Lava ELC Cables

[Brian]

A year ago in the Ya learn somethin new all the time.............. (http://gpawf4christ.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2498) thread on cables ...I ordered 2 Core X2 RA - 1/4 cables... The CX2 had more upper mids with no loss of bottom [than $12 Rapco and Quantum] - a fuller, slightly more balanced tone, but both were very warm and rich. The CX2 also provided better definition of articulation and dynamics. I could easily hear the guitar's natural reverb; the string resonance - sustain, that was not very evident with the Rapco. The CX2 had slightly higher gain. The Quantum was lifeless, big loss of upper mids and highs... The CX2 is easily a better cable at 3x the cost. The connectors appear to be very good quality and are gold plated. One downside is it's as stiff as a garden hose. It seems durable but the stiffness may actually create more strain at the connectors... After a couple weeks use the stiffness has proven to be too much. I tripped over a cable because it won't lie flat. Fortunately I didn't land on my face and it was after service... I had disconnected my guitar (actually anticipating someone could trip over the cable) but could easily could have pulled my Zion off it's stand. I'm done with Core X2 and I'm looking for a new set of cables...I finally replaced the Core X2s with Lava ELC cables (http://www.lavacable.com/Lava%20Cable.htm) (also got a custom Gepco stereo to dual mono from Mark for my L-5CES with the acoustic pickup mod.)

Again in a head to head comparison with my Taylor in my hi-fi system, the CX2 has more highs with better articulation. When I play a double forte line, it just jumps out of the speakers and I hear the guitar's top beginning to overload as I dig in; simply outstanding definition for fingerstyle.

The Lava has slightly higher gain and a very good balance of warmth and presence with only slightly less articulation and definition. The slight lack of definition actually translates to slightly better clarity. While leading Worship with my 67 Telecaster through my Sedona set for clean tweed, I was very pleased with the near Rickenbacker chime (harmonics) using both pickups.

In the end, I think the preference in sound for the 2 cables comes down to taste. The Core X2 is about half the price of the Lava... an outstanding value! But from a practical standpoint, the Lava's flexibility that allows it to lay flat simply beats the pants off of the Core X2 for live stage use.

[Crunchyriff]

AH yes! Great review!

Mark Stoddard makes all of my cables. As you are aware, I connected with him a few years ago, and now use his products exclusively. There is not one cable I use in my rig that he didn't make... and I intend on keeping it that way. The guy just reeks of craftsmanship, is a class-act all the way, has a great selection of cables; plus I love supporting a Military guy's own side-business.

FWIW- I have not tried his ELC's, (I'm still using his Evidence Audio Melody cable & Cardas interconnects) and I've certainly wanted to; but I have heard nothing but good things about the ELC.

Isn't it amazing how much a cable can contribute to your overall sound and musical experience? The naysayers can crow all day long "Snake Oil!"; but I'm sorry I know what my ears hear. If there was no difference I'd spend the $$ elsewhere, that's for sure. :)

Back in the 60's and early 70's: whether it was cables, speakers, pickups, etc- you used what was out there available at the time ... and you didn't have a lot of choices. Not so today.

[Brian]

...Back in the 60's and early 70's: whether it was cables, speakers, pickups, etc- you used what was out there available at the time ... and you didn't have a lot of choices. Not so today.I think I had options... Back in the 60s my Dad and I built tube amps; 6L6 and EL34 based. What we didn't have was preamps with a good tone stack for guitar. I experimented and liked 6550s and JBL D-120 clones in my 67 Bandmaster. I used a Vox and my Bandmaster in parallel. I tried the original Electro Harmonix LPB-1 Booster (didn't last long) and a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face I liked but my bandmates got sick of and hid; guess that means I may have liked it a little too much. I stuck a hotter Mighty Mite replacement neck pickup in my 67 Telecaster and still love it.

Then came the 70s. I got my 120 watt Sunn with the JBL option and it had decent built in OD. Power was never a problem again. IIRC better cables began hitting the market. Started playing jazz and put a Gibson soapbar I had in a lap steel into a cheap $150 Italian archtop, but in the the end when you put lipstick on a pig, you have naught but a painted pig. So I traded the pig and $800 cash for my L5-CES and I was happy as a clam at high tide until the mid 80s when my buddy said "Lets start a rock band!".....

