Today, I want to mention a cool thing about cables.

As you are aware, many cable manufacturers like to promote the selling point that their cables have gold tips and therefore probably charge a little more because of it.

Generally, gold is an awesome idea for audio connectors. Gold is a very soft material and works really well in audio and studio environment. Because it is soft, in its own way, it forms to the surface it is in contact with. In a studio plug this is great as you get a great surface contaction and signal flow. Gold is also a good conductor and does not oxidize.

Copper or silver are excellent conductors in their own right and perhaps cheaper, but they oxidize which is not favorable in connections.

The gold idea works super well in areas where cables are plugged in and left there for a long time – studio patches, audio and guitar patch cables.

However, regular guitar cables that get plugged in and out all the time sometimes do not always benefit from the gold tips because over time the gold wears off and you have what is usually underneath – tin. Tin tends to oxidize and thus can affect your sound.

I’d say, this is pretty important is high end pro situations. If you do have a choice of getting a gold tip coated guitar cables or ones that have a high quality “regular” jack – I would not be afraid of going the more “plain’ route with a high quality jack.

It also makes a difference who makes the cables. I have some quality guitar cables with the gold tips and they have been holding up very well.

It’s your money, your choice. In pedal board situations where guitar cables are often left plugged in, I think having gold tips is a pretty good idea.