George L Cable Problem

Todd Herring · From: Florida, USA

i never used these before but bought some on advice. Are you supposed to strip back the ends of the cable before install, if so how far? The right angle ones break up when I play, the straight have been ok, you just cant crank them down to far. I have been using the best cable that monster put out and they worked fine but was told l's are better for that steel sound? Gimmick?
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Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

Hi Todd, No you don't strip back at all. You just cut the length you need and push into the jack as far as it goes, and just tighten up "tightly" The screw will "bite" into the core. I use the red leads, they have a "slightly" thicker core. Easiest leads in the world to connect and use, and no tone loss at all Smile

....no not a gimmick!!

Micky Byrne United Kingdom

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

I think the GL cable and plugs are great. You just tighten them down real snug...but I guess one could over-do it.

Never had the slightest problem...but they're so easy to repair that even if I ripped a connector off, it can be fixed like new in less than a minute. Can't do that with solder types.

I used to carry 2 spares of every cable I used (total of 3 each)...what a pain. Now, I carry only what I use, and one 25 foot coil of spare GL wire...talk about a light load compared to the old ones!!! Laughing

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Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Those are the only cables I've used for over 25 years.

One important point - when you cut the cable, cut it with a very sharp knife. It produces a nice "square" cut on the end. If you use wire cutters, you will squeeze and flatten the cable as you cut it.

Lee, from South Texas

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Good tip, Lee; I'll try it again.
I was starting to think I was retarded. I mean, how can you screw up something so simple?
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Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

I think the George L cables are great. With the right angle ones, you do have to form the habit of checking the thumb wheel to make sure it's tight before each use. They tend to work loose, with occasional nasty sonic results.

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

When assembling the right angle connectors, DO NOT make a sharp angle bend on the cable before screwing the end on. Bend the cable just far enough to allow the threads to catch on the cap. This way the cap will cut into the cable a little harder and make a more secure connection.

The instructions that came with my George L's indicate that this is the optimium assembly method. I used to make a sharp bend in mine before putting the cap on, and I did have a lot of those fail to make good contact with the shield.

Greg

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I went to George L's cables a couple of years ago after using Belden cables with Switchcraft plugs for about 30 years. I have three sets, blue, red, and white, to match whichever guitar I may be playing. I probably have a total of 30 cables, and have only had trouble with one, and cutting the end off and re-attaching the plug took care of that. It took about 15 seconds. I can't tell if my sound is better than with the Beldens, but it certainly didn't hurt it any.
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Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

I've been using them exclusively for about a year now, right angle and straight, no problems whatsoever. I'm waiting for one to go bad so's I can show my bandmates how easy they are to fix, but so far none have failed. Razz

I must have put the plugs in right the first time. Just followed the directions.
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Jonathan Cullifer · From: Gallatin, TN

Been using the same cables for 10 years, and I've never had one fail on me. I did bend one of the plug one time (don't ask me how), but they work great.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I use Bill Lawrence cables. Second choice is PlanetWaves. Neither is in the list.

I used to make my own.
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Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

Like b0b, I used to make my own cables for years, but there's no place around here to get the good cable I used to get. My ear is not fine-tuned enough to tell the tone difference, but Eric Johnson endorses George L's and I've heard he can tell what brand of battery is in a stomp box by the sound. Now that's a fine-tuned ear.
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Wayne Wallett · From: Shermans Dale, PA USA - R.I.P.

There is a very noticeable difference in tone and clarity with Geo-L cables over say Belden, Switchcraft, or Rapco. I was playing a job with all Geo-L cables and one of the band walked past my footpedal and caught the cable on his boot and tore the plug off. Got a spare regular cord out of pack a seat, pluged it in and back in business, but the sound went to pot. Replacing just one short 3' run of cable wrecked the tone. Wouldn't use anything else. Guys.... before buying new guitars, amps, etc. try changing the cables to all Geo-L for about $30 and I would say you will hear a much different sound. I use em, don't sell em so I got nothing to gain by this.
Wayne Wallett Very Happy

John Pape · From: Rochester, NY

I use and swear by Whirlwind Leaders and Leader Elites... not on the list..
But I'm a bit biased.. I work for Whirlwind; still
For what its worth of the 70,000 or so we sell per year we see less than 20 a year total come back for repair/replace under our lifetime warranty( and that isn't just from the 1 years production.. some of them are oldies that have been through the road wars.
John

Marc Jenkins · From: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

I use George L's as much as possible, ie on my pedalboard and with the steel. But on stage when I'm playing with a rock band, I sub in Planetwaves where they'll be on the floor under feet. For what it's worth, Vintage Guitar magazine did a gigantic cable shootout a few years back, and the George L's smoked everything in every category, except for the Planetwaves. A tech friend of mine and I did a blind test on the George L's and the Planetwaves, and neither of us could actually detect a difference with a Tele through a Twin.

