Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads

Subject: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: GUEST,oops dunnit again
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 01:10 PM

Please, a quick easy method to identify guitar jackleads from amp to speaker jackleads,
in a big spares box where they all got jumbled together many months ago ?

Most cables are approx same thickness and have no noticable identifying markings
to say which kind of lead they actually are ?

Naturally I dont want to risk plugging unkown leads between amp & speaker and risking component damage,
but if I try each lead plugged into a guitar and amp
might the speaker cables be noticably noisier due to lack of shielding ?

A more 100% definitive method would be preferred.

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 01:26 PM

The following forum may be of help

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=69656

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 02:29 PM

Anything with ring tip AND sleeve is a stereo signal lead.

Anything that weighs a ton is a speaker lead (heavy copper conductor).

Anything that you can look inside the jack plug, look, and if it has shielding it's a guitar lead.   

Anything else, plug one end into an amp and the other into a guitar. Have you shedloads of hum, and other leads not so much hum? The hummy ones are unshielded and are probably speaker leads.

Anything else you COULD try sticking a pin through. If it goes very very quiet it is PROBABLY a guitar lead and you have shorted the shielding (earth) to the core (signal) hence blissful silence.   But you MIGHT have managed to get both cores on a speaker lead.

OR with a sharp knife gently pare back the outer. If you find a metal shielding, it's signal. Repair with insulting tape and use for guitar. If you find different coloured insulated wires and no shielding, it's speaker. More insulting tape and use for speaker.

If all else fails find someone who can solder, and cut one end off which will reveal the internals and solder a new jack plug back on.

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: Will Fly
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 02:51 PM

I now only use these leads for guitar - easy to tell apart from any others:

Bigfoot Electric Eel

They're easy to tell apart because of the brown coloured end, which plugs/unplugs completely silently. Expensive, but of excellent quality.

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 14 - 03:51 PM

Could they be differentiated electronically
by testing with a multimeter perhaps ?

Or can battery powered lead testing boxes perform a similar function ?

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: GUEST,oops dunnit again
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 09:36 AM

Cheers, great practical suggestions !!!

I use 'known' leads for the most part - occasionally buying reasonable value for money planet waves guitar leads from Amazon;
and slightly more expensive 'hand made' speaker leads from reputable ebay sellers.

However this big box of spares is a bit of a bugger, accumulating all sorts of cables carelessly chucked in
with the intention of sorting them all out one day, but never getting round to it.

Still at least I managed to identify one definite short speaker cable
when I took my glasses off and squinted close up enough to make out
minute printeded identification labling.

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 11:24 AM

you could get two boxes. put speaker leads in one. guitar leads in the other.

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: GUEST,oops dunnit again
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 11:47 AM

yeah, in an ideal world Al..

But reality is I'm probably just a typical disorganized pub band guitatist,
and stuff just gets chucked in bags and boxes round the house to get it out the wife's way
when I get home late too tired & pissed from gigs.

Spring cleaning time now though !!!

BTW - Thinking of getting one of those cheap Behringer 6-In-1 CT100 Cable Tester off amazon.
They're only about 23 quid at the moment and seem to be ok re. user reviews ?

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: Will Fly
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 12:41 PM

A lot of people swear by Behringer gear - I'm not impressed meself after buying a useless Behringer DI box...

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: GUEST,Dave_
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 01:05 PM

I look after our bands cable box coloured tape around the ends for identification for all leads etc and of course with 4 in band its a set colour per member..it works

Subject: RE: Tech: How tell guitar from speaker jackleads
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 03:47 PM

well my gigging stuff - they're old friends. veterans of many campaigns. trusted comrades in many a battle. the boxes of stuff in the garage. well it doesn't matter really what the hell it is. i'll find out if I've got one when I need one.