Instrument and pedal board cables provide noticeable sonic improvement
Buena Park, CA – January 2011 … As a musician, you’ve definitely arrived when your credits include tours for performers such as En Vogue, R&B/Pop icons Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson, as well as high profile studio sessions with the likes of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (best known for creating Janet Jackson’s pulsating grooves). Currently, he’s the staff guitarist for Michael Bearden & the Ese Vatos, also known as the Lopez Tonight band. Thomas Organ—better known in music circles as Tommy “O”—is at the top of his profession. At this level, you can work with any equipment you choose and when it comes to cables, Tommy O relies on Zaolla Silverline.
Since September, Tujunga, CA-based Tommy O has been using Zaolla Silverline Artist 500 Series guitar cables for both his instrument and his effects pedal board. While he has employed the services of guitar technicians to wire his effects in the past, he prefers a more hands-on approach and enjoys tweaking his gear until every last path in the signal chain is fully optimized. He discussed those factors that most directly impact a good pedal board setup.
“I like to keep my pedal board cables as short as reasonably possible, since it dramatically helps minimize noise, hum, and other audible anomalies,” Tommy explained. “When you move from one gig to another, fluctuating voltage can make a huge difference to the sound coming through the pedal board. I find that by keeping my interconnecting cable lengths as short as possible, it lessens the chance for noise and other undesirable sounds. Since I buy my Zaolla Silverline pedal board cables pre-terminated (plugs already fitted) and in 6-inch lengths, it’s easy to wire the equipment together while minimizing the amount of cable in the system—and this really helps keep your signal clean and noise-free.”
In the few months since he switched to Zaolla Silverline’s Artist 500 Series cables, Tommy O reports his sound is better than ever and he loves the cable’s build quality. “Since switching to Zaolla Silverline cable, I’ve experienced a very noticeable impact on my sound,” he says. “It broadens my sound and gives it considerably more presence than many other cables—without coloring it. My signal is also cleaner and it’s got more bite when I need it.”
“As for the way the cable wraps and lies on the floor,” he continued, “this too, is very impressive. A lot of cables remain pretty wrinkled up when you first unwrap them and lay them across the floor. By contrast, the Zaolla Silverline cables flatten out and lie nicely in just a few moments after unwrapping them. You have a lot less concern about tripping over them or having the cables getting caught on something by accident. It all adds up to a more confident performance.”
When an artist has the performance demands of such high profile work as Tommy O, the ability to count on one’s suppliers is crucial. In this regard, Tommy O had nothing but praise for Zaolla Silverline’s customer/technical support services. “Everyone at Zaolla Silverline has been great to deal with,” he said. “Whenever I have questions or need something, they’re very responsive. They’re a great company to be with. It’s a pleasure to work with the Zaolla Silverline team. They really take great care of their customers and are really good about getting back to you when you have questions or need assistance. When they say they’re going to do something, it gets done and you can’t ask for more than that.”
As he prepared to leave for his next project, Tommy O offered this parting thought about his experience with Zaolla Silverline, “I can honestly say Zaolla Silverline cable products have been the best cables I’ve used thus far in my career. Reliability has been excellent and I have every confidence these cables will be with me for a long time. I’m sold!”