EBS patch cables.....not for the long run

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EskerEsker Frets: 80
So about a year and a half ago I switched to EBS as I had a mini board and space was at a premium....it seemed fantastic, low profile, super quiet. A few months ago I started using a larger 60 x 30 style board and was swapping out and changing a lot of pedals. I noticed one of them looked slightly ragged, and upon further inspection, most of them were breaking. Where the rubber joined the jack, the wires were exposed on more than half of them. I’d like too point out that I’m not rough by any means, and these were the gold versions.....back to mogami without hesitation. I have some eminence/mogami patch cables that are years old and rock solid.......anyone else notice this????
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  • soma1975soma1975 Frets: 6627
    edited February 2021
    I'm testing the more recent fancy Hi performance versions at the mo but as an early EBS adopter I found the originals to be more noisy than regular patch cables  and switched to other patch cables for a while with noticeable improvement. 


    My Trade Feedback Thread is here

    Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
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  • EskerEsker Frets: 80
    Interesting....I can’t say I’ve noticed a reduction in noise, but I certainly feel that the mogami cables are in a different league construction wise, which makes me feel more secure as I know they are less likely to fail in a critical moment........cheaper than EBS as well....after this experience I feel they are ridiculously overpriced.
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    They’re “installation” cables and not designed for regular plugging & unplugging. 
    If you’re use-case is other than a fixed config on a pedalboard, then you are right to look elsewhere. 
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  • EskerEsker Frets: 80
    I get what you are saying, but that isn’t what they are advertised as.
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  • sgosdensgosden Frets: 1993
    I've only got the flat stereo split y cable. It's been unplugged and moved maybe 10times as I've wired up a board. One of the ends is already coming loose . 
    I won't be buying more of them, which is a shame as the size is great . If it can't minimal movement it's got no place on a gigging board . 
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    I had a similar experience with EBS patch cables. I went with them as they were very flat at the jack plug but I had two fail out of five within 3 or 4 months. These were not the gold versions, just the standard but I've had cheap patch cables (Stagg?) that cost £3 for 5 and they've lasted for years (and I change my pedals around constantly).
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Esker said:
    I get what you are saying, but that isn’t what they are advertised as.

    Hmmm - I looked on the EBS site...

    The original flat patch cables from EBS are designed to reduce space on your pedalboard while maintaining the flexibility of using patch cables. The compact design reduce the risk of cable jams and keep your setup neat and clean. The reinforced cable housing improve durability offering a professional patch cable at a very affordable price.


    I use them for the space-saving, but it was pretty plain to see that the "improved durability" claim is probably subjective.


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  • I've used them for years with no problems. Pedals have been swapped back and forth and they're still fine. I know they're not the best but they're cheapish and have been solid for me so far. 
    I wouldn't hesitate to change them out if they started falling apart though. 
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Apparently they were what caused the Beagle Mars lander to crash onto the Martian surface.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    They wouldn't be the first much-hyped 'professional quality' cables to actually be a lot less reliable than cheapo distributor-brand moulded-plug ones I've come across...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I like them, because the size is very convenient.

    However, I'm not entirely convinced by the durability. If I was in a pro wedding band I'd use something else, but I'm not so I'll stick with the convenience! 
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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    I use the Warwick RockBoard cables which are a similar form factor to the EBS ones, but without the metal cover. I have swapped my pedals round from time to time (maybe not as much as the OP) but have yet to see signs of wear.

    Here's a comparison of a load of patch cables (spreadsheet here):


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  • I remember watching this video a couple years ago and thinking it was really helpful... only to find I couldn't obtain half of them. Even the expensive Providence cables were in short supply right across Europe.

    The praise for the standard Ernie Balls did however help me take their flat ribbon cables more seriously and I notice that, as of today, 98% of 457 reviews on Amazon give them 5 or 4 stars. I have bought some for tight spots, but haven't used them enough to pass judgement or be confident enough to recommend them fully. I daresay they could be a fairly decent alternative to the EBS though. 
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  • EskerEsker Frets: 80
    There is a company called Worlds best cables....WBS, they use mogami/eminence products, so a very solid cable. I bought a pack of 6...5” cables for £21.95 on amazon..that’s not even £4 a cable, way cheaper than EBS and virtually indestructible 
    https://www.amazon.com/Units-Effects-instrument-Eminence-Connectors/dp/B00WU6H2GM
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  • thomasw88thomasw88 Frets: 2316
    edited February 2021
    I've been using the EBS ones for about 18 months now.  No problems so far and I like the flexibility small size of them.
      Admittedly not done a huge amount of gigs in the last 12 months tho!
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  • NelsonPNelsonP Frets: 3347
    edited February 2021
    Another shout for the Rockboard cables  I've done a few board changes with mine and no issues to date.

    Who are these EBS cables aimed at? Does anyone actually build their board and then leave it alone?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    NelsonP said:

    Who are these EBS cables aimed at? Does anyone actually build their board and then leave it alone?
    Yes. Not everyone spends all their time swapping things out. I've built several pedalboards for customers which are intended to be permanent, and often are at least for a considerable time. Even if over a period of years, possibly a pedal or two is replaced. Mine included, when I used one...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    my board hasn't changed in over 10 or more years.
    Can't remember the last time I re-jigged it.
    I'll occasionally try a different pedal at the front of the chain.
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  • Sassafras said:
    my board hasn't changed in over 10 or more years.
    Can't remember the last time I re-jigged it.
    I'll occasionally try a different pedal at the front of the chain.
    What are you even doing here?

     :) 
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Sassafras said:
    my board hasn't changed in over 10 or more years.
    Can't remember the last time I re-jigged it.
    I'll occasionally try a different pedal at the front of the chain.
    What are you even doing here?

     :) 

    Subverting the Fretboard from inside.
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