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Author Topic: Identifying your own cables  (Read 17825 times)

Brian O'Shaughnessy

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Identifying your own cables
« on: July 13, 2015, 01:14:36 PM »

Hello, I have a question. I do lighting and sound, but often do it with other companies. I was curious if anyone had a technique to marking your cables in a way to quickly identify which are yours. I have thought about using tape, but I feel like taping up each cable ends up looking tacky. Does anyone have a professional technique to "marking" your companies cables that looks professional? Thanks for any input!
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Stephen Kirby

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2015, 01:24:23 PM »

I printed up a bunch of sticker/labels with my company logo on them.  I have them on the cable ends, and all my mics.  Avery even makes metallic labels that look slick although with an inkjet, the marking doesn't tolerate much abrasion.  I put those on my rack lids and so forth.
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Josh Millward

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2015, 01:25:33 PM »

Narrow pinstripe tape from the auto parts store.

Unscrew the back shell off the Neutrik XLR connector, clean the gak out from the step where the shell necks down to the threaded part. (Clean it well! This is what the tape sticks to!) Then apply a round of the pinstripe tape to this recessed point and screw the back on. Unless you are using really small cable or are getting super aggressive with cranking it down, you will be able to see the pinstripe tape through the crack.

I use the royal blue color, so please use something different for your cables. ;-)

I have also seen folks put pieces of colored heat shrink on one end of the cable (always the same end), and some people even print the name and contact number of their company on the heat shrink.

Just using tape will get ugly quickly. Heat shrink on the cable or pinstripe tape on the recessed parts of the connectors is easy and it usually looks good.
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Josh Millward
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Peter Kowalczyk

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2015, 01:27:58 PM »

I started labeling all my cables with yellow electrical tape.  Then I went to a gig with some cross-rented equip from another local company; all theirs were ALSO taped in yellow.  Grr.  If tape is the approach, two or more colors might make yours more unique, or check around locally to find a unique color.  A friend and associate started labeling his mic stands with three colors of neon (cloth) spike tape; which is hard to miss.  Electrical tape will get gummy and come off over time, so it will require a re-up every season or so; not sure if the spike tape would be more durable.

The pros will recommend clear heatshrink over a printed label, but that's much easier done before the ends are terminated...
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David Sturzenbecher

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2015, 01:31:15 PM »

Hello, I have a question. I do lighting and sound, but often do it with other companies. I was curious if anyone had a technique to marking your cables in a way to quickly identify which are yours. I have thought about using tape, but I feel like taping up each cable ends up looking tacky. Does anyone have a professional technique to "marking" your companies cables that looks professional? Thanks for any input!

Custom heat shrink with your companies name and number.
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Jerome Casinger

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2015, 01:39:19 PM »

Strip of colored tape and a different color Velcro tie

Cailen Waddell

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2015, 01:43:31 PM »

Clear hear shrink over a table with name/logo.   On lighting cables it is on both ends.  On xlr it is only on male end. 


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Mark Cadwallader

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2015, 02:02:09 PM »

Green is my color. I have Neutrik colored rings on the silver XLR shells on my audio cables. Data cables have the white/ivory rings (and black shells) for easy i.d. 
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Rob Spence

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2015, 03:16:03 PM »

I use nail polish on the connectors. I have some that work well on black and some that works on silver. I also mark the underside of my tripod stands where the legs attach.

I use 2 colors, red & purple.

I used tape a long time ago and it gets all sticky.

On my big power cables I put a company name label and the length with clear heat shrink over it.


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Brian O'Shaughnessy

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Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2015, 05:38:32 PM »

Wow, a lot of great suggestions here. I do really like the idea of shrink wrap with company info printed on it. That seems like the most legit and clean looking, but is there a way to put shrink wrap on a cable without having the remove the ends on it?

Also nail polish on the connectors sounds like a excellent subtle way to label the cables. How long does this last, do you have to constantly re-apply to keep them from scratching off?
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Identifying your own cables
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2015, 05:38:32 PM »


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