lanark Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Cables seem to be so easy to break - at the connections and along their length. What's the best advice on how to store them, transport them and use them - in practice, home and gig situations so that I get the best out of them. I'm considering buying some custom-made cables from our friendly Bass Chat provider but don't want to invest that much money before I stop destroying them almost by looking at them. All I'm doing is looping them around my forearm and transporting it in my gigbag - I don't THINK I'm abusing them in any way at all, yet I've had two just stop working. Maybe it's just the cheap crap I'm investing in in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombboy Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 A tip I learned a while ago from a sound engineer. Buy about a dozen F to F couplers (or however many you need for the job) and one of those small hosepipe reels (DIY/Garden centre). Attach a spare jack to an old piece of cable and attach the other end to the reel. Then simply couple up the cables while winding the reel up. I do this to all my xlr cables (obviously don't need the couplers for this) and have only lost one joint in a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I use a drummer's cymbal bag. I coil up each cable separately, use a velcro cable tie to keep things tidy, then put each coil in a cymbal compartment. The rest of the band took the piss something rotten when I first did it - now they're just as neat as me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I just coil them and use electrical tape to fasten them. Cheap leads will always break, complete false economy! I live with 2 musicians and there's a bag in the loft full of cheap broken leads that they insist on buying Get some obbm ones or make some up and they should last years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Be careful when winding around your forearm that you're not twisting the cable(s) at the same time. That will eventually lead to premature failure. I coil mine my hand, giving each loop a small 'anti-twist' to ensure the cable coils up with without any twists. It's easier to do than to explain. For any sailors out there it's the same technique used to coil ropes. As mentioned, a cable reel is ideal for longer cables, but a bit OTT for guitar leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) [list] [*]When you coil the cables you have to keep the sleeve and the insides from twisting apart from each other, so you coil the cable with a gentle twist to keep everything straight. [*]Untwist when you unroll the cable. [*]Don't stand on cables. [*]Run them out of the way of feet and gear. [*]Store so they won't get tangled. I use Velcro ties on my cables. [*]Don't put pressure on jack plugs by stretching cables to their maximum so that they are off the ground. Your cables should drop to the ground and then run across the floor. Many amps these days have the jack sockets soldered directly to the board so if you trip on a speaker cable you can damage the amp. [/list] All this is only common sense. My cables are expensive and it would cost me over £100 to replace them if the bag got stolen! My instrument cable is a Whirlwind that I've been using for over 20 years. Edited January 31, 2010 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 [quote name='flyfisher' post='730432' date='Jan 31 2010, 11:55 AM']Be careful when winding around your forearm that you're not twisting the cable(s) at the same time. That will eventually lead to premature failure. I coil mine my hand, giving each loop a small 'anti-twist' to ensure the cable coils up with without any twists. It's easier to do than to explain. For any sailors out there it's the same technique used to coil ropes. As mentioned, a cable reel is ideal for longer cables, but a bit OTT for guitar leads.[/quote] +1 on this - my job often meant using 110v extension leads all the time and coiling them up round your forearm was a sure way to destroy them. I don't do it with my guitar cables anymore either and they are staying in really good shape ever since... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanark Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 [quote name='Legion' post='730446' date='Jan 31 2010, 12:13 PM']+1 on this - my job often meant using 110v extension leads all the time and coiling them up round your forearm was a sure way to destroy them. I don't do it with my guitar cables anymore either and they are staying in really good shape ever since...[/quote] Anyone have a link to a video explaining how to do this "twist / antitwist" thing? I don't quite understand the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmanrock Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLwwB29uQRg"]Try here[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I've got a whirlwind leader I've been using and abusing for about 10 years. It doesn't seem to want to break. Even though I've tied knots in it, put chair legs on it and pulled it (often) when it gets jammed inbetween the leg and caster of a chair that lives next to my practice amp. It still looks in pretty good nick and I expect it to fulfil it's lifetime guarantee. I left it at a gig in Derby not so long back. I was distraught. I got it back though. Drove all the way over on a cold winters night even though they offered to post it. OBBMs cables are very excellent too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Put "cable coiling" into Youtube. There must be 30 different clips. