Coiled cables

[Si600]

I coil my cables over - under style but both the spare one that lives in the bass case and the one that goes between the pedal board and bass have developed a sort of permanent curl to them. Am I coiling them badly, or doing harm by keeping them coiled when they're in storage as it were?

[chris_b]

Do your cables get stood/walked on, or does anyone else put them away?

That could be the reason for the twist between the inner core and outer layers.

[Roger2611]

I keep folding my cables in half until they get to a length I can tie them in a loose knot,I don't seem to have any issues with permanent twisting or curling, I have not had a cable fail in fifteen years or more now....yes I know fate has now been well and truly tempted! look for my thread this coming Sunday entitled dramatic cable failure at gig!!

[Si600]

The only person who puts them away is me. I "throw" them out when I set up but the one between me and the pedal board doesn't seem to behave itself in use.

[rushbo]

I've not done this myself but...apparently, if you unfold your cable and drape it around the inside of your airing cupboard and leave it overnight, the gentle heat helps to un-kink any curls. This could be completetly erroneous, so check with a grown up first.

[colgraff]

For my pedal board, I got a twin cable (two jacks at each end) which stays beautifully flat. It is much more flexible than standard leads and keeps the send/return tidy.
I can't remember where I bought it but it was one of the standard online places such as GAK, PMT or Andertons, etc.

[paul h]

I fold end to end too. Never seem to have any noticeable curling or tangling issues.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1441295204' post='2857702']
I coil my cables over - under style but both the spare one that lives in the bass case and the one that goes between the pedal board and bass have developed a sort of permanent curl to them. Am I coiling them badly, or doing harm by keeping them coiled when they're in storage as it were?
[/quote]

I did that for a "name band" many years ago and was given a right bollockin' for putting tension in them as I did it, ie. pulling the lead taught as I did it. Coiling them loose is the way to stop kinking so I was told. It's what I do now with no issues & once coiled I use the coloured velcro'd cable tidies that places like Maplins and Chas Olsen (??) sell to tie them & also the colours are handy for remembering different lengths of lead.

[lowhand_mike]

we half fold ous but dont put too much tension on it and then lightly knot, had no problems apart from one cable twisting really badly, weird as all the others a just fine
my bass cable i coil over like it was supplied and as such it still has a bit of a coil to it when out but nothing too bad
definately dont do the coiling round hand and elbow

[Chrismanbass]

over under is industry standard for coiling cables

in fact is sound engineer 101 (literally i've had to prove I can do this to an employer before they would hire me)

if you are tying knots in cables then by grabbing the end (to tie the knot) youre putting stress on the solder joints in each end

also if you over under your cables properly they will sit on the floor nicely and then won't knot when you run off onto the dancefloor with your bass for a boogie, because getting yanked up short by a massive knot isn't a good look

if anyone isn't sure how to do it this video shows you how

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEd7ru24Vx0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEd7ru24Vx0[/url]