Froggie, I do the same, using any fairly stiff solid core wire as a guide for the thin wire.
Nandric, While I have to agree that AN UK is different from AN Japan and that for a while at least the former traded on the very high reputation of the latter, it is also true that in recent years just about everyone knows the difference. The UK products are so much less expensive that it's obvious. Also, the UK products as a rule are not as good nor totally duplicative of what is sold by AN Japan.
But, having said all that, I have also to say that Kondo-san and AN Japan are also guilty of, shall we say, excessive "showmanship". The idea that silver wire, made from a base element that was in the ground possibly since the earth was formed from a cloud of gas, would somehow transmogrify to something more wonderful, if the end product made from it is aged above ground for a few measly years, is just silly, IMO. The idea that ANY amplifier can be worth sums of money in the $150,000 range is equally farcical, but I recognize that AN is not alone in promoting such costly products. I once had the pleasure of listening to both an Ongaku and a Kegon, consecutively on the same day in the same place, driving AN loudspeakers. Each was excellent in its own way (given the cost, I would say "merely" excellent), but I was struck by the fact that they sounded VERY different from each other. IMO, that should not be; there can be only one Nirvana.
Nandric, While I have to agree that AN UK is different from AN Japan and that for a while at least the former traded on the very high reputation of the latter, it is also true that in recent years just about everyone knows the difference. The UK products are so much less expensive that it's obvious. Also, the UK products as a rule are not as good nor totally duplicative of what is sold by AN Japan.
But, having said all that, I have also to say that Kondo-san and AN Japan are also guilty of, shall we say, excessive "showmanship". The idea that silver wire, made from a base element that was in the ground possibly since the earth was formed from a cloud of gas, would somehow transmogrify to something more wonderful, if the end product made from it is aged above ground for a few measly years, is just silly, IMO. The idea that ANY amplifier can be worth sums of money in the $150,000 range is equally farcical, but I recognize that AN is not alone in promoting such costly products. I once had the pleasure of listening to both an Ongaku and a Kegon, consecutively on the same day in the same place, driving AN loudspeakers. Each was excellent in its own way (given the cost, I would say "merely" excellent), but I was struck by the fact that they sounded VERY different from each other. IMO, that should not be; there can be only one Nirvana.