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The best patch cables for most pedalboards are Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon cables for tight spacing and the Mogami Gold pancake cables for premium, long-lasting connections. If you want custom lengths, a solderless patch cables kit like the D’Addario PW-GPKIT or George L’s .155 kit lets you cut every cable to fit.
Patch cables are the cheapest part of a pedalboard, but they cause more problems than any pedal. A single bad cable can add crackle, cut your signal or make you think a pedal is broken. This guide is part of our complete guide to building a guitar pedalboard, and it pairs well with our roundup of the best guitar cables.
Below you’ll find a comparison table, our top picks, the pros and cons of solderless patch cables and flat patch cables, and how to choose the right lengths.
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| Patch cable | Type | Best for | Lengths | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon (3-pack) | Flat, soldered | Tight pedal spacing | Several fixed lengths | You want custom lengths |
| Mogami Gold PRR 6 in | Round, pancake plugs | Premium reliability | Fixed lengths | You’re on a tight budget |
| EBS PCF-HP18 | Flat, gold plugs | Pro boards | 10, 18, 28 cm and more | You want the cheapest option |
| D’Addario PW-GPKIT-10 | Solderless kit | Custom lengths on a budget | 10 ft + 10 plugs | You hate DIY |
| George L’s .155 Kit | Solderless kit | Thin cable, many pedals | 15 ft + 14 plugs | You want plug-and-play |
| Fender Blockchain 6 in (3-pack) | Round, angled | Budget boards | 6 in | You need very short runs |
What Makes a Good Patch Cable?
All patch cables carry the same small guitar signal from one pedal to the next. The best patch cables do it reliably for years. Look for these features.
- Low-profile plugs. Pancake or flat right-angle plugs let pedals sit close together.
- Strong strain relief. The joint between plug and cable is where most cables fail.
- Good shielding. Shielding keeps out hum and radio interference.
- The right length. Too long and cables tangle. Too short and they pull on jacks.
- A warranty. Good brands offer long or lifetime warranties.
Cables also have capacitance, which can roll off a little treble over long runs. On a pedalboard, patch cables are short, so this matters less than your main guitar cable. Still, quality cable keeps your tone bright when you have many pedals.
The 6 Best Patch Cables in Detail
1. Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon Patch Cables: Best Overall
The Ernie Ball Flat Ribbon cables are thin, flat and flexible, so they slide between pedals that sit side by side. They have low-profile connectors with strain relief and come in 3-packs in several lengths and colors. Colors help you trace your signal path quickly.
- Pros: saves space, affordable, easy to color-code
- Cons: fixed lengths
2. Mogami Gold Pancake Patch Cable: Best Premium Soldered Cable
The Mogami Gold PRR cable uses Mogami’s well-known instrument cable with right-angle pancake plugs on both ends. It’s soldered, so there are no screws to loosen, and it’s built for decades of use. It’s pricey per cable, but many players buy them once and never think about cables again.
- Pros: excellent build, very reliable, low-profile plugs
- Cons: expensive for a full board
3. EBS PCF-HP Flat Patch Cables: Best Flat Patch Cables for Pros
The EBS PCF-HP High Performance cables are flat, with 24K gold-plated angled plugs and improved braided shielding. They come in several lengths, including 10 cm, 18 cm and 28 cm. Bass players and guitarists love them for tight, tidy boards.
- Pros: slim, well shielded, many leng