Monster Cables

A couple years ago, I needed a new guitar cable with a 90° jack. I went to Guitar Center to pick one out. The cable I liked was an 18-foot Monster Cable (Performer 500 Instrument Cable). It was big, large-gage wire. There was one problem: the jacks are molded.

If the jack breaks, I won't be able to repair it (by re-soldering the connection or something). In the past, I've had really bad luck with 90° jacks. So, I ask the sales guy about it (hoping he'd point me to the cable that I wanted). He said, "I'll make you a better offer: If it ever breaks, just bring in both pieces and we'll give you a new one. It comes with a lifetime warranty." I said, "Cool." I was sold.

I bought the cable, but I didn't quite believe them. After opening the package, the Limited Lifetime Warranty read a little different. So, I made sure to save my receipt in case I ever needed it.

And recently, I needed it. The 90° jack failed me. If you moved the cable while playing, it would short circuit. And I though, "Oh, great! Now I get to find out that I've been had." So I took the cable back to Guitar Center today. I prepared my story and everything.

However, it was pretty painless. They asked what was wrong with it and said, "Yeah... broken jack. We replace them for that." And they gave me a new cable. Pretty cool.

So, the whole sales pitch about being "optimally engineered for the best instrument performance possible" — that's just guitar player talk. Don't pay attention to it. But it's a good cable with a lifetime warranty — and do pay attention to that.

I like my Monster Cable. :-)