I like the Sommer instrument cables a lot. I really like the XXL & LLX but don't care much for the Corona for a passive electric guitar. However, of the bunch I like the Captain Incredible (CI) the most. Here's why:
Handling:
The CI cable is the most flexible of the 4. Thanks to it's weight it lies flat like a good dog. Minimal tripping or loop throwing risk. It seems robust, perhaps not as much as the XXL but time will tell. No problems expected.
Confectioning the cable:
It's quite thick at 7,2mm diameter but it fits snuggly with Neutrik NP2 RX-B connectors & even the Neutrik Timbre Ultimate with care (see below). I measure about 150 pF/meter capacitance the way I have it soldered which is inline with Sommer's & others published specs on the 'net. Use LLX if you want really low capacitance for a long cable.
Tips:
Soldering the CI requires some more care than a "standard" coax cable. In the CI the hot, signal or tip, wire is 100% shielded & pairing back this shielding & soldering it needs more attention to detail in order to prevent unwanted shorts. This shield could be left open at both cable ends (floating - but not recommended by Sommer due to handling noise issues), tied to the "ground" (red wire) at both ends or tied at one end only; which is the method I prefer & which gives the best noise immunity (theoretically). Start with the guitar connector first and float the shield around the white, hot signal, wire. I cut the shield back to do this and then wrap it it PTFE tape to ensure that no shorting of the shield , for exemple to the connector body. I check this at the other end of the cable with a DMM before adding the "amplifier" connector. This way one can check it's wired properly. Once checked I solder the shield to the red, "ground" wire in the amplifier connector. Job done. If you don't think this is the best configuration for noise rejection then simply reverse the finished cable and listen for any difference or preference. For me the cable has lower noise levels than others I have.
Sound: I agree with Sommer. It sounds and feels, light airy & full- frequencies, balanced & transparent. Noise rejection is good. Harmonics leap out & bass response is defined & clear. For some reason I prefer it to the other Sommer cables. Now all the caveats. Firstly I'm using 5 meters of cable (with a board in the middle that is true bypassed for my clean signal). Plenty of treble response, in fact I use a Neutrik Ultimate Timbre connector to add capacitance to taste to get more mid-ranged sounds if I want. Just different EQ flavors.
Choosing a guitar cable can be a rabbit hole. They sound different. I hear it. Even 2 cables of similar construction (e.g. dual core) & v. similar total capacitance values sound & feel different to my ears. Which do I prefer? Who knows? Could I distinguish between them in a double-blind test. I bet not. Could any one else hear a difference with my playing? I bet not, and definitely not live. Any tone differences could easily be masked or compensated for by picking a little differently or adjusting amp/guitar EQ. Your fingers have the biggest tonal impact of all. So it's a law of diminishing returns. My humble advice: Get yourself a good cable and shut up and play yer guitar. And I speak as some one who has tried & indeed own more good cables than I should. My advice comes from experience and I should have taken it myself. I certainly understand that a cable becomes an integral part of a passive guitar circuit, affecting the Q & position in frequency of the resonance peak & the associated high frequency roll-off etc etc. It sort of gets like discussing about how many angels you can get on the head of a pin when really what you should be doing is playing.
So to wrap it up. In my experience this is a great guitar cable. It's robust, solid & "sounds" great (to my ears). It is all great apart from the colour. So I recommend it highly.
