How To Build A Better Instrument Cable
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- Опубликовано: 3 дек 2008
- www.tubedepot.com/how-to-build... Details how to build a studio quality instrument cable, including how to solder and assemble a connector, cut wire shields and use a heat gun on heat shrink. Hosted by Robert Hull, Director of Technical Services for TubeDepot.com.
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2:13 "It's goggle time".
His life was building up to that moment :)
John Budden - that's a funny line. that one line gets a lot of comments.
"Wow... That is so tight... It's great..."
IV-I-XIV-XIV I immediately went down to comments after he said that...did not dissappoint
That's what she said!
14 years and it's the best video on this subject I have seen. Appreciated, thanks!
Still the best DIY instrument cable tutorial after all those years.
Thank you Robert. I am a DIY person and this tutorial and the resources available through TubeDepot are priceless. Thanks for showing me how to fish.
An example of tech as an artform. This was wonderful, I wish my hands were that steady when soldering.
Finally got around to making a cable with your instructions and the same components. Other than my solder joints not being quite as pretty it came out great! It'll make a great Christmas gift for my bass playing buddy. Now to make some for me. Thanks Robert!
I just made one of these cables and it was a fun project that gave me a great feeling and professional looking product at the end.
I've fixed a bunch of cables or replaced the jacks over the years but I definitely learned a couple things today. Thanks for the video
Thanks, Paul Rudd. You're a very talented man.
Thanks Rob for making these videos, Great energy. I hope you make more!
Great video! I was getting tired of fixing my old cables as well. Now, I make my own cables. I buy the cable in bulk and buy the jacks. For longer cables, it a good way to save some money.
Very Clear representation!
Great Job!
Thanks again for the great explanation. I typically keep to totally passive circuitry, both on the axe and the floor.
Very nice cord. I got pretty much this same set up and wow. Took me little bit to get the soldering down, but I'm getting better. Thanx for the great vid by the way it helps a lot.
Incredible how strong those amphenol terminals are. I rolled a cable with those over a decade ago. The housings are now heavily worn with dings and scratches (some even made deliberately trying to break it), but they still function perfectly. Never need tightened up either like the Switchcraft design stuff. Only draw back is how f'ing hard it is to get those suckers on. It was a 2 men with vice grips kinda job, but it definitely paid off.
Loved this video, think I'm going rewire my entire rig!
Cheers!
finally, someone who knows to pre flux the copper before tining it. BRAVO SIR!!!
nice job, guys, enjoyed the soldering tricks, too.
Awesome tutorial.
Golden rule of knives broken at 3:25. That being said, this dude is incredible. Wish I was an electrical engineer or whatever...
Awesome DIY video. Thanks!
thanks for the quick reply, great advice!
Excellent Video.
I put one of these together and there are a couple of places where I ran into easy to solve issues. First when you go to put the first backshell over the TechFlex, it seems straightforward in the video. I had to use a piece of tape to keep the TechFlex "closed" and "pointed" to get it through the backshell. It also makes getting the other parts for the second end easier to get on. The TechFlex is like working with a spring. Also when you go to solder the second connector on the cable it is helpful to pull the TechFlex away from the end (bunching it up) and then use a piece of tape to hold it against the cable. Afterwards just take off the tape and the TechFlex will spring back to the end. The other thing is that is was very hard to pull the main connector portion over the TechFlex and cable. The extra little bit of diameter makes it tough to compress the purple cable clamp down enough. If you don't get the connector down all the way, the portion which plugs into the guitar/amp comes out at an angle. I also cut the soldered shielding off as tight as possible but still had to file off the "stub" left behind to help get the connector to go over everything. In the end is is a nice looking cable that feels quite solid. I'll probably make a couple more for an effects loop send/return.
wish i had listened to the type of cable to buy...went to radioshack and bought some cheap cable with braided shield and it's so much harder (well, maybe because i am new to this) to work with :(
will be ordering this cable from tubedepot next time lol, thanks for the great vids they really help
Thanks. I think I read it already, but will check it out and reread it again. It was good stuff.
very informational and very educational, 10/10 must watch if your trying to do the exact same thing! it will help you alot start to finish!
Glad you liked the video. There are a few others dealing with cables and soldering.
Great videos thanks
@TubeDepotTV Thanks again!! I'll look into that!
great video i must say you go into great detail thanks
great men!!!! THANKS SO MUCH.
Thank you. Will do.
Yeah, can't wait to get started, while I'm at it I might aswell rewire my cab as the wire's used are a bit flimsy and the connectors have corroded!
