Monster Guitar Cord Warranty: Has Anyone Tried Using It?

[AlsoRan]

Briefly, my Monster Guitar Cable is acting up. Have any of you ever tried to use the lifetime warranty these things carry? If so, how did it work out?

I took the lead apart and it appears that some sort of liquid filler surrounds the soldering points under the clear plastic sleeve. I cut into it but no luck.

[docbop]

I avoid Monster cable, but from what I understand is you have to return it to them with original receipt. I heard they insist on the original receipt and not a copy. So as long as you return their way they do send you a new cable.

[GNAPPI]

I've bought "lifetime" cables and other products and it's not a selling point for me any longer.

For the manufacturing companies that survive, the cable the conditions like "original receipt" are impossible to manage, and there are the companies who do not survive the lifetime of the cable, then there are those that move and are acquired by another company and they will not honor the previous warranty. Then there are products Sooo old the company no longer keep any stock of the obsolete product. Like I said, it's no longer a selling point for me.

Nowadays I just keep on hand several Switchcraft 280 replacement phone plugs and if the cable itself is still pliable I replace the plugs.

Alsoran, regarding warranty conditions, if a cord or cable has been opened, tampered with or met with a physical type of damage, many companies may not honor the warranty at all.

I've told this story before, maybe here...

I had a "Realistic" brand (Radio Shack) 6L6 tube that had a "Lifetime" warranty. It went bad so as a goof knowing they were unlikely to replace it, I brought it to a local RS. The salesman asked me, "What is it"? I said it is a tube... He asked, "A tube of what"? :-) After much discussion with his manager and a call to Fort Worth Texas, they had to decline honoring the warranty. Now even Radio Shack is gone. :-)

[LtKojak]

I AM the "lifetime warranty" of all the cables I use, made by yours truly.

HTH,

[AlsoRan]

Oh well.

I guess I will cut the cable back and try to solder a new lead on myself.

I have to admit, I love how well those things are shielded compared to some of the cheap cables that came with guitars I have purchased. Night and day.

Thanks all!

[docbop]

Oh well.

I guess I will cut the cable back and try to solder a new lead on myself.

I have to admit, I love how well those things are shielded compared to some of the cheap cables that came with guitars I have purchased. Night and day.

Thanks all!

Back in my roadie days I made all the cables for each band myself and I had peace of mind they were made well and could be trusted. Doesn't take that long to get the hand of stripping and soldering jacks, can shrink-tube for more protection. That way you can buy the quality cable and connectors you want and a lot cheaper than store bought. When I worked at the church we even made all our own mic' cables, buy wire by the spool saves money, maybe find a guitar buddy or two to go in with you to buy a spool of good wire.

[DRS]

You cut into your cable. I'm sure Monster would honour their warranty but not now.

[MaxTwang]

...
some sort of liquid filler surrounds the soldering points under the clear plastic sleeve.
...

Was it liquid or maybe caulk or hot glue? That sounds like a good method to keep the cable immobilized at the solder point.

[Cunamara]

Briefly, my Monster Guitar Cable is acting up. Have any of you ever tried to use the lifetime warranty these things carry? If so, how did it work out?

I took the lead apart and it appears that some sort of liquid filler surrounds the soldering points under the clear plastic sleeve. I cut into it but no luck.

I think doing that will result in your warranty being no and void.

[AlsoRan]

You cut into your cable. I'm sure Monster would honour their warranty but not now.

Cunamara and DRS, you are correct, as well as Docbop about needing a receipt. I am out of luck on the warranty.

[AlsoRan]

Was it liquid or maybe caulk or hot glue? That sounds like a good method to keep the cable immobilized at the solder point.

I am not sure what it is. I googled Monster Cable and came up with nothing as far as their manufacturing process.

As far as I can tell, it probably was some sort of hot glue. The weird thing is that it ended up acting like some sort of clear polymer that was kind of rubbery to the touch. If you got the tip of a screwdriver and pushed into it, it gave like some sort of solid goo. I cut it away in pieces with my knife. I think you are right about its purpose - protecting the solder joint.

I am just going to go out and buy a 10 or 12 foot straight guitar cable that is insulated.

Goodbye 40 bucks....

[marcwhy]

This is all I'll buy: Death Valley Cable Company, the world's best guitar cable, handmade one at a time

[rio]

I avoid Monster cable, but from what I understand is you have to return it to them with original receipt. I heard they insist on the original receipt and not a copy. So as long as you return their way they do send you a new cable.

That is a pretty good way to get people not be able to use their warranty


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[AlsoRan]

This is all I'll buy: Death Valley Cable Company, the world's best guitar cable, handmade one at a time

Wow, the prices are competitive with Monster Cable! Maybe even better.

Thanks.

[whiskey02]

Sorry to go off topic but I saw Jay Leno years ago telling a story about his dad; He needed new windows on his house and Jay told him I'll pay for whatever you want ("I've had a pretty good year") so after his dad gets the windows installed, he tells his son "I hope you don't mind but I went for the Lifetime warranty and that cost an extra $100", to which Jay says Dad, you're 94 years old!!!