Ronald Sikes · From: Corsicana, Tx

I've got a set of GeorgeL's I've been using for almost seven year's and I've never a problem at all.Good investment for sure.

Jeff Garden · From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA

If you go with the George L's (which I highly recommend) you might consider getting their battery powered Cable Checker. It comes in real handy especially if you're making up a number of new cables for your steel/volume pedal/effects pedals/etc. You'll be able to test for continuity and shorts and be able to correct any problems immediately after assembly and not be surprised when you get to the gig. (Just in case, bring it along in the rare event you need to troubleshoot a malfunctioning cable) I've had zero problems if the plugs and cable are assembled correctly.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I used Belden stuff for decades (I probably still have a couple hundred feet of bulk cable from wiring PA rigs) until I switched to George L's quite a few years ago. I'll never change unless some magic gadget comes along. Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. I have NEVER had a cable come loose unless someone tripped on it. Make sure with the angle plugs that you snug the tops a tad every gig.

2. If you're having coiling problems, use the thicker cable for guitar-to-effects and thinner stuff for everything else. This isn't really an issue with steel as much as six-string and bass.

3. Solder nothing. Some recommend soldering systems on them - there's no reason to.

4. I cut mine with a raggedy pair of old diagonal cutters or the cutting part of some needlenose pliers. The key is not a perfect cut - it's a ROUND one. After you cut, do 2 things - make sure there are no stray wire strands, and roll the end between your index finger and thumb to ensure the end isn't flattened out from cutting. Doing this, I get perfect contact every time.

5. The plastic slip-on retainers are cute and can help I.D. cables, but they don't do squat on the angle connectors and not much more on the straight ones.

6. Find a Guitar Center or Sam Ash that stocks the stuff, and buy a bunch of cable and handfuls of ends. Whatever price they quote, tell them you can get them for 40% less and they'll usually match it! Winking

Keep spare cable around and spare ends - it's great being able to make a custom-sized cable for a particular pedalboard run on the spot.

7. Laugh at all the Monster cable buyers who paid umpteen dollars for Monster's marketing program!

Wink

Sidebar - Bill Lawrence cables are pretty much identical from what I've seen, and do the same job.

Sidebar 2 - I've read posts for years by players who can't get a good connection, or who have the cables go bad on them. I do not understand how it's even possible, they are so simple to make - and if you DID have a connection go bad you could fix it in 10 seconds.

Edited to add - I noticed no one commented on the "gimmick?" question. There's no gimmick. The key thing with cables as far as sound goes is low capacitance - all cables are natural capacitors to some extent, and the higher the capacitance, the less clarity. You start to lose highs (or at least the "presence" of the high-end) and with really cheap cables your tone can be noticeable muddied. That being said, I keep one ancient "curly cord" around for specific lapsteel uses, when I WANT the highs somewhat muffled...and it works great as a "static" tone control!
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Colby Tipton · From: Crosby, Texas, USA

George Ls and never have had a problem.

Hook Moore · From: South Charleston,West Virginia

I have used GeorgeL for a long time with never any problem. I use a drop of lock-tite on the angle connectors and never have to think about checking them again.
Hook
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Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

Hook, that's a great idea. I use them for my fiddle wireless and pedal board. I've got tube of red Loctite at home, will do that tomorrow.
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David Biggers · From: Texas, USA

George L's all the way.
I use nothing else on my 2 Carter Steels.
They all fit in my Pac-a-seat with no probs.
Best investment I ever made.
Charlie's Guitar Shop has them in Dallas.
See Clay and tell him I said Hi!

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

A suggestion about Loctite. If you use the red, it holds VERY tight...and could be a problem when repairing the cable.

I'd suggest the blue, medium strength. It holds very well and can be "broken loose" without damaging anything.
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Mike

Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

Thanks for the heads up, Mike. Actually I have a tube of blue, too. I use the red on my motorsickle when I change oil filter, etc.
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Jim Palenscar · From: Oceanside, Calif, USA

Actually I have to respectfully disagree with Jim Sliff. The crimp protectors on the cables work out well. On the straight cables crimp guards adequately perform their job and on the 90 degree ends the crimp guards help keep the thumb screw-type end from loosening. Both add to a professional look and are not expensive. Their is an audible difference between the Geo L's and many other cables. The down side of these cables is that they are expensive and folks used to paying roughly a buck a foot for cables get their hair straightened when they find the list price is in the neighborhood of $6/end, $1.50/crimp guard, and $1.25/ft making a 10 footer about $27.50.

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