Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

[CajunBlues]

I wired up a harness today for a les paul and I used a wire that was silver in color (I assume its aluminum) for the grounds (only)... I was wondering if that is ok ? In fact is aluminum wire OK to use for ALL of the guitar wiring ?

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

It's not aluminum, it's copper coated with nickel I think. But whatever it is, it's perfectly fine. The thickness of the wire relative to the current flowing through it is so great that it's like being concerned that a 400-foot wide tunnel is fine to ride your motorcycle through but a 395-foot wide tunnel might not be.

 

[CajunBlues]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

Actualy it's speaker wire... which I think , after reading on the net a bit, is likely tinned copper... Its that speaker wire you get with 2 strands connected side by side... I got it at Ace Hardware...

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

Using speaker wire in a guitar is a bad idea. It's way too thick and a lot harder to work with. Go to Radio Shack (or a good local electronics store) and get some 24 AWG stranded wire. Aluminum or copper are both fine.

 

[CajunBlues]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

Using speaker wire in a guitar is a bad idea. It's way too thick and a lot harder to work with. Go to Radio Shack (or a good local electronics store) and get some 24 AWG stranded wire. Aluminum or copper are both fine.

Too late... :cool2:... Actually the strands were the thinnest gauge they had and I had no issues at all soldering it... I realize thick wire is hard to work with... But this wire soldered very easily..

 

[CajunBlues]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

I just got off the phone with the guy at Ace... I guess I should have ask him directly :naughty: :naughty:

It's a 24 gauge tinned copper...

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

I use speaker wire
old speaker wire
strung in pairs
two colors red and black
nip of a bit from an old set of speakers each time i rewire one
nary a problem
wire is wire
it don't care what its wired to

just don't use the 12,14 or 16 gauge I've used 18 gauge but it is about too big

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Aluminum Wire For Guitar Electronics ??

Ideally, there shouldn't be much in the way of overlap between speaker wire and internal guitar wiring.