12-07-2007, 08:18 PM
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AKA Chad
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston
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TwoString's Cable Tutorial
It's time for another TwoString tutorial...gather 'round and listen up.
One of the most overlooked parts of our signal chains are the patch cables that are linked beteen our pedals. Several questions are often mentioned about these cables (what do I buy, how much do I spend, etc). Here is a cheap way to get great cables that are also the exact length you need. You will need... 1. An old guitar lead - everyone usually has an old one laying around. We're finally going to put it to use. 2. 1/4" plugs - I purchased Switchcraft 1/4" right angle plugs on Ebay for about a dollar each. You can usually buy them in lots and haggle with the seller for cheaper prices. 3. Tools - a soldering iron, rosin core solder, wire cutters, a razor blade/utility knife, and pliers.  The process. 1. Cut your cable into the lengths you need. You can choose to re-use the 1/4" plugs on the ends of the cable if you want. If not, just cut them off and throw them away.  2. Strip the ends of the cable. Take note that there are two conductors in a coax cable. The outer conductor is the shield. The inner conductor is the lead. You will need to strip each one independently. You only need to strip about 1/4" off of the outer jacket and 1/8" off of the inner jacket. I usually do this with a razor blade or utility knife as the wires inside of the cable are usually very thin and break easily when a wire stripper is used.   Once you have the outer jacket removed, carefully gather and twist the shield wires together.  You can now strip and expose the inner conductor.  You can also tin the wires if you choose to. My iron is rather low power and cannot keep up with the heat being drawn down the length of shielding.  4. Test fit the cable into the plug.  Let's look at the components of the plug in detail... There are usually three parts to a plug. The plug body, the sheath, and the cap. The plug body is self explanitory. The sheath is a nylon tube that fits over the connections after soldering so the two conductors can remain separated. The cap is the part of the plug that screws on the bottom to protect the wire/plug joint.  The plug itself also has a few parts to take note of. The sleeve conductor will connect to the shield wire in the cable. The sleeve conductor is the long arm at the bottom of the plug in the picture below. The sleeve conductor also includes a clamp to hold the cable in place. This prevents the cable from being ripped out of the plug. The tip conductor will connect to the lead wire in the cable. This conductor is the small solder tab that extends off of the plastic mounting tab closer to the plug body. 
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Gear My Pedalboard Pedalboard Tutorial Pedalboard Build Patch Cable Tutorial GT-8 Thread Slide Clinic 7 Way Strat LP Intonation Mod My SRV Rig Thread I build rigs and custom pedalboards...PM me for help or advice. |
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12-07-2007, 08:19 PM
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#2 | |
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AKA Chad
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston
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5. Connect the plug to the cable. First you will thread the lead conductor through the tab on the plug body. This connection will be soldered in place. Second, wrap the ground conductor under the jacket of the cable. Lay this in the clamp on the plug body. Using the pliers, clamp the cable in place. You do not need to solder the ground conductor in place as the clamp will hold it tightly enough to keep the connection solid. You can solder if you like, but I don't for ease of removing the cable should I need to make a longer/shorter cable.
   6. Cover the cable connections with the nylon sheath.  7. Screw the cap onto the bottom of the plug body.  You've completed the first side of the cable. Keep in mind that before you clamp and solder the other plug in place, you will need to thread the plug cap and sheath (in that order) onto the cable from the other side. If not, you will not be able to put the sheath and cap on without removing the plug body from the cable again. You may want to place both caps and sleeves on the cable before clamping and soldering. So that's all there is to it. You now have a custom patch cable that should stand up to years of abuse. In my book, this certainly beats paying $5+ for each patch cable on your board. My cables cost me $2 each, considering I didn't have to pay anything to cut up a cable I wasn't using. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Quote:
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Gear My Pedalboard Pedalboard Tutorial Pedalboard Build Patch Cable Tutorial GT-8 Thread Slide Clinic 7 Way Strat LP Intonation Mod My SRV Rig Thread I build rigs and custom pedalboards...PM me for help or advice. Last edited by TwoString : 10-10-2008 at 12:03 AM. |
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12-07-2007, 08:25 PM
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UG's Pearl Jam freak
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minto NB, CANADA
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sweet
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Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Ibanez TS-9 EHX Big Muff Pi Companion Fuzz Box EHX Pulsar Boss DD-6 Fender Hot Rod Deville 212 |
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12-07-2007, 09:15 PM
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Let The Pretend Take Over
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada.
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Nice tutorial.
So I got to ask. I see a lot of tone freaks and such go on about cables. How do cables differ? How can some be so expensive?
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Shove me out to see The sea The quiet of December To the deep I turn My DIY Site: Amps, Pedals and More... |
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12-07-2007, 10:00 PM
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AKA Chad
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston
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Quote:
Mojo. The last set of cables I made were made from leftover coax from Time Warner when my cable TV was installed. As long as the cable has low resistance, low capacitance and doesn't suffer from microphonics or other noise, you're in good shape.
__________________
Gear My Pedalboard Pedalboard Tutorial Pedalboard Build Patch Cable Tutorial GT-8 Thread Slide Clinic 7 Way Strat LP Intonation Mod My SRV Rig Thread I build rigs and custom pedalboards...PM me for help or advice. |
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12-07-2007, 10:09 PM
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UG Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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so an old coaxial cable is useable?
