Anyone else making your own cables (DIY)?

[Dexter_prog]

I don't quite remember how much cables (for guitar, mics, monitors, etc) cost in the USA, but here acceptable cables are overpriced. So I am just buying cable and jacks and having them soldered (as I don't own a soldering iron/welder). Anyone else doing the same? If so, has anyone found significant differences between DIY cables and bought cables?

 

[Pot]

yes and no ...simple

learn to solder properly and buy quality cabling and conectors

 

[Rhys Llewellyn]

Yeah I always make my own leads using high quality cable and connectors.

The biggest bonus being, not only are they cheaper but you can custom cut each cable depending on your studio set-up and added flexibility like using right-angle jacks in tight places.

It's very easy to solder, it's well worth learning how to and purchasing one I reckon.

 

[Dexter_prog]

I will be looking for welders/soldering irons (I still don't know which one is the correct term in English). Are they expensive?

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Only self-made cables here. They last forever if you put even some effort into it.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I will be looking for welders/soldering irons (I still don't know which one is the correct term in English). Are they expensive?

10€ for a crap one, 20-40€ for a totally decent one or about 80-500€ for a good quality soldering station. Just get something that doesn't catch fire on it's own and equip it with a small enough head and you're fine

 

[JeffTD]

I religiously make my own cables, besides a couple times where I've found ridiculously cheap deals on 20' cables to use for triggers.

 

[Deaf Ear]

I think I own two cables that I didn't make. Everything else is Canare with Neutrik connectors. Once you get started with it, making a top quality cable costs a little less than buying the crappiest ones from the store.

 

[Rhys Llewellyn]

I will be looking for welders/soldering irons (I still don't know which one is the correct term in English). Are they expensive?

Soldering is the correct term. Welding is when you fuse two parts of steel together, like on a car.

Even a cheap one will be more than capable of doing the job.

 

[JeffTD]

I only have a cheap iron from Radio Shack, but I've done tons of pickup swaps (probably like 12 a year on average, as crazy as that sounds), pedal/amp mods, and built SCA-preamp kit with it. Just change the tip periodically and you're fine! 30-45w should be fine; mines a 30 and I rarely wish it was higher.

 

[Dexter_prog]

Thanks for the info, guys. And what about brands for cables and connectors? I read that someone mentiond Neutrik and Canare. Anything else? The cable I bought was Audiopipe and the connectors were Amphenol. I bought them in a radio store near my house and the guy said they were pretty good and they were actually cheap. I only bought 3m and 2 connectors, so if it is a piece of shit I won't buy them again.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Neutrik for the connectors and Cordial for the cable for me.

 

[ahjteam]

I normally buy these, but I noticed that the neutriks are sometimes too large for right places like interfaces, so I buy these for those places.

 

[Rhys Llewellyn]

I always use Neutrik connectors and I'm particularly fussy when it comes to signal lead.

I love Klotz signal lead simply because it is easy to strip and the annoying fiddly part of pulling the ground screen braid away from it and twisting is very easy to do with them. On some cables it's really tough and makes a bit of a mess and doesn't twist so easily for tinning.

Plus Klotz cable feels kinda elasticy and it doesn't tend to curl up and kink as much as other leads do.

 

[arv_foh]

I buy these because I suck at soldering

http://orangecountyspeaker.com/mm5/..._Code=37-250x10&Category_Code=25ft-mic-cables

not much more expensive than making your own cables

 

[Mesa4x12er]

I make my own too. My guitar rig has shitloads of cables and it would've cost me more than my rig probably just for the cables. Anyway I use Mogami and neutrik. Same quality as store bought mogamis but a hell of a lot cheaper and exactly the length I need.

The Hakko 937 soldering station is great and can be had for under $100.

 

[Wolfeman]

I prefer Mogami for balanced cable, and George L's for guitar cable. But there are a ton of options out there, even within brands.

 

[ChrisTanakaCanwell]

Mogami and Neutrik gold for everything here. Usually takes me about 15 minutes to do each cable because I suck (and because I do it while I'm at work) but it's totally worth it

 

[Sloan]

It's the only way.

 

[RichMinerva]

I've been thinking the same recently as it would coat me an arm and a leg to kit myself out with new leads I'd prefer it if it only cost me a leg as I prefer my arms.
Anyone in the uk do this and know where to point me for quality cable and connectors at a good price?