The most important part of your cable is the center conductor. This ‘core’ of stranded wire carries the audio signal via an electrical current all the way from guitar to amp. It's protected by a layer of insulation so as not to leak signal, degrading the sound.

The core wire size is often measured using “AWG” or American Wire Gauge. The higher the number of AWG, the smaller the diameter of the individual wires. The diameter of the cables affects capacitance interacting with shielding elements, which ultimately affects your sound.

BOSS Instrument Cables uses a proprietary blend of multi-strand ‘oxygen free copper’ wires which are stronger and more flexible than using a solid wire.

The ‘oxygen free’ part refers to the manufacturing of the wire. Normally, oxygen is added during production to help remove impurities in the copper, but by removing the oxygen again, the conductivity and therefore guitar signal flow, is greatly improved. It also helps the cable last longer, too.

Compared to the electricity used to power most electrical devices, the amount of electricity running through a guitar cable is actually very small.

Looking at our day to day life, we are surrounded by various signals such as Wifi and Bluetooth, or electro-magnetic signals from your TV, refrigerator and lighting. These external signals often interfere with your guitar signal, creating ‘noise’ which is often attributed directly to the cable. So, to protect from these environment enemies, the cables shielding is a vital part of the structure, protecting core wire from wayward interference and ultimately preserving your tone.

Copper wire is often used to shield audio cables, and the structure and layering of this wire is essential for ensuring best protection for your signal.

BOSS Instrument Cables feature a special braided, high density, high strength shield design which offers over 95% coverage, while retaining optimal flexibility. Every nuance and touch of your guitar playing is transferred to your guitar with minimal noise, even on high gain settings, such as those on Katana's ‘brown channel’.

The Jacket or ‘sheath’ helps to ensure the core, core insulation, and shielding wire is protected from water, excessive bending, or even being stood on mid gig!

There are 2 layers to the jacket : ‘interior’ and ‘exterior’.

The interior jacket directly covers the shielding, holding it firmly in place.

The outer jacket is the last line of defense – It's the part surrounding the cable which you can see and touch. PVC (or polyvinyl chloride) is commonly used as it gives a good level of flexibility and durability as well as looking great on stage.

BOSS Instrument cables add a high density woven thread layer to the outer jacket which not only makes them look and feel great, but helps prevent tangling, stops them getting ‘sticky’, and adds to their durability.