Today we have many more options that are available to us at this time. It's been funny though to see all the buzz over
:cheer::pink: "vintage" :pink::cheer:
stuff we all thought was crap.

[Tech Player]

Thank you for the great post Brian. I've tried to be the type of person that recognizes goodwill from others, and I try to say something positive, neither randomly or all the time, but as much as possible without being a pain. And sincerely, not just because I'm interested in the product.

I haven't got my first Lava cable yet, but would be happy to have a 15 foot tweed, when my birthday comes up, or next Christmas. I WAS looking at DiMarzio's to tell the truth.

My Dad would be happy to take care of it, or my children all together. My goodness, at $65.95 it's 95 cents more than my whole Sonic Stomp! All I got last Christmas was a brand new computer.:)

Actually my daughter bought me a bright green cable to go with my Tube Screamers.:yikes:rofl

[Crunchyriff]

My point being that- for speakers, you had what was being offered- maybe an upgrade with some. I'm not talking about building amps here, just what the amp mkt offered at the time (usually JBL's as an upgrade) And even then you had Eminence, Jensen or JBL as far as availability as parts. In the USA, loose celestions weren't as readily available unless you found some "pulls" from a cab. For pickups, until Larry DiMarzio went public, you didn't have much to choose from, over stock issue. The most popular pickup upgrades IIRC, were the Alembic hot rod kit for humbuckers, and the Stratoblaster. (remember those?) While Larry was going public, Seymour was doing custom winds behind the scenes for the pros before he too, "went public". So before the mid to late 70's there weren't many options for pickups like there are today.

Then there is the whole "cables thing" happening. As far as cables- it was either coiled or straight generic with maybe one or two means of upgrading (belden was always considered the top cable, IIRC; they still make great stuff) until the mid to late 70's. That was about it. I first got turned onto "good cables" in 1990. Our bassist at the time re-cabled his rig one day. I heard the rig immediately before he swapped cables, ( he wouldn't tell me what he was doing). I had my back turned at our rehearsal facility while working on a guitar of mine. He disappeared behind the amp I guess, came back out, and here I am re-wiring a guitar, he fires his rig right back up and I about fell over. The difference was NOT subtle. I had no idea what he did to his rig. He had the biggest grin on his face. "Remember Randy, I was telling you about some cables that came out recently..."

Boy did he ever.

Hope that clarifies. :)

Oh yeah- the LPB-1 booster!!! I had the LPB-2 (floor version): cheaply made, but that thing sounded glorious in front of an old blonde Bandmaster we used to borrow from our drummer's friend of ours years ago. I could never get him to sell me that amp. :( I had a '76 Ibanez Rocket Roll SR ( the Flying V with an added DiMarzio PAF); and that guitar with the LPB-2 and the old Bandmaster NAILED The VH-1 sound.. and then some. (this was in 1979-'80 at the time) It was the best rock guitar sound I had ever obtained. I had no idea, but much later on found that Ed favored a bandmaster quite a bit for recordings, so this made sense.

[Brian]

...And even then you had Eminence, Jensen or JBL as far as availability as parts. In the USA, loose celestions weren't as readily available unless you found some "pulls" from a cab. For pickups, until Larry DiMarzio went public, you didn't have much to choose from, over stock issue...

Then there is the whole "cables thing" happening. As far as cables- it was either coiled or straight generic with maybe one or two means of upgrading (belden was always considered the top cable, IIRC; they still make great stuff) until the mid to late 70's. That was about it.... Actually there were a few speaker choices; what's been mentioned + Altec Lansing and Cerwin Vega, each having it's own voice. IMHO, Jensen, Utah were umm...

Guess I got my Mighty Mite in 1973, about the same time I got the Sunn. I made my own cables in the late 70s and 80s. Used top quality Belden stereo cable with Switchcraft noiseless (switch) plugs. Found I still have one, pretty stiff though. I ought to pull it out and do a comaparison to see how well I did.

[Crunchyriff]

Yeah Mighty Mite! They were out before DiMarizio.

