Do-It-Yourself Cables!

[El Barto]

Let's lay it all out on the table...time to make some cables:

1. Wouldn't I be better off making my own instrument/mic cables? Cheaper than Monster cables, but the same quality right?

2. Can the same cable be used for both, or are instrument cables and mic cables different?

3.
Best cable (instrument, mic):
Best connectors (Switchcraft? Neutrik?):
Best (Cheapest) place to buy them:
Solder skill required? (I've done a lot of soldering, do I have to be a pro to do this?)

 

[regebro]

IMHO: There is seldom any use in making your own cables, unless you need special connectors you can't find otherwise.

If you buy high quality cables and connectors, it will be just as expensive (or more) as buying the finished cable, unless you make loads of them. Maybe huge multi-cables would be cheaper, but I doubt it. And it takes time too, take that into calculation. If you put down 5 hours to buy and make the cables, how much money would you have made working overtime instead?

 

[Recording Engineer]

Sorry

I have to completely disagree with regebro here. El Barto, check the archives, we've been over this quite recently at length.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Here You Go

This is a good one. There are still some other good ones in the archives though.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=15146

 

[El Barto]

Thanks for the reply...actually Rec Eng, I found an old email message where you told me exactly what you use...at the time you said:

"I'm still considering what I want to use for instrument cable. Right now I'm just using the Canare L-4E6S, but I'll be replacing it soon with something else; not sure what yet."

Have you decided by now? Oh, and by the way...it shouldn't take 5 hours to make a single cable! 30 minutes tops I would say, less if you're good...and by the way, I figured it to cost about $150 for 250' of mic cable, and about $50 or less for 12 connections...I can make roughly 12 20' cables for $200, or I could buy 6 Monster cables for that much...both are great quality cables. Plus, where else am I gonna get a 5' mic cable?

 

[ametth]

I say making your own cables is the best way to go, if your using quality cable. When you compare quality self made cables to cheap store bought, you wont think it;s worth it. But comparing quality self made to quality store bought, it's deifintly worth it.


ametth

bty. it should only take about 2 to 5 min. to make your own cable. I would suggest reading up on soldering.

 

[Cooperman]

It takes me longer to get that thin paper and thread stuff of the end of Canare Quad Star than it does to actually solder the wires onto the connectors! I wish there was a little tool that could do it instead of me with my clumsy fingers trying gather it all up and snip it off!

 

[Recording Engineer]

El Barto, actually, I'm still using the Canare L4E6S Star Quad for instrument patch cables, it has been doing great. Why mess with a good thing? Well I'm sure I will in the future, but just to play with other instrument cable simply for fun, not because I'm not happy with the Canare.

And yeah, dealing with the Canare is FUN. Funny though, I don't find it as a pain in the ass as Belden 8412.

 

[El Barto]

Thanks...looks like I'll go with the cables and connectors you suggested in your email...btw, who sells those parts the cheapest? that's my main concern

 

[regebro]

I can make roughly 12 20' cables for $200, or I could buy 6 Monster cables for that much...both are great quality cables.

If it takes 30 minutes to do each cable, as you say, then it's 6hrs of work. In that amount of time I make about $200, and so can buy the extra six monster cables.

Don't forget to add up your own time. It's not free!

 

[Recording Engineer]

AAAaaa

But you forget. Everyone's not a big roller like you. hehe...

 

[El Barto]

Rec, where do you buy your cables and ends from? I'm lookin to save money!

 

[Recording Engineer]

El Barto

Well depending on what and the quantity, I usually either order through http://www.fullcompass.com or http://www.bi-tronics.com or http://www.onlinecomponents.com and sometimes http://www.performanceaudio.com Out of those, I see who actually has what in current stock or not and at what price. Then, I decide who I order what from. For the most part, Full Compass gets most of my business for this kind of stuff, though.