Thanks again man, goggle scene was a laugh too, keep up the great work and videos!
I've found that the heat shrink isn't needed with thw techflex and the build looks cleaner without it. It doesn't add much in the way of strain relief anyway. I only use heat shrink when not using Techflex and it goes under the housing.
BEST SOLDERING VIDEO EVER!!!!
I got the red techflex, although I'm also quite partial to the patriot coloring! Maybe I'll get that one for my next cable.
I bought everything you used in the video: Mogami cable, Amphenol connectors, techflex, and heat shrinks...
Dude, you are such a nerd! That's a compliment. Thanks for the great tips. You know what you're talking about. I've never seen anyone get so excited about a cable. Unless, of coarse, as BubbaSmurfingSon noted, "that's what she said."
@TubeDepotTV Thanks for the info, I'll see what i can do.
I noticed a huge difference with the high clarity plug, it sounded like I had a 2 ft cable instead of a 20 foot cable. The capacitence dropped so much that the sound produced was more natural than any other I used. Most people I know say a cable is a cable so I did a blind test at Sam Ash and the cables with the G&H connector won hands down 8 out of 10 times. One person said it was nice to hear what he wanted to with out the use of an e.q. I to have used them all but was just suggesting G&H.
Rob...you da MAN!
@8:38 "wow, that is so tight. That is GREAT." haha, good video. I'll have to make one now.
@TubeDepotTV THANKS!!!!!!!
cut the shield to the right lenght before you fix it so you have a nice end and you can prevent microcracks
if you are carefully you can use a lighter for the heat shrink
ha ha Overstreet! I stumbled on this vid and here you are. Love yall!
Bravo! nice nice video i made cables in past but here in cancun mexico i cant find amphenol conector or tech flex ..so i make my cables just with cable and neutrik or swichcraft plugs and termofit i also use flukes XD
que buen video me gusto mucho .. yo aprendi a hacer cables pero yo no conocia la malla de colores que pones
great vid!!
@TubeDepotTV Thanks for the reply! Very clear. :D
So sick.
Wow man, way to inspire me to make not only wires, but try my hand on an amp!!! Youre awesome!, by the way could you make a tutorial in how to make a two channel amp as in one vibrato channel like on a fender twin reverb or super reverb?
@commetsmasher Rofl, I noticed how he made all those sounds but the closing my eyes experience took it to a whole new level.
Thank You for Your kind reply.
I have to admit that Your accomplishment is very accurate, compared to mine, humbly said
Best Regards
You should trim the shield cable before you solder it to ground. After it is sticking through the hole. You can occasionally damage the connection trimming it up afterward, especially if you end up cutting into the soldered joint.
thanks alot!
Thank you that is perfect :)
great way to get a solder fracture in your shield connection
its better to cut the shield shorter than the centercontuctor, so if you pull on the cable the the force is applied on the shield, which usually is stronger than the conductor.
Have you tried the G&H High Clarity plug's? They blow away any other connector. I have used them all and for studio work they are the best.
Very informative. Could you post how to build an XLR cable?
@monkeyxx Yes, built many a cable in my day. You don't need to hold the iron on there forever.
The technique I am speaking of is common practice, even when soldering solid state electronics (ICs, transistors, etc).
I've finally managed to locate some Tech Flex in the UK, is it the 1/4" size I want?
Awesome video btw!
@TotallyNuss Thanks for the info!!! That's going to be a great help.
Thank you so much for hearing me out...well im an ameture i thought of building a guitar amplifier probably a tube amplifier or a solid state amp.So where do i start with that . The circuit schematics,the components used.This is a project ive always wanted to do but never really had the guidance to start of.
looking forward to your reply
Just placed an order so I can build my own cable!
on the mogami cable you MUST strip back the black shield (as he shows) if not your cables will test good with a meter but they are not and will suck the tone outta your signal
Around what temperature are you soldering at? Thanks for this great video.
Rob! you keep surprising me when I see your face on these videos brother!
thanks
I have some spare instrument cables here for my guitar (Planet Waves / Hosa), can I convert them into patch cables?
Great video!!! Can you tell me are Mogami cables better tha George L's?
Rob loved your video ,i placed an order and went with the neutrik plugs because i wanted a right angle plug, i just noticed the ends are different, how do you make you cable attachment,where do you solder? ,can you use neutrik?, if not why didn't order person tell me that. thanks steve
This is great for a standard instrument cable. I am looking for a 1/8 with 90 degree bend connector 20 foot of cable and a standard 1/4 connector going to the amp. This will be used for a violin. Would there be any difference in construction with exception to the one different connector?
