Sewell Direct makes some nice audio cables - we were familiar with their XLR, USB, and HDMI offerings, and were pleasantly surprised when they sent us a guitar cable to test out. We put to the test the Sewell Silverback Roar Premium Guitar Cable 1/4" TS, made with pure copper. It comes in two length options, 15ft and 25ft (Sewell sent us the 25ft version).
We were excited to put this cable to the test, since we have some experience in this area - you might have seen our Best Guitar Cable guide, where we named our 5 top instrument cables (both in terms of value and quality).
Unboxing & First Impressions
The cable arrived in fairly straightforward packaging, a clear plastic bag containing the cable with a piece of cardboard stapled to the end with the brand and product name. It’s definitely not as fancy of a package as you get with something like Monster cables, but we’re ok with it provided it helps keep the price down. Speaking of price, we’ve seen the 25ft cable go for about $15-20 depending on the store (and about $5 less for the 15ft cable).
The branding is pretty cool - “Silverback” is a gorilla reference, and the cable has a stylized gorilla face outline stamped on one of the connectors, which adds a little bit of character.
The Silverback Roar Premium Guitar Cable comes neatly coiled, with a velcro strap holding one end of the bundle together, and a twist tie on the there end. Removing the cable from the bag, the first thing we noticed is how nice the nylon braided outer jacket looks and feels. Another thing that stood out is the spring reinforcement where the connector meets the jacket, which not only looks nice but looks very functional (more on that shortly).
Quality & Performance
It doesn’t matter how cool a cable looks and feels, if it either doesn’t work well or falls apart under the stresses of studio or live use. Luckily, this Silverback Guitar Cable functions as good as it looks.
The woven outer jacket is great, though admittedly it’s more of a personal preference amongst guitarists. On one hand, it helps prevent kinks and tangles and the cable coils nicely when you’re done using it, but on the other hand it has the tendency to get a bit dirty, and could get snagged on something sharp.
The stress point of where the connector meet the jacket is often where cables meet their demise. On this particular guitar cable Sewell has put a spring relief system, so that as the cable inevitably bends and gets pulled around, there’s a much lower chance of deterioration or breakage.
The connectors are high quality. Unscrewing the connector casing revealed internal strain relief, as well as a good soldering job. It seems like this guitar cable was definitely built to hold up under intense use.
In terms of sound, we would put it right up there with the quality of Spectralex, Monster, and Planet Waves. In our tests there was no unwanted noise or interference, and the signal came through as full as our ears expected it.
Conclusion & Value for Money
Considering how well it’s built and its very attractive price point compared to its competitors, Sewell has a winner on its hands with the Silverback Roar Premium Guitar Cable. We wish it was available in lengths under 15ft, but if you’re gigging on large stages 15 or 25ft might be exactly what you need. Between the spring strain relief, the quality connectors, and the nylon braided outer jacket, you’ve got a very studio and gig-worthy guitar cable.
Pros & Cons
Equipboard Rating:
Pros
- High-end feel at a budget friendly price.
- Nylon braided outer jacket prevents cable tangling.
- Spring reinforcement feels well-designed.
Cons
- Only comes in 15ft and 25ft lengths.
See all of Sewell's guitar cables on their official site
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