How to make a quality guitar cable?
Steps to building your own Guitar Cables
- A low capacitance per meter value cable. One is recommended to have at least 1m more of the desired length to accommodate for the margin of error.
- Soldering iron and solder
- Wire stripper
- Cutter
- Pliers
- Multimeter
- Jack plugs, in this scenario, two good quality mono plugs for every cable.
What are the best guitar cables these days?
What are the best guitar cables these days?
- Pablomago. I have some cables that are 30 years old. ...
- Baskervils. Have any users of higher end cables notice an improvement with RF interference, especially with single coil pickups?
- joelster. I use the ones that have a single male 1/4 plug on each end.
- MrMoose. to OP @Andrew33 and others. ...
- secretsoundz
- AnthonyL
- Sam Xavier. ...
- Andrew33. ...
- Adagietto. ...
- MikeMcK. ...
How do you calculate cable size?
Wire size calculation formulas
- Explanation of the components
- Derivation of the required values. Nominal current and efficiency can be found in the manual or on the type plate of the machine. ...
- Wire size calculator tool. The online calculator helps you to determine the wire size for the desired parameters. ...
How to calculate the size of a cable?
Cable Sizing Calculation Steps. The process of the size calculation method consists of six steps. In the very first step, we collect data about cable, load, and environmental conditions. The second step is to determine the minimum cable size for continuous current carrying capacity.; The next step is to determine the minimum size of the cable based on voltage drop.
What size guitar cable should I get?
10-15 footTypically, 10-15 foot length cables are ideal for most stages and ensure excellent tone. Anything over 20 feet might require some adjustments.
Are all guitar cables the same size?
A guitar cable is basically the same as a standard 1/4 inch line level cable. The connectors can be the same and the cable can be the same. For all practical purposes they can be used interchangeably.
What cable do you use for a guitar?
¼ Inch Jack For most electric instruments, be it a guitar, bass or keyboard, an instrument cable will do the job just fine. These are usually shielded, mono cables. They will vary in length from many metres for large stages, or a matter of inches for use as patch-cables.
What size plug is a guitar Jack?
1⁄4 inchA 6.35 mm (1⁄4 inch) two-contact phone plug used for various signals including electric guitar, loudspeaker, microphone and line-level audio. The tip is insulated from its adjacent sleeve and body.
The Anatomy of A Guitar Cable
To understand exactly what separates one guitar cable from another…Let’s begin by examining their parts.While the design can vary significantly fro...
The 7 Key Features Affecting Performance
Guitar cable manufacturers generally focus on 7 common areas when explaining the benefits of their product.But as it turns out, some of these areas...
Best Budget Guitar Cables
By this point, it’s obvious that pricier guitar cables do – in fact – have their advantages…Right?Yet despite this fact, the majority of people rea...
Best Mid-Range Guitar Cables
For those of you willing to spend a little more (which I highly suggest)…The next price-point we’ll look for mid-range cables is approximately $20-...
Best Premium Guitar Cables
While most of us can agree that super-high-end cables do have their advantages…We also agree that the minimal jumps in performance simply aren’t wo...
Building Your Own Guitar Cable
While very few guitar players are willing to pay $100 for one cable, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t still want that cable if they could get it for...
What is the perfect guitar cable length?
At Rattlesnake Cable Company, we often get asked, "what is the perfect guitar cable length?" That is a difficult question to answer without knowing some of the critical variables and applications for the musician. But before we get started, let's start with some of the common questions.
Are long guitar cables bad?
Yes and no. Typically, extremely long guitar cables can be a problem due to cable capacitance. The longer the run, the more capacitance can be encountered. Cable capacitance will darken or muddy your tone.
Does guitar cable affect the sound?
Absolutely, the guitar cable can affect the sound. As I mentioned above, capacitance can be an issue. This is highly dependent on the cables you purchase and how they are built. Shorter run cables in the 10-15 feet range are ideal and going 20 feet and longer, you may begin to experience some tone or signal loss.
Are thicker guitar cables better?
Thicker guitar cables tend to indicate durability (beefy, as they say). But thicker cables also mean a more significant gap between the signal conductor and the internal shield. This gap is critical for maintaining lower capacitance over distance.
Guitar cable length for recording
When recording, you are very much in control of your tone, playing area, etc. Length is generally not an issue unless isolation booths are a long way from the playing area. If so, you can dial the proper tone while sound checking and compensating for cable capacitance with the amp or at the console.
