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How long should my cable be?

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cable length
2K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  Guitarist-Jonny 
#1 ·
Hi guys, hope all is well. I'm going to be gigging soon and I'm wondering how long my cable should be- the cable is going straight from my guitar to my amp. I know venues vary but I'm wondering if you can recommend a length that will cover most average venues (clubs, pubs etc)?
Thanks
Regards
Jon
 
#2 ·
3-4m is about the minmum you'll want for gigging. You can get up past 10m in some but anything past 9m runs the risk of affecting the sound, so try the cable out if it's that long (mine is 10m, but it doesn't take anything out of the sound, and it's only that long because of the massive stage we've got :D).

So for various common venues, make a compromise and go somewhere between 5m and 7m. You also have to account for the size of your amp. If it's a combo there's not much to worry about but if it's a stack, having the cable go from the ground up into the input is going to shorten the cable's usable length, so you'd want to go for a slightly longer one in that situation.

I have some cable called a Rapco (huh? lol) and it sounds fine but for long cables the best are probably gonna be PlanetWaves or DiMarzio.

Hope that all helped. Enjoy your gigging! :)
 
#10 ·
I may be wrong but I don't think that makes a difference. Active or passive, the cable's impedence and length would still disrupt the treble frequencies in the signal. You might be able to compensate by boosting the treble with an onboard preamp, but that doesn't change the fact that the cable is acting on the signal. I wouldn't worry too much unless you're using a couple 50ft cables thru true-bypass pedals switched off and lots of florescent lighting in a stadium or something. If you're just playing in a club, most of the time a 20-30 foot quality cable will suffice with minimal effect on the "purity" of the signal path and provide the necessary shielding from interference. Besides, most people in the crowd will be too drunk to hear a difference.
 
#11 ·
When I mentioned the cable affecting the sound I was referring to more length = more resistance as smooth55 said. I don't have any active pickups so i'm no expert on the difference that would make (it might affect it, it migh not).

In my opinion a 6m PlanetWaves cable is an excellent choice. :)
 
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