Putting cables together?

[trumpus]

Anyone here have experience with putting your own guitar/patch cables together?

ANy good resources, instructions for a complete newb?  Parts (plugs)/cable recommendations?

It seems like it should be easy enough...

Brian

[trumpus]

I found this resource...does it look ok?

http://www.effectsconnection.com/cablemaking.htm

Any idea on specifics for where and what type of cable to get and where?

Brian

[fixr1984]

ive seen some of the DIY stuff over at Musicans Friend. I heard that its pretty easy to do and the cost per foot ratio is better than if you bought all the cables pre made.

[Squeal]

I have had good success lately putting cables together. I use sections of cable from a long store-bought cable that quit working. I cut off sections and check with an ohmmeter to see if the wire inside is continuous. I buy the plugs from radio shack. A coupla solder joints and you're set.

[Burton]

Unless you buy the cable and plugs in bulk (or really cheap online somewhere), you are better off buying premade cables from Musiciansfriend, if you are trying to get cheap cables.  They've got some descent quality ones starting at $2.00!  If you were to put them together yourself, the plugs alone would cost $1 or maybe $2 each, plus you've got to include the cost of cable, heatshrink, solder, etc.  So unless you really look around, you're gonna have a hard time saving money, if that's what you're going for.

[DavidS]

I just started making my own (again) recently. One of the really nice things about doing it yourself is you can use Neutrik plugs, which have the absolute best strain releif I've ever seen, bar none. I had this Carvin cable that had the plugs die on it (pretty common with the Carvins, I wouldn't recommend them) and I replaced the plugs with a pair of Neutriks and the thing has lasted me about 7 years now. As my primary lead, at that.

A good source for Neutrik plugs is www.redco.com They also have a real good price on the Canare GS-6 guitar cable, it's only 50 cents a foot through Redco. I found it for 40 or 45 cents somewhere, but I lost that link. As most places are charging between 80 cents and  $1.50 for the GS-6, I think Redco is a pretty good deal.

The Neutrik ends are also much easier to solder once you get the hang of it.

[powerplayj]

+1 on Redco.  They are high on shipping but have great prices on cables and connectors.  I just bought Canare cable and Neutrik connectors.  Because of the additional shielding, the cable is a little tough to connect until you get the hang of it (the internal black insulation cannot touch your hot connector).  Search Neutrik's site for some good instructions.  The Canare cable also comes in colors and seems to not curl up like most cables.  Note: the Neutrik connectors are bulky so as long as you are not cramming a bunch of pedals on a board it should work fine, otherwise, try Switchcraft connectors.

[Processaurus]

+1 for making your own cables.  Even though it seems like it costs as much as stuff you can buy.  If you can make them right they will outlast the cheap cables 10x (plus you can fix them if they break).  The Canare cable is nice, I get funky colors at the electronic shop, rather than black.  Harder to lose, leave behind, or get borrowed permanently.  The Canare GS-6 has a fat enough middle conductor you can use it as a speaker cable in a pinch, without worrying about meltage.  The Switchcraft plugs are expensive, but are pretty much bullet proof.  Of course, if you can get a premade cable made with reputable cable (canare, Beldin, someone else will know more) and decent connectors (switchcraft, Neutrik, there could be more), with decent construction, for less then you can make them for, then by all means buy them.  They might get a deal on bulk parts you can't and be able to put them together for less than you could DIY them for.

To make them right, try and imagine what breaks a cable:

Getting kinked sharply (often at the guitar end) - Make a strain relief out of shrink tubing that goes inside the jacket of the plug and sticks out a couple inches.

The tiny center conductor getting ripped out of the solder lug on the plug - Use the insulation clamps on the ground connector on the plug to get a good grip on the cables insulation, so that when it gets a good yank, the force is on the insulation and the fat ground sheild, rather than the tiny middle wire.  You can even make a little slack in the middle conductor, so it makes a half loop before going to the solder lug on the plug, rather than being tight.

Wire fraying where its soldered to the plug, and shorting between the hot and ground - Wrap some electrical tape around the exposed wire going to the plug tip.  I heard of people filling the void between the two solder lugs with hot glue, seems like it would work.

Also don't kill yourself when you do all this beautifully and realize you forgot to put the plugs jacket and insulating sleeve on the cord first, and have to start over.