What's wrong with Fender cables?

[Happy Enchilada]

$28 @ Amazon.
Mogami wire.
Neutrik ends.
Last forever.
And what else do you have that's made in Liechtenstein?

 

[J-Flanders]

Problem with all of them is they made horrible "cracks" and loud noises when you move them once plugged in.
Any ideas??

I have a couple of those tweed cables. Eventually they all fail at the solder connection to the plug.
The signal conductor wire breaks right before the solder joint. The two ends still make physical contact but when you move them you get the crackle and popping noises.
Just add a new blob of solder and you're good to go:

 

[Boxla]

I have 3 tweed Fender cables and all 3 suck and started sucking soon after purchase with only home use. They were all babied and one quit working and the other two are finicky and suck. I just got my first Mogami not too long ago.

 

[SheldonP]

I really haven't seen a high failure rate with Fender branded cables specifically. I'm not a fan of any "tweed" cables. They get dirty really fast, are basically uncleanable and every one I've ever purchased has failed within a year or two regardless of brand. My brother plays 125-150 shows per year and has used nothing but Fender California cables in his setup for at least 10 years. He has had zero failures. Personally I think they're too stiff. They're a pain to roll up and I've never liked the way they lay on a stage.

 

[rand z]

Bill Lawrence (the one with Becky) makes fine, great sounding, long lasting cables.

I've had mine for over 20 years,.

I bought the kit that comes with x # of feet of cable; and 6 or 8 plugs.

You make your own (lengths) from the kit.

Occasionally, I'll have to cut off an end and re-insert it back into the plug... for another 6 years of use.

I did have 1 plug come a part and had to disguard it.

But, I think its a great product and deal.

imo.

 

[timbraun]

I had a whirlwind cable that lasted 30 years. I had a fender tweed cable that needed replacement plugs within 3 years but was doing fine after that till it was stolen.

I'm using mostly Yorkville basic cables these days, repairing with Neutrik ends when necessary.

 

[David PNW]

I have most of my cables, many up to 40+years. If you spend a bit more $$ the cable could last you a lifetime, that is taking care of it, no extreme tension.
What I typically have to use is Canare, Morgami, and some older Monster Cables.
If you google Guitar Cable Manufactures, there are some that will construct cables to your length, color, type, straight or angle, (your choice)
My suggestion for Home jammers, bar and clubs, party bands, that you purchase a great cable, always carry at least 1 or 2 backups, and get the best you can afford.
Buy one expensive and maybe 2 backups. ProCo makes a decent inexpensive cable and you could buy 3 of these for the price of 1 good cable (as a backup).
The better and best cables sound better, and I have never had popping or static from my cables. Some of the online shops, like Sweetwater, you can view many manufactures and pricing.
I like Fender Instruments, but cables are not their strong point. Any cable that has a manufacture guarantee, keep the receipt! I have 2 binders with all my receipts, and started this about 20 years ago. Guitars, strings etc, all information that I have. Great thing to do if your ever have to sell equipment, or need repair. Some companies are excellent and will repair items, past the warranty time. I had a Boss Heavy metal pedal, from the 80's and the foot switch was not working properly, contacted Boss, sent it in to the repair shop, and they fixed it for free. Not all companies will do that, but worth the effort to try.
Happy Playing!
As for the cable ends, I like the rubber wrapped on the ends, I repaired cables before, but tension or hard use can pull those soldered end lose, even tightening the metal holders. For the time and price, just buy a new cable, again mid grade like ProCo at about $20 will last a long time.

 

[Refugee]

Fender advertises a lifetime warranty on their cables BUT I think it requires an original receipt - pretty tall order for 20 year-old cables.

Live Wire cheapies at GC work just great. They also come with a lifetime warranty. No receipt necessary.

 

[Stratocast]

Not sure if this is the right hall to open this thread, but seriously, what is wrong with Fender instrument cables?? I have four different units in here, two California ones and two "tweed" type, one longer than the other. They have not been modified in any way, just your regular home use. You know, playing by yourself or with friends every now and then. And all of them have issues I haven't come across in lesser brands like Kirlin, Santo Angelo, or Klotz. These Fender cables look so cool, but is that all they can offer? Problem with all of them is they made horrible "cracks" and loud noises when you move them once plugged in. I actually decided to stop using them because I fear they might ruin the speakers in my amplifiers, all of them old.

I was thinking maybe they're too old, but they're actually not older than any of my other cables. Most them have twenty years, some more, some less. I sometimes think what if I cut five or seven inches off the tip of each cable and then resolder the plugs, if that might do anything. I felt bad about throwing all them to the trash, not only they look really cool but they were pretty expensive for my budget back in the day. I remember by buying Fender I though I was buying quality. Now I regret doing so.

Any ideas??

Y'all have a good Wednesday!

