where can I get coax cable suitable for internal guitar wiring

[PeterPan]

And I should add, at a reasonable price. I've heard some people recommend RG-174, and I did find some at ShowwMeCables.com for only 55 cents/foot.

http://www.showmecables.com/product/Bulk-RG174-Coaxial-Cable-26-AWG-Per-FT.aspx

I've heard its nice and thin and flexible, but the shielding doesn't look that great, and the inside insulation is obviously plastic. I'd really like to find the kind of coax in my Les Paul, which has the kind of inner insulation that won't melt and short if you solder it directly to the outside shell of a pot. The only source I've found so far (I think) is the "Shielded pushback wire" ate Stewart MacDonald. But I'm sure that is not a manufacturers site, which means I'd likely find better prices if I knew an actual manufacturer and item number. Any thoughts?

http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Wire/

[davent]

Teflon here, the Teflon/Kapton is super stiff, not sure about the just Teflon.

http://stores.ebay.ca/Johns-Silver-Plated-PTFE-Wire-Shop/Shielded-Wire-Coax-/_i.html?_fsub=3966787&_sid=155009&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

dave

This is 26awg Teflon/Kapton



To terminate, ijust strip, wrap a wire around the shield, solder then trim off the excess shield, heatshrink.

[PeterPan]

Teflon here, the Teflon/Kapton is super stiff, not sure about the just Teflon.

http://stores.ebay.ca/Johns-Silver-Plated-PTFE-Wire-Shop/Shielded-Wire-Coax-/_i.html?_fsub=3966787&_sid=155009&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

dave

Thanks. A LOT of wire on that page. I couldn't find the word "Teflon" in any of the listings, but is there one in particular you'd recommend?

--- OK... just reloaded the post... now your photos and specifics came through. Thanks.

[armdnrdy]

http://www.apexjr.com/wire.html

Scroll halfway down the page.

RG 174/U 50 ohm
$0.20ft $15.00/100

Best price I've seen for RG174U.

[davent]

Dupont was giving people a hard time about using the term Teflon in their ads so people stopped,  Teflon, brand name for PTFE.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene

And looks like polyimide film is Kapton, another Dupont product. I bought mine back before the name clampdown, and bought it from the store i linked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapton

Should be able to go quite thin but i'm not sure how much so. I've been using the 26awg in pedals and tube amps for years with no issues.

dave

[PeterPan]

http://www.apexjr.com/wire.html

Scroll halfway down the page.

RG 174/U 50 ohm
$0.20ft $15.00/100

Best price I've seen for RG174U.

I'm not so sure about using that RG-174. Maybe the "U" is different, but the closeup of that wire at the showMeCables link I posted looked like some kind of plastic inner insulation, not to mention a solid single strand.  I just have a hard time with single conductore wire... I always end up nicking it, and then it will break right at the point i soldered it. Plus, the heat from soldering (especially on larger things like potentiomenter contacts) often melts the inner insulation, leaving more wire exposed then I'd like.

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get that vintage gibson style "pushback" wire. Looks like even the ebay sellers aren't giving a better price than that McDonnell Douglas site will on 50 feet, and I'm going to need at least 1/2 that length pretty soon.

[R.G.]

Just get yourself a 100ft roll of RG174. It will be just over the threshold for the first price break, and will be a career's worth. I'm still using my spool from the mid 1970's, although I'm almost out.

[GGBB]

I'm not so sure about using that RG-174. Maybe the "U" is different, but the closeup of that wire at the showMeCables link I posted looked like some kind of plastic inner insulation, not to mention a solid single strand.

Don't quote me but I think rg174 comes in both solid core and stranded flavors. I have stranded stuff.

[armdnrdy]

I've sourced RG174 from two different suppliers.
One has a stranded copper conductor, the other is stranded as well but tinned.

Your concern about "melting the inner conductor insulation"....
It's true..the inner insulation cannot stand as much heat as other types of insulation but...
If you know how to solder...it's not a problem. It just takes some getting used to.
Along the lines of the first time you tried to solder flat cable to a PCB and off board components. 

[thermionix]

If you're talking about the old style Gibson/PAF wire with the exposed outer braid, Allparts has the exact right stuff, made in the USA.  I love wiring guitars with it.  Put heat shrink on it where you need to prevent shorts.  Stew-mac carries a similar type, but quite not the same.  I've worked with both.

100ft:

https://www.allparts.com/GW-0837-B00-Bulk-Roll-of-Braided-Shield-Wire_p_1905.html

25ft:

https://www.allparts.com/GW-0837-000-Braided-Shield-Wire_p_1904.html