Hi to all,
I'd like to share my experience with you, perhaps it could help to somebody in the future.
Last week I bought a cable. I got a Zoom multi-effects for Christmas and I needed a second cable. My first cable is ultra-cheap one, without known brand, the connectors are plastic and can not be opened, etc. but it sounds good with my gear. It was a gift when I bought the guitar.
Usually I bought my musical gear in two stores but as I bought the Zoom in a new one in a different zone (they had a very good price) I preferred to buy the cable there and save some time. They didn't have cables so I found another store near. I asked for a "guitar cable" and the salesman gave me a 3 meters length Yellow Cable with metal/silver connectors and springs around the cable near to connector (I forgot the reference but I think they are very known).
Ok, I connected all the equipment and the patches with overdrive sounded as... really bad, very noisy! (For Zoom users, the Santana patch sounded as thrash metal.) I left my old cable and connected my earphones and sounded great... I put the new cable with the guitar and the amp in the clean channel and again it sounded as... The noise can be heard with the volume knob in the 2 (on 10) position, in the max the noise was "very" audible.
Ok, the problem was the cable. I was reviewing the connectors, the weldings, measuring the impedance, looking for shorts... It seems correct.
Yesterday I returned to the store and explained this to the salesman. He checked the cable, played some riffs and scales while I tried to explain... (really I think he didn't listen to me). His conclusion was all my gear was bad and his cable was right... Also he said I didn't know how to connect the cable... and tried to explain some electric concepts... We are speaking of a 3€ cable... really I thing he waste more money with his time playing the riffs and the electricity for the amp than if he change the cable... As I'm engineering, sometimes I think as and engineering. :lol:
Then I understood why the store was always empty. I don't know if somebody goes to visit Madrid for shopping but, please, feel free to PM me for the name of this marvelous store and the kind salesman. :twisted:
I went to one of my usual stores, I asked again for a cable and the salesman went to the "Yellow Cable" zone... I explained him the experience and... he offered to change the noisy cable for a new one. :shock:
He recommended to forget the Yellow Cable brand and go to Planet Waves and another brand (I don't remember the name). When he asked which I preferred I remembered some comments of Vic or Alan about Planet Waves cables. Sorry, I forgot it, I tried to search the thread but I didn't find it. Anyway, thank both, thanks everybody on this site! :D
I'm very happy with my new cable. :D
Nuno
PD: Sorry for the long post :(
