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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
 Posted - 11/12/2007 : 13:09:48
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Was playing last night, and all of a sudden a loud noise came from my amps resulting in just hum and no sound. The hum came from the MD2 being on quite loud, the no-more-signal came from a dead cable.
Okay dead cable you may say, so what the hell?
Yep that is what I usually think. So checked all my cables [patch and the main one] and all of them where fine but the main one was dead. Checked for any breaks in the soldering but nothing. Went all over the cable, while it was plugged into the amp to see if I could spot a certain point where the cable was broken, but nothing. So it looks like it just gave up the ghost without seeing what is really the matter.
Never had that before, as I can usually spot where cable is broken, and very often it is at the soldering points in the beginning of the cable.
The cable itself is not a very expansive one, just a normal one really, and you are able to loosen the jackplugs.
Just wondering if you know what I could do to see what is going on.
As said before it is just a small thing really, but I just found it funny that I cannot trace back where the issue comes from.
I have quite a few cables [like most of us here] but still would like to see what I could do about it apart from chucking it away.
Cheers, |
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StratoSphere
Double Platinum Member
Canada
2232 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 13:36:48
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hey visserman. this happened to me once, i went over the cable too and couldnt find any breaks. turns out it was the output jack on my guitar.. one of the wires came loose. did you try a different guitar with your setup? |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 14:52:29
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Hi visserman & guys
One place that I have found a lot of cable breaks, other than the usual solder joints & plugs.
It at approx. the point where the cable touches the ground, the point where it stops hanging from your guitar, & drags on the floor.
This part of the cable is subjected to a lot more stress than we/you imagine.
As it's the point that suffers from all the stress of being stood on, & all the other things that happen to that point on the cable.
If you repair - make a lot of cable; You can buy a cable tester, that has a circuit in it that will allow you to find the approximate point at which the cable is open circuit.
There are a few kits from a few years back that you can build that do the same thing.
The basically have what's called a Wheatstone bridge circuit, that determines where the break is.
Saves cutting cable in half to locate the break.
They also break a lot just a bit past the exit point of the plug.
If you look at the construction of a lot of cables, even good quality ones, the inner core copper only has a few strands, that are susceptible to breaking when stretched, or stood on repeatedly.
Hope this Helps
Regards Dr. Bob
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One-Way
Bronze Member
New Zealand
104 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2007 : 09:06:21
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I repair the cables from our sound system at our church and have had some head scratching problems. I had a cable that had no continuity so cut off the jack plugs both ends and barred the ends of the wires and still no reading so closely examined the cable and rang it thru my fingers to feel for damage but found none. In desperation I cut it in half and what do know both pieces then had continuity.
Even where I cut it looked perfect, needless to say I scrapped it.
Normally its always on the jack or XLR plug connections where the wires are broken or cold soldered.
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2007 : 13:36:34
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quote:
Originally posted by One-Way
I repair the cables from our sound system at our church and have had some head scratching problems. I had a cable that had no continuity so cut off the jack plugs both ends and barred the ends of the wires and still no reading so closely examined the cable and rang it thru my fingers to feel for damage but found none. In desperation I cut it in half and what do know both pieces then had continuity.
Even where I cut it looked perfect, needless to say I scrapped it.
Normally its always on the jack or XLR plug connections where the wires are broken or cold soldered.
HI Oneway,
what you describe here is exactely what I am experiencing, very strange.
Thanks Bob and Strat0.
I think Bob does have some good ideas, and I think the cabletester will probably give no reading, so similar result as putting your tumb on one end of the jack while ohter jackplug is plugged into the amp. And yes I do not get any hum when I try this test.
Strato, I did get another cord and the guitar is fine with this one, but I will try the faulty cable on another guitar [which I have not tried yet] and see what the outcome is. STrange really, it almost feels like the cable does have molecules in there and for some reason they have all been used, so no sound is left anymore. Funny really, but strange at the same time.
Will let you know what the outcome is.
Cheers,
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2007 : 15:16:06
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When i'm cleaning my inputs and connectors i usually spray some switch cleaner on a clean piece of cloth and wipe the jack plugs on the end of the leads with it 'cause i find that when i'm gigging regularly ,my cables pick up a lot of crap like spilt beer etc on the outside and the jack plugs can get a bit dirty too from being dropped on the floor when wrapping up at the end of the evening...... ...i've found out the hard way that it pays to check all the simple things first.... as i've ended pulling things apart only to find it was something very simple i had overlooked.... |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2007 : 11:45:52
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Hello Franz,
Yes you are right by overlooking simple things. Yes you need to keep your stuff clean as it make things easier and better really.
Okay still need to check with different guitars, but I feel it will not make much difference, but we will see. |
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Topic |
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Broken Cables
