cords?

Matthew Wilson · Posted 31 Mar 2010 9:22 pm

Hi! Are good cords essential for pedal steel and amp? If so why?
If so, what kind of cord recommended?
How can you tell if cord is going out?
Is it normal to have a humming sound coming out of amp?

Please respond. Thank you! matthew Wilson

Ray McCarthy · From: New Hampshire, USA

Matt, I remember changing from the cheap Radio Shack cords to George-Ls and hearing a definite difference, especially in the highs--more sparkle.
On my NV-112 amp the reverb was producing a little hum. I switched to a Holy Grail reverb.

Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

Are good cords essential for pedal steel and amp? If so why?
YES. The steel guitar produces such a wide range of frequencies, you need the best cord available to reproduce these.

If so, what kind of cord recommended? George L's. They are the best on the market.
How can you tell if cord is going out? You will either hear static when you move the cord or when you play. Cords themselves don't usually go bad. The troublesome spot is at the plugs. That is another reason for George L plugs and cables. You NEVER have to replace them. They are repairable on the spot with no solder.

Is it normal to have a humming sound coming out of amp? NO, however many amps do have a slight hum, especially with all the gear we put in front of the amps. Nashville 112's seem to all have a slight hum in the reverb circuit.

Hope this helps,
Bill

Gianni Gori · From: Livorno, Italy

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

Matthew...As stated, "George L" cables are highly recommended....If your guitar is equipped with single coil pickups, a certain amount of mild humming through the amp is inevitable, (especially through a tube amp.) If however, you have humbucking pickups, try running the guitar directly into the amp with the reverb knob off and check to see if the hum subsides. (Posting which brands of guitar and amp you are using may be helpful in diagnosing your problem.)

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I have a Hilton pedal and my amp was popping and cutting out. I tried a pot pedal and it smoothed
out. I thought my Hilton was bad. Keith told me to
try a new cable before I sent it back and that corrected the problem.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I have an inexpensive Behringer (yes Behringer) cable tester that I carry in my steel seat. It's easy to check cables for continuity, opens/shorts with the tester.

Good quality, repairable, cables are the only way to go. I use George L's exclusively not only because of the solderless connectors, but because of the low capacitance electronic characteristics.

But, price alone is not an indicator of how good the guitar cord is. Some of the high priced cables are no better than some of the inexpensive "imported" cables, electronically.

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Capacitance is the enemy. Since steel guitars have 10 or more strings the pickups must be wider. More wire is wound on a steel guitar pickup, perhaps 2 to 3X what is wound on a six string guitar pickup. This makes the steel guitar pickup higher impedance. The pickup's series impedance combined with a cables parallel capacitance forms a low pass filter which can bleed off the highs.
George L cables are lower capacitance than the competition so bleed of less highs. You can get away with a higher capacitance cable on a six string guitar but not steel.

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

I usually use George L's, but have on occasion used Whirlwind and other store bought cables, and honestly, I can't tell the difference. I sure wish George L's had a more flexible insulation covering (rubber, like every other maker uses). I can't get mine to lay flat and have trip hazards unless I can run them under something to keep them flat. And they take up less room in the Pak-a-Seat, probably the only reason I still use them.

I would love to see a BLIND test comparison to see if anyone here can truly identify a George L setup as opposed to other decent quality cords.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I had a Steeler at my place last week, to load my POD XT programs into his POD XT. He set up his steel so I could show him the programs and what they did. I noticed his guitar's tone (a Zum D-10)just didn't sound "good". He was using cords that he bought at a Steel Guitar shop. I got my George L's out and connected them. Bingo, the guitar came to life and the missing highs were back. The guy was impressed and was going to get some George L's cables.

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

That's a pretty impressive testamonial. But like I said, I can take different cord sets I have and not tell the difference. My "other" cords may have been a better quality than your friend's.

I would still like to line up a dozen players and blindfold them, play using each cord set, and have them tell me which is which.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

For what it is worth which is nothing it probably will.Shortly before quitting steel i bought a new set of very popular cords. I was using and still have the grey cords i got with the Fender 1000 i bought in 62 or 63. They are brown with cigarette smoke now.
I could not tell any difference in tone,sound or what ever. IMHO most of this is in ones head. Like most steels,if one believes one is going to sound
better than another new one it probably will.
As some one else posted,they should be given the Reece blind fold test. Tracy

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

Tracy- If you have a bad popping in your amp and
change to a newer cord and it stops the popping and
plays clearer that is not in your head unless you
consider your ears part of your head.

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

Walter Bowden · From: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

I try to make my own cables and have been doing it 40+ years. If you can teach yourself to solder and only use high quality materials (Switchcraft/Neutik plugs, Ersin Multicore solder, Weller iron w/needle tip, etc.) you can be sure of a quality cable cheaper than store bought. I use rubber jacket Lo Z mic from Clark Wire and Cable and buy 100' lengths and cut to the desired length. Back in the day, I supplemented my meager band earnings by building/selling multi channel mic snakes and stage boxes done out of my bedroom.
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Emmons S10, p/p, Nashville 112, Zion 50 tele style guitar, Gibson LP Classic w/Vox AC30, Fender Deluxe De Ville and a Rawdon-Hall classical

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Bob Ripperden · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Hi all, you might have heard of one.. for those who didn't... here it is. It's called a "floating ground". Three wire cable, 2 ground, 1 hot, all hooked up, but one ground wire taped off at one end (the one that plugs into the steel) These cables are noiseless and very clear. If you can't find them
e-mail me.
Bob

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Being an ex amp tech and Ham Radio Op, I had always made my own cables with Switchcraft plugs and Belden cable. I bought some of the George L's cable in St Louis after going to a Semminar/Demo they had with his cable and several other items. I was amazed at the top end that I didn't know was missing, came to life.

The original small diameter cable was the Bill Lawrence cable that was made by Belden to Bill's specs and sold by "L&L Sales" (Bill Lawrence and George Lewis). I don't know if the George L's is the same cable or not, Bill sold his part of the company to George Lewis, which renamed the strings and cable as "George L's".

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Jack - I'm still using cables made from the old Bill L. (Belden) cable, along with the original brass plugs they provided. These cables are at least 25 years old and still work perfectly.

Lee

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

When playing in a Band watch out your cord to the Amp is not where it can be walked on by other Band members. This can break down the outsie insulation
in the Cord and lead to shorting out.

Ray McCarthy · From: New Hampshire, USA

Hey, Jack--something I don't understand about the George-L cables. How could they have less capacitance if the center conductor and the shield are closer together (smaller diameter)?

Frank Sprague · From: Custer , Washington, USA

Hey Jim - What do you mean by " Bleeding off the highs" ? do the highs sound "tinny" ? or are the highs just not there ? does a better cord smooth them out ?
Thanks - Franko
_________________
The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Walter Bowden · From: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Good move b0b. We did drift off subject. But as long as we're here, the first time I came across guitar cords that had a screw in the side of a 1/4" plug to make the connection were some that Fender included in the "case candy" packet in new guitars with the polishing cloth and the cool thin strap and case key.
They still drove me crazy trying to fix because I was ham handed and would screw in too far and short out and have to start all over again.
_________________
Emmons S10, p/p, Nashville 112, Zion 50 tele style guitar, Gibson LP Classic w/Vox AC30, Fender Deluxe De Ville and a Rawdon-Hall classical

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