George L's Cables [Archive]

somedayrockstar

10-19-2009, 07:51 PM

I have them and love them, but others not so much. Here's just a few of the many threads out there on them...

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=611290&highlight=George+L%27s

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=574524&highlight=George+L%27s

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=517710&highlight=George+L%27s

tokiswartooth

10-19-2009, 08:45 PM

Isaiah4Autumn

10-19-2009, 09:02 PM

used george l's for quite some time before switching over to lava...definitely more hi fi sounding as described and if your going from cheap cables you'll notice an increase in your volume and overall tone...

thesjkexperienc

10-19-2009, 09:05 PM

No solder-less ever!

Groberts

10-19-2009, 09:09 PM

I thought George L's were rather harsh and bright sounding. I switched to all Mogami Gold. But I'm going to try some Bill Lawrence cables.

PEImatrix

10-19-2009, 09:18 PM

I've never had a problem with my GL's.

peterjh85

10-19-2009, 09:40 PM

most folks tend to describe them as "brighter" - which is something I like!

otaypanky

10-19-2009, 09:48 PM

George L was the first cable that opened my ears to how much a cable can affect your sound and the way your guitar's controls can sculpt your tone when they get a decent signal.
I never had a problem with the solderless plugs. I've been using them for a few years.
Now my 'go to' cable is a Vovox, but when it's not handy I grab a George L

neville5000

10-20-2009, 01:41 AM

I've never had a problem and have been using them 2+ years.:love:

daddyo

10-20-2009, 09:02 AM

I have 2 of the fat ones and they work great. I like the bright higher fidelity. It's super easy to use the tone circuits of the amp or guitar to correct.

bazooka47

10-20-2009, 09:54 AM

I like the tone, but never will use solderless again. Have had some serious problems with failures on the connectors. If you hardwire them with solder, buch better. They will hang with cables costing MUCH more, and still rank among the top. THE best value along with Mogami and Canare for reasonable cables.

This has been my experience as well. I love the sound of George L's, as well as the quality of the thin flexible cable and the connectors.

However, I have had SO MANY shorts and failures with these cables.

I just bought a big spool of Canare mini instrument cable and a whole pantload of connectors. Going back to solder...

gatordoc

10-20-2009, 11:19 AM

Then again, the argument has been made that GLs don't actually add any highs - they just let through the highs that many of the other cables lose along the way.....

Turiguiliano

10-20-2009, 11:22 AM

Was a George L's fan. Kept failing on me. I tried Lava. Won't use any other solder free cable other than Lava.

Marshalls Law

10-20-2009, 11:27 AM

I have a George L cable for 2 years now and it works great and sounds great.

No issues with it at all.

I now use Snap Jack cables because they sound good and are very cool!

bludotone

10-20-2009, 11:31 AM

GL's are WONDERFUL!! Been using them for 10 years. So long as you check your connections every once in a while they are trouble free- but that's any cable really. The lower capacitance= less high end loss per foot, even more so than the more expensive mogami gold.

Don L

10-20-2009, 11:41 AM

Wagster

10-20-2009, 11:52 AM

I love George L's. I use them with mellower amps like the normal channel of a AC30. If I use the TB channel I'll use a darker cable. I've never had reliability issues with mine.

Chadley

10-20-2009, 01:37 PM

semi-hollowbody

10-20-2009, 01:43 PM

You will ONLY hear a difference if you can actually get these cables to work...
They are difficult to cut/connect and unreliable!!
Use Lava or PLanet waves cables...easy to make, sound great, 100% reliable...
I cant believe people still advise others to use george l's...even the players that have successfully used george l's KNOW they are difficult and require precision and patience and that there are SO many other options out there easier to use...

dohootowl

10-20-2009, 02:02 PM

I have George L's on my board now and I think they are as transparent as any cable I've heard (that is, if I can truly tell the difference between cables!). BUT...I have had a problem with the connections. I made one, put it on my board and it failed immediately--dead. So I took it apart, cut a little more off the ends and reassembled it, and then it worked. So...you most definitely have to exercise precision in making them. I don't have the patience to solder my own cables and I'm like a kindergartner with Elmer's gule when it comes to soldering, so I'm going to switch soon to Bill Lawrence or Lava.

jamison162

10-20-2009, 02:11 PM

chrisr0712

10-20-2009, 02:12 PM

I've used the same guitar to pedal board 10 footer GL for about 7 years...no problem. The pedal board kit with right angle plugs does take some patience to do it correctly...but worth it! I had a couple fail before I figured out how to do it right.

ToneHero

10-20-2009, 02:15 PM

What kind of cutters do you use to the the cable with? I have George l's and love them. But some of them are cut wrong. Any advice on what kind of cutters to buy?

