Best Guitar Gear for 2009 - Guitar & Pedal Cables

Dr. M's Fender Strat getting the Snap Jack treatment!

The cables you choose can either enhance your guitar's tone or suck the life out of it. Another problem with poor quality guitar cables is they can actually add noise to your performance or even worse, your recording projects. We have sought out the best cables on the cutting edge of design, construction and innovation. The ones we have chosen both have a circuit breaking device on the tips which allows you to silently disconnect from your amp without running to turn it down or off. This feature alone saves time, steps and damage to your sound equipment. We have also separated them into two categories. The first cable we found was best for live performances and the second for recording. Since many of our guitar cables are also hooked up to our stompboxes, we included the best pedal cables as well. Here are the finalists:

Snap Jack Guitar Cable by ZZYZX for Live Performance

We have found this cable to be the best for live performances and concerts. This is because noise is not as much of an issue when you are onstage as it is in the recording studio. The Snap Jack Cable all is same is very quiet but not the most quiet cable that we tested. Where the Snap Jack does shine is its ability to completely cut off the signal upon disconnecting the neodymium magnetic two piece tip. I have disconnected from a live sound system in concert without having to wait for the sound man to come on stage. Using extra tips,(available in straight and right angle), I've also been able to switch instruments quietly, on the fly with absolutely no popping or squeals coming over the amp. I like the fact that it will disengage under a certain amount of pressure, therefore should you catch your foot on the cable, you're not likely to go for a nasty fall or damage your equipment. Visit Jodavi 's ZZYZX online store and see all the models of Snap Jack cables at: http://www.zzyzxsnapjack.com/

Spectraflex Fatsoflex Silent Plug for Recording

When we wanted to do studio recording, we had to look at a lot of factors. Ambient sound, mic placement and especially the type of studio mic to pick. Where a lot of us miss it, is the fact that having poorly shielded cables can add even more noise than many environmental sources. We did a guitar instrumental as our first demo CD recording. What we found was a great deal of buzzing or hum on the track. Nothing we did seemed to help until we switched all of our studio cables to Spectraflex. The difference was incredible. All you can hear now is the sound of the instruments, (a Fender Stratocaster and a Martin D-16GT). The Spectraflex Fatsoflex Silent Plug allows for instrument switching but this cable's forte is in their super thick, braided insulation design. We've not found any other cable that could match it for noiseless recording and replication of clear tone. We've even replaced our new Audio-Technica AT 4047/SV side address condenser mic cable with a Spectraflex Braided Low Z cable. When everything comes across crystal clear on the studio monitors, you know that's going to transfer to your recording as well. Visit Spectraflex online at: http://www.spectraflex.com/

A WORD ABOUT PEDAL CABLES

Using great guitar cables not only improve the quality of your tone but will carry over towards improving your pedal board's performance too. Some pedals do rob your guitar's tone but often times it is the type of cables you are using to connect from your guitar, to your pedals and then to your amp. A lot can get lost along the way, especially if you use a lot of individual pedals in a daisy chain of effects.

Personally I have always preferred the right angled pedal cables over those with straight tips although it is good to have a few of those onboard. Right angled tips allow more boxes to fit neatly on the pedal board. You'll appreciate this even more as your collection grows and you want to add some variety to your sound. Just as poorly shielded cables will add noise to your guitar's sound, the same is true for pedal cables. They should be of the same quality and insulation as what you plug into your guitar so here's our pick:

Spectraflex Braided Pedal Cables

Carrying over the same quality and shielding found in their braided guitar cables, Spectraflex does it all in style. I've used their braided guitar cables for years, (Spectraflex is the original braided cable, after all), and they are all still going strong. Their cloth braiding helps insulate from excess noise but also makes for a tougher, more durable cable. Not only that, the very cool colors and designs on the cables themselves can help you visually organize your pedal board. You can set up according to they type of effects, (modulation, compression, etc.), and use specific pedal cable colors to designate them. The quality is unsurpassed for connecting all of your stompboxes and even looping out an effect for your multi-effector like our BOSS GT-10 with Keeley's Compressor. Visit Spectraflex online to see their braided Fatsoflex and pedal cables: http://www.spectraflex.com/

The BOSS GT-10 in its custom Tarcase. Spectraflex pedal cables are used to loop in extra effects such as a Keeley Compressor.

Stick around for our continuing countdown of the Best Guitar Gear for 2009! If you are looking for that perfect Christmas gift for your favorite guitarist, (that could be you, actually), check out our reviews before you buy. You can also see our previous articles in this series, namely the first on the Best Guitar Gear for 2009 - Guitar Straps: http://mariejmiczak.blogspot.com/2008/11/best-guitar-gear-for-2009.html

Guitar Pedals...Get the Effect Part III!

