I have been writing about and researching music gear for many years, all while serving as a music director at my local church. I engage in guitar playing and singer-songwriter stints, in addition to mentoring young musicians and teaching guitar and bass.
GLS Audio started out as a guitar amplifier builder in the mid '60s, now they are known for affordably priced cables and accessories. The Tweed guitar cable that they produce continues to get high ratings with its balance of quality and affordability.
This cable comes with double insulator shields (OFC insulator and PVC conductive shields) and oxygen free copper all wrapped in braided tweed cloth jacket, which is quite good for the price. Unfortunately shielding specs are not provided, so while it works great for home use or small stages, it may not offer enough shielding in areas with higher interference.
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Thanks to its cloth tweed wrap, this cable looks more premium than it actually is, and fits really well with older amps. This soft yet sturdy exterior does a good job of protecting the innards, and makes the cable easy to twist and store. It also helps prevent issues like cable kinking and breaking.
And it's not just skin deep because everything about the cable is solid and well built, including the plug and the soldering joints. Speaking of soldering joints, this cable allows for easy access to the joints, which makes them easier to check and maintain.
While the original soldering work is good, it will give out - sooner or later, depending on how you take care of the cable. Thankfully, resoldering is quick and painless.
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Fender is one of the biggest brands when it comes to guitars, amps and related accessories, so it's not surprising to find the brand doing well in the guitar cable market.
The Fender Professional Series cable does not stray off from the tried and tested path, with a 22 AWG wire that is protected by a 95% OFC spiral shielding. This ensures road worthy quiet operation free from worries of interference.
All of that is protected from the elements by a sturdy 8mm outer wire jacket PVC jacket. It feels solid to the touch but has good flexibility, which helps in preventing cable twisting and kinking. The downside to its thick PVC jacket is that it is relatively bulky and heavy.
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At publication time this was the Highest Rated ¼ TS Straight to Straight Instrument Cable for the third year in a row!
This cable features a high quality oxygen-free copper core that's designed to be as transparent sounding as a cable can. There's a noticeable jump in clarity when using this cable, and this translates to more accurate playing and better overall tone.
For noise protection, Mogami opted for high-density copper spiral shielding with 100% coverage. And this is supported by a conductive polymer sub-shielding. It also utilizes carbon-impregnated PVC to help reduce handling noise. All these premium features result in interference free quiet operation, ready to take on the busiest stages and recording studios. When paired with a good Noise Gate, you're guitar will even have less unwanted sound artifacts.
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Speaking of premium, the Mogami Gold cable requires a substantial investment that goes beyond the usual budget for cables. And given its improved shielding, the cable is a bit stiff, not as flexible as regular ones.
The higher the price, the higher the expectations, but Mogami stands by their cables enough to offers a no-excuses lifetime warranty. If you want nothing less than the highest rated option, then get the Mogami Gold Instrument straight cable.
At publication time this was the Equal Highest Rated ¼ TS Straight to Right Angle Instrument Cable along with the Boss BIC-10A.
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Ernie Ball Braided cable is a consistent market favorite, rating highly across multiple retail stores. And closer inspection reveals why, build quality is really top notch.
The braiding is neatly done down to the smallest details. I really tried but I couldn't find any cosmetic flaws to complain about. If you're not into the green and black color of this cable, there are a a lot of color options to choose from. The cable feels soft yet sturdy, and it has good flexibility. Rolling up is easy and is not rough on my hands. I haven't encountered any tangling problems, and it's not as heavy as I expected to be. More importantly, it does all this while providing protection for the innards.
Speaking of innards, this cable uses two 16AWG conductors made from 99.95% OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) for improved resistance against corrosion. And underneath the braided exterior are dual shielding, to protect the it from damage and interference.
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Ernie Ball secured the solder joints properly with sturdy rubber jackets and metal covers. The rubber jackets make it harder to bend the cable at the joints. The metal cover adds even more protection, and serves as the handles for the plugs. More importantly, the joints are user serviceable, which adds to the life expectancy of the cable.
The plugs are made from nickel, they feel solid and have a good heft to them. I've tried plugging it into different electric guitars and acoustics, and I didn't encounter any problem. I can even use the right angle plug on my Strat, and it fits nice and snug - no annoying sideway movements. I've also plugged it in my amps, and got good results. The plugs are a bit longer than my regular cables, so the straight one is more prone to being accidentally hit and bent. This is why I prefer right angle plugs, because they can positioned in a safer manner. I find that using right angle plugs and looping the cable around the guitar strap makes for a safer and more secure setup.
This cable is noticeably quieter than what I'm used to. No handling noise, and no crackling even when I move the cable and plugs around. This could be attributed to it being new, so it's double shielding is still 100% intact. It's nice to be able to move around without worrying about cable noise.
Chromacast Pro Series Michael Angelo Batio Signature Instrument Cable
All in all, the Ernie Ball Braided instrument cable outclassed my other cables with its premium build quality and quiet operation. It really lives up to its impressively high ratings across major retailers.
At publication time this was the Equal Highest Rated ¼ TS Straight to Right Angle Instrument Cable along with the Ernie Ball Braided.
Boss is well known for their tank-tough pedals, and as expected, the same passion for durability and reliability is found their guitar cables, the highest rated of which is the Boss BIC-10A.
Warm Audio Pro Silver Straight To Right Angle Instrument Cable
To meet the company's standard for toughness, the main multi-strand conductor is protected by a woven outer jacket with an interior PVC jacket. This combination results in durability that can withstand the rigors of aggressive stage performances.
It's tough exterior is supplemented by braided OFC shielding with 95% coverage and polyethylene insulator. The shielding and insulator keep the cable quiet, even in locations where there are higher than average interferences.
The cable's quiet operation works well with its multi-strand conductor, resulting in clear sound that's noticeably has more definition compared to the average cheap cable.
Enya Instrument 6m Guitar Cable
Having a multi-strand conductor and molded jacks mean that repairing and modifying this cable will not be easy. Thankfully, Boss believes in the durability of this cable so much, that they back it up with lifetime guarantee.
All things being equal, the shorter the distance that your guitar signal has to travel, the better signal transparency is, preventing high frequency loss. So the goal is to have the shortest cable length possible to get the lowest capacitance, without restricting your stage movement. In addition to clearer tone, having the right size cable reduces cable clutter and possible tangling.
On the flip side, low capacitance and clear tone is not always the way to go, especially when considering that many of the best records were recorded using old cable technology, which is ironically similar to the cheap cables of today. This is the reason why some guitarists do not appreciate the clarity of premium cables, and prefer the subtle high-end damping of cheap cables or long coiled ones (coils add to the actual length of the cable while keeping clutter to a minimum). Note that the effect of cable capacitance and length can be almost negligible if you are using active pickups or buffered pedals (when used between your other pedals and amplifier).
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The term Oxygen Free Copper or OFC refers to a purer type of copper that many manufacturers prefer to use, and the consensus is that the purer the conductor, the more transparent the signal transfer becomes. Note that there are even cables that utilize silver, which is more conductive than copper, but they are more expensive and are not practical for use with guitars.
Conductors are implemented in two ways, the most cost effective are Solid Conductors, but it tend to break easily, resulting in signal degradation if not total loss. Stranded Conductors are more reliable because they are inherently flexible, and allow for better signal transfer even when bent. Premium cables often use smaller strands for improved flexibility
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