Guitar or Speaker Cable?

[Derwood]

I've got a few short cords I haven't used for a while, and I don't remember which is which.
How do you easily identify whether it is a guitar or speaker cord?
Thanks!

[mike80]

You'll have to unscrew the plug and look at the wire.

Instrument cable will have a braided shield over the conductor.

Speaker wire will usually have a black and a white conductor with no shield, and is usually a larger diameter.

[Derwood]

Thanks Mike!

[ohmslaw]

You'll have to unscrew the plug and look at the wire.

Instrument cable will have a braided shield over the conductor.

Speaker wire will usually have a black and a white conductor with no shield, and is usually a larger diameter.

Some newer speaker cables appear to be high-impedance guitar cables now so this examination may not be effective unless you look very closely. The diameter is the same in many cases. On the outside of the cable, there should be a printed identifier that the cable is speaker cable, though. These are very easy to confuse and I know that cheaper off-shore speaker cables such as the ones I got with Epiphone Valve Jr. heads have no identifying marks at all and look exactly like guitar cables, and the molded plastic ends cannot be unscrewed for examination.

If you use a speaker cable for a guitar you'll likely get a lot of hum and noise but no damage. Guitar cable for speakers can result in problems as it can overheat.

[Derwood]

Thank you also!