Guitar Cable Showdown – 9 Guitar Cables – $20-$30
This month we are taking a look at 9 different guitar cables from 9 different manufacturers, we invited 12 manufacturers to participate in the review but only the following companies accepted the challenge.
We first started out by testing all the cables to make sure that they were wired properly for proper grounding and continuity. We would like to thank our good friends at Morley Pedals for providing us with their Ebtech Swizz Army Cable Tester.
All 9 Cables passed both the Continuity and Shield Test.
Each cable was connected to 3 different setups to simulate a variety of practical playing environments.
We used the following setups to actually test the cables:
1. Squier Stratocaster with a Fender FM25 DSP Amplifier
2. Fender Standard Telecaster with a Fender Deluxe Reverb 65 Reissue Amplifier
3. Fender American Stratocaster with a Blues Jr. Amplifier
While using each cable we tested it for the following:
1. Appearance
2. Workmanship
3. Stiffness
4. Sound
CBI Ultimate Guitar Cable
Price: $20.95
Connectors: Neutrik
Wire: 18
Shielding: Spiral Shield – 95%
Description:
• Neutrik NP2X 1/4″ Connectors
• Super Heavy 18 Gauge Cable with Dual Spiral Shield: Virtually no Loss and ultra Low microphonics
• LDPE Insultaion
• 100% Semi-Conductive Textile Shield
• Made in the USA
Editors Notes:
This is a nice looking stylish cable with quality jacks. The cable moves smoothly across the floor with very little kinking.
We did notice a little noise coming from this cable while using it.
Overall, we thought it was a good cable that performed nicely for the price.
DiMarzio Guitar Cable
Price: $21.99
Connectors: Switchcraft
Wire: 20
Shielding: Braided/PVC – 98%
Description:
DiMarzio® Guitar & Instrument Cables are unsurpassed for connecting guitars, basses and keyboards to amps. Exceptionally crisp, clear, quiet and durable, they outperform cables costing much more. They’ve been called “the new industry standard,” and have successfully passed Guitar Player magazine’s “chop” and “jump rope” tests as well as many other torture tests. Custom designed low-capacitance American-made copper cable ensures low stage noise and guarantees consistent sound and improved high frequency response. DiMarzio® Instrument Cables are encased in a durable nylon braided jacket which is designed to lie flat, decrease tangling and protect the cable. Right angle and silent ends are available at extra cost.
Editors Notes:
This cable is solidly built with nice connectors and very well put together. It looks very sharp and professional.
From other reviews we had read, we thought that this cable may have been a little over hyped, but this cable is the real deal.
This cable was very quiet without any buzz or humming. The sound of this cable was amazing and we did not experience any kinking while using this cable.
This cable easily performs as well cables twice the price in both quality and sound.
This cable is a great cable offered at an incredible price.
Rapco Horizon SG5S-10
Price: $24.00
Connectors: RapcoHorizon
Wire: 18
Shielding: Braided
Description:
18 gauge inst5 cable with braided shield Switchcraft connectors
Editors Notes:
This is a nice cable, the feel of the cable feels chalky and stiff. The cable kinked rather easily.
This is a solidly built cable that performed well. With use we anticipate that the stiffness will settle down some.
Performance wise this cable is a good cable offered at a good price.
Pro Co LPP-10 (Lifelines)
Price: $24.95
Connectors: Neutrik
Wire: 12
Shielding: Spiral Shield – 90%
Description:
Built with heavy duty 120SXXK cable (20 AWG conductor, dual shielding, oversized jacket) and G & H BF2PLB plugs.
Editors Notes:
This is a nice solidly built cable with nicely textured jacks. We noticed very little hiss or hum while using this cable. The cable flowed nicely across the floor without kinking.
Overall, soundwise this cable performs very good.
This is a nice cable offered at an affordable price.
Whirlwind Leader Elite Guitar Cable
Price: $24.99
Connectors: Leader
Wire: 20
Shielding: Braided Shield
Description:
Whirlwind was the first to introduce the “toaster cord” cloth covered instrument cable in 1990.
Now, back by popular demand – we’ve taken premium low capacitance guitar cable, surrounded it with heavy duty striped cloth braid (available in several colors) and capped it all off with a special gold plated Elite version of our famous Leader plug.
Add our ironclad lifetime warranty and you have the finest sounding and most durable guitar cable available today!
Editors Notes:
This is a nice cable, well built with sturdy jacks and a stylish cable. This cable has mild kinking while moving across the floor.
There was mild his or hum while using this cable. This cable was a good performing cable offered at an affordable price.
Spectraflex GCO-10 Guitar Cable
Price: $25.95
Connectors: G&H
Wire: 20
Shielding: Copper/PVC
Description:
This is the Braided Cable that started it all!!!
