by I have written a lot of instrument cable reviews. I love Evidence Audio. Mogami make high-quality cables. Many guitars you buy include free cables. Some people don’t think you can hear a difference between brands of cable, but I can. An Evidence Audio cable always sounds better and deeper and brighter than a Fender cable. I can also hear how a cable changes my guitar tone from amp to amp — so I’m a big believer in your gear making a difference in your sound. As well, guitar picks also influence your overall vibe.
When I received my fantabulous Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno guitar, I was frustrated that, for the first time in my guitar acquisition syndrome career, I did not have the right cable in hand to effectively and comfortably play that guitar.
I was delighted when expert luthier Roger Sadowsky commented on my Boles Blues review of his guitar to suggest the following:
Thanks for the nice review, David. Glad you a happy with your guitar.
Regarding the location of the jack, may I suggest a right angle plug. Structurally, this is the best and safest location for a side jack. I have repaired too many broken ribs in my career from side jacks in their normal locations.
I promise you I will check for strings sticking in the nut slots more closely from now on!
Best,
Roger
I was on a mission to find a right-angle guitar cable and, to my grateful surprise, Monster Cable read my review and offered to send me the right cable from their Studio Pro line:
The no-strings-attached, 12-foot, $60.00USD review cable arrived a week later. Here are the technical specs:
Monster Cable Studio Pro 1000 Instrument Cable Features
- MicroFiber dielectric-wrapped wire networks for the fastest transients, maximum clarity, definition and presence.
- 24k gold-plated contact, heavy-duty, high-current connectors are durable and corrosion resistant.
- MultiTwist impedance-balanced construction for maximum signal transfer and noise rejection.
- Heavy-duty black nylon mesh jacket provides maximum durability and visual appeal.
- Ergonomically contoured, heavy-duty body shell is easier to grab and offers hassle-free insertion and removal every time.
After playing this Monster Cable Studio Pro 1000 cable for a week, I am confident in recommending it to you as an outstanding value and it sounds incredibly great. The cable is robust, thick and tough and strong. The cable doesn’t do great going flat on the ground — it always wants to find its natural curve and stay upright just a bit — and that can make a tripping hazard on stage or in the home. Carefully coiling the cable resolves any threat of falling.
The curiously rewarding thing about this Monster Cable is in its instant responsiveness: Pluck a string and hear it in “real time.” I know that sounds odd and obvious, but I can hear, in lesser guitar cables, a muddier, millisecond, delay from string pluck to it sounding in the amp from the guitar. With this new Monster Cable, it’s as if there’s no separation from playing to hearing. Time compresses and delay disappears. You’re forced in the moment and you need to be an even more precise player because every sound you make is made available for the hearing without the ability to cover a mistake with a millisecond adjustment.
I am one of the few who are cursed/blessed with Super Hearing — so any little noise can annoy me, or please me to no end — and the Monster Cable Studio Pro 100 with a right-angle plug is absolutely an auditory joy to beheld in your ear.
The name Monster reminds me of two things — overpriced headphones (under the name Beats by Dre) and overpriced HDMI cables. I know they’re quite good at analog cables — I wonder if their price point for the other products keeps the price of cables like these as low as they are. $60 seems like a deal for a top rate guitar cable.
Hey Gordon! I have never been able to find a good source of HDMI cables that were cheap and affordable and well-made. When the HDMI spec first came out, Sony was the only vendor, and a three-foot cable was something like $100.00USD. Outrageous — but you paid because that was the only game in town.
I know a lot of people think the Monster brand is overpriced. I have few surge protectors from them that I like a lot — they make good stuff that looks great — and you’re right that $60 for a guitar cable of this quality is an excellent value. You can easily triple that price for a higher end guitar cable with no real guarantee of “ear success” or enhanced performance.
David,
I have had tremendous luck with Monoprice — they have HDMI cables from 1.5 feet all the way up to 100 feet, which costs as much as the original Sony three footer and is thirty-three times longer! 🙂
Here’s their HDMI section:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240
They sell a ton of other things including iphone / pad / pod cables for a fraction of the cost and iphone ear buds with microphone that, according to 80% of their feedback, are just as good as Apple’s and cost three dollars.
Unbelievable prices, Gordon, thanks for sharing! What deals they have. How are they able to sell cables at those prices? Doesn’t look like they have any “true” end-to-end Thunderbolt cables, though.
I would say either they are the manufacture and cut out the middlepeople cost or they are just selling at a lot closer to cost and make more by selling more. Maybe even a mix of the two.
It’s a fantastic company, Gordon. I really love their service and prices!