Why does everybody coil up guitar cable?

When you know the answer, I guarantee you will always coil your cable this way when you store it.

The reason anybody coils their cable is to extend the useful life so it lasts as long as possible; seasoned guitar players know this...

...but why does it matter?

The answer to that question is that when cable is coiled correctly, that puts the least amount of stress on it.

Pulling or stretching cable is bad because that can break a connection.

When a cable stops working correctly at the connector (meaning either end), that's usually the result of pulling the cable out of the guitar and/or the amp by the cable and not by the connector itself. Every single time you pull on that cable, it's getting stretched and is one step closer to failing completely.

When a cable stops working anywhere between the connectors, that's usually the result of storing it improperly.

The absolute wrong way to store a cable is the "thumb-and-elbow" method. This is where somebody will take a cable, wrap it around the thumb and then the elbow repeatedly to make loops until the entire length is used. Every single bend of the cable over the thumb and elbow is stretching the cable, and that's why it's absolutely wrong.

Thumb-and-elbow looping isn't coiling cable properly. Don't do it. In fact, never do that.

What is the right way?

The right way is called the "over under" method. What this does is allow the cable to naturally coil in a way where it's not stressed, not bent and won't tangle.

See the video guide below. And yes, this works for many types of cables. Guitar, microphone, networking, USB, and so on.

Published 2022 Apr 19