Tools for the Task: Cables

You’ve got a killer guitar and a smokin’ amp, but is your go-to cable half as old as you, mediocre, or a combination of the two? You owe it to yourself and your rig to have the all-important link between axe and amp in perfect working order to avoid hum, crackle, or an all-out fail. This month, we’ve put together a sampling of quality guitar cables built to deliver and last.

D’ADDARIO

Planet Waves American Stage Kill Switch Cable
These cables feature a built-in kill switch for silent instrument changes, a patented Geo-Tip design that ensures secure connections, and in-line soldering technology that provides powerful strain relief.
$54 street (15 ft.)
daddario.com

LAVA CABLE

Ultramafic Flex
This low-capacitance cable features a pair of low strand count, 20 gauge, silver-plated copper conductors, triple shielding, and a 98 percent braided shield. Each cable comes standard with Neutrik X-Series plugs.
$83 street (15 ft.)
lavacable.com

MONSTER

Classic Coiled
These cables utilize a magnetic flux-tube design to deliver clear, natural sound. The 90-percent copper spiral-wrap shielding prevents unwanted buzz and hum, and the Duraflex outer jacket resists slicing, bending, and breaking.
$49 street (21 ft.)
monsterproducts.com

PRS

Signature Series
These highly flexible, tangle-free cables feature low capacitance and excellent noise rejection, ultra-pure oxygen-free copper for sonic integrity, gold Neutrik connectors, and rugged construction that carries a lifetime warranty.
$49 street (18 ft.)
prsguitars.com

EVIDENCE AUDIO

The Melody
To combat the negative effects of strand interaction, these cables utilize a single solid-core IGL copper conductor for positive, with parallel-run conductors on the ground path to provide shielding with minimal crosstalk. $97 street (15 ft.)
evidenceaudio.com

MOGAMI

Platinum
These cables feature Neutrik Silent Plugs that allow for hot swapping guitars without pops, conductive PVC to eliminate handling noise, and ultra-high density copper-spiral shielding for a silent background.
$164 street (20 ft.)
mogamicable.com

ASTEROPE

Pro Stage Series
By using high-quality conductive materials and proprietary wiring and production methods, these cables are designed to deliver a broader bandwidth of sound than traditional cables. Features include unique unidirectional design, patented ultra-clarity connectors, and durable exterior jacketing.
$99 street (15 ft.)
asterope.com

COLOSSAL

Sweet Fats These hand-soldered cables boast silver-plated copper conduction and braided shields, a protective film containing pure gold and silver for improved conductivity and reduced oxidation, Amphenol Pro Series connectors, and multi-point-structure strain relief.
$111 street (16 ft.)
colossalcable.com

GEORGE L’S

.225 Prepackaged Cables
Thicker than the company’s .155 cables for a more traditional feel and weight, these cables feature low-capacitance coax cable, solderless connections, nickel-plated plugs or optional unplated brass plugs, and flexible stress-relief jackets.
$49 street (15 ft.)
georgelsstore.com

TAYLOR

V-Cable
The 250k ohms impedance of these cables makes them ideal for the hotter outputs of single-coil-pickups. The inline, easy-to-access volume dial located on the instrument-end jack offers an easy solution for acoustic guitar electronics systems without volume controls.
$49 street (18 ft.)
taylorguitars.com