In summary, what is ideal cable length for guitar?
Essentially, where it matters the most is live settings. Understand your average stage size and account for that, with backups lengths and the ability to lengthen if needed. Understand how you navigate your playing area (i.e., grabbing drinks, interacting with your band, etc.).
How many cables do guitar players have?
The most guitar players might have only have 1 or 2 cables TOTAL. If they used dozens, I could understand the benefit of building your own.
What are the conductors on guitar cables?
The center conductors of guitar cables come in 2 basic designs: solid conductors – which are cheaper, simpler to solder, but also break easier. stranded conductors – which are stronger and more flexible, but also more expensive.
What is the AWG of a solid conductor?
solid conductors – (18-24 AWG) individual strands – (32-36 AWG) premium strands – (up to 40 AWG) As you can see, “premium” cables typically have higher AWG numbers, because many small strands results in a stronger, more flexible cable, than those with fewer large strands.
What are the parts of a standard cable?
A standard cable consists of 5 basic parts: Center Conductor – which carries the audio signal via an electrical current. Insulation – which contains the current, keeping it isolated from the other parts. Electrostatic Shield – which reduces the handling noise that occurs when a cable is flexed or compressed.
What shields protect the cable?
Braided Copper Shield – which blocks interference from outside sources. Outer Jacket – which protects all the internal parts, and gives the cable its “finished” appearance.
How many common areas are there in guitar cable?
Guitar cable manufacturers generally focus on 7 common areas when explaining the benefits of their product.
What is stranded conductor?
While solid conductors consist entirely of a single wire, stranded conductors consist of many strands of fine copper threads, twisted together into a solid center. To measure the gauge of these copper strands, the industry standard (AWG) unit is used, with bigger numbers indicating smaller sizes. For example:
How to measure guitar cable capacitance?
All guitar cables have a capacitance, typically measured in picofarads-per-foot, or per-meter. The higher the capacitance of your cable, the more high frequencies are rolled off; and the longer the cable, the higher the total capacitance.
What is the best cable for a stage?
A great value option is the widely available American Stage cable series from Planet Waves. It’s a favorite for very good reason. It has D’Addario’s patented Geo-Tip connectors so that it fits securely in whatever jack you’ve got. The excellent HelioFused soldering in its connectors will stop them crapping out on you, while the cable is another that doesn’t step on your tone. For the money, these cables are difficult to beat.
How does a cable affect your tone?
The cable can also have an affect on your tone. All cables have a certain capacitance - that is they hold a certain amount of electrical charge. As you might think, you don’t really want a cable to hold charge - you want your signal to flow through it, into your pedals and amp. In this scenario, a higher capacitance can cause a roll off of the higher end frequencies; so essentially you’ll hear less treble in your tone. So, low capacitance cables mean that you get a fuller frequency response. The difference might not be huge, but it’s there.
What is the purpose of dual conductors on guitars?
Inside each cable, dual-conductors help ensure your guitar tones are clear, with crisp highs, tight mids and rich harmonics, while internals are shielded well to reduce noise and preserve the signal.
Is Ernie Ball braided cable good?
All of Ernie Ball's guitar cables are built to last, but these braided models are designed to be particularly robust, and they're tangle-resistant too - ideal for guitarists who spend a lot of time on the road, or who prefer to stuff their cable straight into the gig bag rather than coil it carefully.
Who is the famous guitarist who sold 155 cable?
George Lewis is famous for selling his .155 cable in bulk so that guitarists can take advantage of their solder-less connector design and build their own cable. His cables are also famous for their ultra-low capacity. Eric Johnson swears by them. You would be hard pushed to find another guitar cable on the market with a lower capacitance per meter. The frequency response is excellent and your signal is well shielded.
Is a straight to straight cable quiet?
The cable is double-shielded and low capacitance, so again it should be quiet enough without choking the high-end. There is no price difference between straight-to-straight and straight-to-right angle formats.
Do All Guitar Cables Fit?
It is basically the same as a standard 1/4 inch line level cable for a guitar. It is possible to have the same connectors and cables. It is possible to interchangeably use both for all practical purposes.
Are Acoustic And Electric Guitar Cables The Same?
It is probably a myth that acoustic guitars do not use cables, so here’s an explanation. Yes, technically, an acoustic-electric guitar is the same as a regular electric guitar, since it has a pickup that transmits the sound signal through your cable and to your amplifier.
Can I Use Electric Guitar Cable For Acoustic Guitar?
