Favourite wire?

Yup, that's the stuff. I never liked stranded but had too many issues with solid-core snapping, so pre-bond is the way to go.

I prefer solid. It takes a bit longer and there is always a chance of snap-page but, I use a set of hobby pliers for stress-relief where I am bending/shaping the solid core and rarely have any problems. Once it's wired, they don't move anyway.

That said I don't build at a production level and my only customer is me, but I am pretty particular.

Pre-bond stranded as shown above works really well and all-around the best (unless you're a weirdo like me)
 
I prefer solid. It takes a bit longer and there is always a chance of snap-page but, I use a set of hobby pliers for stress-relief where I am bending/shaping the solid core and rarely have any problems. Once it's wired, they don't move anyway.

That said I don't build at a production level and my only customer is me, but I am pretty particular.

Pre-bond stranded as shown above works really well and all-around the best (unless you're a weirdo like me)
I started with solid, and a lot of the issues that I had with it likely stemmed from the fact that I was a total beginner. On PCB builds with board mounted pots where nothing is moving around much solid core doesn't see many problems, but my early builds were mostly vero, so the board was more or less suspended in the enclosure by a mass of solid core wire, and with bouncing around connections would break.

Solid is definitely the way to go for breadboarding, makes things super convenient.
 
I started with solid, and a lot of the issues that I had with it likely stemmed from the fact that I was a total beginner. On PCB builds with board mounted pots where nothing is moving around much solid core doesn't see many problems, but my early builds were mostly vero, so the board was more or less suspended in the enclosure by a mass of solid core wire, and with bouncing around connections would break.

Solid is definitely the way to go for breadboarding, makes things super convenient.
Exactly. Excellent points!
 
Concur on the guitarpcb.

As for amp builds I tried building a 5E3 with stranded and I hated it. Every other amp I've built (5f1, 1987, gt120, ab763, 1974) I used the Valvestorm wire, which is awesome. Highly recommend it for any amp build.
 
Hookup wire is like solder: we all have our preferences for different reasons.

That being said I’m a cheap ass and went the Amazon route. No problems for me and I can color coordinate inputs, outputs, and power.
 
On a side note, I just saw that Harbor Freight offers solder now for 19.99, curious to as how it holds up to Kester. Surely not as good but for the price it is tempting. And I can get it nearby.

 
I need to switch solder brands, the stuff I use has way too much flux and my flux remover doesn't so much remove it as spread it around into a sticky mess.
I had that issue with the Kester no clean. It drove me nuts. Everything was a sticky mess.
 
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