Two questions re: cables and slides
jthread
I'm buying? And do you leave them plugged in to your guitar?
Two: What kinds of slides are you guys using?
I'm been playing Little Red Rooster ala Brian Jones and I've been using my
Dunlop 330. But it's not quite right Just wondering if you all had
suggestions.
Yeah, that's right, Little Red Rooster.
Jim
Lumpy
> One: I've gone through a bunch
> of cables. Do they all suck or just
In what way do you consider them sucking?
Tone?
Physical handling?
Something else?
I use either Planet Waves or George L's cables.
PW are stiffer. Both are quick to assemble and
repair, although I've never had to repair either.
I have made them shorter or replaced a right angle
plug with a straight plug. PW requires a small
screwdriver. George Ls doesn't need any tools.
Lumpy
--
Did you do a lot of those Emergency Broadcast Warnings?
Yes. Had it been an actual emergency, I would have had told you.
www.lumpyvoice.net
Tony Done
"jthread" <jth...@att.net> wrote in message
news:OAcSh.26652$VU4....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
Can't help much with cables. Mine last for ages, and when they go, it is
usually at the plug. I just cut a bit of cable off and resolder them
There are probably more important factors than the type of slide in the
differences between you and Brian Jones. Apart from different gear (didn't
he play a Burns or a Vox for that, one of those five-sided jobs?), we all
have a different touch with a slide.
Why do you want to sound like him anyway?
I use genuine bottlenecks or heavy brass in open tunings, depending more on
my mood than anything else. For standard tuning I use a shorter genuine
bottleneck, because I never need to get more than two strings at once and
the shorter versions creates less opportunities for rattles.
Tony D
jthread
"Tony Done" <tony...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:xWcSh.11215$M.4...@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
The tone is fine I think it's the slide. Hard to explain.
I've been interested in early British and some Am. pop/blues music since I
saw that movie "Stoned" re: Brian's death. I remembered that's why I got
interested in R&R.
Cables:
I've thought about re-soldering them but the connection looks fine. They
start to short out and make a crackling noise.
Does leaving them plugged in have anything to do with it? Does it wear out
the jack?
I've tried planet wave but it was the Costco version. It did last for quite
awhile but the connection was sealed. So I threw it away.
Jim
Derek
warranty. Never had any trouble with them. I have a chrome pinky
slide that I don't like, and use a glass slide (very infrequently) on
my ring finger.
jthread
"Lumpy" <lu...@digitalcartography.com> wrote in message
news:57t4atF...@mid.individual.net...
2 or 3 years into and them then just quit altogether. The one's I had were
sealed and couldn't be repaired.
I'll check into the George L's. I heard they were good cables.
Thanks.
Derek
> Tried PW's and they were the best I tried but they started crackling about
> 2 or 3 years into and them then just quit altogether. The one's I had were
> sealed and couldn't be repaired.
>
> I'll check into the George L's. I heard they were good cables.
>
> Thanks.
Before I switched to Monster, I never got more than a year out of any
cable that I regularly used. 2-3 years is pretty good. I don't like
the sealed ends either.
Ed Maier
> One: I've gone through a bunch of cables. Do they all suck or just
> the ones' I'm buying? And do you leave them plugged in to your
> guitar?
>
Jim,
I like the Kordax cables available from Shoreline Music.
<http://shorelinemusic.com/accessories/kordex.shtml>
I've been using the same 20' cable for about three years
without any problem. (I don't leave it plugged in, but
only because that drains the 9V. battery on the internal
preamp for the UST pickup.)
Don't use a slide so I can't help you there.
Ed Maier
Arlington, TX
Lumpy
> Tried PW's and they were the best I tried but they started crackling
> about 2 or 3 years into and them then just quit altogether. The one's
> I had were sealed and couldn't be repaired.
Lifetime warranty. D'Addario will replace them.
Lumpy
--
In Your Ears for 40 Years
www.lumpymusic.com
MikeMan...@aol.com
> One: I've gone through a bunch of cables. Do they all suck or just the ones'
> I'm buying?
I don't think that my cables are even shielded. They sound like Rice
Crispies. You know, "snap, crackle, and pop". They also are too
short. I bought them at Radio Shack.
And do you leave them plugged in to your guitar?
