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Topic: Frustrated with George L cables |
David Cook
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 4:42 am |
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I accidentally tripped on my George L cable. I have tried for too long to get it working again. Both ends are straight ends and I have built several of these before. Any suggestions?
thanks |
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Roger Francis
From:
kokomo,Indiana, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 5:26 am
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All my GLs are stored away, i bought mogami chord and neutrik ends and soldered my own and never looked back. MPO
_________________
Rittenberry SD10, 2 nashville 112s with telonics speaker, behringer EPQ450 power amp, 705 pups, Telonics FP-100, live steel strings, mogami cords, wet reverb |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 5:39 am
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Cut an inch off the cable using a sharp utility knife on a hard surface to get a clean cut. Push the cable into the jack while twisting to seat the cable. Set the screw until it is below
The surface of the jack. Check each end with a multi meter and you should be good to go.
Been making these cables for years in in all different lengths. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 5:46 am
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| I've been using George L's cables since they were first introduced in the early 80's. I've had one end on one cable go bad in all that time. Cut and redo as Len states and no more problem. |
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Bruce Derr
From:
Lee, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 6:51 am
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I'm not very familiar with George L cables. I understand that they use low-capacitance cable to minimize loss at treble frequencies, but the fact that you tripped over one makes me curious about how well they lie flat. Cables that rise up in kinks and curls are a pet peeve of mine. I view them as a safety hazard on stage. This includes those cheap thermoplastic service cords most amps come with these days.
Any cable designed for use on the stage should be flexible and limp, IMO. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 7:03 am
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The kinking and curling is one of the reasons I stopped using a long one from volume pedal to amp. Not only have I tripped over them, but others have too. Since then though, I have gone back to a GL for the vol ped to amp cord. The places I am playing now, I don't have as long a run to the amp, and generally don't have people crossing over my cord.
_________________
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. |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2014 8:24 am Suggestion?
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| I carry a piece of carpet runner and lay it over my cords when playing out. It stops the wear and prevents tripping. Just my 2 cents. YMMV. |
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Bill Ferguson
From:
Milton, FL USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 3:30 am
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I don't care what kind of cord you use, you can trip over it.
The answer about snipping the end of the cord and replacing the plug is correct. Other than George L's having the clearest sound, this is one of the beauty's of using a cable that can be repaired on the spot.
I started using George L's cable when they first came out. Loved them so much, I became a dealer and I also never looked back. |
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Dale Rottacker
From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Bill Ferguson
From:
Milton, FL USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 4:34 am
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If you use the .155 (smaller) diameter cable and UNROLL it, it will lay flat.
The larger .225 cable does not lay flat. It is mostly used by guitar players that stand up.
The wire inside is the same in either size. |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 5:18 am Frustrated with George L cables
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Here is the way I coil up the cable for transporting: Make one turn clockwise, then the next turn counter clockwise and place it in front of the first wind. The 3rd turn, clockwise. the 4th turn counter clockwise. Just alternate back and forth clockwise then counter clockwise. I use the small diameter cable and by alternating the way you are winding should make it lay flat.
I used to put the cord in, then tighten the screw just enough to make an indention in the covering, then remove the cord and cut the covering off just where the indention was at, feeling that this would give me a better ground. I later abandoned this idea as unnecessary but it seemed like a good idea at the time.
I also carry an extra 12 ft. cable that is ready to go so I don't have to do a repair at a gig because somebody trips over my cord. Also, at some gigs, I unplug the cord during break and set up time. One gig we play, I have to sit right next to the steps and the band members have no choice but to walk between my steel and my amp. I don't want somebody tripping and going down the steps, so I keep the area clear during breaks.
Here is something that I read one time, but I don't take any stock in it unless there would be a difference show up with some sort of meter. I don't think your ears would know the difference. The cords should be in increments of 3 ft. So, I use a 3 ft. for my guitar to volume pedal and a 12 ft to my amp. Not a 10 ft. A 9, 12 or 15 ft. is supposed to be OK but not a 10 ft. or 11 ft. For all practical purposes, I think this is a bunch of foolishness. I am using a Lil Izzy so I am not concerned about loosing highs with a long cord since the Lil Izzy converts my signal to low impedence.
If the George L plugs bug you, just get some good plugs of your choice and solder the George L cable to them. End of problem but you still have the George L cables, which I think are great. |
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Les Cargill
From:
Oklahoma City, Ok, USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 5:27 am
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Cables are a wear item like tires on a car. I just did a big replacement last month.
You can find premade 1/4" -> 1/4" on dozens of websites for less than $2 a foot. The last I bought were "Live Wire Advantage Series 1/4 Straight Instrument Cable Regular" - Neutrick connectors and decent wire.
The last big changeout was 12 years ago, so I don't feel too bad about it. |
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Dale Rottacker
From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 6:49 am
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| Bill Ferguson wrote: |
If you use the .155 (smaller) diameter cable and UNROLL it, it will lay flat.
The larger .225 cable does not lay flat. It is mostly used by guitar players that stand up.
The wire inside is the same in either size. |
I have both Bill...I originally got the .155, cause, well they’re just cool being that small...and then I got the .225, because I thought they might be a little more durable, and yes the smaller ones do lay better then the .225...But what makes them so stiff?...is it the inner core or outer covering?, and is there a way to make them more plyable?...I wrap them exactly as George Kimery describes, but even if I’m playing bass, and standing up, the .225, still don’t lay all that well...maybe they’ll “Breakin†with more time...still love these cables for the sound that comes through them, just wish they were a little softer.
Dale
Steelinatune
_________________
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com |
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Bill Ferguson
From:
Milton, FL USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 6:56 am
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Dale, you probably won't get the .225 to lay very flat. It is just too rigid, which is why we steeler's use the .155.
