COPPER VS SILVER SIGNAL CONDUCTOR GUITAR CABLES
From: Shootout Guitar Cables UK • Best Guitar Cables Explained
See also: The Shootout Guitar Cables Range
Copper is the big fish in the electrical conductivity world and carries alternating current audio signals very effectively so why would anyone use silver?
Quite simply because whereas normal quality copper is the reference standard for electrical conductivity at 100% conductivity, silver is around 108% however:
1. Silver is typically around 6 times more expensive than copper.
2. Silver has a lower tensile yield strength than copper. This is the tensile strength point at which if pulled beyond it won't return to original form.
3. Silver is more brittle than copper, and so can end up being used in smaller gauge to compensate for this stiffness thus increasing the resistance again.
Silver coated copper is even more questionable... see Silver Plated Copper Guitar Cables and The Red Plague and we have no intention of using such cables which are more typically found for guitar use due to their cost compared to all silver.
Since 99.999% (oxygen free? ;O) of your favourite guitar music was played through copper cables don't let it keep you up at night! Your pickup and cable resonant frequencies though, or getting the 'brown sound' out of a 'stock' plexi amp? Well those are another matter!
Also in this guide:
Guitar Cable Capacitance and Resonant Frequency
Guitar Cable Capacitance Chart
Guitar Cable Length and Signal Loss
Guitar Cable Myths and The Cable Fairy
Guitar Cable Shielding and AC Hum
Braided vs Spiral vs Foil Guitar Cable Shielding
Guitar Cable Microphonics and the Triboelectric Effect
True Bypass Pedals vs Buffered Pedals
Silver Plated Copper Cables and 'Red Plague' Galvanic Corrosion
Gold Plated Guitar Cable Jacks and Galvanic Corrosion
Guitar Cables vs Guitar Pedal Board Patch Cables
Analogue Guitar Cables vs WIFI
Low Capacitance vs High Capacitance Guitar Cables
Oxygen Free Copper Guitar Cables
Cheap vs Midrange vs Expensive Guitar Cables
Glued Heat Shrink vs Unglued Heat Shrink Guitar Cables