Groberts

10-20-2009, 02:24 PM

The Bill Lawrence cable is 10x better than GL's. In tone, price, reliability, ease of use, etc. Problem is you can't get the BL stuff right now. I can't stand the sound of GL cable. Bright and harsh, lacks lowend compared to the BL and Fulltone Golds.

I hope that is not true, because I placed an order for Bill Lawrence cables and connectors a week ago and they processed my payment! One would think they are open for business. Maybe I should call?

dosmun

10-20-2009, 03:47 PM

Do players that have trouble making GL's work also have trouble stringing their guitars:cool:?

gatordoc

10-20-2009, 04:23 PM

What kind of cutters do you use to the the cable with? I have George l's and love them. But some of them are cut wrong. Any advice on what kind of cutters to buy?

For me, an old fashioned straight edge razor blade does a perfect job on cutting the ends. I used to use wire cutters but they crush the end while they are cutting. A surgical scalpel works just as well or an exacto blade.

dosmun

10-20-2009, 04:37 PM

I use diagonal cutters. Then just take some needlenose pliers or a similar tool to pinch them back to round if the cutters smash them down a bit.

mp815

10-20-2009, 07:58 PM

well...... I ordered George L's cables and should be getting them any day now............
I will give my report when I put them together and hear them next to my Evidence Audio Melody cable. Stay tuned

ToneHero

10-20-2009, 08:05 PM

Alright thnx guys! Can you guys point me out some razors or blades like on homespot.com or lowes.com

Jason

10-21-2009, 12:41 AM

I've been using GL's for nearly 15 years with on average over 10 pedals connected on a board and NEVER had a problem. If, as with any equipment you check them regularly and by that I mean check the caps are screwed down tight (usually only the outside pedals) you like me and thousands of others will also agree.
Your car gets a regular service, you visit the dentist 2,3 times a year, you change your strings regularly!!! Need I say more....!

They do cost more than your average "good quality lifetime guaranteed" cable but as mentioned they have far less capacitance and therefor have more HF and level.

J.

romearound

10-21-2009, 12:49 AM

I like the tone, but never will use solderless again. Have had some serious problems with failures on the connectors. If you hardwire them with solder, buch better. They will hang with cables costing MUCH more, and still rank among the top. THE best value along with Mogami and Canare for reasonable cables.

Yes the Mogami cables are great, I have two 25 footers love them. I use George L's on my pedal board, definitely noticed a large improvement in sound quality from the odd cables I was using prior. I don't think soldered cables are necessary on your board but definitely to your instruments ect..

superswede

10-21-2009, 01:27 AM

Been using GL:s for 10+ years. Nice hifi sound and never had any problem with straight connectors. The angled connectors between pedals where a little problem until I put the pedals on a proper board so I did not need to unplug everytime.

Balok

10-21-2009, 02:39 AM

Been using a dozen GL cables for years and never had a single failure. FAR more reliable than any other cable I've ever owned.
Sorry guys - if they're going bad on you, you're just not assembling them correctly . The design is perfection itself.

dosmun

10-21-2009, 04:54 AM

Alright thnx guys! Can you guys point me out some razors or blades like on homespot.com or lowes.com

Something like this would be your best bet.
http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/9990000032048411?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0
(http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/9990000032048411?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0)

jamison162

10-21-2009, 07:10 AM

I hope that is not true, because I placed an order for Bill Lawrence cables and connectors a week ago and they processed my payment! One would think they are open for business. Maybe I should call?

Maybe so, I haven't been able to place my "custom" order...and they're are tied up with the Lace merger/buyout.

VA_siCkBoy

10-21-2009, 07:32 AM

http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/9990000032048411?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0
(http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/9990000032048411?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0)

That is the exact tool I use to cut my George L's cable. I got them at Sears.

PEImatrix

10-21-2009, 07:40 AM

Planet waves makes a little cutter for about $5 that's amazing for making GL's

clint

10-21-2009, 07:54 AM

Do players that have trouble making GL's work also have trouble stringing their guitars:cool:?
:rotflmao
Really, it's not rocket science and I'm mechanically challenged!
A pair of scissors and a little screwdriver, am I missing anything?

Not saying there aren't other options especially for those with bright guitars/amps (tone knobs do wonders, too) but you can't beat the clarity and simplicity of GL's. My only gripe is the smaller "strait" plugs are hard to remove from a strat jack so I've had to get the stretch plugs.

Loop-Master

10-21-2009, 08:30 AM

Something like this would be your best bet.
http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/9990000032048411?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0
(http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/9990000032048411?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0)

This is absolutely the best tool to cut George L's cable with.

