Frustrations with my patch cables

I spent almost an hour preparing my pedal board for the proper arrangements and the cables, etc last Wednesday ... then we had a practice yesterday and my lousy Canare patch cables just keeps on acting weird i.e. no sound, crackling... Instead of enjoying the music, I had to troubleshoot it while in the middle of the song... I hate it. This is not the first that it happened playing live... Now, on the other hand, I love the flat heads since I'm just using a CNB Flightcase type board in which I need to cramp the space.... and yes, I'm a cheapskate guitarist. :wink:

http://s19.postimage.org/k4sx62qlf/Flatheads.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
image host (http://postimage.org/)

Now, I've also been reading this --> article (http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/gear_maintenance/the_truth_behind_instrument_cables.html) that there's actually no difference with the cheap vs. expensive one so I'm eyeing on this -->

http://s19.postimage.org/k62uzhsf7/41_VLNOc_RJEL_SL500_AA300.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
img upload (http://postimage.org/)

what are your thoughts guys?

Thanks!

Get some patch cables from Lava Cables and be done with it.

Get some patch cables from Lava Cables and be done with it.

I'm more leaning in to cheaper approach... :oops:

Well then make your patch cables.

Not the cheapest but I LOVE my George Ls. I had crappy cables before & I will say the ones I had wore out quickly & even when they worked didn't sound as nice as the George Ls. I sold a pedal to afford mine. Better to have good reliable cables & 1 less pedal then to be fighting w/ your board all the time.

Sent from my iPhone using TDPRI which ROCKS!

I bought those cheap plastic ones twenty years ago. They still work! I don't gig regularly though - I am sure they have less than 100 gigs in those twenty years.

I'm on the fence about this too. For now I'm using cheapies but my Dad is an old Audio/Video guy and one day I think I'll just aske him to make custom lengths for me. Those DIY kits are way pricey. Though I think there is a cheaper kit by Planet Waves or someone like that.

Planet Waves Patch Kit - easy, reliable, and not terribly expensive.

I'm currently using a mixture of planet waves patch cables and some cheap ones. I've seen people have problems with patch cables and trouble shooting them can be a serious B. My patch cables have never let me down, and that's what's important to me, so I have no real desire to throw money at higher end ones. I run a Sonic Stomp near the end of my chain, which makes up for whatever loss in clarity I get, which isn't terribly notable anyway.

GLS patch cables

If you buy quality it only hurts once.

I'm currently using a mixture of planet waves patch cables and some cheap ones. I've seen people have problems with patch cables and trouble shooting them can be a serious B. My patch cables have never let me down, and that's what's important to me, so I have no real desire to throw money at higher end ones. I run a Sonic Stomp near the end of my chain, which makes up for whatever loss in clarity I get, which isn't terribly notable anyway.

Everytime I talk myself out of buying a Sonic Stomp somebody brings it up and makes me want it again....

I make my own. I buy the flat ends you like
and use Canare, Belden or George L (I prefer
the Canare and Belden).

I suggest avoiding molded cables, as you can't repair
them when they fail.

I make my own.
Same here. I recently bought a bag of jack plugs from ebay for next to nothing. And for the cable, I chopped a defunct long cable in ten pieces or more, to make patch cables. When you divide the price of a cable by ten, it suddenly gets pretty cheap, especially if the cable wasn't working to begin with.

I suggest avoiding molded cables, as you can't repair them when they fail.
Well, I've repaired mine ... by snipping off the bad plug and soldering on my own ebay-bought plugs. Works just fine.

I spent almost an hour preparing my pedal board for the proper arrangements and the cables, etc last Wednesday ... then we had a practice yesterday and my lousy Canare patch cables just keeps on acting weird i.e. no sound, crackling... Instead of enjoying the music, I had to troubleshoot it while in the middle of the song... I hate it. This is not the first that it happened playing live... Now, on the other hand, I love the flat heads since I'm just using a CNB Flightcase type board in which I need to cramp the space.... and yes, I'm a cheapskate guitarist. :wink:

http://s19.postimage.org/k4sx62qlf/Flatheads.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
image host (http://postimage.org/)

Now, I've also been reading this --> article (http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/gear_maintenance/the_truth_behind_instrument_cables.html) that there's actually no difference with the cheap vs. expensive one so I'm eyeing on this -->

http://s19.postimage.org/k62uzhsf7/41_VLNOc_RJEL_SL500_AA300.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
img upload (http://postimage.org/)

what are your thoughts guys?

Thanks!
I don't know how cheap you want to go, but I found a guy on ebay making really nice Mogami patch cables for $10 a piece including shipping.