Last Updated: November 19, 2019
We made big changes to the content of both our article and chart. Even though many of our cable recommendations remained the same, we added some popular models to the list such as the super-cool Pig Hog Vintage Series PCH10CCR and the classic Fender California Series Cable.
Found a great guitar? Awesome. What about a beastly amp? Great. Don’t have a cable? You’d better get hold of one if you want to hear yourself!
But not all cables are built the same. Some are terrible, some are great. In fact, some cables can work out more expensive than a decent guitar!
So, to help you uncover some of the best affordable leads around, we have developed a chart highlighting our favorite cables as well as a short guide to cables and what to look out for when shopping. Let’s get started.
The Top 8 Best Guitar Cables:
What Makes a Cable?
Chance are most guitarists don’t really care about the anatomy of a cable – as long as it works, that’s the most important thing! However, sometimes it’s worth familiarizing yourself with what goes on under that exterior jacket, so you know what to look out for when shopping.
Starting with the middle of the cable you have the center conductor. This important copper conductor will carry the audio signal via an electrical current. This will be insulated, then covered with an electrostatic shield to reduces the cracking noise that sometimes happens when moving the cable. This is then enveloped in a braided shield, which will block interference from outside sources such as EMI and RFI.
Finally, we get to the part you actually see – the outer jacket, which is the cable’s first line of defense against the elements and makes it safe for guitarists to use.
Things to Look Out for When Buying a Cable
While all cables share similar characteristics, there are many differences between an average cable and a great one. While you don’t need to know all the ins and outs, let’s take a look at what affects sound quality, durability and reliability.
Conductor
Let’s start with the central point of a cable, the conductor. Traditionally conductors are made from standard copper, as copper is a great signal conductor and cheap to produce. The best cables these days tend to feature either oxygen-free copper (OFC) or linear-crystal copper. These purer versions of the metal are considered to improve the cable’s performance and therefore the tone you receive.
Connectors
These are the 1/4” jacks that plug into the instrument at one end and the amp at the other. These jacks are made from either silver-plated or gold-plated metal. Both work well and, while gold is said to be the better connector material, the difference in tone isn’t particularly big. However, gold resists tarnishing, so gives the cable a much longer lifespan.
It’s worth looking at the shape of the connectors too. Most cable manufacturers will offer cables in choices of straight/straight, straight/angled and angled/angled. There’s no difference in the performance, so what style you pick will depend on your personal preference.
Length
Another often-overlooked aspect of cables is the length. The longer the cable, the weaker the signal. Therefore, there is no benefit to buying the longest cable you can find unless you are going to use the entire length as some point. Instead, you will want to pick a length that suits you and where you are playing.
For example, if you are playing in a bedroom right next to your amplifier, a 5ft cable will probably be ample. If you prefer something a little longer or are planning to play with a band – whether jamming or playing smaller gigs – 10ft to 15ft is a good call. If the bigger stages are calling, or you are a guitarist who likes to strut around while you perform, 20ft to 30ft may be best.
Shielding
The shield is the part of the cable that keeps sonic interference from getting to the center conductor, where the audio signal is passing. The best cables use a braided copper shield, which blocks both EMI and RFI, leading to the least interference and best sound. You can also have serve shielding and foil shielding, which are found in cheaper cables. While these still work, they offer less protection than braided copper.
Jacket
The outer jacket of a cable makes the least impact on sound quality, but it’s probably the only part of a cable you will ever see (unless the cable breaks!) and is therefore quite important. What jacket you go for will depend on your personal preference. More often than not you will find both black polyethylene or black rubber jackets, although it’s becoming more common to find a range of cool colors and special materials, to help you both stand out and easily identify which cable is yours (a bright orange cable certainly jumps out in a spaghetti pile of black cables on a dimly lit stage!)
How Much Money to Spend on a Guitar Cable
Technically you could spend $6,000 on one guitar cable. That’s right – the
Golden Oval is the most expensive guitar cable in the world, crafted in America by Analysis Plus. Described as ‘heirloom quality’, this very special cable is made with 100 percent oxygen-free copper and is coated with pure gold. Of course, the pure tone is spectacular, while it’s incredibly durable.
But, unless money is no object and you are chasing a specific tone, you would probably prefer to spend less than $6,000… less than $100 even! Thankfully most premium cables sit between $30 and $70, while good stage-worthy cables come in between $10 and $30. For most guitarists, that is all you would ever have to spend.
The Final Word
When it comes to cables, there is a lot of information to take in when compared to other accessories such as guitar stands and guitar straps – but don’t let it overwhelm you!
We hope that this guide and our chart has inspired you and helped you to learn a little about cables. Ultimately, if you go with a highly-rated model that suits your budget and style – and don’t just buy the cheapest thing you see – then you should end up with something that will enhance your tone and last a long time.