Good for trimming your shrubs too!

Isaiah4Autumn

10-21-2009, 08:32 AM

Good for trimming your shrubs too!

:roll

semi-hollowbody

10-21-2009, 08:49 AM

Do players that have trouble making GL's work also have trouble stringing their guitars:cool:?
nope
And I am VERY good at electronic projects around the house...Ive done a LOT of cutting, splicing, wiring with no problem
the problem is not user error, it is a finicky product...

If only one or two people had problems than yeah thats user error...But i think its safe to say over half the people have had issues with cutting/connecting/reliability well over other similar products! :)

Structo

10-21-2009, 09:00 AM

I started using George L cables when they first came out and I heard a dramatic improvement in my tone.
I had used inexpensive cables before.

A couple years ago I went with a Sommer "The Spirit" cable from Lavacable.
That cable is on the low side of the high end cable spectrum but I heard again a dramatic improvement.
Better clarity and focus.
Since then I have bought a couple other higher end cables and like them a lot.
Now, not everybody is going to want a low pf cable especially if they have a bright amp or guitar combination to start with.
After all, a cable is a long capacitor and does indeed affect your tone just like a bright cap does on a volume pot.
So dark amp, low pf cable.
Bright amp, higher pf cable.

gatordoc

10-21-2009, 09:29 AM

There are a few tips for making good connections:

1) The clean cut is the most important as mentioned above.

2) Another issue that can arise with GLs is that you may cut both ends cleanly and they look just fine, but when you connect the first end it may cause the black outer casing to slide out a little over the other end that you haven't connected yet. Consequently, you may wind up with a bad connection even if you had originally cut both ends perfectly.

IMO, it is best to cut one end, connect it to the plug, and then cut the second end right before you make the second connection. This will eliminate any potential for the above to happen.

3) Don't be afraid to tighten the screw! I've found that the few bad connections I've had over the years have almost always been due either to issue #1 or #2, or because I didn't tighten down the screw enough as I was afraid I'd cut through the cable and create a short. However, if you do cut through the casing you will usually know right away whereas if you have a loose connection you may not find out until it's too late.

4) If you move your pedals around a lot, then also check the cables routinely as suggested above.

If you do these 4 things, then you should be fine.

mp815

10-21-2009, 08:03 PM

well I just connected my first ever george L's and at first it didn't work. I thought I was gonna do an all nighter. They tell you to tighten the screw 1 1/2 to 2 turns after you feel it touch the outer casing. WRONG!!!! this is not enough for the screw to break through the outer coating casing whatever(shielding)................
once I tightened the screw ALOT more. BAM! WE GOT SOUND!!! All I used to cut it with was a utility knife. Very easy........Now we will do the comparo with the Evidence Audio cables I have been using. At first the Evidence cable was very stiff but now its awesome. just took a little time to break in and relax...........

Joe Boy

10-21-2009, 08:32 PM

A Big Old George L, a Les Paul an my Reinhardt....:aok

B_of_H

10-21-2009, 08:35 PM

I haven't had many failures with mine but the bright and harsh sound is really annoying.

if you have a dark rig for whatever reason they would be great but i'm always fighting too much high end and the GL's just make the problem worse.

i've gone as far as putting a george l's in a loop by itself and a/b'ing it against the signal from some monster cables and the bright boost harsness is easily noticable.

peterjh85

10-21-2009, 09:20 PM

Just check all your cables with a multimeter, it takes 5 seconds to check! Never made a bad cable since, and only 1 before I ever started checking my patch cables after I made 'em. Love George L's!

mp815

12-27-2009, 10:16 PM

well George L's compared to Evidence Audio Melody cable???????? I really believe that the cable, the guitar and the amp and the speaker all play a part in the sound/ and with that said a GL's cable might sound good with 1 amp and not as good with another. etc etc etc..
Everyone has different tastes and hearing capacity. I can honestly say that when you first hear a GL's cable it is deceiving because it is brighter and maybe even more in your face sounding. But, in my case I have to say that the EA Melody cable is more natural and tonally more balanced and smooth sounding. More pleasing to my ear. I was contemplating getting a Lyric HG which is supposedly EA's flagship cable and now if I get extra cash I just might get one. I really like the Melody cable and as time goes on it gets more flexible and I didn't believe it till now, cause I thought it was just a sales pitch but it really does get better sounding as time goes on.

jamison162

12-28-2009, 07:04 AM

All true. When you a/b GL with other cables, it's very easy to hear how bright and thin sounding they are. I also felt like I lost some low end and fullness. But some may like/want that. This is not the first time folks have commented on the tone of GL's.