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Thread: Connecting Amps & Extenstion Cabinets

  1. December 7th, 2006, 10:11 AM #1
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    Default Connecting Amps & Extenstion Cabinets

    I am hoping someone can explain why one must use speaker wire (chord) rather than an instrument (guitar) chord when connecting a second amp or extension cabinet? What drives the difference?
    Guitars:

    Electric: Washburn HB-30, Squier Tele Custom Deluxe, Jay Turser Strat.
    Acoustic: Seagull S6.

    AMPs: VOX AD30VT, Peavey Envoy 110.

    Modelers: V-AMP 2, Digitech RP-100A.

    Pedals: Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble, Digitech Bad Monkey, Ibanez DE7 Delay/Echo, DOD VFX40B 7-Band Graphic EQ, Ibanez CS-5 Super Chorus.
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  2. December 7th, 2006, 10:51 AM #2
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    A week ago I got my VJ head, wired it into my combo after splitting it. I used a guitar type cable rather than proper cable. Oldguy corrected the error of my ways. The guitar cable is a smaller guage and also shielded. Now I'm thinking that the shielding could turn it into a capacitor ? and potentially create problems for the amp.
    I've read the same advice elsewhere as well.

    Sorry, kind of a crappy answer as to why not, someone else ?
    Last edited by ted s; December 7th, 2006 at 10:56 AM.
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  3. December 7th, 2006, 10:58 AM #3
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    I think a guitar can generate a very small amount of electric current, whereas it takes a lot more current to drive a speaker. Maybe that is the difference between the cables required?

    aeolian
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  4. December 7th, 2006, 03:48 PM #4
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    I think this may help. It's a long read, some of it not relevant, but it explains the basic differences.

    http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/cords/index.php
    Guitars
    Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
    Amps
    Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
    Pedals
    Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal
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  5. December 7th, 2006, 04:04 PM #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldguy
    I think this may help. It's a long read, some of it not relevant, but it explains the basic differences.

    http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/cords/index.php
    In that long read (lots of rhetoric there yup) did they finally explain that it's ok or not to use a guitar cable for hooking up a speaker cabinet? I couldn't stand reading it anymore and closed the page.
    Guitars/Bass - MIM Fender Classic 50s Strat, MIM Fender Standard Strat, Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epi '56 Gold Top Les Paul, Martin DSR acoustic, Sigma Martin Auditorium electric/acoustic, Squier Jazz Bass.

    Amps/Cabinets/Modelers - Model 2558 50 watt Marshall Silver Anniversary Jubilee combo w/ Celestion Vintage 30s, 4x12 Marshall cabinet w/25 watt Greenback Celestions, Fender Blues Junior w/ a couple of Billm mods, Line 6 POD 2.0, Roland Micro Cube

    Pedals/Effects - Cry Baby Classic Wah, Boss TU-2, Boss NS-2, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ross Compressor, MXR Micro Amp, Danelectro FAB Echo, Danelectro FAB Chorus, Danelectro Chicken Salad, Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Marshall Echohead, Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer, Digitech Digiverb, Digitech Bad Monkey, Dunlop Fuzz Face, Homemade Loop Bypass pedal, Duhvoodooman's Sonic Tonic (Maxon SD-9 clone +), Voodoo Labs Superfuzz
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  6. December 7th, 2006, 04:25 PM #6
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    Down and dirty.............................

    Instrument cables are designed to handle very low signal levels, and we're talking milliwatts here. Instrument cable is also shielded to ground out electrcal noise.

    Speaker cable has much more robust conductors designed to handle lots of watts. It is also unshielded for a very good reason - the shielding can create inductive heating, and that's not a good thing.

