The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cunamara
    I like George L's low capacitance cables. Mine has been very reliable, unlike just about every other brand I've tried.
    Best sounding cables I've ever played. Almost too good. It changed the sound that I was used to and showed up the weaknesses of my technique that I now need to pay more attention to. I was introduced to them a while ago when he was making DIY kits; the red licorice cables that you cut and assemble yourself.
    Now I use the pre-made ones. Solidly built and sound crystal clear.

    By the way, while I was a repairman at GC, there was a trash bin that was regularly "stocked" with warrantee replacements including regular Monster contributions. Apparently they were regularly and easily replaced on the retail level with only the minimum of inspection. They were never scrutinized to check whether they were "operated on" by the customer. I would intercept these cables on the way to the dumpster and would repair them for my own use. There are only 2 ends where the problem could be so why not? Never met a cord I couldn't salvage myself. Now I have a big collection of high end cords but it's the George L's that I use when I plug in.

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  3. #27

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    I've been making my own cables using George L wire and Neutrik plugs for years. I have a few that I made with George L plugs, but I'm less of a fan than I am of Neutrik. With those plugs, you have to apply so much pressure as to physically damage the cable in order to prevent it from working. I've never had a properly made cable using George L and Neutrik go bad.

  4. #28

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    Beyond basic reliability, guitar cables are all about capacitance.

    The Monster Jazz was a relatively high capacitance cable, with the expected attenuation of the highest of highs. I had one. Later sent it to Steve Bistrow, who said he loved it.

    George L’s are very low capacitance.

    I am a George L’s fan myself both for reliability and simple clarity.

    But...

    There is a big difference between the capacitance in a monster Jazz cable and turning down one’s tone control.

    The monster Jazz gives a sharp reduction in the very high end frequencies AND in the scratchy atonal transients in the attack.

    Turning a typical tone control down a little, results in a much softer curve with significant reductions way up high, but also attenuation well into the more typical frequencies of the primary string vibration.

    Very significant difference.

    Easy enough to mimick the performance of a higher capacitance cable, by adding a small cap, with no resistance in series, between hot and ground.

    There are several online tests of cable capacitance (typically in picofarads per foot) to give guidance as to how much capacitance one could try on a given cable.

    Colloquially, the capacitance in a cable could be described as even more focused on the very highest of frequencies than a “presence” control.

    Fun stuff. And for some players, it can make a huge difference in a more forgiving sound especially regarding picking and fretting technique.

    Considering my rough, at best, overall technique I should have kept the monster Jazz cable.

  5. #29

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    There may actually be some phase shift based on frequency also involved in cable capacitance.

    I suspect that this may not be a significant thing. But maybe worth noting. I have never noticed any artifact of it, but in principle anyway, it may be a factor.