Overview
Construction
Anybody who’s had the misfortune of plugging into their favorite amp only to hear the local radio station coming through the speakers knows that cable shielding is important. Fender’s Performance Series cables all sport 95% OFC copper shielding, which is very effective at keeping your guitar’s signal free of any unwanted buzz or RF interference. The cable’s jacks rarely loosen on their own, which is the sort of thing you’d want to avoid at any important gig or recording session. The protective tweed jacket is sturdy but flexible, making the cable very easy to wrap but difficult to tangle.
Options
The cable is available with both straight and angled connectors, or one of each for extra flexibility. Wether you go for the straight or the angled connectors, both are very sturdy and difficult to loosen unintentionally. Even if the connectors do get loose over time, the rubber covers on the ends of the connectors will help to protect the cable from damage until you have a chance to retighten them.
Performance
While the Performance Series cables are a little pricier than your typical basic guitar cable, it doesn’t suffer from the same shortcomings that tend to accompany budget guitar cables. Its extra thick construction accomplishes several tasks: Blocking unwanted RF interference, reinforcement, and preventing tangles making them easy to store properly. The thicker cabling also means that the cable’s impedance is lower than thinner cables, so you don’t have to deal with the tone suck that accompanies most cheaply constructed cables.
Sound
Although the instrument and the player make much more of a difference in the sound coming out of the amp than the cable itself, this particular cable is a big step up some of the common budget options. While the difference is subtle, the Performance Series’ lower impedance lets a little bit more of your guitar’s high harmonic content shine through without any volume loss. While your average listener or guitar player probably won’t notice a difference, that little bit of extra high-frequency sparkle sounds great when paired with a harmonically rich amplifier such as a Vox AC-30. On top of the lower impedance, the heavy duty construction means that this cable will last quite a bit longer than your typical budget cable, saving you money in the long run.
Conclusion
Compared to Fender’s less expensive cables, such as their Squier instrument cables, the difference in quality is quite apparent. While the Squier cable’s connectors look similar to those on the Fender Performance series cables, the cheaper cable’s connectors tend to loosen and even fall off with regular use. The solder points connecting the cable to the jack are much sturdier in the Performance series cable, minimizing the possibility of a mid-show malfunction. Squier’s thinner shielding is less effective than the Performance Series at blocking out unwanted interference and is much more prone to tangling, kinking, and knots. Overall, the higher price of the Fender Performance Series cables is worth the investment, as this cable will keep working much longer than your average budget cable. Sure, budget cables are cheaper and easier to come by, but chances are you’ll end up paying just as much in the long run when you factor in replacements and repairs. If you’re a guitarist who likes to use stompboxes and outboard effects in your live performances, a heavy-duty cable with great shielding like the Fender Performance Series is a must.
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