Check out these features-
Rugged, engineered Nylon Braiding available in seemingly endless color/pattern combinations, covering a tough PVC
outer jacket-
20 AWG Ultra-Pure Copper Center Conductor-
95% Overall Copper Shield-
100% Coverage Inner Conductive PVC Shield-
G&H Industries Connectors featuring “Copper Core”™ Technology-
State of the art construction designed for extended frequency response and extremely low handling noise-
All cable lengths available with your choice of Straight or Right Angle Plugs.
Editors Notes:
This is a nice cable with a black and while braided pattern, looks very stylish and classy. This cable performed very well.
This is a solid built cable that sounded very good at an affordable price.
Ernie Ball Guitar Cable
Price: $29.99
Connectors: Molded
Wire: 20
Shielding: Dual Shielding, Braided – 95%
Description:
10 Foot S/S. 20 Gage conductor. Low capacitance, oxygen free copper. Triboelectric shielding, flexible heavy duty jacket.
Editors Notes:
This is a sharp looking cable with nice solid jacks and a stylish look. This cable looks like it could take alot of abuse and keep on working.
This is a nice quiet cable that sounds very good and offered at a good price.
Armor Gold Guitar Cable
Price: $29.99
Connectors: G&H Industries
Wire: 20 AWG OFC
Shielding: Spiral Wound
Description:
Premium instrument cable for guitar or bass. Handmade in the USA.
No B.S. hype here, just proven components and solid design. Polymer outer mesh, G & H plugs, double layer heat shrink… the ultimate in durability. Plus our cables are quiet, flexible, affordable, and they sound great.
We use medium-low capacitance wire for great tone. Yes, different cables do sound different… super-low capacitance (below 30 pf) can sound too trebly and harsh, while higher capacitance (over 40 pf) cables can sound dull and lifeless. We hit the sweet spot at 33 pf for that elusive combination of warmth with clarity!
You bet your ass this cable feels and looks cool as hell! But we actually chose the gold color for a reason… visibility. At close range it’s slightly reflective, so your drummer and drunk friends won’t accidently trip over it. But from a distance it has a subtle appearance, so it doesn’t look distracting on stage.
So lose that mess of unreliable cheap cables before they let you down (like right in the middle of that big solo). It’s time to roll with the Gold!
Editors Notes:
Without a question this is the most unique cable that we have ever seen. It has a strange texture that sort of glows. The jacks are small and solidly built. The jacks plugged in easily and this cable was very quiet while using it.
This is a really nice sounding cable offered at an affordable price.
Planet Waves Custom Guitar Cable
Price: $29.99
Connectors: Double Molded
Wire: 24
Shielding: Foil/Braided Shield
Description:
Built for the discerning musician and the most demanding situations, Planet Waves offers built-to-last durability, while accurately transferring the subtle details of your tone through our exclusive In=Out technology. Custom Series cables feature ultra-pure twisted pair, oxygen-free conductors with encapsulated soldering points formulated for extremely low capacitance. This ensures pure signal clarity and precise transmission of your instrument’s true character. Additionally, two layers of impenetrable noise-rejecting shielding, coupled with unmatched strain relief, deliver the ultimate high-performance cable. And, all Planet Waves cables are guaranteed for life!
Editors Notes:
This cable looks really nice with stylish jacks. The cable is solidly built and flows well across the floor while using it.
This cable is absolutely quiet, we wondered if it was even plugged in. This sound from this cable was very good.
We liked the extra attention that was put into this cable with the stylish jacks and the cord that keeps the cable coiled up when not in use.
After running our tests on all 9 cables we felt there were alot of good cables in this batch but now to pick the best.
Again, our good friends at Morley Pedals helped us out by providing us with one of their Morley AB/Y Combiner Pedals.
Using this pedal we were able to take our selection of the best cables and quickly compare them to each other to shorten our list down to the 3 Winners we have selected below.
Now it’s time to announce the winners:
Winners
Best Guitar Cables Under $20.00-$30.00
DiMarzio Guitar Cable – Top Pick
This is a sharp looking cable that appears that it could put up with lots of abuse. During our sound test, it performed quite impressively. We found it hard to believe that this cable actually cost only $21.99. At this price, this guitar cable is an incredible bargain.
Ernie Ball Guitar Cable
Another fine product from Ernie Ball, they made a name for themselves with their Guitar Effects Pedals and they failed to disappoint us with their cables. This is a top notch cable offered at an affordable price.
Planet Waves Custom Guitar Cable
This cable from Planet Waves is sturdy and will take a beating, We like the looks of this cable and it is one of the best cables that we tested in this price range. This is a great sounding cable offered at an affordable price.
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Disclaimer:
*This review was conducted by Red Dawg Guitar News which is not associated with any of the manufacturers in this review.
The items in this review were reviewed by a panel of 3 people then given to others that were not aware that this article was being written to get their impressions of the product.
After the review was completed some of these guitar cables were donated to students at local music schools in the area.
Some of the items in this review were provided by the manufacturer and Red Dawg Guitar News was not compensated for doing this review or endorsing these products.
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