    NEVER use instrument cable to carry a full load speaker signal - unless you don't like your amp.
    Guitars: 2008 Gibson SG Classic, 2006 Gibson Les Paul Standard LE, 2002 Gibson SG Supreme, 2001 Gibson Les Paul Studio Plus, 1996 Les Paul Studio Gem, American Deluxe Double Fat Strat, Bluesville "Super" Strat Copy, MIK Fender "Limited Edition" Tele, JD Bluesville "Night Pilot", Yamaha AES 820, Steinberger Spirit GT Pro, Taylor 355CE, Ovation 1897 Adamas, Ovation CC057 Celebrity

    Amps: Axe FX centered rack rig, Mesa 4x12 cab. Germino Club 40, Johnson JM150 Millennium, Johnson JM250 Millennium, Gibson Titan Medalist Frankenstein.

    Effects: Tonebone Trimode, EH Holy Grail, Boss CH-1, Dunlop Crybaby Classic, Framptone Amp Switcher, THD Hot Plate, Yamaha AG Stomp Acoustic Processor, Boss BCB-60 Pedal Board.
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  7. December 7th, 2006, 04:29 PM #7
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    Would 18 gauge speaker wire be good enough for speaker connections? Thats what I've been using for a long time.
    Guitars/Bass - MIM Fender Classic 50s Strat, MIM Fender Standard Strat, Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epi '56 Gold Top Les Paul, Martin DSR acoustic, Sigma Martin Auditorium electric/acoustic, Squier Jazz Bass.

    Amps/Cabinets/Modelers - Model 2558 50 watt Marshall Silver Anniversary Jubilee combo w/ Celestion Vintage 30s, 4x12 Marshall cabinet w/25 watt Greenback Celestions, Fender Blues Junior w/ a couple of Billm mods, Line 6 POD 2.0, Roland Micro Cube

    Pedals/Effects - Cry Baby Classic Wah, Boss TU-2, Boss NS-2, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ross Compressor, MXR Micro Amp, Danelectro FAB Echo, Danelectro FAB Chorus, Danelectro Chicken Salad, Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Marshall Echohead, Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer, Digitech Digiverb, Digitech Bad Monkey, Dunlop Fuzz Face, Homemade Loop Bypass pedal, Duhvoodooman's Sonic Tonic (Maxon SD-9 clone +), Voodoo Labs Superfuzz
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  8. December 7th, 2006, 04:34 PM #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by tone2thebone
    Would 18 gauge speaker wire be good enough for speaker connections? Thats what I've been using for a long time.

    Should be fine, manola...
    Guitars: 2008 Gibson SG Classic, 2006 Gibson Les Paul Standard LE, 2002 Gibson SG Supreme, 2001 Gibson Les Paul Studio Plus, 1996 Les Paul Studio Gem, American Deluxe Double Fat Strat, Bluesville "Super" Strat Copy, MIK Fender "Limited Edition" Tele, JD Bluesville "Night Pilot", Yamaha AES 820, Steinberger Spirit GT Pro, Taylor 355CE, Ovation 1897 Adamas, Ovation CC057 Celebrity

    Amps: Axe FX centered rack rig, Mesa 4x12 cab. Germino Club 40, Johnson JM150 Millennium, Johnson JM250 Millennium, Gibson Titan Medalist Frankenstein.

    Effects: Tonebone Trimode, EH Holy Grail, Boss CH-1, Dunlop Crybaby Classic, Framptone Amp Switcher, THD Hot Plate, Yamaha AG Stomp Acoustic Processor, Boss BCB-60 Pedal Board.
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  9. December 7th, 2006, 05:21 PM #9
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    Thanks PS. That unabridged answer is just what the doctor ordered. I hate long-winded answers and articles. I like getting to the meat of the subject. Which reminds me … it is supper time.
    Guitars:

    Electric: Washburn HB-30, Squier Tele Custom Deluxe, Jay Turser Strat.
    Acoustic: Seagull S6.

    AMPs: VOX AD30VT, Peavey Envoy 110.

    Modelers: V-AMP 2, Digitech RP-100A.

    Pedals: Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble, Digitech Bad Monkey, Ibanez DE7 Delay/Echo, DOD VFX40B 7-Band Graphic EQ, Ibanez CS-5 Super Chorus.
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