Screened Output Cable vs twisting the wires

jaymenon

On a Stratocaster, when you screen both the control cavity and the jack cavity with foil / graphite paint - I guess it’s important to use a screened output cable from Volume pot to the Jack socket, since it passes through the ‘Eustachian Canal’ that connects the two cavities…

Does twisting the two wires like this work just as well…? Or would I be better off with a screened cable?

[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/ndZ1iw3.jpg)

ICBM

Better with a shielded cable.

Even when it's as neatly twisted as that...

phil_b

in theory shielded is better

However twisting the wire does offer some protection from interference. It is a relativity short section of cable that is exposed so swapping the cable type might not make a huge difference. I would try it with the existing cable and see if you are happy with the results.

Henrytwang

Shielded cable is probably best but  a twisted pair also helps to reduce RFI. A shielded cable works best if the shield is grounded at both ends which rarely happens with guitar pickups The biggest problem with single coil pickups are the pickups themselves which act as an antenna to RFI , unfortunately it’s the price that you have to pay if you want that sound. I’ve tried using “ noiseless “ Stratocaster type pickups in the past but have never been happy with the tone.