Pickup Lead Length after installation.

[Gearjoneser]

I've always wondered if there's any difference in tone or responsiveness by leaving the pickup leads longer than needed, after installation.
Some people cut them to the exact length needed. Some people leave over a foot, to retain resale value. I tend to be somewhere in between, leaving a little slack, so it can still be installed in any guitar.

If you measure the resistance of a wire that's 5 inches long and one that's 12 inches, you probably won't even see a difference, so why would people think that a shorter lead is better than one that's the same length it was when purchased?

Anyone want to shed some light on this?

[jeremy]

Re: Pickup Lead Length after installation.

i cut mine short unless i know its going to end up residing in a different guitar or i might selling it in the future. i dont do it cause i thinks it sounds any different just that it looks cleaner in the control cavity and its easier to work with less crap in the way

[southadc]

Re: Pickup Lead Length after installation.

I leave them full length, but tidy them up by wrapping the excess lead up and putting a cable tie around it.

I get suspicious when people say that an extra inch or two of pickup cable affects the sound - for me, the fact that I have anything from about 15 feet to about 35 feet of cable between the guitars output jack and the front of the amp, about 20 feet of cable in the effects loop, then about 10 feet of speaker cable between the head and the cab renders a couple of extra inches of wire on the pickup somewhat unimportant.

Fair play to anyone who thinks that trimming the lead short, using one kind of solder in preference to another etc affects their tone - they must have better ears than I, because I don't hear it I see more difference in how often the strings are changed. But that's just my ears.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Pickup Lead Length after installation.

I May cut a bit of lead length off,but I Make sure to leave enough lead in case I Pull the pickup and put it into another axe...I also wrap or wire tie my wires to look neat and tidy within the cavity..

John

[midnite_man]

Re: Pickup Lead Length after installation.

Tidiness is next to Tone-Godliness!!!

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Pickup Lead Length after installation.

Tidiness is next to Tone-Godliness!!!

Bobby...You got that right buddy!