To beat the same horse, weeks before the arrival of the year 2000, I overheard a woman telling her friend that she had purchased a YTK "countdown" clock that would zero itself out on new years eve at midnight. This product also had printed on it "Lifetime Warranty".

[LeGrand]

I have a couple Monster Mic cables. Never had an issue with them. Not my favorite cable as they are too stiff for my liking, even though I use them weekly. My favorite cables are LiveWire Elite as they are supple, easy to coil and hold up well. I have at least a grand in cables for gigs and open mics. Years of use - both instrument and mic cables. Live Wires are easily returned at any Guitar Center with no receipt required. A lifetime warranty that works for me. I have returned 2 livewire instrument cables with zero issues and no receipt. FYI.

[LtKojak]

My cables are made with Klotz low-capacitance cable, Neutrik plugs and solder.

I have one that never got damaged in over fifteen years of use, even though it's been used all the time, as we speak nonetheless, although my personal experience is that most have a life span of of five years before failure and/or issues.

So, when it happens, I just use the backup one and simply call myself to honor the warranty. In most cases, I simply cut the plugs out and re-make'em again, losing about two inches of lenght everytime. The whole process takes about fifteen-minute in average, but it'll last for at least five-years, giving the best possible physical connection and the clearest passage for the signal produced by the p'ups.

I provide the best "life warranty" one can get in a lifetime, pun intended.

I mean... is it so difficult to make a guitar cable, that many would not even try?

Foor for thought, don't you think...?

[sgosnell]

I also make my own cables, using George L cable and Neutrik plugs. Properly done, the cable doesn't fail unless you physically break it, and that takes a lot of force. I have some short cables that use George L plugs, which require a different philosophy. They're not so strong, but quick and easy to fix if there is a problem. I generally use these as patch cables, and if they break I go to the warranty department, pull out my trauma shears and screwdriver, cut the end of the cable and replace the plug, all of two minutes if I'm in no hurry. Audio engineers shun Monster cable with horror, and most won't allow them in their studios. Monster cable is marketed to rock star wannabes, and is, in a word, crap.

[AlsoRan]

It looks like you can count me among the uninitiated when it comes to guitar cords/cables.

They (Monster) got me when I first started playing the guitar. This cable went bad in 3 years of use in my home. I can assure you that it probably only got used a few dozen times. I am pretty sure I always pulled the plug out by the 1/4" lead and never by the cable. I also played mostly sitting down.

My other two cables that are Gold-tipped are going strong, however.

Still, I am going to follow you guys' lead (no pun intended) and go with a different company. If Marcwhy's recommendation is easy to repair myself (no goo around the solder) then that is the way I am going to go.

[rio]

I need to take some time and make my own cords. What I do now is take the cords I have and repair them when they break, which has lasted a pretty long time.


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[sgosnell]

I mostly only use cables for connections between effects, and not much of that. I've been wireless for some time, and I far prefer it. I have a short cable from the wireless receiver to the amp, and sometimes short patch cables to a reverb or other pedal. I have a Yoyo American Sound cable ordered, and will probably add that in, but it will be with a short patch cord. Since I got my Line6 G10, I haven't used my regular instrument cables much.

[LeGrand]

Live Wires are easily returned at any Guitar Center with no receipt required. A lifetime warranty that works for me. I have returned 2 livewire instrument cables with zero issues and no receipt. FYI.

This morning I returned a Live Wire Advantage instrument cable to GC for a free replacement. Last night on a gig a fellow musician sliced my cable he was using. nearly cut it in half. No idea how. It was new when I plugged it in at the start of the evening and when I was packing gear it was sliced completely through. Returned it this morning without a receipt and walked out with a brand new one. FYI.

[docbop]

This morning I returned a Live Wire Advantage instrument cable to GC for a free replacement. Last night on a gig a fellow musician sliced my cable he was using. nearly cut it in half. No idea how. It was new when I plugged it in at the start of the evening and when I was packing gear it was sliced completely through. Returned it this morning without a receipt and walked out with a brand new one. FYI.

GC tells people that the advantage of their house brand vs Monster no hassle exchange.

[VitalSigns]

I know this is an old thread, but seems to be the only one about Monster cables. I've been using Monster Jazz leads for
about 20 years and think they're great. They're very different from the instrument/rock/pro-audio ones: not thin on top
and with a big bottom end (actually that's not me). I used the lifetime guarantee a few years ago and they sent me a
replacement, no questions asked, no receipt provided. I've had one split near the jack that goes into the guitar
recently, but it appears they no longer make them and from other forums it seems the lifetime guarantee is N/A.
I wonder if anyone can recommend a substitute quality lead? I have some Zaolla silver cables but they're more
fusion/rock orientated - I want a mellow lead that suits jazz guitar with heavy strings, tho' I'm not an archtop
mainstream player. I wonder if there's a list of top player's cables? You see strings, amps FX etc mentioned but
not cables. It was a real lightbulb moment when I compared the Whirlwind with a Monster Jazz cable - it
really made a difference to my sound.

[Cunamara]

I like George L's low capacitance cables. Mine has been very reliable, unlike just about every other brand I've tried.