Compared to a new guitar or amp, the best guitar cables might only make up for excitement in their sheer importance and durability. There’d be no point in getting the best electric guitars, amp, and effects than going cheap with a poor-quality lead. You'd wonder if it’s just a cable, then what difference it even makes.
Other than the fact that you get what you pay for, the short answer to this is that a cheap, low-quality guitar cable will drive you crazy by the tone suck and noise that impairs the signal. You'll be back at the store within months, if not in weeks, looking for a replacement lead. ,
There are great guitar cable options from Planet Waves, GLS, Mogami, Fender, George L’s, and others for the best sole connection between your electric guitar and pedalboard or guitar amp.
The Best Guitar Cables for Great Sound Quality
1. Mogami Gold Series Guitar Cable
- Most accurate cable available
- Widest frequency response
- Highest cancellation of hum and noise
- Increases dynamic range
- Lifetime guarantee
The Mogami Gold Deluxe Series instrument cable has an ultra-high density spiral shield with a conductive polymer sub-shield that helps kill the noise and preserve that sound signal. It also has a conductive carbon-conductive PVC layer to help stop all the microphonic pop that you will definitely get while using cheaper low-quality guitar cables. For instrumentalists who are always on the move, the carbon-impregnated PVC anti-static shield layer on Mogami Gold instrument cables are designed to prevent all the handling noise.
The copper core conductor is heavy gauge, but the Gold Series instrument cable is easy to handle and pack away. Gig musician instrumentalists would upgrade to the Gold Series silent cable, which uses Neutrik silent plugs which means that you can switch instruments without having to switch off your amplifier first.
Mogami 24K gold-plated guitar instrument cable provides a crystal-clear tone and a silent background which is why it's the leading choice for most professional recording studios for decades now. It exhibits amazing clarity and preserves the uniqueness of your instruments and effects.
It has been engineered to the highest level of transparency and constructed with a conductive polymer sub-shield and an oxygen-free copper core.
This instrument cable is wired with a Mogami instrument high impedance cable for a high definition sound that is ideal for using either an acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, pedal effects, keyboard, etc. This cable comes in a wide variety of lengths (available in 3, 6, 10, 18, and 25-foot lengths) and a Mogami Lifetime "No Excuses" Warranty for its users.
2. Evidence Audio Lyric HG Guitar Cable
- Special copper conductor for fatigue-free midrange and highs
- Symmetrical Design... Dynamics scream from the quietest of backgrounds without using...
- Solid Core Conductors preserve clarity and focus, revealing harmonic detail and...
- Conductive skins applied to positive and negative runs. Reduced microphonics with...
- High Density Copper Braid Shield. Nothing but signal gets to your amp
This is the highest quality cable that Evidence Audio currently offers. The Evidence Audio Lyric HG guitar cable is used by industry stars such as Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, and John Mayer. And well, for a good reason.
Evidence Audio strongly believes and goes by, less is more when it comes to the construction of their cables. And this, they have made obvious through their operations. To our ears, the signal quality of the Lyric cable delivers a fine and purer signal path.
It has a dual solid-core that's crafted from IGL copper to ensure that you get a smooth, true recreation of your tone. The solid-core carries the signal much better than its braided alternative, but in turn, the price is hiked. The cable's dual solid core made of refined IGL copper also gives a more refined tone than the stock multi-strand cable.
Admittedly, the solid-core format also means that the Evidence Audio Lyric HG guitar cable is slightly stiffer. At the same time, the braided copper foil shielding, the tough nylon and rubber outer layering complements its durability for pleasurable service for years to come.
3. D'Addario Planet Waves American Instrument Cable
- GEO-TIP DESIGN - Patented Geo-Tip works with any jack to give you the most secure,...
- HELIO FUSED SOLDERING - Helio-Fused soldering provides bulletproof construction that...
- NATURAL TONES - Designed to reproduce the natural tones of your instrument with zero...
- AUDIOPHILE QUALITY WIRE - Made in the USA, the low 28pF/ft. capacitance is the...
- D’ADDARIO ACCESSORIES - Formerly Planet Waves, D'Addario has been leading the...
D’Addario Planet Waves, as a company and brand, keep you rest assured that you get the best quality products. D’Addario Planet Waves produces the best guitar cables, and the Planet Waves American Stage guitar cable is yet another example. It has the qualities you'd require from the best guitar cable with an interesting price point factor that you should consider when buying a guitar cable.
