DIY guitar leads

[keithmantle]

Hi All , Whats the best IYHO !, cable and jack-plugs (Neutrik/Van Damm ?)or WHY to make my own . Keith

[Geoff Alderton LH]

Hi Keith. After reading a review, 3mtr Van Damme Silver 55pf guitar leads, in one of the guitar mags,2-3 weeks ago I found a company, northern audio brokers, were selling these cables at £32;99 with Neutrik jacks. I believe the RRP is £75. for the 3mtr cable. I purchaced one of the cables to use from the echo to the amp, as it's far to stiff to use as a guitar lead. It comes with the Neutrik straight jack on both ends but for an extra £2 you can have a Neutrik silent jack on the guitar end or in my case the echo end. It certainly looks the part but whether it sounds better or quieter than other good cables my old ears cant tell the difference.
Regards Geoff.

[dave robinson]

£32 ? That's excessive - best ones I found already made up are Whirlwind at around £20 and even that's expensive. I buy Neutrik jacks and high grade cable frome Bardwells in Sheffield and make my owm, far cheaper if you are a dab hand with a soldering iron.

[rogera]

You cannot deny that there are some very high quality guitar cables available in recent times but always keep in mind that If you are a fan of music recorded in the sixties (or even earlier!) as many of us are, then guitar leads were certainly not high quality in that era.

With that in mind you could certainly save yourself some money. Leads tended to be longer in those days as well which of course does change the final sound a little.

[Geoff Alderton LH]

Hi again.
Just to illustrate how times have changed with regard to leads. The first Fender Custom Shop guitar I bought in 1996 came with a 1954 lead. 6' long grey in colour with small metal jack's, very difficult to pull out of the Fender Strat guitar socket. The last one I bought ,a couple of months ago, came with a 7mtr long Whirlwind Leader cable, as Dave says very good cables and not silly prices.
Regards Geoff.

[Geoff Alderton LH]

Hi again.
Here is a picture showing the two leads.

[dave robinson]

There was one of those leads with my first Strat back in 1964 and it sounded OK to us at the time. Maybe the poor quality leads were the ones we were buying made up by dealers in longer lengths, I suspect that they were.
I have a couple of those 6ft '54 Fender leads that came with guitars recently but I never unpacked them. Maybe I should, just to listen and see if they are decent quality.

[keithmantle]

Thanks guys, found a company called Weardale electric who do a Van Damme pro cable + neutrik pro jacks, 6m 1 angle 1 straight £12.99. If i buy the bits i don't think i could make them cheaper. thanks Keith

[dave robinson]

That's a good price Keith.

[keithmantle]

Hi Dave, I've got his phone No he makes them to order, don't go on the ebid site if you want to buy any its a bit messy, Keith