valexx
New member
I'm interested in buying an instrument cable that is 50-100 feet long. Does anyone know where to find cables of that length?
- Thread starter valexx
- Start date
Chet the Jet
Well-known member
I dont know where you can get them that long,but sure am curious as to why you need one that long . 
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phatduckk
Well-known member
i heard that unless youre using active pups then the signla gets "bad" after 15 - 20 feet.
thats what i heard at least
thats what i heard at least
SteveB
Well-known member
An unbalanced instrument cable of that length will pick up every radio station in town. I suggest you use a pair of direct boxes and make the long wire a balanced XLR cable.
Thus, you'd plug a normal (short, unbalanced) instrument cable into your axe, and the other end into a direct box.
Then run a long, balanced XLR cable from that direct box into another direct box situated near your gear. Finally, run another short unbalanced instrument cable from the 2nd direct box into your gear.
The long, balanced XLR cable will not pick up nearly as much hum as an instrument cable. You see, the two wires inside the XLR cable carry the same signal, but the signal on one wire is 180 degrees out of phase with the signal on the other wire. When the two are recombined, any noise picked up along the way is cancelled.
This is a more expensive method than a long unbalanced 1/4" cable, but I assure you that you won't be happy with a shielded cable that long. Your signal will never make it.. you'll just have a huge antenna for radio and hum.
You can safely make a long run of 50 to 100 feet with a balanced cable. Heck, you can use such a long cable for a mic, which sends a much weaker signal than a guitar. Keep in mind, the XLR cable would probably have to be the same gender on both ends, as it will be interfacing with a direct box on both ends. This is a little different than a 'standard' XLR cable which would have one male end and one female end, but it should be easy enough to procure.
Thus, you'd plug a normal (short, unbalanced) instrument cable into your axe, and the other end into a direct box.
Then run a long, balanced XLR cable from that direct box into another direct box situated near your gear. Finally, run another short unbalanced instrument cable from the 2nd direct box into your gear.
The long, balanced XLR cable will not pick up nearly as much hum as an instrument cable. You see, the two wires inside the XLR cable carry the same signal, but the signal on one wire is 180 degrees out of phase with the signal on the other wire. When the two are recombined, any noise picked up along the way is cancelled.
This is a more expensive method than a long unbalanced 1/4" cable, but I assure you that you won't be happy with a shielded cable that long. Your signal will never make it.. you'll just have a huge antenna for radio and hum.
You can safely make a long run of 50 to 100 feet with a balanced cable. Heck, you can use such a long cable for a mic, which sends a much weaker signal than a guitar. Keep in mind, the XLR cable would probably have to be the same gender on both ends, as it will be interfacing with a direct box on both ends. This is a little different than a 'standard' XLR cable which would have one male end and one female end, but it should be easy enough to procure.
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valexx
New member
Well, i thought if i could get a 50 foot cable for a decent price, then i wouldn't get wireless. Wireless sucks if you pay like $100-$150 (so i've heard), so i just wanted to spend less money, since i don't got alot to spend on this, on a long instrument cable. I guess i'll just go for a normal 30 foot instrument cable, and i'll save up for wireless after that.
SteveB
Well-known member
Good plan. Save up for a nice, multi-channel UHF wireless.
