The Impossible Complexity of Wire

[Danger Mouse]

Thank you to Mr. Horner for your kind offer and to messers Lyle and Rectified Amps for recommending a wire I asked about. After consultation with the app on his phone, the Jaycar man informed me it was unsuitable.

Don't ask me why, I don't know why!

So.. a question: Traditionally, a solid core is used. I have been informed this is better suited to high impedance signals. Is this correct? Why is solid core used?

My advice, don't take advice from people who work in Jaycar.

[Bg]

jaycar person "Can I help you"
me "no, probably never"

[captainfruitbat]

jaycar person "Can I help you"
me "no, probably never"

Not just Jaycar. Happens to me everywhere. Went to JB Hi Fi the other day to buy a new phone and had to show the sales guy how to use their own website to look up features and specifications so he could answer the questions I was asking him. My wife was in the background desperately trying to keep a straight face while I just got more and more frustrated....

[JHorner]

So.. a question: Traditionally, a solid core is used. I have been informed this is better suited to high impedance signals. Is this correct? Why is solid core used?

I'm no audiophile, but I'm not able to tell the difference by listening which of my pickups have the old school braided shielded solid core wire and which have the 4 teeny tiny pencil dick stranded wire.

[robthemac]

I'm not able to tell the difference by listening which of my pickups have the old school braided shielded solid core wire and which have the 4 teeny tiny pencil dick stranded wire.

This is reassuring in a few ways.

[Kiwiaxe]

My father (RIP) used to give me so much grief about the snake oil nonsense that we have drummed into us about boutique amps. He had a PHD in electrical engineering, and his line when I said something (silly) about wires and components and the like was “someone better remember to tell the electricity that”.

Edit: to be fair he also told me we were using valves wrong… he didn’t have a musical bone in his body

[captainfruitbat]

So.. a question: Traditionally, a solid core is used. I have been informed this is better suited to high impedance signals. Is this correct? Why is solid core used?

The solid core vs stranded argument is one I've seen for higher voltage/power applications or data cables. I haven't seen a compelling argument on it either way for guitar wiring. Voltage and current in guitars is tiny, and by the time the signal hits your 6 inches of solid or stranded hook up wire, it has already passed through half a kilometer of hair-thin, high resistance wire in the pickup. In that context, the small length of wire you use for hook up will make no difference to the signal. Of course, there are other factors - robustness and ease of soldering. I would take stranded over solid for both of those factors

[Slowy]

Jaycar, its only fucking wire mate.....

"I went to Jaycar to buy more. The helpful chap there determined they had examples of everything I didn't need and nothing I did."

Yes I saw this, but you should have slapped him and just bought something - why even ask? if it looks like wire, tastes like wire and quacks like wire - its wire!

You are confusing me with someone who has your IQ.

[Slowy]

Thank you all for your generous offers and advice. I want to do a good job of this but if it really makes no difference, I'm dumping at least 50 meters of wire a week at work, I'll save a bit of that and get on with it.

[Jay]

For it to work, any wire will do. However, I prefer to use the braided wire as you can then use the inside wire for the signal and earth the braid to the pots and jack earth to minimize emf hitting the signal wires.

This sort of does the same as if you were to line/clad the pickup cavity with copper sheeting and earth that. (Faraday's cage etc).

Anyway, go ahead with the leftover bits from work and save me some too please. What colours do you have? Wire the bridge and neck with different colours so you can trace thing s more easily.

[Slowy]

Anyway, go ahead with the leftover bits from work and save me some too please.

How many kilos do you want?

I prefer to use the braided wire as you can then use the inside wire for the signal and earth the braid to the pots and jack earth to minimize emf hitting the signal wires.

Are you talking about coaxial cable?

[Jay]

Anyway, go ahead with the leftover bits from work and save me some too please.

How many kilos do you want?

I prefer to use the braided wire as you can then use the inside wire for the signal and earth the braid to the pots and jack earth to minimize emf hitting the signal wires.

Are you talking about coaxial cable?

If you are dumping kilos, then the local metal scrap yard near to you will pay nicely for copper....

[Slowy]

Anyway, go ahead with the leftover bits from work and save me some too please.

How many kilos do you want?

I prefer to use the braided wire as you can then use the inside wire for the signal and earth the braid to the pots and jack earth to minimize emf hitting the signal wires.

Are you talking about coaxial cable?

If you are dumping kilos, then the local metal scrap yard near to you will pay nicely for copper....

Not when the plastic has to be stripped off it.

[Bg]

How many kilos do you want?


Are you talking about coaxial cable?

If you are dumping kilos, then the local metal scrap yard near to you will pay nicely for copper....

Not when the plastic has to be stripped off it.

Just throw it on the bonfire like the pikeys do...