PHOTO: Custom road cases like these allow you to transport your individual pedals or floor multi-effector unit safely and securely. Once at the gig, simply lift the lid, plug in and play... right out of the case. Easy! Left to right: BOSS Digital Delay, BOSS Super Chorus, Keeley Fuzz Head, Keeley Compressor, Ibanez WD-7 Wah, BOSS TU-2 Tuner, in the back VooDoo Lab's Pedal Power II Plus. Fatso Flex Silent Plug Guitar Cable & Pedal Cables by Spectraflex. Pedal Board Case by Tarcase Co. USA. Guitar, Fender Strat.

Now we are going show you how to set up and transport your own custom pedal board with the individual pedals we're reviewed in Parts I and II. Likewise, you'll need to know the best way to power your individual pedals and effects rather than constantly buying 9 volt batteries or dragging along an adapter for each effect.

The Chain of Effects:

Now, you have these great pedals, distortion, phaser, digital delay, reverb, etc. ready to rock. Maybe you started out with a few but now you have a small herd you'd like to put to work. There are some basics, (not written in stone mind you), that will make sense as you daisy chain these pedals together. So from your guitar to your amp, you're going to have a set pattern in mind so that each effect can shine and allow the others to do their job as well. Here is a common set up for your pedals according to what they do:

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Guitar > Buffer, i.e. TU-2 Tuner > Wah Pedal > Compressor > Distortion/Overdrive> Chorus/Tremolo/Flanger/Phaser > Delay / Reverb > Amp

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If you use a volume pedal, that would fit in before your delay or reverb or next to last effect in your effects chain to the amp. This is so the fadeouts continue to decay after the volume is cut. Compressors are actually amplifiers and will increase the content of whatever is before them in the signal chain. Modulation pedals include chorus / tremolo / flangers and phasers. Since chorus likes to work on the entire tone, putting it before the overdrive or distortion will end up distorting the whole sound. When used after the distortion / overdrive, the tone is balanced. This is a basic set up according to many touring pros. You can and should experiment to switch things up for your own signature effect. Still, to optimize the individual characteristics of the effects you are using, this is pretty much the way it goes.

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Pedal & Guitar Cables

Your pedal cables are just as important as your guitar cables. Noisy, poor connections will rob your guitar from the tone all these stomp boxes want to offer. That doesn't have to happen. I use Spectraflex's, Fatso-Flex Silent Plug guitar cables which were voted into the winner's circle of best cables in this year's Guitar Player Magazine. I use their Right Angle Pedal Cables between the boxes. They are fully shielded and colorful just like the longer guitar cables which helps me to organize my pedal board. For example, you can hook up red cables to your distortion and overdrive boxes to quickly identify them visually. Sort of like zoning your effects by color. Made in the U.S.A. Very cool!

PHOTO: Spectraflex Pedal Cables

Price: $18.95

http://www.spectraflex.com/

Power it Up

The next and perhaps most important box on your pedal board is going to be your power supply. There are many on the market but the one that I see most consistently on the

pedal boards of the touring artists is VooDoo Lab's Pedal Power II Plus. Unlike some of the others that claim to take up only one outlet, the Pedal Power acts like 8 separate adapters. What this means is that there is less of a chance of loops forming between your pedals because they are essentially sharing one power source. This is not the ideal set up for your pedals. The Pedal Power II Plus comes with all the cables to connect up to 8 individual stomp boxes or effects. No noise, no hum. Packed in your pedal case, it looks like one of the gang but you'll find better performance from properly powered effects. Handmade in the USA.

Gotta Gig!

Undergirding all of this is my custom made Tarcase. Made in the USA, these individually designed pedal boards can accomodate individual pedals, wahs and floor multi-effectors. These are really well made and the fit is impeccable. It even has a built in rise for your volume or wah pedal. As they can be built to your exact specifications, the sky is the limit for your pedal board set up. Your stomp boxes, wah, volume pedal and power source can all stow neatly for safe transport to your venue. Lift the lid, plug in and start playing! Contact Jay at Tarcase Co. at: tarcaseco@comcast.net for more information on his custom road case pedal boards. You can check out all of the gear featured in this article by clicking on the banner ads to your left.

Next up!: The floor multi-effectors are coming! See what BOSS and DigiTech have been up to in the way of guitar and guitar/vocal multi-effectors. We're also going to discuss the pros and cons of using single pedals vs. a floor multi-effector. Don't miss this one!

Fender Strat Gets N-Tune!

Fender's Standard Stratocaster in Chrome Red

is North American made with lots of classic tone!

