When do We(You) Draw the line?

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

I refrain from posting this on the U.S. Forum for no particular reason,well maybe I will get a more candid answer here in Europa.
Michael Dochette has a post where He is telling us how good the new Asterope cables are.http://www.asterope.com/.
Michael is a well respected player and I believe He is telling the truth that these cables are first class.
However,If I were to buy enough cable to replace My existing ones it would set Me back about £400 and that does not include shipping or any import duty.
If I were to compare the new cables with the cheapest I can find I most certainly am sure there would be a huge difference in sound quality. If I were to compare these Asteropes with My George L's would the difference be as noticable to Myself and everyone who hears Me?
Whaddya think?
Billy

[Rick B]

I watched Michael Douchette's video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ5T1y3O5V8) . I also believe that he believes these are good cables. He tells a good story too.

Some people take cables to extremes. I met the guitar tech for a Big Star who told me how they cryogenically freeze all his Evidence Audio cables to rearrange the molecules (in fact they freeze everything - FX pedals, amp chassis, mains cables, the lot). If he can tell the difference, good luck to him. If you think that's nuts, look at the hi-fi world. You can spend five grand on speaker cables - easily.

I have one expensive 20ft cable that was given to me that has a capacitance of 11pf/foot. I actually don't like it much. It's pretty bright. If I had that cable through all my rig, I would have to change my amp settings. Would it sound better? Maybe.

For me it's down to weakest links. I don't think my Geo L cables are the weakest link in a chain that includes an Electro-Harmonix delay and an amp that cost seventy quid

[Zebedee]

If the cable from the pickup to the jack socket on the steel is of inferior quality to the rest of your cables, surely that will be the determining factor?

[Zebedee]

Another thing that comes to mind is new strings.

To take advantage of these 'supercables' I would think that new strings would be needed every couple of weeks.

I know that the pro's change their strings very frequently, but, speaking as a non-working steel player, I don't change my strings until they break

Now that I come to think about it, even when I was gigging 2 or 3 times a week I very rarely put whole new sets of strings on.

Two reasons, it takes too long to put a complete set of strings on, and the cost of regular changes would be prohibitive.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

[b]Well said Rick,
I believe that if a "Big" timer is advertising a product then a lot of players will fall into the trap, "If I buy that,I will be able to sound like Him"[i] I have been fortunate enough to see some of the world's best players close up and whilst they all have excellent equipment which is not necessarily the most expensive,they all sound astounding.
I was smitten many years ago by G.A.S.(gear acquisition Syndrom) I first saw Sarah using an E Bow and rushed out to purchase one,Guess what...I did'nt sound like Sarah. I read somewhere that Buddy Emmons used a particular effect unit (at that time) and again ....I did'nt sound like the Big E no matter how I tried.I soon became "buyer of the year" at My local music shop and whilst I know it was the wrong direction I did enjoy it.Now that I cannot afford a new toy every time a Pro player tells us how good an item is,I find that I sound like Myself and sometimes it is good sometimes not so good.
Billy[/i]

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Richard,
From the clips I have heard of Yourself,there is nothing wrong with Your tone.
Please do'nt tell Me what equipment You are using I cannot afford to change now
Billy

[Dave Boothroyd]

It's a strange thing how what you hear, or what you think you hear, has such a big effect on how you play. It is certain that your tone, timing and intonation are far better when you feel that you are sounding great.
I suppose it's a sort of musical placebo effect, if throwing money at some expensive cables makes you feel better, then you'll play better and sound better.
It would depress me for sure, knowing what that money could have bought, so I don't suppose it would have any benefit at all in my case.
But I'm a born miser!
Cheers
Dave

[Graeme Jaye]

There's a world of difference between poor cables/connectors and good ones, but when someone tells me that I need to spend $179 for a 10' cable I seriously start to question their sanity. When they tell me the cable is 'unidirectional', then I know they've lost the plot.

[Zebedee]

Billy,
My setup is very basic, using the 3 cord Peavey hook-up method, as I still use an old-fashioned passive volume pedal.

Guitar direct into input of Peavey Vegas amp.

Out from the 'pre eq patch' to the input of my volume pedal.

Out from the volume pedal, and into my Boss digital delay unit.

Out from the digital delay unit, and back into the 'pre eq patch' input.

That's it

G L's cables do me fine
i consider them somewhat expensive compared to others
but heck, i'm happy w: the sound i have & they're real easy to set up
i prefer spending $$$/€€€/£££ on something more consequent like a vp, preamp, effects unit or a good seat