Could you show us how to solder on a right angle Neutrik or Amphenol connector on the same cable?
So what size fits the Mogami W2524 cable when it comes to the flex tube and heat shrink? You have 2 different size flex and a few different sizes in heat shrink. Does that cable fit the 3/8th heat shrink and the 1/4" flextech?
Great video, I gotta give this a try. I've got a great Elixir cable right now, but what's better than being bale to make your own? :)
hey, you guys do some of the best instructional vids! what size heat shrink do you prefer for this application?
You should probably point out that you should put the connectors on first the second time. I can't count how many times I've soldered up the second end, and then realized the other sleeve is still on the table :)
@TubeDepotTV ok gotcha there. im talking about the ground conductor. it looks like it would short out against the casing. i went ahead and built the cable figuring the case would just be grounded too. inerestingly i built 2 and one works fine. but one drops the volume level down by about half or so... didnt think that could be an outcome. ideas on why?
where can i get the cable clamps? i tried to find some on your website, but it seems you don't sell them anymore.
great video by the way.
What size heat shrink do you use to secure the jacks?
What temp are you using for the soldering iron? I always find it takes far longer than that to get solder flowing. Also, why put the heat shrink outside of the plug instead of underneath/inside to give strain relief from the connector backing? Thanks in advance.
I have an old LP body guitar my dad learned on that I gutted completely. It's only got one pickup mount so I would only install one pickup (I was thinking a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates) and wire it to the pots switch and input but I have no clue what I'm doing.
hi,
thanks for your answers from before. I'm kinda surpised you said go with the 60-40 because the 40-60 says its made especially for electronic applications. I did go with your recommendations, thanks again.
I will be buying one of the flax bottles with the tip, there seems to be a bunch to choose from on the website you gave - can you recommend one in particular or list the one you used so I dont buy the wrong one?
few other things:
1) As far as heat flex tubing, should I get 3/8" size or something else?
2) I'd also like to get a few of the cylindrical clear plastic protecters that go under the metal piece you screw on. They still protect but can be slid on and off unlike heatshrink tubing, you sometimes see them inside store bought cables. I don't know what to call them or where to get them. Any ideas?
3) thin right angle connectors
Any specific places or websites that you'd recommend?
Nutrik connectors made in lichtenstein near German the best and love mention of 'lead' solder allways runs better
Do you have any concerns that the heavier center conductor will have increased resistance? I thought the very light gage was used for a reason?
Thanks. Also, on your website you have a tm2pnj (the large version) available, but on your signature cable you have the normal tm2pn listed, which fits better on this mogami cable?
What does the exactly is the techflex for, making it a bit more rigid?
Great video man, which flux you use? what advice? brand and features?
For guitar cable is better tin 60/40 or the lead-free?
Please answer me, thanks!
Awesome video! ...where's the video about fixing the old cables with switchcraft connectors!? haha
So with tech flex.. you can use 3/8s instead of 1/4 and get it on over pre existing guitar cables... tends to be thicker and looks a bit better.
Hey there Mr.Hull
I really like your channel,very informative.
i was just wondering if you could,please help me out on starting up my project on building an amplifier,would be really really helpfull.
thank you.
"It's goggle time..."
NEEEEEERD!! :)
Nice vid. I have a question, Does the diameter of the cable affect the tone? I know that length does but not sure about the diameter.
Awesome video man. Thanks for sharing! I'm buying all the materials as we speak, but what size (expansion range) Techflex do you recommend getting for the Mogami W2524 cable? If I'm reading the specs right, it seems like the cable is just under 1/4" in diameter. I assume I would want either the 3/32-1/4 or the 1/8-7/16, but what is your recommendation?
What brand of flush cutters are you using in this video?
Alright,one last question Mr.Hull what are the transformer ratings used in the tweed champ.
@TubeDepotTV - Okay, I saw your reply in my Inbox, and was a little confused because you misspelled 'goggle' to 'google'... I wasn't complaining about the line, I thought it was funny and I like it. (Hence the smiley face emoticon)
Any idea how to remove triboelectric effect on 2 core + shield micrphone cable?
IT'S GOGGLE TIME
Hey i recently bought a monster bass cable, and the difference in the punch and low end compared to a standard instrument cable is pretty significant. How can i build my own cables that will give me that low end and punch?