If you use cables that are compatible with them, then they are perfectly compatible. Electric guitars have the same input jack as acoustic guitars – so there is no problem with that.
Are Guitar And Instrument Cables The Same?
There are two types of cables for guitars and speakers: guitar cables and speaker cables. There is a high impedance and low power on your instrument cable. With it, you can convey a weak unamplified signal from your guitar to your amplifier, which is boosted up to a usable level.
What Kind Of Cable Do I Need For An Electric Guitar?
The most common electric instruments, such as guitars, basses, and keyboards, will work fine with an instrument cable shielded, mono. The length of these cables will vary from many metres to a few inches for use as patch cables.
Do Guitars Use Trs Cables?
In most cases, TRS cables work with guitars, but because they are balanced cables, and a guitar has an unbalanced output, they won’t affect the sound of your guitar. You should not damage your TRS cable if you have a spare cable lying around.
Is Guitar Cable Coaxial Cable?
In addition to instrument cables, coaxial cables are also known as instrument cables. You will see a wire with an outer layer of wire braid separated by insulating material if you cut it in cross section.
Do guitar cables make a difference in tone?
Guitar cables have an effect on the tone and sound of the guitar. Some cables which have bad material used in them have a tendency to produce noise which is not the best thing.
Does cable length affect guitar tone?
The length of a cable does affect the quality of tone negatively. The longer cables can cause pick-up noise which would lead to a low-quality sound.
Do long cables suck tone?
Long cables do suck tone and lose sound. The sound gets noisier and noisier as the distance between guitar and amp increases.
Are thicker guitar cables better?
Thick cables have no effect on the sound or tone of the guitar. Thick cables usually have a thick outer jacket which doesn’t affect the sound quality.
Are good guitar cables worth it?
Good guitar cables are definitely worth it. However, many don’t know what makes a guitar cable good. It is certainly not the price of the cable but the quality of material used in the cable.
Do expensive Guitar cables make any difference?
Expensive guitar cables certainly don’t make any difference. There are some good guitar cables which are even cheaper and better than the expensive ones.
Do gold-plated connectors make a difference?
Gold-plated connectors do not make any difference to the tone whatsoever. Connectors made of Nickel or Silver produce just as same sound as the gold-plated ones.
Why are guitar cables so low capacitance?
Hence, cable brands tend to focus on their products having low capacitance as being of benefit to the user. This is because capacitors, when placed as part of an audio signal, have the effect of acting as a low-pass filter , i.e. they cut frequencies which go above a certain point. So, that’s it settled then? Look for low capacitance above all else? Well, no, not exactly…
How do guitar cables work?
Crucially, when talking about guitar cables, it’s important to understand they are ‘passive’ components, which means they can’t add to or boost a signal themselves . So, if you hear of cables promising ‘enhanced bass frequency response’, it likely means they’re cutting frequencies in other areas to give that effect. This is due to something called capacitance.
How does age affect cable?
Age can affect cables in several ways, and the uncomfortable truth is that almost all these ways are down to you. Yanking the cable out the amp too forcefully? Storing it in humid environments? Stepping on it or – heaven forbid – resting your amp on top of it? Each of these mishaps could be the downfall of your cabling, so be sure to treat them with the respect they deserve.
Why do guitar pickups lose strength?
This is because guitar pickups push out an electrical signal, but that signal has a finite amount of strength . The longer the distance we’re trying to push it, the more likely it is to lose strength over a given distance. For this reason, unless you’re using specialist cables with high-end materials, we’d always recommend using the shortest cable you can.
How to tell if Eddie Van Halen is using a five meter cable?
Another factor that can influence your tone is the length of cable you’re using. Apparently, Eddie Van Halen could tell if he was using a five or ten meter cable by ear alone and this is likely due to longer cables having increased capacitance, and therefore ‘sucking’ away treble frequencies.
How to improve guitar rigs?
As guitarists, we look for any opportunity to improve our rigs. That could be through changing a key component, or in fine-tuning what we have available to us. For the former, the obvious targets come in the guitars themselves, or our amps or pedals. The latter approach could involve upgrading the guitar cables, pedalboard power supplies or even the guitar picks we use.
Is cable a big part of the signal chain?
Cables are a big one; for such a seemingly in nocuous part of the signal chain, there sure is a lot of hype out there about certain brands and the mystical powers their cables promise over your tone. Have you ever considered the cable you use could be letting you down?
