Question: Partially Shielded Inst. Cables

[Leo Chang]

Hi All,

For instrument cables that are only partially shielded, which end goes to the guitar and which end goes to the amp?

My Planet Wave cables have one end labelled as "Shielded End", the other end is not labelled. Their website doesn't tell me much.

For my rig and my uses I doubt it matters, but though I should confirm anyway



Thanks,


- Leo.

[AlexL]

I believe the shielded end should connect to the guitar.

The whole philosophy behing that scheme is to prevent ground loops. Just try it both ways and go with whichever way is quietest.


- E.

[Leo Chang]

All right, thanks


- Leo.

[Axewielder]

My 10c is that it would only make a difference when connected between two pieces of powered equipment that are on two different circuits (say a rack system and an amp or between pedals and an amp). You can't get a ground loop between an amp and a guitar (even with active pickups), so that seems pointless to me. Unless of course you have a cable running from your Floyd to a drain pipe...lol.

[Robotechnology]

Coincidentally, I was just rewiring a rack yesterday and came across this same issue as I have 4 of those Planet Waves cables. The shielded end need to go to the input of your amp. So guitar unshielded and amp input shielded or in my case, preamp outputs unshielded and power amp inputs shielded. Planet waves says it makes no difference in non amplifier applications which direction to use.

[Leo Chang]

Coincidentally, I was just rewiring a rack yesterday and came across this same issue as I have 4 of those Planet Waves cables. The shielded end need to go to the input of your amp. So guitar unshielded and amp input shielded or in my case, preamp outputs unshielded and power amp inputs shielded. Planet waves says it makes no difference in non amplifier applications which direction to use.

Ooh... useful to know, thanks