I received my Pedaltrain yesterday ($79.99 from Musician's Friend) and had just enough time to get it made up before last night's gig.

I was testing everything about 10 minutes before we started and I was getting an annoying hum - the kind you get with a short in a signal cable. I pulled out a few spares I had made up and the screw down backs had worked loose on most of them so my confidence in those particular cables was not very high. I didn't have my cable tester with me so I screwed one back together and hoped for the best. I got through the night but it just underscored the whole issue of reliability with them - again. I'm a long time user of George L's, but I am tired of messing with them. I just got back from Sam Ash where I bought a half dozen 6" and two 12" DiMarzio patch cables. The DiMarzio cables are one of the best mass produced cables available and I have a bunch in different lengths because I used to use them for my long runs before the George L's and Canare GS-6's. I'm going to invest in something better in the not-too-distant-future, but for now, a few DiMarzio patch cables (less than 3 feet total) isn't going to affect my tone. I'm stuill using the Canare's for my long runs.

By the way, the Pedaltrain is pretty cool. I couldn't believe how light the aluminum alloy is. It's also smaller than my other boards and that works for me.

Tone Dog, I had the same complaint with George L's and was ready to give them up. I discovered that a drop of Loc Tite did the trick. If you need to disassemble them, you have to use 2 pairs of pliers (I use electrical tape on one of the pliers to prevent the shaft from getting scratched). They won't come apart until you want them to, it's a great cheap fix. I use 12 pedals, and I like the fact that you can cut them to the shortest length needed.

BTW, I just recieved a pedal named after you from Joe Gagan, a Twin Dog. It's two Tone Dog pedals in one, voiced differently.

jmay - that's a great idea, I'd just be worried that the locktite would work in and cause the connection to be lost. I'd imagine it's not a good conductor.

That would probably never happen, just something to worry about I guess.

TD,

I'm always surprised when I hear people have problems with George L's. I've had them for almost 5 years now, and haven't had any problems. Just the other day, one of my .255 cables started acting up, but it's been abused for 5 years!! I snipped off the end, and redid the connection, and it's good as new. I abuse my cables as much as anyone I know, and haven't had problems.

On a side note, I have a braided Dimarzio that I use sometimes for guitar --> pedalboard runs. It's a very clear sounding cable. My only quibble is that it twists up fairly easily due to the braiding. I haven't tried the Dimarzio patch cables yet.

Head

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Originally posted by jmay66:
Tone Dog, I had the same complaint with George L's and was ready to give them up. I discovered that a drop of Loc Tite did the trick. If you need to disassemble them, you have to use 2 pairs of pliers (I use electrical tape on one of the pliers to prevent the shaft from getting scratched). They won't come apart until you want them to, it's a great cheap fix. I use 12 pedals, and I like the fact that you can cut them to the shortest length needed.

BTW, I just recieved a pedal named after you from Joe Gagan, a Twin Dog. It's two Tone Dog pedals in one, voiced differently.

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The Loc-Tite is a good idea, Jmay. And I agree that being able to cut them to length is a great feature. I could see where I may use something else for the short, simple patches and maybe one or two George L's for something unique or unusual. But I think by and large, I'm just going to move on to something else. George Alessandro offered to make up some cables for me and I may do that, but the Cable 2 he has is pretty pricey stuff too. I'm looking at between 200-300 bucks just for pedalboard cables. They'll last forever though....

Your Gagan Twin Dog sounds cool. I sold my Brontoboost (w/Tone Dog Mod) last year in anticipation of receiving a Tone Dog pedal but it never came to pass. How are the two sides voiced differently?

I bought a big roll of george L cable. I love the stuff. Every high quality cable I ever had failed eventually, and usually just got thrown away - a total waste. At least this way I just snip the tip and screw it back down and it is fixed. Check to make sure the caps are screwed down tight while I am doing my at least weekly pedal board rearrangements. I have never had a problem with mine. But I might just be lucky and I might not be as hard on them. I don't gig near as much as you (TD). Just last night at rehearsal I had a 9v power cable go bad, and had to put a battery in that pedal for the night. I wish george L made zip chord connectors so I could more easily cut my power chords to length.

They do make different grades of loctite. They may make one that is not as stong as the one that was mentioned. Somethin that would hold but you would'nt need tools to get them loose.

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Originally posted by Tone Dog:
I got through the night but it just underscored the whole issue of reliability with them - again. I'm a long time user of George L's, but I am tired of messing with them.

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I knew you'd come around

"Your Gagan Twin Dog sounds cool. I sold my Brontoboost (w/Tone Dog Mod) last year in anticipation of receiving a Tone Dog pedal but it never came to pass. How are the two sides voiced differently?"


