Originally posted by Lordathestrings
[QUOTE]:rolleyes: I really hope that's supposed to be funny. Turning an amp on while everything is cranked can make trouble for your amp if the guitar is being strummed or picked, but there's no way that could damage the guitar wiring!

No, actually I was being serious. And yes it can damage the wiring in the guitar if you do it over and over again. A big reason why wires short out (die out) is because of electrical surges, and well if you turn your amp on and have your guitar all the way up when you plug in the chord. There is already a electrical current flowing through the chord. So when your plug the chord into your guitar, you can get a electric surge!! And overtime the more surges, the more life you drain from the wires. Do it everytime you play your guitar and yes you will eventually ruin the wire(s). And NO the ground wire on the guitar isn't fail safe. Unfortunately guitars don't have surge protectors built it, so it might be something to watch for. But then again not everyone takes care of their stuff or knows how to. If you actually ended up with an acute electrical surge somewhere, this will help prevent such damage.