[Swarty]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane guys! I recall the Alembic hot rod kit as being maybe the first pickup upgrade thing on the market, wasn't it a magnet replacement for humbuckers and wasn't the Stratoblaster (several years later) a tiny preamp mounted to the volume pot? It seems that by the time the Stratoblaster came out that the hot pickup market had become fairly established (Dimarzio, Mighty Mite, Seymour Duncan, Bill Lawrence). Back then a good amp was one that was louder than the other guitar player's and tube was not necessarilly better than the Acoustic 150s that were every where, but speaker upgrades like JBLs, Altecs, Gausse or EVs certainly bumped up the DBs. I also recall Mighty Mite being the source for brass replacement parts... an era when mass meant sustain and heavy guitars were sought after because of their focused tone and endless sustain (now we claim the light guitars are more resonant, but I think maybe we all just got old and our backs just aren't up to hoisting 12lb guitars). I discovered back then that 5 feet of guitar cord really made a difference in the top end, so I always went as short as possible, but until about 5 or 6 years ago had not boughten in to the top shelf guitar cord idea. I just used "good" Proco type stuff. About 5 years ago I got a couple 20' Klotz cables at a real fair price and thought they were very sturdy/heavy and started using them fairly regularly. One night I was playing my lefty strat doing my best Hendrix schtick and the big Neutrik plug on the Klotz was jabbing me in the forearm... so I grabbed a 15' Monster cable with a 90 degree angled plug. Much more comfortable, but it sounded like someone had thrown a heavy blanket over my amp. I was astounded! This cable was 25% shorter and my top end was sucked away. I was instantly a believer in low capacitance cables (which I'd actually discovered 25 years earlier with shorter cables), and in addition to the Klotz, have since used Lava, Allesandro, George L and lots of Mogami.

[Crunchyriff]

Swarty I think you are correct about the Stratoblaster coming out later than their Hot Rod Kit- and yup- the HR kit was a magnet swap. I knew Mighty Mite was in there, but I couldn't recall how far back they went in the 70's. In fact, they were more popular then (and more commonly known) than they are today- due to DiMarzio and Duncan's big footprint in the mtkplace today.

Gauss--- remember those boat anchors? Man those things were huge. Those that think the EV's cornered the mkt on overall weight & bulky frames ain't seen nuthin'.. IIRC, Jeff Lynne from ELO had 4x12 cabs full of those. Can you imagine what it took to pick one of those up? :yikes:

The bottom line is, most of those companies' speakers had more efficient sensitivity ratings; and in upgrading, it was like getting a new, louder amp. (and louder is always better, right boys & girls?)

How many different takes on, say, a JTM-45 circuit are out there today? I've lost count...or, in like fashion, how about the venerable 100 watt SLP?

How many speaker companies are there today; and now many different 'flavors' in their product line? And we're not even talking "clones"....

How many OD variants based solely on a TS-9 tube screamer? Probably over a hundred... Just based off of one original circuit.

WAHS? Geeze I can't keep up.

How many different pickup winders have come to the forefront? Oodles!

WCR, Fralin, JM Rolphs, Peter Florance, Kinman, Bare Knuckle, Lollar, Van Zandt, WD, High Order.... just to name a few.

Strings? Plenty. Even the 'mainstay' product brands have expanded their lines significantly.

Cables? in the "old days", hehehe- ahem, yeah... we had RadioShack, ProCo, maybe a few others; many were made with cheap spaghetti cable- or, in better specimens, quality Belden conductor. That was about it, aside from Mogami. Today offers far more choices.

In all this, though there certainly were a few choices out there, what I was originally trying to say was- today offers so many more choices than yesteryear. Aside from tubes not being made like they used to be (and sadly, never will be)- it's a great time to be a guitarist!!

[Swarty]

It begs for the question; Does a more fickle cross section of the population exist?

[Crunchyriff]

Uh... audiophiles?

[Crunchyriff]

Today we have many more options that are available to us at this time. It's been funny though to see all the buzz over
:cheer::pink: "vintage" :pink::cheer:
stuff we all thought was crap.

Just goes to show ya that one man's crap is another man's crappie. rofl

[MrMike]

Absolutely!! I remember when '70's Strats were a laughingstock because Fender's Q.A. was circling the bowl. Now they go for 3 grand!

[Swarty]

Uh... audiophiles?

Yeah, I had that same thought after I posted :hmm:

[Brian]

Absolutely!! I remember when '70's Strats were a laughingstock because Fender's Q.A. was circling the bowl. Now they go for 3 grand!rofl As a matter of fact...

[Crunchyriff]

viva la differance!