Tone Dog, One side of the Twin Dog is bright, like a treble boost, and the other is darker, maybe a bass/mid boost. Joe described it as being close to a Bronto Boost without a buffer in front. I never loved the Bronto, but really love my custom Dino Fuzz. Joe has been way too busy lately, I've been waitnig for him to mod my Dino Drive for about 10 months, and it's getting painful. That's Joe, a great guy, lousy businessman. To me the overdrive sounds much looser than a Bronto. It's point to point wired, and hand etched in a Hammond box. I'm not digging it as much as my Barber LTD which is tighter and more focused sounding. I just ordered some sample chips from Ti for the LTD including 2 different Burr Brown chips. I can't wait to try them. BTW, I'm about the only guy who hasn't tried/heard a Tim pedal yet.

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Originally posted by dosmun:
They do make different grades of loctite. They may make one that is not as stong as the one that was mentioned. Somethin that would hold but you would'nt need tools to get them loose.

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Yep, there is blue, red, and a couple other colors that have different strengths. I use it ALOT to hold my motorcycle together.
But, i have only ONCE in 6yrs had to cut and re connect a george L's cable.
They get a little loose from time to time, but its nothing a quick twist wont fix.
I have DOZENS of cables that are in need of re soldering, etc. i wont throw them away because they cost so much...ha!

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Originally posted by Headshot:
TD,

I'm always surprised when I hear people have problems with George L's. I've had them for almost 5 years now, and haven't had any problems. Just the other day, one of my .255 cables started acting up, but it's been abused for 5 years!! I snipped off the end, and redid the connection, and it's good as new. I abuse my cables as much as anyone I know, and haven't had problems.

On a side note, I have a braided Dimarzio that I use sometimes for guitar --> pedalboard runs. It's a very clear sounding cable. My only quibble is that it twists up fairly easily due to the braiding. I haven't tried the Dimarzio patch cables yet.

Head

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These patch cables (and the longer ones I mentioned above) are the braided ones. I agree that the longer ones do twist alot - but I'm only using these on my board, I still have the Canare GS-6's for the long runs.

I am never surprised when I hear people have problems with the George L's. There is a knack to making them up properly and if you don't figure it out, they'll be a pain in the ass. I've never had any more than an occassional problem with them (been using them for about 8 years now), but for my small board, I really don't need to worry about it.

Hey TD, if your problem with George L's is the connectors, ditch the connectors in favor of some Neutrik connectors. These are great connectors, sonnically as pure as the George L's, and have a great strain relief that should stand up to years of abuse. They are most likely what your Canare cables are made up with and probably what Alesandro will build with.

Actually, Robert, the Canare's are made from Switchcrafts. And George Alessandro is not a fan of Neutriks and uses Switchcrafts also - but I get your point. I don't want to make too big a deal about this because I haven't had many problems with George L's. I just don't feel like screwing around with them anymore.

Here is how i cut the cable's...might be useful, maybe not.
Use a fresh razor blade.
Roll the cable with your left hand (on a flat surface) as you increase pressure of the blade with your right hand. Moving both hands at the same time..
Kind of like using a pipe or tubing cutter.
This seems to give a really straight cut, and has been really reliable for me.
This is probably common knowledge...but what they heck...

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Originally posted by jmay66:
BTW, I'm about the only guy who hasn't tried/heard a Tim pedal yet.

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Well, I actually haven't tried or heard one yet. I talked to Paul about one right when he first came out with them, but I'm just so dang lazy that I haven't ordered one yet. I'm planning on ordering a TIM and a TIMMY next week. After all the good things I've heard about the TIM, I'm really dying to try it.

Head

I have never tried or heard a TIM either. But I am behind most here on everything. I just got my first BJFE pedal last week!

I've never tried a BJFE pedal either. I'm REALLY interested in the BBOD.

Head

The BBOD is the one I finally got. It's an ok pedal so far. I don't think I am as knocked out by it as some here are, but it is definately top shelf stuff.

I use the blue loctite, less force required to break loose. I still on occasion have a problem, it is only the 90 deg. angle ones and is when I have to unplug and plug the connector each day for pedals that don't have a power out. I think the screw eventually cuts to center conductor. I have noticed that as these bent some of the innards get pulled, like maybe the center conductor comes away from the center contact point/needle. With ones on way out I'll get a nice noisy gaeeshssehs (electrical noise) as I tap them or step on the pedal. Be careful on dissembling, use tape to between pliers and connector, I did not once and the plating comes off, and is like a razor blade--made me have to modify my playing after the bleeding stopped.

TD I was having some Issues with my Georgle L's just last week and replaced them with some patch cables I got from guitar center because I got a little frustrated with them as well.

Finally I got some time and remade all of them taking my time and using a Ohm Meter to test them but I really noticed a lot more clarity in my signal especially using a 10' George L from Guitar to board.

In the long run I think they are worth the pain that they some times bring. Usually if you dont disturb your pedals while on the board they should not really be much of a problem.