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GEAR Guitar Ibanez RG42DX Peavey Valveking100 Avatar 4x12 cabinet w/ Celestion Vintage 30's Line 6 Spider 3 DOD Flanger Ernie Ball Strings Bass Dean Edge 4 Peavey TNT 135 GHS Strings |
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12-07-2007, 10:13 PM
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#7 |
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I N T J
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Left Coast
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Nice! *subscribed*
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12-07-2007, 10:14 PM
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Nice tutorial, ive been making my cables for quite a while now and i wouldnt have it any other way, Mogami + Neutrik for me
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12-07-2007, 10:16 PM
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AKA Chad
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston
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Quote:
Yup...you'll only be able to test it after you make it, but if you find a good cable, go with it.
__________________
Gear My Pedalboard Pedalboard Tutorial Pedalboard Build Patch Cable Tutorial GT-8 Thread Slide Clinic 7 Way Strat LP Intonation Mod My SRV Rig Thread I build rigs and custom pedalboards...PM me for help or advice. |
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12-07-2007, 10:31 PM
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UG Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
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kool, thnx.
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GEAR Guitar Ibanez RG42DX Peavey Valveking100 Avatar 4x12 cabinet w/ Celestion Vintage 30's Line 6 Spider 3 DOD Flanger Ernie Ball Strings Bass Dean Edge 4 Peavey TNT 135 GHS Strings |
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12-07-2007, 11:17 PM
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#11 |
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ME, yes me!
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dallas, PA
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Noice!
TwoString strikes again with another great tutorial.
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-Steve |
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12-08-2007, 06:35 AM
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Gain Addict
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Between anode and cathode
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Nice tutorial
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Quote:
+1 
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12-15-2007, 09:35 PM
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UG's Journey Fan
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Gil Grissom > Horatio Drabble
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what happens if the cable is kind of ****ty?
Will that transfer to the patch cable? This is probably a stupid question.
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12-15-2007, 09:52 PM
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UG's Fabricator
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: QLD, Australia
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Quote:
There's never and stupid questions, just stupid answers  One of the huge things that's overlooked with cables are it's flexibility. Some cables will be able to be bent 180 degrees with no problems, some will start snapping conductors. If you've got stiff cables, then I'd suggest you use straight plugs so they will be bent less.The good thing about patch cables is that they are only short, hence the effects of impedance are a lot less noticeable. Even the cheapest cables I've seen had had adequate shielding, so this shouldn't become too much of an issue. Over my side of the pond, it's almost cheaper to buy patch cables for $5 instead of buying plugs + cable (unless you're making rather large quantities of them). I hate how much everything costs here 
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"Everybody, one day will die and be forgotten. Act and behave in a way that will make life interesting and fun. Find a passion, form relationships, don't be afraid to get out there and **** what everyone else thinks." |
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12-16-2007, 06:41 PM
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UG's Journey Fan
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Gil Grissom > Horatio Drabble
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I meant more like I have an old cable that I don't use anymore because it crackles and stops working randomly. Will that transfer to the patch cable?
I'm guessing yes.
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12-16-2007, 07:59 PM
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AKA Chad
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston
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Quote:
You shouldn't have any problems with the cable...what you were experiencing was most likely the result of loose connections at the plug ends of the cable. The rest of the cable should be fine. Try it and see...what do you have to loose?
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Gear My Pedalboard Pedalboard Tutorial Pedalboard Build Patch Cable Tutorial GT-8 Thread Slide Clinic 7 Way Strat LP Intonation Mod My SRV Rig Thread I build rigs and custom pedalboards...PM me for help or advice. |
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12-26-2007, 10:36 PM
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Let The Pretend Take Over
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada.
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TwoString those jacks are damn expensive. I was ordering some stuff from Smallbear the other night and thought about this thread. Jacks can go from $3 - $5. Buying a cable from my local shop costs $5.
Where are you getting your jacks? It also appears you are buying in bulk....
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Shove me out to see The sea The quiet of December To the deep I turn My DIY Site: Amps, Pedals and More... |
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12-26-2007, 10:46 PM
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AKA Chad
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston
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Quote:
Yes, I am buying in bulk (20, sometimes 30 at a time), but I buy from Ebay. Smallbear is way overpriced. 15 plugs for $22 Best deal I can find right now.
__________________
Gear My Pedalboard Pedalboard Tutorial Pedalboard Build Patch Cable Tutorial GT-8 Thread Slide Clinic 7 Way Strat LP Intonation Mod My SRV Rig Thread I build rigs and custom pedalboards...PM me for help or advice. |
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12-26-2007, 10:50 PM
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#19 |
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Let The Pretend Take Over
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada.
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Thanks!
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Shove me out to see The sea The quiet of December To the deep I turn My DIY Site: Amps, Pedals and More... |
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12-27-2007, 05:59 AM
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#20 |
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UG's pickup winder
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: In my workshop building pickups
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Two string, Your tutorial threads are great. Your workspace always seems to neat and organized. Is it really that way or just for our benefit?
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I've spent more time in hospital than out of the hospital over the last 3 or 4 months so I apologize for the recent poor communication and slow deliveries. |
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