Non-twisting cable that stays straight.

  • Thread starter Thread starter miroslav
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miroslav

miroslav

Cosmic Cowboy
Seems like any brand/type of cable I try in the longer lengths (20ft), ends up easily getting all twisted/knotted as I move around.

I know it's hard to avoid if you tend to always turn in one direction as you walk around from (as most people do)...but a long time ago I use to have a long (maybe 30ft) guitar cable that had a real hard outer surface, not the softer/rubbery stuff or the weaves, it had like a shiny, hard rubber outer jacket...and that cable took a LOT of work to twist and knot up.
Yeah, it wasn't as pliable as the softer rubber/weaves are...but it didn't turn into a spaghetti lump every few moves.

I bought two new cables yesterday, weave & rubber...and just like the other dozen or so I already have...they twist and knot.
The rubber one was twisting and knotting all by itself as I tried to just lay it out! :(
(One of the Ernie Ball instrument cables.)

I think some of the problem comes from the cables being rolled/packed so tight during manufacturing...and they memorize that shape.
If the packed them using the over/under wind...they might not be so prone.

They all work fine, signal-wise...it's just the twisting that sucks.
 
This is a huge pet peeve of mine too, and I'm beginning to suspect that this is just a pipe dream, and they don't exist.

That said, Elixir claims their new cables are twist-resistant, but I'm not about to spend $60+ on a 20-foot cable that MIGHT twist less than most, without some degree of confidence that it's not just hype.

http://www.juststrings.com/elixircablesaccessories.html

Hell, if you're looking at a second Dr. Z, clearly your gear budget is bigger than mine - grab one, give it a couple months, and let me know how it holds up. If there's actually any truth to their claims then it'd be money well spent.
 
I've never really had this problem. Aren't the weaved ones supposed to combat tangling? And it seems that most brands now have at least one cable that's specified as "tangle-free" or "anti-tangle". I don't know really what they do special to label a cable as such...maybe they just include a disclaimer that reads "results may vary for guitarists not bound to wheelchairs".

Just stay away from the springy coiled ones that look like headphone cords :) Why did those ever even exist as instrument cables? Fishing line gets fewer tangles.
 
Tadpui said:
I've never really had this problem.
Click to expand...

Interseting...

It really depends on how much you move around...and the length of cable.

In the studio...I move back-n-forth a LOT from the amp to the console.
From the console to the amp, I'll turn to the left. Then from the amp to the console, I'll turn left again...etc...etc...after a few trips, the cable starts to twist as it coils naturally.
If I remembered to always move in the opposite direction from where I came...then the cable would stay untwisted. But like I said, we all tend to turn in the same direction, depending if we are lefty or righty...and depending on how our rig/space is set up.

If you just kinda stand in one spot with the amp behind you and the pedals in front...chances are you can play like that all night long and not have the cable twist up.
 
DrewPeterson7 said:
Hell, if you're looking at a second Dr. Z, clearly your gear budget is bigger than mine...
Click to expand...

:D


There's something about spending a silly amount of money on a piece of cable that just doesn't sit well with me...no matter how much my budget! ;)
 
miroslav said:
Seems like any brand/type of cable I try in the longer lengths (20ft), ends up easily getting all twisted/knotted as I move around.

I know it's hard to avoid if you tend to always turn in one direction as you walk around from (as most people do)...but a long time ago I use to have a long (maybe 30ft) guitar cable that had a real hard outer surface, not the softer/rubbery stuff or the weaves, it had like a shiny, hard rubber outer jacket...and that cable took a LOT of work to twist and knot up.
Yeah, it wasn't as pliable as the softer rubber/weaves are...but it didn't turn into a spaghetti lump every few moves.

I bought two new cables yesterday, weave & rubber...and just like the other dozen or so I already have...they twist and knot.
The rubber one was twisting and knotting all by itself as I tried to just lay it out! :(
(One of the Ernie Ball instrument cables.)

I think some of the problem comes from the cables being rolled/packed so tight during manufacturing...and they memorize that shape.
If the packed them using the over/under wind...they might not be so prone.

They all work fine, signal-wise...it's just the twisting that sucks.
Click to expand...

Well, you could build a cable out of solid core video cable... :D
 
miroslav said:
Interseting...

It really depends on how much you move around...and the length of cable.

In the studio...I move back-n-forth a LOT from the amp to the console.
From the console to the amp, I'll turn to the left. Then from the amp to the console, I'll turn left again...etc...etc...after a few trips, the cable starts to twist as it coils naturally.
If I remembered to always move in the opposite direction from where I came...then the cable would stay untwisted. But like I said, we all tend to turn in the same direction, depending if we are lefty or righty...and depending on how our rig/space is set up.

If you just kinda stand in one spot with the amp behind you and the pedals in front...chances are you can play like that all night long and not have the cable twist up.
Click to expand...

In my studio I do a pretty similar amp-to-mic-to-mixer-to-computer dance. What I end up doing is unplugging my cable at the first sign of disarray and unwinding it. It's all about prevention/early detection. I just put my NS-2 on mute mode, unplug the cable from my guitar, and unwind the cable, and I'm good to go. Even then, I only have to do this maybe once per session, if that.

I must subconciously do complimentary numbers of left and right turns :)
 
Yeah...I do the same thing...keep checking it before it gets crazy...but I'm sure there's got to be a decent cable that doesn't twist very easy...and nothing too expensive, either.

It's all in the jacket...IMO. I think that's what makes the difference. Granted, it probably has to be stiffer than your common guitar cables...but it shouldn't be a problem.

I just wish I could find the same stuff that I had a long time ago. That cable lasted me many years and many gigs...but I can't recal the brand or where I got it.
 
miroslav said:
Yeah...I do the same thing...keep checking it before it gets crazy...but I'm sure there's got to be a decent cable that doesn't twist very easy...and nothing too expensive, either.

It's all in the jacket...IMO. I think that's what makes the difference. Granted, it probably has to be stiffer than your common guitar cables...but it shouldn't be a problem.

I just wish I could find the same stuff that I had a long time ago. That cable lasted me many years and many gigs...but I can't recal the brand or where I got it.
Click to expand...
I have a Fender cable that looks sorta like you're describing. I has a blue ..... almost hard plastic jacket. It doesn't seem to tangle badly although I don't tend to twist my cables up anyway.
Anyway ..... this Fender cable might conceivably be like what you had.
 
I have yet to see a tangle free cable that doesn't still tangle.I've used them and they still tangle,not as bad but they still tangle.Going wireless is the only way to go tangle free.You could probably buy a cheaper wireless unit instead of spending $60 bucks on a cord.I've only used a wireless once though during a show.I kinda feel naked without my cord.
 
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