with the George Ls. I was thinking of trying them but what you mentioned would be something that would bother me too.

I've been using a combination of standard 6 inch cables with the angled plugs and some of those brass connectors with the 2 plugs set on one brass fitting. I've been using what I can find around the house till I find something that looks interesting and is reliable.

[Leonidas]

I use Live Wires. 6 inch angled cables. They work great. I don't gig, so I don't know about roadwear or anything, but they are extremely sturdy. Seem about as sturdy as a short cable is going to be. I can get pedals very close together because of the angled ends, and they're long enough to connect odd pedals, like digitech (side connection) to danelectro (top connection). I picked them up on musiciansfriend for about 6 bucks each.

EDIT*
heres the link to em:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ble?sku=330472

[Justaguyin_nc]

man cords are expensive...

I need about 4 1 foot long.. I was searching the online stores.. came across fender koil kords.. 1 foot.. retro looking..with arrows so I know how to plug them in even.. they sell for 10.00 each at most places.. then I found them at Elderly Music.. $5.95... so... I got them comming.. hope they are of good quality..well, they are fender!

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/FSKK-1.htm

[Iago]

I use cheap ones I bought at Radio Shack.. nothing wrong about them.

[ShortBuSX]

I just bought a cheap set of Hosa CFS-606 6" pedal cables for less than $10 for 6 of em...at first I was just being cheap, but Ive got NO complaints so far.

[duhvoodooman***]

Yeah, I bought one of those HOSA 6-packs, too. No problems!

[Justaguyin_nc]

6 inch packs I got and are cheap... but once you get to a foot... man the price jumps...

[abraxas]

Robert, I am astonished to read about your problems with George Ls.

I use them almost exclusively for two years now, and I mean both for my pedals and my guitar and never had any problems whatsoever.

Furthermore, I believe George L's are one of the very few cables in the market, that doesn't color the initial guitar sound in any way. I have tested (even A/B tested) various "famous" and very expensive guitar cables, and found that most of them try to "compensate" (without asking me, apparently ) for what they "think" is the proper guitar sound.

I use a cutter tool I have for many years now. I used to use it to make computer network cables. It makes a perfect cut and I only have to be a little careful with attaching the plugs; practice makes perfect.

I also didn't understand your problem with the plugs. I have used the GLs with a lot of pedals and never experienced such a problem. They are standard 1/4" plugs after all!

elavd has used George L's with Danelectro pedals AFAIK. He may tell us about it.

Is it possible that you received a bogus or counterfeit product? Sincerely, not only me, but most of my fellow guitarists use them for years without any problems at all!

[Robert****]

abraxas - I am sorry, but I DON"T like them!

I ordered Lavacables from lavacables.com - much better for me. They don't color the tone either, and they are stiffer, which I like. I use Mogami 2524.

I hope they are standard size - it could be I have a couple of crappy input jacks on my pedals, not sure.

Anyway, my lavacables stay. I love them.

[ShortBuSX]

I hope they are standard size - it could be I have a couple of crappy input jacks on my pedals, not sure.

The Rocktron pedals I had in the 80s had noise issues...could pick up radio on them.

[Justaguyin_nc]

After reading this thread, still needing to make some cables of my own length.. I went with CoreX2...
http://www.music123.com/CoreX2-Pedal...28896.Music123
10-15 bucks cheaper and you get 10 ft. more cable, great looking ends.. and unfortunate to say.. the same results Robert got... Actually 4 worked fine and one I had to redo... ofcourse now, I don't trust my own work.. and if the sound weakens..I would assume its the cables not being connected good enough..sigh.. found out twisting them in is not the best way.. just push them as hard as you can..then screw in the set screw...

I tried to find lava cables from the link above for the future...

it's actually http://lavacable.com .. if anyone is wondering...

[elavd]

I use them almost exclusively for two years now, and I mean both for my pedals and my guitar and never had any problems whatsoever.

elavd has used George L's with Danelectro pedals AFAIK. He may tell us about it.

This is a version of my previous pedalboard:



I use George L cables and I had also no problem with them. As you can see, I had 2 Danelectro pedals connected and the George L's fitted perfectly on them too...


My only problem is the fact that I've sold almost all of my 15 pedals that I used and I now play exclusively with my Tonelab SE. So all these expensive George L patch cables are useless for me...

[Justaguyin_nc]

dagnabbit... theres that great looking board.. and cables...and NO pedals... thats like.. ungodly.... Hate to see it all go to waste.. I still can't find those corner ends anyplace.. sigh.. wonder what shipping from greece to the USA would be? lol

I did notice that lava cable got a pretty nice looking "solder" kit.. for 69 bucks..

[Justaguyin_nc]

I kinda stuck with those core x2 sets.. and finally did one that I could actually notice the difference.. I made a patch cable for connecting 2 amp channels.. using a cheapo 6 inch I could here a slight hum if I touched both ends.. swapping it to a fender coil cable about the same size I got the same response..if not a bit louder... putting a core x2 cable together it went silent.. holding either or both ends you still hear nothing.. finally..I can actually say the upgrade in pedal cable was worth it.. before..it was just that I thought it was worth it...

[Robert****]

Justa, did you get the lava cable kit you mentioned earlier? You could just buy all elavd's patch cables since he got rid of all his pedals (silly elavd)!

[Justaguyin_nc]

Justa, did you get the lava cable kit you mentioned earlier? You could just buy all elavd's patch cables since he got rid of all his pedals (silly elavd)!

NAw, Seeing I started with the core x2 I stuck with them..and they turned out pretty good..a few had to be redone.. but that I assume was user error.. they are quiet..and cheaper then most..

http://www.zzounds.com/item--CORGK20

Hmmm could use those corners he got on that pedal board..can't find them any place!! may as well send the cables along tooo..

[elavd]

Justa, did you get the lava cable kit you mentioned earlier? You could just buy all elavd's patch cables since he got rid of all his pedals (silly elavd)!

Heheheheeeee

I feel FREEEEEEEEEEE!!!

No patch cables, no worries for truebypas or not, no more bending over the pedals during the show and many many more "no's".

I have the versatility and the sound I was always dreaming of !!!