The nominal price of the American Stage cable is amazing, especially when you consider the kind of quality that's on offer and the sound quality it gives, which can easily be compared to the most expensive guitar cables. Planet Waves has patented Geo-Tip plugs, which are a big win on this best guitar cable entrant, the D'Addario Planet Waves American guitar cable. Made by Neutrik to Planet Wave’s specifications, it has a slightly flattened tip and longer electrostatic shield that fits perfectly to whatever jack you have fitted. The tinned-copper braid should help stop any rogue frequencies from wrecking your signal.
It comes with right-angled options and also has HelioFused soldering, which is another unique feature to Planet Waves, and the 180° in-line connection makes this cable durable, functional, tough, and stage-ready. This cable has the same features you'd get in expensive cables, making it a worthy investment. This cable is not only affordable but also readily available pretty much anywhere.
4. Ernie Ball Braided Instrument Cable
- 99. 99% Oxygen-Free Copper to resist corrosion
- Flexible, tangle resistant construction
- Dual-shielded, dual-conductor design for durability and low noise
- Roadworthy construction
- Limited Lifetime
Generally, Ernie Ball guitar cables are durably built to last, but the Ernie Ball braided models take this to the next level. They are particularly robust and tangle-resistant too. These make them the best guitar cables for guitarists who are on the road most of the time or prefer to toss their guitar cable right into the gig bag rather than carefully coil it in.
Each guitar cable has dual conductors inside to help ensure that your guitar has a clear tone, with crisp highs, rich harmonics, and tight mids. The internals are well shielded to help preserve the signal and reduce the noise for premium sound quality.
Ernie Ball doesn't have loads of choice when it comes to cable length, but these braided cables come in 10, 18, and 25ft. A woven guitar cable casing is less likely to tangle, which is why some guitarists prefer it. It also has a more exciting look than the normal black. Apart from black, there are funkier choices like neon pink and orange. These help ensure that your guitar cable is visible even on low-lit stages.
If you are scouring through the best guitar cables guide looking for a great value braided shielding number, then this is definitely an option.
5. GLS Audio Tweed Guitar Cable
- Engineered with precision, our electric guitar cord is built with oxygen-free copper...
- Designed for convenience, our supple guitar chord has a flexible braided tweed jacket...
- Built to last, our instrument cables have external & internal rubber heat shrink...
- Our electric guitar cable measures out at 38 picofarads per foot, for the best audio...
- Designed with the finest materials, our guitar amp cord features an OFC insulator...
Ordering from GLS direct will save you a great deal. The prices of guitar cables at different lengths sit at a relatively affordable price. The GLS audio has a tweed outer layering that comes in an impeccable black or brown.
The GLS audio tweed feels great, it coils well, is durable, and the cable comes in a vintage look that vintage enthusiast will find too hard to resist. The cable is double-shielded and has low capacitance, so it should be quiet enough to work without the high-end price tag. There are no price differences between the straight-to-straight cables and straight-to-right angle cable formats.
Factors to Consider for the Best Guitar Cables
A. Budget
Avoid super-budget cables since they will either fail you quickly or give you such a horrible noise that will, in turn, make your tone less than palatable. Conversely, a great quality cable doesn't come cheap however it also doesn't need to cost as much.
B. Short Cable
Try to always go for a short cable as much as possible. There is a correlation between the length of a cable and factors such as unwanted noise and frequency loss. Guitar cables have a capacitance that is generally measured in picofarads-per-foot/per-meter. The higher the capacitance, the higher the chance to roll off frequencies, and the longer the cable, the higher the capacitance.
C. Material
Look for a low-capacitance cable that has enough shielding around the conductor core. This will carry the guitar’s signal with minimum noise that's also not too stiff or thin or tangly. One that will be ultimately durable through the years of rehearsals, gigging, being all coiled up in a gig bag, and also being jerked in and out of the guitar and amplifier.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Guitar Cable
1. Does a guitar cable make any difference?
Using a guitar or bass that has been fitted with active pickups will give you a very low output impedance in active circuitry, which means you can sit down since your choice of cable should make very little difference, if any. However, if you're using conventional passive pickups, then yes, the cables will make a difference.
2. Are the coiled guitar cables better than the rest?
Coiled guitar cables that have a vintage look have been making a comeback. Even though the hip factor of using a coiled cable remains as strong as ever, today's high-quality cables won't crackle and gobble up as much top end as they were known to do back in the day.
