Custom made cables

[BayAreaBB]

For those that don't make their own cables, could you please post recommendations of people/shops that are competent in constructing cables? It's time for me to put in another order of belden/neutrik cables and my local shop is very very expensive.

Thanks for the info.

BLB.

[shakedown_04092]

Speaking of cables, maybe I can get some of you to chime in on a something I've wondered about for a while.

I use Monster cables in my gear, and was wondering....are there better cables out there that I can get? Does anyone know what kind of cables Trey uses? Jerry? Bobby?

Any help with either what these guys use(d) or if y'all know of any better cables that I can purchase other than Monster would be much obliged!

Thanks.

[tigerstrat]

Speaking of cables, maybe I can get some of you to chime in on a something I've wondered about for a while.

I use Monster cables in my gear, and was wondering....are there better cables out there that I can get? Does anyone know what kind of cables Trey uses? Jerry? Bobby?

Any help with either what these guys use(d) or if y'all know of any better cables that I can purchase other than Monster would be much obliged!

Thanks.

You can't do better than Belden cable (I use Switchcraft plugs with mine, but may get around to Neutriks eventually), but there is GeorgeL's and many other reputable cable manufacturers.

But personlly I avoid Monster at all costs, do to their past ethical problems associated with their reprehensible leveling of copyright suits against any other business who dares use the word "monster" in the company name, mostly ones that have absolutely nothing to do with music gear, like www.monster.com or Monster Garage- but most heinously, several small businesses and stores with "Monster" in their name that can't afford to defend themselves. You can't stake out a common word of the English language as your own property. That's B.S.

[shakedown_04092]

Speaking of cables, maybe I can get some of you to chime in on a something I've wondered about for a while.

I use Monster cables in my gear, and was wondering....are there better cables out there that I can get? Does anyone know what kind of cables Trey uses? Jerry? Bobby?

Any help with either what these guys use(d) or if y'all know of any better cables that I can purchase other than Monster would be much obliged!

Thanks.

You can't do better than Belden cable (I use Switchcraft plugs with mine, but may get around to Neutriks eventually), but there is GeorgeL's and many other reputable cable manufacturers.

But personlly I avoid Monster at all costs, do to their past ethical problems associated with their reprehensible leveling of copyright suits against any other business who dares use the word "monster" in the company name, mostly ones that have absolutely nothing to do with music gear, like www.monster.com or Monster Garage- but most heinously, several small businesses and stores with "Monster" in their name that can't afford to defend themselves. You can't stake out a common word of the English language as your own property. That's B.S.

Thanks for the heads up on Monster, I appreciate it, and have respect for your words.

I tried searching around a little bit for these Belden cables but got a lot of confusion in the process....any chance you can point me in the direction of a place I can purchase some? Thanks in advance for the help.

[BayAreaBB]

Can George L's connectors be used with other cables?

Any input on where people go to get their cables made would be helpful...

Thanks,
BLB

[myoung6923]

kyndcables.com makes custom cables. I don't know that they use belden cable or neutrik connectors but you might be able to request it.

I haven't found a vendor that sells pre-made cables with belden cable. There probably are some but I just don't know who.

I highly recommend making your own - it's much cheaper, you can make them exactly how you want them and you'll know that your connections are good as well as be able to repair them if you need.

For anyone inexperienced with a soldering iron it's really easy and if you want to venture into it I'm sure many people would be happy to lend tips to get you going.

I use Allied Electronics for my cable - here's a link to the correct 2 conductor cable: http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.asp?SKU=216-0374&MPN=9271+006100&R=216%2D0374&sid=45C12D80779BE17F
It can be use for either stereo or mono cable configurations. They also sell neutrik connectors - there are many options - just do a search - you'll find the ones you want.

Good Luck,

Mike
www.bigrhythmwine.com
www.myspace.com/bigrhythmwine

[tigerstrat]

Can George L's connectors be used with other cables?

Any input on where people go to get their cables made would be helpful...

Thanks,
BLB

No, not unless they are real skinny ones. I guess I had short connectors in mind.

And someone gave me several yards of the correct kind of Belden, so I don't really know where to get it.

[BayAreaBB]

Well, I'm taking the DIY route and just bought a spool of Belden #83393 yellow cable and am going to place an order for some Neutrik plugs through Allied Electronics (thanks for the lead). I'll find somebody here in the Bay Area to teach me the craft.

Thanks,
BLB

[myoung6923]

A few tips for soldering these connectors:

I have to say that the neutrik connectors were a bit tricky to solder - much harder than most other types of connectors - however, if you do it right they will withstand much more than any other kind.


If you are looking at the soldering end of the connector, the middle piece that almost looks like a little cup goes to the tip and the large crescent shaped metal piece that is just outside of it goes to the sleeve. If you got the stereo connectors then there's another terminal that comes from near the center - it will look like a little tab with a hole in it - that goes to the ring.

A couple of tips that I found out through trial and error that will make things a bit easier.

- when soldering, put the connector into something that can hold it - like something that has a 1/4 jack in it. That will hold it in place for you. Also one of those little alligator clip soldering stations from radio shack will make things easier for holding the wires in place while you solder.
- I drilled a very small hole in the crescent shaped piece so that I could stick the wire through it and solder it - it just made it easier and seemed to make a more positive connection.
- before you do anything, fill the center "cup" with solder. That will make it easier when you go to solder the wire into it.
- put the cable through the parts that go through the cable and put the shaft through the hub of the connector.
- if you are using the 3 conductor belden cable and you are only using a mono connector I would suggest cutting back one of the conductors - choose a color and stick with it for all of your connectors - be consistent. I used blue for all of my tip connections, white for ring and the bare wire for the ground (crescent shaped part). on mono cables I used the blue wire and trimmed back the white.
- for all of the connections it is important to strip back just the amount of wire as is necessary - any excess bare parts of wire can potentially short or ground out your cable. Strip the wire back and then check it with the connector to make sure all of the wires are long enough without being too long.
- you want to make sure that the cable grip part on the hub of the connector clamps down on the cable and not on wore - don't strip back the insulation past the grip.
- orient the shaft so that the inside of the crescent shape part (ground - sleeve connector) faces the cable. The parts will only go together if this is put on this way.

for stereo connectors (mono connections are the same but don't have the ring terminal)
- first put the stripped part of the ring wire (I used white) through the hole in the ring terminal - solder it in place. Trim any excess wire.
- heat the solder filled center "cup" part and insert the stripped part of the tip wire (I used blue). Hold it in place while the solder cools.
- run the bare ground wire around the outside of the crescent shaped part and insert it into the hole you drilled in it. - solder it. on this one - solder it as much as you can along the length of the metal. make sure not to run the wire over the top of this part or get any solder on the top of this - the cover will not fit on correctly.
- put the cover on and tighten the grip fittings.

mike