Instrument cable as patch cable????

slap5string · #1 07-12-2011, 08:01 AM

Well, here it is - 9:00 pm, setting up for the show and POP! I turn around to see my drummers foot on one of my patch cables with the end completely broke off!!! So in a pinch, I had to use an instrument cable - 20' - as a patch cable for my effects loop. What effect does this have on sound and performance? Is there any danger to my rig doing this?

nashvillebill · #2 07-12-2011, 08:11 AM

Instrument cables and patch cables are basically the exact same thing. Similar construction, similar wire size, similar shielding. The main difference nowadays is that instrument cables will sometimes have a slightly more rugged cover such as the cloth cover, that's really not relevant at all.

So no problems at all using an instrument cable as a patch cable.

(Instrument/patch cables as SPEAKER cables, or vice-versa--that's a no-no. Instrument/patch cables don't have the current capability; speaker cables generally don't have shielding.)

slap5string · #3 07-12-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashvillebill

Instrument cables and patch cables are basically the exact same thing. Similar construction, similar wire size, similar shielding. The main difference nowadays is that instrument cables will sometimes have a slightly more rugged cover such as the cloth cover, that's really not relevant at all.

So no problems at all using an instrument cable as a patch cable.

(Instrument/patch cables as SPEAKER cables, or vice-versa--that's a no-no. Instrument/patch cables don't have the current capability; speaker cables generally don't have shielding.)

How about using a speaker cable for a patch / instrument cable? Just wondering....

anonymous101511 · #4 07-12-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slap5string

How about using a speaker cable for a patch / instrument cable? Just wondering....

nope, it's unshielded and will likely be quite noisy.

BurningSkies · #5 07-12-2011, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vail_bass

nope, it's unshielded and will likely be quite noisy.

This.

And if you can avoid using a 20 foot instrument cable and use something shorter, you're doing even better. Extended cable runs have higher capacitance.

slap5string · #6 07-12-2011, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vail_bass

nope, it's unshielded and will likely be quite noisy.

Thanks guys for the info. Now I'm off to collect 1 patch cable from a very broke-ass drummer!!!!

JTE · #7 07-12-2011, 08:33 AM

Yep, "patch cables" are the same thing as guitar cables. They're shielded and designed for low current. Whether they're 3" or 25', they're the same thing.

And never use a speaker cable where you need a shielded cable, nor a shielded cable where you need a speaker cable. Speaker cables aren't shielded and they're designed to carry higher current, NOT voltage. "Current" is defined as the flow of electrons past a specific point in a specific time. Cables designed for low current aren't as efficient in the transfer of electrons which results in friction. That causes heat in the conductors. Using a guitar cord to hook up your amp to a speaker could result in enough heat to melt the insulation and cause a dead short on the output stage of your amp, and that's expensive. It can also cause a loss of transfer so even if it doesn't destroy the amp it causes reduced power getting to the speaker.

Don't use speaker cables for instrument or line-level applications because the lack of shielding will allow noise and interference to get into the signal chain. A speaker does'tn need the shielding because the signal level is so much higher than any noise the cable might pick up that it's not an issue. But at very low levels like the output of a bass, the stray electrical noise in the air can be big enough to be a problem. The shielding helps keep that noise from getting through to the hot signal connection and getting amplified.

John

jaywa · #8 07-12-2011, 08:39 AM

In a pinch you're probably OK, but I've always subscribed to using the shortest possible cable for the job. Whether that's bass to amp, pedal to pedal, amp to speaker or whatever.

BBEgo · #9 07-12-2011, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

This.

And if you can avoid using a 20 foot instrument cable and use something shorter, you're doing even better. Extended cable runs have higher capacitance.

This is true more so with passive bass guitars. If your bass is active, or your signal is electrically buffered via pedal or wireless system, capacitance becomes almost a non-issue.

Obviously if you've got a 50ft cable, your sound quality may suffer somewhat compared to a 1ft patch cable, but the loss is much less significant with active electronics.

People fall into the whole "high-end, short as possible" cable debate so easily. But the sad part is that the folks who use passive basses with no buffers are really the only ones that are dramatically affected by the whole capacitance issue.

dmusic148 · #10 07-12-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slap5string

How about using a speaker cable for a patch / instrument cable? Just wondering....

It will work OK in a pinch, but as already stated, it may be noisy- depends on the environment.

jaywa · #11 07-12-2011, 10:13 AM

I play active basses but I still run the shortest cables possible everywhere in the chain.

Part of that may be a carryover from my passive bass days but even if you're active, longer cables cost more, weigh more, and are more of a hassle to route. That's all the reason I need.

Bass_Pounder · #12 07-12-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBEgo

People fall into the whole "high-end, short as possible" cable debate so easily.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

longer cables cost more, weigh more, and are more of a hassle to route. That's all the reason I need.

+1

In my case, it's "I don't want the back of my rack to look like a bowl of spaghetti"

slap5string · #13 07-12-2011, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

+1

In my case, it's "I don't want the back of my rack to look like a bowl of spaghetti"

+1

BurningSkies · #14 07-12-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

+1

In my case, it's "I don't want the back of my rack to look like a bowl of spaghetti"

Yep. I cut mine to the exact size for the job... I find having too much cord tangle in the back of your rack only causes trouble, things tangling, not being able to easily track a bad cord on a dark stage, or catching a loose cord on something and partially unplugging it, etc.