Steel Guitar Cables

Matthew Walton · From: Fort Worth, Texas

I am relatively new to steel guitar (about 1 year) and I was wondering what's so great about the special cable that you can buy. You know what I'm talking about: you buy it in coils and the connectors are bought separately, and then you (I guess) just cut it to the length you want and attach the connectors.

So,
Is there really any advantage between those, as opposed to plain ol' instrument cables?
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Dan Beller-McKenna · From: Durham, New Hampshire, USA

Matthew,

you are referring to George L's, yes? I too was skeptical for a long time, but took the plunge a month or two back. The difference is quite notable. It lets a lot of the high end through, whereas normal cables dampen them. This way you get some treble end without having to turn up (i.e. un dampen) the treble on your amp; a crisp yet warmer tonal quality in my opinion (if that's possible).

I also like the narrower diameter of the cable; feels like less chord spaghetti around me on stage.

However, the only way to really tell if you like it is to try it. Probably a $35-50 investment.

Dan
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Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

When the klutz guitar player trips over your cable and yanks the end off, you can fix it on the spot with a set of cutters and a screwdriver... Smile

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Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I just posted an update to a post where I was having bad amp noise problems. I was using George L's for years and they got to where I couldn't get them to lay flat on stage (using the smaller diameter cable) and I was tripping on them. I changed to ProCo cables. I noticed no change in the tone between the cables. But, I went back to my George L's this last Sunday and my noise problems almost disappeared. So I am back to George L's and a believer once again.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Matthew, the longer your cables are (and the more of them you use), the more important it is to use a good grade of cable - but each player must judge what is best for his/her own sound. I don't use long cables, so while I have (and use) the George-L cables, I wouldn't lose any sleep if I had to use something else. (In fact, I did...for about 35 years). If the cables cause me to lose a little highs, then I just increase the treble on the amp, or change my picking position. Now, other players may not like that approach, but it works okay for me.

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

Please do not use any coiled cables/cords. Many years ago when I worked on pedal steels in Houston, guys would bring me their steel to see why the sound was so crappy. Many of them had bought the local music store specials which were coiled and had molded plugs. Problems went away when they bought the good sheilded cord with metal barreled plugs.

Also, at the time I custom made cords using the blue Belden 9272 cable which has a very low capcitance per foot. (Also has a very high wavefront propogation for the 'very, very fast' pickers!)

Yes, get a cord that lays flat on stage AND does not make any noise when the lead guitar player or a 'dancing' volcalist stomps all over it when you are playing.

Thanx,
Jim

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

The cable between your guitar and your volume pedal is the most important. To save money, just replace that one with a George Ls, no longer than necessary.

Kyle Everson · From: Nashville, Tennessee

For studio stuff, I love George L's. I've had engineers do tests with other cables and the GL's sound much better by comparison.

For road work, use a soldered cable. The failure rate for GL's (especially the right-angle plugs) is horrendous. A lot of guys build their pedalboards with them, which makes troubleshooting a sound issue onstage almost impossible. Unfortunately, it's happened to me.

The long cable issue, as I understand it, can be cured if you use at least one Boss-type pedal. The true bypass pedals are the ones that cause signal loss, but the buffered Boss-types restore some of the signal and even it out.

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

sonbone · From: Waxahachie, TX

I've used the same 3 George L cables for close to 20 years now. I think they've played close to 4000 gigs in about 40 or so states and 3 countries. YMMV Smile

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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I've used George L's cables from the time they came out. I've only had one failure and that was my own fault.

If you are going to pull out the plugs by the cord instead of by the connector no cable is going to hold up. And, on the road it's a lot easier to fix a George L's cable, if one ever goes bad.

But even tho I'm a George L's cable fan, I hate the right angle connectors and will not use them.

Bari Smith · From: Spartanburg SC USA

I also have some George L's and have for many years but....I recently started using the Core2X cable system and I like em!!!!Connectors seem to be a little heftier and the grounding screw is fool-proof.Also the right angles haven't given the trouble I had with the George L's.Seems like I remember all this being hashed out in a previous thread.Just offered as an option!
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Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Run your steel into most any Ibanez or Boss pedal, then into your volume pedal. The buffers in these pedals pretty much negate the importance of cables in the signal path. I run my Carter staight into an Ibanez delay pedal, then into my NV112. I also use the 3 cord method. My cables are virtually out of the tone equation, as is the passive volume pedal that I use. Any decent cable will perform well in my system, you do not have to have expensive cables! JP
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Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

My experience with stompboxes, (and I've owned about 50 of them at one time or another) is that:

True Bypass pedals do the best job not altering tone, but several in series will decrease signal strength.

Buffered pedals (Boss, Ibanez), help to maintain signal strength, but since the buffered signal is only a replication of the original signal, there is some noticible high frequency attenuation.

Cable length and type both deteriorate signal. So I use a good quality cable (George L).......If I'm going to use multiple pedals, I'll loop them through a True Bypass "Looper" pedal. which when disengaged removes the excess cables, as well as the pedals, from the tone chain.....It's not perfect, but there is very little signal loss and minimal high freq loss with the looper in "bypass" mode.

Matthew Walton · From: Fort Worth, Texas

So I guess my next question might be, what diameter? or does it really matter?
Also, I don't know, but it seems to me that you might want a right angle jack to plug in to your steel.
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If something I wrote can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, I meant the other one.

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Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

GeorgeL's are not just "Steel Guitar Cables".
They are a high quality cable and connector, used by other instruments too.

Guitar Player Mag once ran a "Cable Shootout" article, and they won.

I use them. The cap on right-angled connectors tends to work loose over time. Just check them every time you use them. They are easy to fix.

Because I've been an Electronics Tech since the 70s, I used to believe soldered cables were the only way to go. To my surprise, GeorgeLs changed my mind.

Glenn Suchan · From: Austin, Texas

I use a George L cable with a straight and a right-angle plug (someone gave it to me awhile back). It's a short length so I use it between the guitar and the volume pedal. I use it along with a 10-foot length of Belden 8410 cable with Switchcraft plugs (I made that one some 31 years ago). In the six years or so that I've used the George L cable, it hasn't compromised the signal one iota... the Belden cable still delivers the same high quality signal as before the George L became a member of the team. Razz

My secret to long cable life: keep 'em clean and always allow 'em to relax to their natural coil before store'n 'em. Smile

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

As I and many have said before. Use a little blue Loktite on the angle plugs and they won't come loose. I'm also a believer, GL is all I use for steel, fiddle, pedalboard, 6-string.
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Matthew Walton · From: Fort Worth, Texas

Kyle Everson · From: Nashville, Tennessee

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I actually have right angle plugs on all my cables, and while the caps do work loose on occasion (just make sure their tight every time you plug them in) I have never had a problem with them (9 years now).

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

It's so easy to change these connectors that you might want to buy a few spares. Then you can decide for yourself if if you like the right angles.

Matt, No offense, we're just sharing info and opinions.
Winking

Richard Marko · From: Dallas, Texas

What Jim Peters said about the Ibanez Delay is 100 % correct !!!
I had my session before the stomp box and still could not get the tone I wanted but when I bought the Ibanez Delay - I've beeen very satisfied !!!
You can't find a better delay with such warmth !!!

Note - Jim mentioned that you don't have to have the pedal on for the buffer inside to work for you.
I always have the pedal on Very Happy

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