I unplug mine for convenient storage.
> Two: What kinds of slides are you guys using?
I like to use a solid steel slide which I made myself out of a round
piece of rod which I bought at my local Home Depot. The rod is one-
half inch in diameter. The slide is three inches long. I decided I
needed a longer slide, so I cut one four inches long, and now it is
heavier than I want it to be, so I need to move to the next smaller
diameter. I will be putting a handle on the final version.
> I'm been playing Little Red Rooster ala Brian Jones and I've been using my
> Dunlop 330. But it's not quite right Just wondering if you all had
> suggestions.
That's a great tune.
Pt
Over the years I have accumulates many cables.
Most last for many years.
I don't think I bought one in over 5 years except for a few long
XLR's.
As for slide I don't do much slide playing on a standard guitar.
I used to play a lap steel and a dobro and used one of those heavy
steels with the slot on top for yur finger...forgot the name.
I have trouble on a standard guitar because the action is too low.
Pt
Derek
>
> Over the years I have accumulates many cables.
> Most last for many years.
> I don't think I bought one in over 5 years except for a few long
> XLR's.
> As for slide I don't do much slide playing on a standard guitar.
> I used to play a lap steel and a dobro and used one of those heavy
> steels with the slot on top for yur finger...forgot the name.
> I have trouble on a standard guitar because the action is too low.
Shubb makes a version of that type.
jthread
"jthread" <jth...@att.net> wrote in message
news:OAcSh.26652$VU4....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
peeling back and soldering some of my old one first and see if that helps.
I'd take the PW back but I threw it away in disgust.
Tony Done
Had another thought. You can probably buy multimeter from Radio Shack for
about the same price as a reasonable cable. They're very useful for all
sorts of small jobs, like cable and battery testing, and measuring
resistance of pickups.
Tony D
Charmed Snark
alt.guitar.beginner:
> "jthread" <jth...@att.net> wrote in message
> news:OAcSh.26652$VU4....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>> One: I've gone through a bunch of cables. Do they all suck or
>> just the ones' I'm buying? And do you leave them plugged in to
>> your guitar?
...
>> Jim
>
> Can't help much with cables. Mine last for ages, and when they go,
> it is usually at the plug. I just cut a bit of cable off and
> resolder them
...
> Tony D
Yep, that's what I do as well. The cables are so cheap, that I just
buy them and use them until they break. Then I'll either resolder
them, or buy a new plug end, necessary.
I usually unscrew their caps in the store to see if they can be
resoldered later. If they are those factory "push in" variety, then
I stay away from them. For those, I know it'll guaranteed cost me
the replacement of the plug ends and likely very soon. I hate those
"push in" cable ends.
Snark.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
Charmed Snark
> On Apr 8, 1:50�pm, "jthread" <jthr...@att.net> wrote:
>> One: I've gone through a bunch of cables. Do they all suck or
>> just the on
> es'
>> I'm buying?
>
> I don't think that my cables are even shielded. They sound like
> Rice Crispies. You know, "snap, crackle, and pop". They also are
> too short. I bought them at Radio Shack.
I don't like making general statements like this, but I can honestly
say that "just about everything RS sells as parts and cables is
utter crap". Its called "The Source" in Canada now, but its the same
old crap.
I recently tried buying 1/4 chassis mounted jacks from them,
figuring "how can they screw that up?" Well they can!
Every single one of the 1/4 inch jacks that had a shorting contact
(save the first one I bought), had a useless nut on it. You couldn't
tighten that jack in your chassis to save your life. I took the
first bad one back, and lo and behold, all the others in the store
had nuts just as uselessly stripped condition as the first. I
eventually just went for the jack without the shorting contact,
because I was desperate for a jack. That was also loose but was
barely usable.
Crap! Utter RS crap, I say!
Sean
> Tried PW's and they were the best I tried but they started crackling about
> 2 or 3 years into and them then just quit altogether. The one's I had were
> sealed and couldn't be repaired.
>
> I'll check into the George L's. I heard they were good cables.
>
> Thanks.
If you've been having trouble with patch cords not lasting, maybe you
need to change the way you treat them.
For example, never coil them up by coiling them over your elbow the way
girl scouts coil up ropes. Don't do that with mic cables either.
