1st off, I've never believed you can actually save money *making* your own cables. As a rule, guitar cables aren't that expensive and they last a decade if at least a little care in use is taken. If you build your own with good parts like Belden cable and Neutrik plugs, the cost is almost equal...and chances are you won't get the shrink tube and the connections made as well as they do in the factory. Do you have a powerful enough soldering iron etc. for good solid connections without melting the cable?
I've always gone by the idea that it's a good idea to repair cables and be able to make some when need arises to suddenly make like a XLR to stereo plug cable or whatever, but I wouldn't make my own guitar cables probably.
The last time I did, I bought me this LONG cable, 8 meters or so, because it was dirt cheap, and cut it in half and soldered neutrik heads at the new endings, making two good cables. I've used those two since 2006 I think now.
There are these I forget what brand cables that have a thin cord and heads you simply push into the cut cord and screw one screw down...they are VERY good, I bought five in 1991 and I still use two of them and the other two I have lost, not broken. They are annoyinly springy and not good for every occasion - not very good from guitar to pedalboard for instance - but they seem to never die. And the few times they have given any trouble, you just unscrew, re-cut the end neat and screw back in and it's good as new. If I needed a lot of patch etc. cables I'd go with those - they also require next to no space in racks and the plug is tiny.
Microphone cable as a rule contains 3 leads, which is why the nomination seems strange...a standard guitar cable is just a coaxial good quality soft rubber cable.
I suppose I can remember every guitar cable I bought since 1990...there's been only four 'main' cables in soon 20 years and hundreds and hundreds of gigs and exercises. I always keep my 'main' cable in the case with the guitar where it's safe.
Dee
"When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"
Amps: Marshall JVM 410H w/ Plexi Cap mod, Choke Mod & Negative Feedback Removal mod, 4x12", Behringer GMX110, Amplitube 3/StealthPedal
Half a dozen custom built/bastardized guitars all with EMG's, mostly 85's, Ibanez Artwood acoustic & Yamaha SGR bass, Epiphone Prophecy SG, Vox Wah, Pitchblack tuner plus assorted pedals, rack gear etc. for home studio use.