Expensive vs cheap guitar cables: does spending more make a significant difference?

You’ve just spent thousands of dollars on a guitar, amplifier and pedalboard, then you go and buy the cheapest possible cable to plug it all in and get wailing...

that doesn’t seem right, does it? For many, this is the reality of playing guitar, with the cables you use typically being the area given least attention. However, this throws up an important question: does buying a cheap actually matter? Or is it always worth spending as much as you can and buying an expensive cable? Here, we break down the differences between expensive and cheap cables and the impact that choosing one over the other has on your set-up, from tone to how long it might last. It’s time to plug in! The actual construction of a cable won’t change much between the most expensive and the least expensive cables.

Ultimately, a cable requires jack plug connectors at each end to plug into your guitar and your or , with a length of conductive metal between, allowing the electrical signal from your guitar to pass through. The difference comes in the quality of these materials and components used during construction. Any length of cable will have capacitance, which relates to the amount of electrical charge that it stores.

The lower the level of capacitance the better when it comes to guitar cables, as cables with more capacitance will hold on to some of the signal your guitar produces, notably the high-end frequencies, leaving you with a darker, duller sound. Cheaper cables typically use lower quality m.