Don't have stuff like furniture rolling over your cords.
Unplug them by firmly grasping the plug rather than just yanking on the
cord.
You don't have to exactly baby them, but treat them nicely.
I've had cheap patch cords last for years.
Also, when you get crackle, try cleaning out the jack with a Q-tip and
alcohol. Dust and crap in there can cause a poor connection that can
give you crackle.
jthread
"Sean" <se...@fake.con> wrote in message
news:916Th.21692$hO2.11451@edtnps82...
> jthread wrote:
>
>> Tried PW's and they were the best I tried but they started crackling
>> about 2 or 3 years into and them then just quit altogether. The one's I
>> had were sealed and couldn't be repaired.
>>
>> I'll check into the George L's. I heard they were good cables.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> If you've been having trouble with patch cords not lasting, maybe you need
> to change the way you treat them.
>
Good point.
S Tew
"jthread" <jth...@att.net> wrote in message
news:OAcSh.26652$VU4....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
There are specific things to consider in cables.
1. The length. You don't need a 20 foot cable for sitting in the den and
jamming, nor for most small stages. Longer cables get tangled and kinked
more easily, and give the pets more to chew on.
2. The jack. Get cables with jacks that allow repair and are heavy enough
to support the wire and give a good grip. The better ones have tight
tolerances at the junction of cable and jack and are soldered and shrinked.
3. The cable itself. Cheap cables have a cheap outer conductor that is not
braided, and flimsy insulation. The better cables usually have a multi -
conductor core, braided return layer, and a substantial insulator. Some
have an additional braided outer sheath and / or an additional plastic
sheath to protect it from rollover and cats.
4. If you are using a cheap cable, the characteristic impedance,
capacitance, and inductance can change as the cable flexes and gets kinks,
cuts, and so forth. Higher quality cable will give more consistent and
predictable tone quality, especially if you are using a good amp and are
into the guitar / amp tone deal. If you use a lot of stomp boxes, the
quality of the interconnects is as important as the main cable, but less so
as you add more crap to the signal path.
So here is the deal. More money usually gets a better cable. A reasonable
starting point is about $25 to $40 for a 12 to 15 foot cable with factory
termination. You can easily spend over $130 for a single cable if you are a
real tone freak and want uber rugged.
I have a 20 foot Mogami and a 12 foot Bullet that are pretty rugged and
sound real good. Compared to some of the older, cheaper cables I have, they
do sound better, and they look pretty cool. No clicky, scratchy, poppy,
flat - sounding output from them. I tend to just go from the guitar to the
amp when playing. I can plug my tuner into the effects loop so there is no
added BS in the signal path from guitar to amp.
The slide I use right now is some no - name heavy glass tube that has good
tone and reasonable control. Usually only used on the Dobro.
Steve
Paul
> 3. The cable itself. Cheap cables have a cheap outer conductor that is not
> braided, and flimsy insulation. The better cables usually have a multi -
> conductor core, braided return layer, and a substantial insulator. Some
> have an additional braided outer sheath and / or an additional plastic
> sheath to protect it from rollover and cats.
One thing I find really important is the flexibility of the
cable. I want my cables to lie flat on the floor. They
should also be able to be easily coiled and uncoiled. This
means some sort of rubber or rubber-like insulator.
I bought a couple of supposedly higher quality cables
mailorder that ended up having the additional plastic sheath
which, while it may make them more rugged, prevents the
cables from straightening out properly.
It would be nice if manufacturers supplied their cables
coiled in round loops instead of flattening the coils to
fit inside narrow packaging, this way even the stiff cables
would have a chance. As it is, some cables are impossible
to unkink.
Paul
Bam
--
Thanks,
Jeff Ferren
433-0386
"jthread" <jth...@att.net> wrote in message
news:OAcSh.26652$VU4....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
For me personally, I always used Wirlwind cables from the guitar to the amp.
Now remember, this was 15 - 20 years ago.
Now for cables for the speakers and such, I used the heaveiest i could find.
This made them lie flatter on the floor, and much easier to secure.
But I did conduct a test one night, I lied 2 cables out, side by side, not
connected to anything.....
and when I woke up, they were tangled...lol
But after some time of live playing, I went wireless, so the cord didn't
matter as much.
Bam