i am not able to make it to a guitar store to buy a legit speaker cable for a week or so, will it hurt my bassman 135 to use a guitar cable?
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speaker cable question
- Thread starter thrashcomics
- Start date
The two cables are constructed differently. Do NOT interchange them - you could damage the amp.
For a speaker cable, you can use a piece of good old zip cord like that used for AC cords on floor lamps. Just put appropriate connectors on both ends.
Here is recommended reading - which can easily be found with a quick Google search...
Invalid Link Removed
Here is an excerpt from that discussion:
Guitar cables are 'signal cables' and only have to handle very tiny currents, and must be shielded to prevent noise getting into the system. All the cables between the guitar and the amp, including any between effects and any in the amp's effects loop, need to be this type.
Speaker cables are 'power cables' and need to handle large currents, but don't need shielding.
You can't safely use a guitar cable for a speaker cable, because the fine conductors in this type of cable won't be able to stand the high currents and may simply melt - or damage the insulation and short out. There is also a risk to the amp even if the cable survives - because a shielded cable has quite a lot of internal capacitance, it can interfere with the correct loading of the amp.
You can safely use a speaker cable as guitar cable, but you will get a terrible hum and buzz problem because there is no shielding.
For a speaker cable, you can use a piece of good old zip cord like that used for AC cords on floor lamps. Just put appropriate connectors on both ends.
Here is recommended reading - which can easily be found with a quick Google search...
Invalid Link Removed
Here is an excerpt from that discussion:
Guitar cables are 'signal cables' and only have to handle very tiny currents, and must be shielded to prevent noise getting into the system. All the cables between the guitar and the amp, including any between effects and any in the amp's effects loop, need to be this type.
Speaker cables are 'power cables' and need to handle large currents, but don't need shielding.
You can't safely use a guitar cable for a speaker cable, because the fine conductors in this type of cable won't be able to stand the high currents and may simply melt - or damage the insulation and short out. There is also a risk to the amp even if the cable survives - because a shielded cable has quite a lot of internal capacitance, it can interfere with the correct loading of the amp.
You can safely use a speaker cable as guitar cable, but you will get a terrible hum and buzz problem because there is no shielding.
Hah! Wanna create a controversy? Do what I'm about to do and commit the ultimate sacrilege of OKing the occasional use of a standard guitar cord for hooking up your amp to a speaker....There are few topics more surely guaranteed to whip up a hornet's nest of vitriolic postings than this:
If you keep the cord short, and don't try to pump a thousands watts through it, there is no rational reason to not use a guitar cord. If most people could look inside of their speaker cabinets they would find that most of them use short lengths of tiny wire to connect the drivers to the speaker jacks.
I can't even count how many times I've run my 400 watt Seymour/Duncan amp through a 3' guitar signal cable with zero ill effects....
Ironically enough the old wife's tale prohibiting such usage is actually exactly opposite of what you can really get away with....plugging your bass into your amp using an unshielded speaker cord can result in some amp/speaker damaging hum like you wouldn't believe...
Now, let the flaming begin!
If you keep the cord short, and don't try to pump a thousands watts through it, there is no rational reason to not use a guitar cord. If most people could look inside of their speaker cabinets they would find that most of them use short lengths of tiny wire to connect the drivers to the speaker jacks.
I can't even count how many times I've run my 400 watt Seymour/Duncan amp through a 3' guitar signal cable with zero ill effects....
Ironically enough the old wife's tale prohibiting such usage is actually exactly opposite of what you can really get away with....plugging your bass into your amp using an unshielded speaker cord can result in some amp/speaker damaging hum like you wouldn't believe...
Now, let the flaming begin!
You're right about the small wire inside cabs thing, or at least some cabs, but thing is, guitar cables are shielded, so it's not two small and separate wires in one cable, it's one with another strand of wires wrapped around it. Those cabs you're talking about NEVER use shielded cables, ever. The gauge of the inside strand is VERY small, and will actually melt through the insulation to the shielding very easily, killing your amp.
If you're comfortable taking that risk, go ahead. But for the gauge wire that most common instrument cables are, that's not a good idea. Just don't play your amp if possible till you get a speaker cable, trust me. Blown amps are a nasty, nasty fix.
Using a guitar cable as a speaker cable is like using nail polish remover to wash your face. It might work, sure, but the potential for disaster is pretty high dude.
Anyone have a picture of one of these guitar cords that have melted through from over-current from using as a speaker cord? Old myths die hardest.
Don't have a picture, but a good friend of mine fried his Spider II HD75 this way. We thought it was a fuse, he brought it over and I looked at it, all the fuses were good but the power amp section was charred. I asked to see his speaker cable, what do you know, it's an instrument cable with a short in it. It's hard to document because the short can happen literally anywhere in the cable, but like I said, take a chance if you want.
Don't do it... it is not worth the risk.
I once had to make a speaker cable out of an outdoor 14 gauge power cable before... better than a guitar cable!
Dont have a picture but have very clear images in my head of the melted carpet and the fried cable I had been using back at an old practice room.
Worked fine for months (as far as I know) but after a long and loud jam session it had melted the insulation from a huge section of the cable and had melted the carpet.
Its not a myth, trust me. Just not worth the risk imo.
Mr. Foxen
Commercial User
This one is pretty much like saying smoking causes cancer. Everyone knows loads of people who get away with it for their entire lives. But some people don't. The funny part is valve amp users are much more precious about the amps, but the low power you get means you are less likely to melt a cable than the kilowatt rig crowd. My rule is don't lend a valve amp to anyone who doesn't know what makes a speaker cable different.
A guitarist once asked me to have a look at his amp.
I quote: 'Could you look in the back when I turn it on and tell me which bit catches fire...'
I quote: 'Could you look in the back when I turn it on and tell me which bit catches fire...'
Mr. Foxen
Commercial User
That is valid trouble shooting. Also, "Dial two nines on the phone and stay by the socket so you can unplug it if I start smoking".
Don't do it. Speaker cable has fat wire to handle voltage, guitar cable does not. Using guitar cable can cause an impedance mismatch. It's kind of like driving on one of those little doughnut spare tires on the freeway.
It's not worth it. Always use the proper cables at the shortest length possible.
Mr. Foxen
Commercial User
Most people don't want stupidity documented all that well...
You really should quit giving bad advice on this subject - you're not helping anyone with it...
- georgestrings
Like I said, this kind of thing brings out the religion in people [faith over fact] like few other debates. The OP asked if he could run his 135 watt amp for a few days with a guitar cord, and there is absolutely no demonstrable reason why that cannot be done. I've done it myself with no ill effects. I'm not advocating someone running a thousand watt amp through a 100' guitar cord for weeks on end, I said using a 3' cord wouldn't be a problem. Personally I've never used anything longer than a 5' cord to connect my amp and speaker.
OTOH some responses have been along the lines of 'grab some zip cord and make your own cord until you get to the guitar store' and trust me, THAT'S A RECIPE FOR DISASTER! I've seen more failed attempts at homemade speaker cords gone wrong than I can count! Not to say someone with a reasonable amount of soldering skills can't do it, it is just as easy to screw things up bad trying to make your own cord.
You'll notice that's not what I said...Can I drive without my seatbelt? Sure, if you are only pulling into the garage. That's not the same as Sure, if you get out on the track and go 200 mph around the loop and run into a wall. You ran a "huge" guitar cord for "months" during "long and loud" jam sessions? Perfect storm. No reason not to go out on the water...