Just in case you wanted to know what we're using to test our pedals and multi-effectors with...here it is, our Fender Standard Stratocaster. Otherwise known as the "Pedal Meister"!
This is a rock solid, all time favorite with a fast maple fretboard, three pickups and tremolo bar. The Chrome Red finish has a semi-metallic look without being flashy. Its just a good, straight-forward axe! To make it even sweeter, we had the NEW N-Tune onboard tuner installed. This is a lighted, battery powered tuner from Zero Crossing, that fits under the volume knob of your Strat. It will even fit the volume knobs of other models, with different colors to match or contrast your pickguard.

N-Tune On Board Tuner

by Zero Crossing

List $99.99 - Street $79.99
http://www.n-tune.com/

We road tested the N-Tune Fender Style Package. The N-Tune onboard tuner installs under your volume knob. Offers a quick and very accurate tuning, (we compared it with the BOSS TU-2). Now you can tune up anytime, anywhere, even on a dark stage, without having to pack an extra tuner. A definite must if you are on tour or playing lots of consecutive concerts. You will need to be able to solder two wires and installation / battery changes require removal of the pickguard and strings. We suggest you use Duracell 9 volt Procell Alkaline batteries, (PC1604) and coordinate changing the tuner's battery with replacement of your strings. I do this with my Martin D-16 which has a battery powered, under the saddle pickup and it's no big deal. To prevent accidental draining of the battery, there is even an auto-power off feature designed into the N-Tune. If the tuner does not detect a note being played for 3 minutes, it automatically powers itself OFF to save battery life. Excellent!

Meet our Pro Guitar Tech Team, Ian West, (left) and Randy Cauvanaugh. They are known as the "Fender Experts" and keep all of our road gear in top, gigging shape. We rely on their expertise and knowledge of electric guitars, pedals and set-ups. They actually did the installation of the N-Tune on board tuner for us. Here's what they had to say:

Ian: "Very cool idea! I especially like the true bypass feature."

Randy: "It works great. The only thing I don't like is that you have to remove the pick plate and strings to replace the battery. Just like a pedal, don't leave your guitar cabled into your amp after playing or it will drain the battery."

Many of the top named guitar companies are installing onboard tuners on their newer models. I've seen a few in action and was not too impressed. They seemed to be hard to see and not very accurate. The N-Tune onboard tuner works as if it were custom made for your guitar as it fits unnoticably under the volume knob. Pull the knob, it lights up and flashes green when you're in tune. Push it back in and its true bypass feature lets your guitar perform business as usual. I really like this feature and the freedom of being able to tune up, even on a dimly lit stage, with ease. It was very close in accuracy to my BOSS Tu-2 which is in my opinion the best tuner on the market. So now I can leave all my tuners in the studio. With my N-Tune onboard tuner installed, I'm good to go!

Fatso Flex "Silent Plug" Guitar Cables

By Spectraflex

Price: $42.95 (10 ft) - $57.95 (25 ft)

http://www.spectraflex.com/

Spectraflex guitar cables are the cables we use for both performing and recording. I've used Spectraflex for years now. In fact, this was the cable I purchased when I brought my first electric guitar, the Aria Pro II. What impressed me then as now was the quietness and beauty of these braided guitar cables. All of them are still going strong after all these years. The Fatso Flex, shown here, was voted among the Winner's Circle of best guitar cables this year by Guitar Player Magazine. Not surprising. Spectraflex makes incredible sounding cables! Ultra quiet and reliable now with "Silent Plug", I have the ability to switch guitars quietly without disconnecting from my stage amp. The best of both worlds. This is hands down, the best guitar cable I've ever used. Made in the USA, Spectraflex does it again!

Spectraflex Pedal Cables

Price: $18.95

www.spectraflex.com/

This is our choice for pedal cables. These link up your individual pedals with the same noiseless quality you get from the Spectraflex line of guitar cables. Shielded, braided, high quality cables made just like their big brothers. Made in the USA. Multiple colors and patterns help you to organize your pedal board...in style! See how we put it all together in our next installment of Guitar Pedals...Get the Effect: Part III

PRO TIP OF THE DAY:

Always disconnect your pedals and instruments with onboard battery powered devices such as preamps, pickups and tuners, after use. Even if they are shut OFF, leaving them cabled will cause the batteries to drain! Simply disconnect all your cables when you're done playing and you'll be fine. Duracell's PC1604's are cheaper than the consumer marketed "Copper Tops" and can be purchased in bulk packs for less. Best choice is to use a single power source for all your individual pedals. We'll tell you which one the pro touring bands use and why, up next!