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  • December 16, 2010 at 1:47 am #81135
    souljah671
    Member

    So over the past two years of gigging with various bands, I’ve accumulated a number of 1/4 instrument cables. I have gold, normal ones, etc. My question is, if you own or have used Gold-tipped 1/4 cables, do you really notice a difference compared to regular instrument cables?

    December 16, 2010 at 2:00 am #113108
    electro-melx
    Moderator

    I don’t believe there is any difference at all…. the only claim you could make for gold plating is that gold doesn’t oxidise like other metals can…. other than that I can’t see any evidence for any ‘improvement’ in sound quality… and I can’t say I’ve ever experienced bad oxidisation on any jack plug either.

    in a nutshell, it’s BS in my opinion.

    December 16, 2010 at 2:02 am #113109
    souljah671
    Member

    thank you! one of my guitarist buddies told me he really notices the difference when he uses gold-tipped pedal couplers for his pedalboard. I have both and I don’t hear any difference in sound quality at all. Nothing’s quieter than the other or anything like that.

    December 16, 2010 at 2:18 am #113110
    electro-melx
    Moderator
    Quote:
    thank you! one of my guitarist buddies told me he really notices the difference when he uses gold-tipped pedal couplers for his pedalboard. I have both and I don’t hear any difference in sound quality at all. Nothing’s quieter than the other or anything like that.

    well all I can say to that is… if people hear a difference fine, enjoy your gold tipped plugs, if you don’t (like me and you) then we can save a bit of money by not bothering. ;)

    the sockets they go into in the pedals aren’t gold plated … the socket in your guitar isn’t gold plated, the socket in the amp isn’t gold plated and your signal goes though all these places, so why not gold plate those too if it has such a dramatic effect?

    December 16, 2010 at 2:33 pm #113127
    Cryabetes
    Participant
    Quote:
    Quote:
    thank you! one of my guitarist buddies told me he really notices the difference when he uses gold-tipped pedal couplers for his pedalboard. I have both and I don’t hear any difference in sound quality at all. Nothing’s quieter than the other or anything like that.

    well all I can say to that is… if people hear a difference fine, enjoy your gold tipped plugs, if you don’t (like me and you) then we can save a bit of money by not bothering. ;)

    the sockets they go into in the pedals aren’t gold plated … the socket in your guitar isn’t gold plated, the socket in the amp isn’t gold plated and your signal goes though all these places, so why not gold plate those too if it has such a dramatic effect?

    This.
    Plus the gold plating scrapes off quicker than nickle plating so if you’re going to just leave something set up [like a stereo], it’s fine, but if it’s something you’re setting up and tearing down all the time, you’ll wear through your cables quicker than the standard nickle plating.

    December 16, 2010 at 11:23 pm #113158
    BlueSteel
    Participant

    yea, i’ve had both, but i never noticed a difference.

    December 17, 2010 at 10:34 am #113164
    remedyblue
    Member

    I use the Mogami Gold cables purely because they’re thin and are very reliable. As far as sound, they’re good at rejecting noise and doing their job (at not being noticed).

    However, 10 years ago when I purchased my first guitar I got one of the free “Leem” cables from Guitar Center that I still use at home.

    December 17, 2010 at 11:28 am #113165
    melx
    Member
    Quote:
    I use the Mogami Gold cables purely because they’re thin and are very reliable. As far as sound, they’re good at rejecting noise and doing their job (at not being noticed).

    However, 10 years ago when I purchased my first guitar I got one of the free “Leem” cables from Guitar Center that I still use at home.

    I can hear differences between some cables for sure, I’ve also just noticed that my Vox coily cable has gold ends… most of the gold on the contact points has come off already though… lol.

    December 17, 2010 at 10:49 pm #113169
    souljah671
    Member

    You know…I remember someone telling me that Gold-tipped cables don’t last long in cold-areas. I live on an island where there’s only sunny or rainy weather, and my island is very humid. I’m assuming gold-tipped cables last longer in humid, warm places?

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