I don't roll the way George does, even though I know a lot of people do.
I simply roll in a coil about 4" in diameter. When I get ready to use the cable, I unroll it like it was on a spool. Then, it lays flat on the floor.
I like it because it is small also and fits well in my pacaseat.
Like everything else, i.e., volume pedal, tuner, strings and such, I carry a couple of spare George L's cables.
I have had them "walk" away when I was not looking. boo |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 9:35 am
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I second the opinion that length of audio cable is irrelevant.
While Mr. Baker can vouch for me or correct me, I think it DOES matter for RF cables at power. Audio frequency varies too much and is too long to make sense. Wavelengths of 55 Hertz is 54.54 kilometers and 75 km and 4000 Hertz has come down to 75 km. Rational division of those distances is silly.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 7:26 pm
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I got frustrated with George L cables also. I solder my own cables now with Canare cable and Neutrick connectors.
_________________
Bob
Last edited by Bob Hoffnar on 29 Oct 2014 7:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Les Cargill
From:
Oklahoma City, Ok, USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 7:54 pm
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
I second the opinion that length of audio cable is irrelevant.
While Mr. Baker can vouch for me or correct me, I think it DOES matter for RF cables at power. Audio frequency varies too much and is too long to make sense. Wavelengths of 55 Hertz is 54.54 kilometers and 75 km and 4000 Hertz has come down to 75 km. Rational division of those distances is silly. |
Wavelength doesn't matter. Capacitance does.
You *may* *possibly* get capacitive rolloff on 50-100 foot unbalanced cables. If so, add a buffer. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 29 Oct 2014 8:18 pm
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| Bill Ferguson wrote: |
I don't care what kind of cord you use, you can trip over it.
The answer about snipping the end of the cord and replacing the plug is correct. Other than George L's having the clearest sound, this is one of the beauty's of using a cable that can be repaired on the spot.
I started using George L's cable when they first came out. Loved them so much, I became a dealer and I also never looked back. |
I have never had anyone, including myself, trip over a rubber jacketed 1/4" diameter cable, which is what I still use for a long run.
A good clean cut is good, but I just use a pair of wire cutters. What I have found is, take your finger and "push" the sheild toward the ouside of the cable. Works every time.
_________________
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. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 2:29 am
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High Impedance audio cable (guitar cords) in certain lengths, such as the 3 ft are myths. Wavelengths, SWR, etc. are a non issue in audio cables. They are or can be in RF cables.
I know of one steel guitar builder that is so convinced of the certain length rule that he only makes audio cables in specific increments (e.g. 3 ft, 12 ft, etc). |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 3:44 am
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| Les Cargill wrote: |
| Lane Gray wrote: |
I second the opinion that length of audio cable is irrelevant.
While Mr. Baker can vouch for me or correct me, I think it DOES matter for RF cables at power. Audio frequency varies too much and is too long to make sense. Wavelengths of 55 Hertz is 54.54 kilometers and 75 km and 4000 Hertz has come down to 75 km. Rational division of those distances is silly. |
Wavelength doesn't matter. Capacitance does.
You *may* *possibly* get capacitive rolloff on 50-100 foot unbalanced cables. If so, add a buffer. |
Les, I should have made it more clear. I meant the belief that multiples of 3 feet were better than other lengths. If the notes have wavelengths of hundreds of miles, the relationship between wave and wire length is just not worth thinking of. Two feet versus ten feet in the face of wavelengths of hundreds of miles is not gonna make a difference. Sorry for not quoting the bit to which I replied.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Craig Baker
From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 6:21 am
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Capacitive roll-off doesn't pick and choose where it will present itself. Even on 600 ohm circuits the telephone industry has long used equalizers to tune the capacity and inductance out of lines when flat frequency response is required.
An example would be a broadcast circuit that carries program from the studio to the transmitter outside of town, or from a high school football game back to the main studio.
By design, all cords or cables have capacity. The longer the cord and the higher the impedance of the pickup, the more the high frequencies will be attenuated. Any length of even the best guitar cable is your pickup's worst enemy. You can't repeal Ohms law, but when you use a good buffer, you completely eliminate the impedance / cord issue and you protect the overtones that make a steel guitar sound so pleasing.
Respectfully,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792
cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com
C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 11:43 am
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| Quote: |
I simply roll in a coil about 4" in diameter. When I get ready to use the cable, I unroll it like it was on a spool. Then, it lays flat on the floor.
I like it because it is small also and fits well in my pacaseat.
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Exactly my case. But it never lays flat. At home, I tried heating the cable with a hair dryer, to make the insulation a little easier to get the kinks out of, and still they would not lay flat. As I had purchased a roll of the cable, I even made brand new cables and they would never lay flat for me either.
I'm lucky that most gigs these days, the walkway isn't in front of my amp. If it is, I use rubber jacketed cable for the run from my volume pedal to amp. Problem solved.
_________________
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. |
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Billy McCombs
From:
Bakersfield California, USA
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 12:07 pm
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I use GL cables and use black duct tape to hold them down. No tripping, ever.
_________________
78 Emmons PP,Great tone.82 Emmons SKH #56 |
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Andy Zahnd
From:
Switzerland
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 12:27 pm
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| for know and the past ..... more then 10 years I'm using GL cables with NO PROBLEMS! I love this cables!!! Much better then most on the market! |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 30 Oct 2014 2:10 pm
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Billy has it nailed --- Gaffer tape will hold any cable flat so you won't trip over it hehe !!!
I never go out to a gig without my trusty GT 
Incidentally I've been using George L since 1982 with almost no issues, although I do use the newer Masters Series right angles plugs (which for some incomprehensible reason they have stopped making) !
_________________
14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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