i've purchased a few cables from the local guitar shop here for my guitar to my amp.

current one is a "monster prolink high performance" ~20ft.

no matter how many times i uncurl it it curls back up in places. you know, like some phone cables do.

what's a good cable that wont do that?

I think it has more to do with the way you roll it up.

when you roll it up, you will feel how it wants to turn and just go with it.

don't ever just roll the thing around your arm like I see so many people do. that puts kinks and twists in the cable and will cause what you're describing.

I suppose you could use one of those cables that is pre=kinked like an old time telephone cord, but those have their problems too.

I wish I could explain the process better but when I roll my cables, here's what I do (and there are more than one ways to skin this cat)
grab the cable at one end or the other (close to the jack)
loop it over in about a 10" or so circle (how ever big you want the coil to be)
on the next loop, you will feel how the cable wants to turn.
flip it (turn between your fingers) in the direction it wants to turn.
Keep doing this until you get to the other end,
wrap a strip of velcro around it

I never have problems with kinks when I uncoil these.

My dad was an electrician and this is how he taught me to roll up extention cord and it works on guitar cables too.

Jeff

if you want a cable that never curls or knots... get a wireless system

or make all your cables shorter... like 1m long...

jokes aside... try a different method of storing your cables...

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blues - its a religion...

As said by others, just wrap em up loose. Maybe use a cable tie to keep em looped. Be carefull how you unwrap em too.

Wrapping cable tightly round your arm just stresses the cable and eventually causes it to break.

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No no and no

Funny you said old time telephone cords My favorite cables that I use nine out of ten are Vox Vintage Coils.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

ok folks, thanks for the advice.

I have used Road Hog cables for both my instruments and speaker cabinets for years and have found them to be very resistant to kinking.I also use 2 or 3 twist ties around the cables once I have then wound up.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Grab the input plug in your left hand and loop your right hand fingers around the cable right next to the plug. Extend your arms straight out at shoulder height. Leave your right arm in place and pull the cable with your left hand. When you pull out about 5 feet let go of the plug and grab the cable next to your right hand. Pull again, repeat until other cable is in right hand. Reverse process with right hand. Do this 5-6 times and the cable should be "straight". Then make a loop of cable about 1 foot in diameter in your left hand. When you make a second loop and if it folds over into an 8 simply twist the cable by rolling it with your finger tips. Do this until cable is all coiled.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zVGGWlvkU

If a picture is worth a 1000 words, a video is worth an encyclopedia.

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Bill

ah ha!! got it now. yep that helped the ol snake on the floor here to lay out.

I have 3 high quality low noise instrument cables and all seem to have the same issue (hard, stiff, and coils up). Perhaps it's due to the type of core and sheilding. I have a couple of inexpensive cables that are soft and real flexable.
Thanks for the information.

I Have A Couple Of Cords Made By Conquest Sound Co. They Never Tangle Up. The Site Is Still Up But I Couldn't Get In. They Are Both Over 20 Yr's Old. Nice Cords.

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Vintage Hotrod '57 Strat, 81 G&L L2000 Series E Bass, Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp.

i'll check it out, thanks.

for now, i just lay the cords out straight from the living room to kitchen. then at night during practice plug in and they stray straight for my practice. but if i walk around much and have the cable between the strap and guitar they just coil up and i have to unplug, walk it out, redo.

no big deal as i just play/practice at home, but a nuisance in that regard. like TTSC stated, same thing.

i'll get a coupler to the monster premium and a vox 20' coil cord and try it out.

THE Number One thing to remember when wrapping cords?????.........


Don't hit yourself in the NUTS on that last wrap when the plug comes swinging around like a mini wrecking ball.... Makes you look like this

i used to make my own with Belden cable and switchcraft ends, but these days I'm finding that it's easier to buy Canare brand cable with Neutrik jacks from Bayou.

Butch is awesome.

http://www.bayoucables.com/

Roll up after use using elbow and shoulder - no kinks - no problems.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!