I have never experienced any issues with the Fender cables I have been using for the last 30 years or so...I have the ones with the various colored tips.. some blue some yellow, red, purple , white.. I really love mine.. I got away from using the metal ended ones years ago.. because they were either always coming unscrewed at the tips.. or were crackling as you state... but since I switched over to these Fender rubberized ones.. I no longer have had any issues at all.. and some I have wound and un wound.. and packed hundreds of times for gigs and rehearsals.. I would suggest.. buy your Fender cables from some other place.. maybe from Amazon?.. either that or check your guitar jacks... one thing I have found is if your guitar has a jack on the front by the tone knobs.. and it does Not have a slanted slot like the Strats have... You must use a 90 degree.. cable.. if you use a straight cable on a guitar.. with the jack hole in the front of the body.. it can over time ruin the jack and the cable..

 

[BigDaddyLH]

View attachment 1121771
$28 @ Amazon.
Mogami wire.
Neutrik ends.
Last forever.
And what else do you have that's made in Liechtenstein?

Hilti tools

 

[Supertwang]

Ideas? Yea. Buy yourself some George L’s cables and don’t look back. The Fender tweed cables look cool but start failing as fast as Belden cables. Never had a George L cable go bad. Cant even remember how many times I’ve had someone come over to diagnose an amp malfunction only to find it was his cable.

My #1 cable is a .225" George L cable that must be about 40 years old. I needed to "repair" ie snip the ends about every 5 years. It started life as a 12' cable and now is probably a 10' cable. George L cables are expensive but they basically last a lifetime,...just buy it a little long so you have snipping space

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I have one. It works fine, but it's too stiff. I like flexible cables.

I tried Lava cables, but they were unreliable. Now I mostly have Boss and Roland cables ( the same cables but in different colors). They hang loose and work well.

 

[bottlenecker]

Longish story, but I bought a Monster cable one time. Molded plugs (sure to go bad) but the only option for 90 degree plugs that day. Sales guy in this small, local chain music shop says "Lifetime warranty. If it has any issues, bring it back, no questions asked, we hand you a new one".

I buy it. Ended up replacing it every few years. Hand one in, they hand me a new one. As advertised.

Fast forward. Ten years later. Cable is bad. I'm on the other side of the country and local chain is out of business anyway. Contact Monster. "You have to have a receipt to get a replacement". Yeah, well, since I hadn't needed one for the first five replacements, I didn't hold on to it.

I tell them my story. I think their answer was "No exceptions" - but I'm sure all I really heard them say was "We don't want your future business".

I bought some planet waves cables in the 2000s with the same promise, but I didn't even get one replacement. The store referrd me to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer referred me to the store.
What really burns me is that it was all they had at the store at the time, and I had a discussion with sales staff about how much I did not want to buy a molded cable I couldn't fix easily, and how it was definitely goimg to break, and he assured me it would be so easy to just bring the cables back. I only bought them because it was all they had, and the cables lasted about a year.

I think anyone offereing me a lifetime replacement on a cable is stupid, or thinks I am.

Now I make my own from canare wire and nuetrik plugs, or buy cheapish cables on sale, like rapco or fender branded cables.

 

[Michael Smith]

I have 4 Fender cables for quite a few years and have never had a single problem with them. Am I a lucky guy?

You are probably a careful guy. Not stepping on the cables, coiling them up without twisting them (I learned how to do this when taking audio engineering classes).

 

[stantheman]

I still use my Spectraflex Cables.
I bought them in 1986.
Zero Troubles.

 

[Musekatcher]

I have a few, I had one fail at a solder joint, which I fixed. The 1/4" jacks seem to work better with all my different instruments, whereas, some others don't. You'd think a 1/4" jack would be interchangeable, same dimensions, but evidentally they are not.

 

[Cloodie]

I had 2 of the tweed cables as they looked good but both lasted less than a year and I'm someone who just plays at home and never gigs. Think I've only had 1 other cable fail and that took many years.

 

[vanr]

I bought 2 20' guitar cables from ebay in 1999. I have used them almost every gig and rehearsal since that day and they are still going strong. They were hand made by some guy I believe in Illinois. Wish I remembered who I would buy some more if he is still in business.

 

[Dwightcarr11]

Not sure if this is the right hall to open this thread, but seriously, what is wrong with Fender instrument cables?? I have four different units in here, two California ones and two "tweed" type, one longer than the other. They have not been modified in any way, just your regular home use. You know, playing by yourself or with friends every now and then. And all of them have issues I haven't come across in lesser brands like Kirlin, Santo Angelo, or Klotz. These Fender cables look so cool, but is that all they can offer? Problem with all of them is they made horrible "cracks" and loud noises when you move them once plugged in. I actually decided to stop using them because I fear they might ruin the speakers in my amplifiers, all of them old.

I was thinking maybe they're too old, but they're actually not older than any of my other cables. Most them have twenty years, some more, some less. I sometimes think what if I cut five or seven inches off the tip of each cable and then resolder the plugs, if that might do anything. I felt bad about throwing all them to the trash, not only they look really cool but they were pretty expensive for my budget back in the day. I remember by buying Fender I though I was buying quality. Now I regret doing so.

Any ideas??

Y'all have a good Wednesday!

I have some far newer fender cables (a year or less) that I've stopped using. They are the most noisy cables I own. Swapped them out for mogami and pro co and my nose levels are down like 90%

 

[yamatele]

Lekato WS-50 Wireless system - BEST $59.13 I EVER SPENT.