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbYyaUY5Sk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbYyaUY5Sk[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUjNaRgKg4Y"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUjNaRgKg4Y[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 [quote name='flyfisher' post='730432' date='Jan 31 2010, 11:55 AM']Be careful when winding around your forearm that you're not twisting the cable(s) at the same time. That will eventually lead to premature failure. I coil mine my hand, giving each loop a small 'anti-twist' to ensure the cable coils up with without any twists. It's easier to do than to explain. For any sailors out there it's the same technique used to coil ropes. As mentioned, a cable reel is ideal for longer cables, but a bit OTT for guitar leads.[/quote] Never wind around your forearm...... fastest way to get kicked off tour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tengu Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='oldmanrock' post='730867' date='Jan 31 2010, 05:59 PM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLwwB29uQRg"]Try here[/url][/quote] That is the way I do it. The rest of my band think I'm nuts but I have cables that I have owned for over 15 years. They also think I am weird for carrying a Gerber multi-tool and miniMaglite on my belt, but it doesn't stop them borrowing them every gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tengu Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='chris_b' post='730872' date='Jan 31 2010, 06:04 PM']Put "cable coiling" into Youtube. There must be 30 different clips. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbYyaUY5Sk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqbYyaUY5Sk[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUjNaRgKg4Y"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUjNaRgKg4Y[/url][/quote] Forget the second link. Both their methods are wrong. The first link shows the proper method quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='Tengu' post='731290' date='Feb 1 2010, 02:18 AM']....Forget the second link. Both their methods are wrong....[/quote] Mmm, well "wrong" or not, I use their first method and it has worked very well for me for 30 years!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I wouldn't say those methods are wrong but you don't want to be throwing cables.... that leads (no pun) to solder joints breaking, especially in cold weather..... and you'll get kicked off tour if the production manager sees you doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='crez5150' post='731334' date='Feb 1 2010, 08:23 AM']....I wouldn't say those methods are wrong but you don't want to be throwing cables.... that leads (no pun) to solder joints breaking, especially in cold weather..... and you'll get kicked off tour if the production manager sees you doing this....[/quote] +1. I don't set up PA's on stadium sized stages so I wouldn't be throwing cables anyway. I unroll mine which is why I don't have problems. Most of the guys I play with do have regular cable problems though, which isn't surprising when you see them happily standing on piles of tangled cables! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanark Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 OKay - thanks for all the info, everyone (that second twist look deceptively weird to me and would probably be really easy if someone was standing next to you explaining it, but seeing it on a video several times, I'm still left thinking "wahh?") Next question is: is there any way of getting rid of all the existing minor kinks in a cable so that it returns to its clear unkinked glory, maybe by hanging it up in a warm room ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeBrownBass Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='lanark' post='731415' date='Feb 1 2010, 10:14 AM']OKay - thanks for all the info, everyone (that second twist look deceptively weird to me and would probably be really easy if someone was standing next to you explaining it, but seeing it on a video several times, I'm still left thinking "wahh?") Next question is: is there any way of getting rid of all the existing minor kinks in a cable so that it returns to its clear unkinked glory, maybe by hanging it up in a warm room ?[/quote] Depends how bad they are really. To be honest i'd forget about your old cables. Get some leads made with VanDamme cable & Neutrik connecters and you'll be set for years! Nothing winds me up more than seeing people wrapping their cable around there arm, its no harder to do it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanark Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='jake_tenfloors' post='731729' date='Feb 1 2010, 02:02 PM']Nothing winds me up more than seeing people wrapping their cable around there arm, its no harder to do it properly.[/quote] Maybe, but it's not really something anyone ever points out to you (unless they're beating you about the head with the ruined cable). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanark Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 [quote name='jake_tenfloors' post='731729' date='Feb 1 2010, 02:02 PM']Get some leads made with VanDamme cable & Neutrik connecters and you'll be set for years![/quote] Yeah - I'll probably order some from Obbm (Bassic Bits) for when I upgrade my amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 My folks used to run a sub-post office and I blagged a few cloth cash bags - each large enough to hold about 3 leads. Mains in one , mics in another , signal in the third and they go into my gig box which is a sales rep's sample case I found in a skip outside Wilkinsons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I use a 25 ft long, 6 inch wide flight case so I can store my leads uncoiled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' post='732072' date='Feb 1 2010, 07:07 PM']I use a 25 ft long, 6 inch wide flight case so I can store my leads uncoiled.[/quote] I did have one of them but I ended up losing it after not tying a good enough knot in the end of the whirlwind that was dragging it down the motorway. Edited February 1, 2010 by bigjohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.