How old is your oldest lead?

[RhysP]

My main guitar/bass to amp lead I bought sometime in the mid 80's. It's a Monster cable but I changed one of the jacks to a right angled Switchcraft one.
It's the lead I used for all my gigs (when I was stupid enough do that sort of thing) & I never had a any problems with it.

[thisnameistaken]

I've still got a 20ft green fabric one that I bought in 1995. Never needed to re-solder the jacks or anything it's probably done 300+ gigs.

[steve-bbb]

X-LINES the one with the bright red jack covers - had it since about late 80s - still use it regularly and still ok

[paul_5]

I had one made for e by a sound engineer after my second ever gig in 1993. It started out life as 20' of Van Damme cable with Neutriks at either end. I've had to resolder bits when it's been abused (people tripping up over it etc) and it's currently 19'4". I reckon it'll outlast me at this rate.

Every other cable I've bought after that has failed within a couple of years. They just don't make 'em like they used to; maybe it's because people make them using centimetres these days. I dunno?

[Spike Vincent]

3 months.Me and leads don't get on.

[Blademan_98]

I have an old 'curly' cable. I have had it since I saw Dr Feelgood way back when

It still works!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1325816' date='Aug 3 2011, 04:13 PM']Whirlwind from the late 80's. Still used every week.[/quote]
Not to be underestimated, these.
I've had 4.
1 mislaid/lost/stolen?
3 still functioning. 2x2 metres- Since 1995. 1x5metre- about a decade old.

Not a hiss, crackle, pop, bang or complaint from any of them despite being bashed, smashed, burned, used as a weapon, tugged, stepped-on, lent-out and frequently connected to/ disconnected from amps/basses and miscellaneous stuff.
+1 for these. They make some of the Fender-Branded ones, too.
Arthur Harris would have found them frustrating, as they are Bomb-proof. I expect them to outlast me. And they're nt even that expensive..

[Mylkinut]

Bright pink one about 7 years old, still going strong.

[Rich]

Back in mid 1986, I had a load of stuff stolen from outside our rehearsal studio -- basically everything except my bass and amp. I still live in hope that the brand new MXR Phase 100 exploded into razor-sharp shards of red hot metal the first time the thief tried to use it. Anyway, I digress... I bought a load of replacement bits and pieces, among which were a pair of 15ft Klotz cables. I've used them for pretty much every gig and rehearsal since.

[wez]

Got a whirlwind from the late 80s, used to have to but not sure what happened to the other one, plus a few patch leads and a bright orange lead i brought when i was using a combo as a monitor from bout the same time and still used. But i think my oldest is from about 83 my first lead, only a cheap one still works but sounds a bit rough.

[Beer of the Bass]

I have a klotz bought in around 1995 which is still working fine. I thought that was pretty good going before I saw this thread. I've never actually had a lead go bad on me, but I've lost quite a few on dark, cluttered stages.

[Mog]

My oldest is about 12 years. Planet waves. Still perfect.

[retrohelix]

kirlin cables, grey and ropey exterior, circa 2011. I have extremely bad luck with cables.

[Musicman20]

I have a cable I bought when I started, and an awful strap. Ive kept them for some reason even though I dont use them! All works though....about 16-17 years old.

Edited August 3, 2011 by Musicman20

[machinehead]

I only own one lead that I got in the early 70s. I've never owned another.

I've used that one lead for nearly 40 years.

Since I bought it new I've fitted probably 8 new jack sockets. Around 1980, and again in 1995, I renewed the entire cable but kept the existing jacks.

That's what I call durable.

Frank.

[Mr. Foxen]

I have a Whirlwind cable I bought from a clash roady about 10 years ago, he showed me a photo of Joe Strummer with his son who was there at the time, because I looked doubtful about the Clash connection. It was probably old then, it has been totally reliable, and I still reach for it when demoing amps to people.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='neepheid' post='1325811' date='Aug 3 2011, 04:07 PM']I still have the first lead I ever bought - a Proel cable with Neutrik ends from 1996, so 15 years old. Still going strong.[/quote]
I'm utterly perplexed (and obviously nosey), how come you've had one that long and you've only been playing for 4 years?

edit : Oh I have a couple of leads from circa '82 they are smelly and I wouldn't trust them at all.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Ou7shined

[hillbilly deluxe]

Mid eighties Whirlwind,and a ten plus year old cable from Howards Bass Place.

[Dave Vader]

No idea how old most of my leads are, as a lot of them were gained in the lead trading environment of mid-90s multi band gigs in Barnstaple. My own purchased leads would vanish, so I would gain a few more from one of the other bands who I suspected of having made off with mine in the first place. Good times. Same with straps as I recall.
I do have a patch lead that I bought in 1990 that I still use regularly, so that's 21 now.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1326386' date='Aug 4 2011, 01:20 AM']I'm utterly perplexed (and obviously nosey), how come you've had one that long and you've only been playing for 4 years?

edit : Oh I have a couple of leads from circa '82 they are smelly and I wouldn't trust them at all. [/quote]

Heh, I did have a brief flirtation with skinny stringed guitars in my yoof. I had one of these:



I didn't stick at it, didn't learn much, couldn't play the songs I wanted to so it became an ornament until I flogged it and the wee amp. That lead (and a few plectrums) are the only remnants of that era which remain today.

Also, I'm only counting playing properly (as in actually sticking at it) in that time. I bought my first bass (the Epi EB-3) back in 2003 (I think). Thankfully the laziness wasn't terminal this time

[KingBollock]

I've got a lead I've had for about 23 years. Changed the plugs a few times and the cable a couple of times, but other than that it's till going strong...

I've got a hammer with a similar story...

[JellyKnees]

Recently binned a Whirlwind that I bought back in the early '90s as it was getting a bit crackly....using Pirahna leads now (neutrik jacks) as that's what my local music stores stocks, they seem pretty good so far....

[noelk27]

Two Sound City 20 footers. Black, of course. Bought in '77. I'd been listening to The Jam and The Clash and decided I wanted to be a bass player, so went and bought a guitar (a Hondo II LP copy).

[casapete]

I have a couple of grey Fender leads dating from the mid 1970's which are both still fine.
They are the thin type with screwed on jacks that came free with Fender instruments back then, and I've never known one
pack up yet. Still use them at home with no probs.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='neepheid' post='1326535' date='Aug 4 2011, 09:46 AM']Heh, I did have a brief flirtation with skinny stringed guitars in my yoof. I had one of these:



I didn't stick at it, didn't learn much, couldn't play the songs I wanted to so it became an ornament until I flogged it and the wee amp. That lead (and a few plectrums) are the only remnants of that era which remain today.

Also, I'm only counting playing properly (as in actually sticking at it) in that time. I bought my first bass (the Epi EB-3) back in 2003 (I think). Thankfully the laziness wasn't terminal this time [/quote]
Ah I getcha, it's "still going strong" because it wasn't used until 4 years ago.