What cable did I buy?

[Focalized]

Is this stereo instrument cable?

Bought from Mammoth listed just as instrument cable. Two wires, the shield and some fluff.

If it is stereo which I've never stripped apart, can I still use it for patch cables? Either just using one of the wires, both at the same time, or one tied to the ground shield?

[Mustachio]

So I think you would use the 2 black wires for your mono +/-, the copper shield I believe would connect to ground on one side to act as a shield, and the white stuff is for strain relief , I think.

[PRR]

Stereo is usually two cores two shields.

Mike wire (balanced) is two cores under one shield.

The two cores *should* be two colors so you can tell one from the other; I can't, in that picture.

Guitar *can* be wired with this stuff. One core is Hot, wires to Tip at both ends. One core is "return", wires to shell at both ends. Then the overall shield is wired at *one* end. That way the shield is not trying to do two jobs at once (carry signal *and* drain crap).

Of course you could just ignore one core. Or tie both cores together. Gives plain-old mono shielded cable.

The fluff is just packing for smoothness and strength.

[Focalized]

So you're saying one core to tip, the other core ground (sleeve) at both ends and the shield to ground one end? Did I just reword what you wrote?

I also thought I could wire both cores to tip and and shield both side.

I figured the double wire would surely give more dimension to my tone.