How to Buy a Guitar Cable

Guitar cables might seem like the most simple thing to buy of all equipment. You just need something to plug the guitar into an amp or something else—the amp and the guitar do most of the work. Not always true, a bad guitar cable can ruin the sound of a great guitar.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• An electric guitar

1. 

   First decide on length. If you’re using the cable live, you’ll want durability and length—20 feet or more, depending on the size of the stage you usually play. You’ll also need to buy smaller cables to connect effects.

2. 

   Look for a metal head shell—more expensive than injected molding, but it will sound better. You’ll find expensive materials used—such as platinum—which can help sound quality. Some people say they can’t hear a difference, some swear by them.

3. 

   Look for stress relief—especially important if you’re taking the cable on the road. Stress relief will keep the solder in place.

4. 

   Look for heat-shielded conductors—see above. A guitar cable doesn’t just take abuse from being stepped on, but from the power flowing through it. Also, look for two or four-conductor cables, as opposed to single conductors.

5. 

   Low capacitance. The type of conductor will help with capacitance. A solid conductor is recommended.

Tips & Warnings

• Bright colors are helpful to see on stage, or to separate your guitar cord from the bassist, rhythm guitarist, mic cable, etc.
• Cloth cables aren’t as rugged, but they look nice, and normally sound the best (like the CBI Gold Rush).

[noittall]

on 2/20/2009 This little gem deserves a prize for having a phenomenal amount of half truths and downright misinformation crammed into such a tiny space."Look for stress relief" in a guitar cable? You mean it will have a calming effect like Valium if you chew on it? Perhaps you feel calmer if you use a well-made guitar cable?Platinum "metal head shells?" That's absurd. No one makes ANY PART of a guitar cable out of platinum. Platinum is over $1000 US an ounce. And what exactly is a "metal head shell?" Do you mean plug? "Heat-shielded conductors?" What in blazes is a "conductor" on a guitar cable? The space shuttle uses heat shields .... Why would a guitar cable need heat shields? To keep it from burning up when it reenters Earth's atmosphere? Why would a guitar cable be orbiting the Earth to begin with? "A solid conductor is recommended." Once again, what in blazes is a guitar-cable conductor? Th