Do I need a ground wire to bridge?

Jeremiah

I've heard that if you use EMG pickups you don't need the bridge earth connection, but my knowledge of electrics is not good enough to know why this would be.

ICBM

Because EMGs are low-impedance, humbucking and shielded, so they don't need the strings grounding to reduce noise.

WezV

jd0272;862420" said:

I've run a wire from tone pot to Tele bridge. Not used it plugged in tho. Now thinking should I remove, cause I touch stuff and shit?

Lets put it I context. Almost every electric guitar everyone on this forum has ever played has that wire there. How many have been shocked?

Almost every electric guitar currently being manufactured has that wire there. How many lawsuits are there?

Even guitars sold with EMG's that don't need the wire still have it there, although usually taped out the way and not in use

Jalapeno

ICBM said:

jd0272 said:

I've run a wire from tone pot to Tele bridge. Not used it plugged in tho. Now thinking should I remove, cause I touch stuff and shit?

Not unless you want a load of noise.

The risk of electrocution is very small, almost vanishingly small with UK electrics these days, unless you play in really dodgy venues or outdoors at some event that's too small to have a professional company supplying the generator.

Stick an RCD circuit breaker in your gig bag, or use an extension with a trip button.

randomhandclaps

ICBM said:

jd0272 said:

I've run a wire from tone pot to Tele bridge. Not used it plugged in tho. Now thinking should I remove, cause I touch stuff and shit?

Not unless you want a load of noise.

The risk of electrocution is very small,

Plus it's that small risk of death for the price of art that makes it rock and roll after all.  If you're that worried sell the Tele and join a gypsy jazz group.

ICBM

Jalapeno said:

Stick an RCD circuit breaker in your gig bag, or use an extension with a trip button.

Makes no difference, sorry.

RCDs don't lift the earth connection, which is where the biggest danger is. I know this is counter-intuitive to most people but it really is the case.

An RCD will only protect you against a fault in your own amp which would otherwise make the chassis live if it's not earthed - which is extremely rare, so rare that you can usually discount it.

For what it's worth this is why the earthed standard has been replaced by the double-insulated standard for most household appliances - it's safer. Electric guitars and amps seem to be exempt - although there are some now which are designed not to be earthed, mostly digital modellers. It can still cause noise problems with standard passive guitars though.

jd0272

I'll leave it be then. Mind, we've got gigs coming up, if I end up dying, I'll be v unhappy.

ICBM

jd0272 said:

I'll leave it be then. Mind, we've got gigs coming up, if I end up dying, I'll be v unhappy.

That's why I put a high-voltage cap in the string ground connection of any guitar I will play outside my own house. It's not 100% proof against a shock, since you could still get one from something like the jack plug, or the controls on a guitar like a Tele, but you won't from the strings while you're actually playing it and with your hand holding the neck.

jd0272

ICBM;863062" said:

jd0272 said:

I'll leave it be then. Mind, we've got gigs coming up, if I end up dying, I'll be v unhappy.










That's why I put a high-voltage cap in the string ground connection of any guitar I will play outside my own house. It's not 100% proof against a shock, since you could still get one from something like the jack plug, or the controls on a guitar like a Tele, but you won't from the strings while you're actually playing it and with your hand holding the neck.

That's all a bit 'beyond' me. I'm v much jellyfish when it comes to electrics/schematics/theory.

I do know that when I worked for Proctor & Gamble they advised me my resistance to electricity was high, so I'd be buggered realty.

axisus

Don't know if this thread will still be read??

During some guitar surgery, the earth wire that I ran to the bridge broke off in a rather awkward way - a complete pain in the ass to replace to be honest. It doesn't seem to make any difference to the sound not having it, do I really need to replace it?

ICBM

axisus said:

During some guitar surgery, the earth wire that I ran to the bridge broke off in a rather awkward way - a complete pain in the ass to replace to be honest. It doesn't seem to make any difference to the sound not having it, do I really need to replace it?

If you don't notice any extra noise, no. But sometimes that can be very dependent on where you're playing.

Did you ground the Bigsby as well? If so then you don't need to ground the bridge.

Danny1969

I've been shocked loads of times, normally just minor low volts shocks caused by difference to jenny earth and real earth where the jenny hasn't been grounded properly or too long runs of mains leads to get power out in fields etc. I have had a couple of bad ones in the eighties but indoors things are pretty safe now. 

axisus

Bigsby not grounded as well. I ran the wire to the metal insert that the bridge goes into, but having hammered the insert in it would be hard, nigh on impossible to take it out again without destroying it. I do have a 'plan B' - there is a tiny bit of the wire almost showing in the control area, I reckon that if I screwed a small screw in it would probably make a connection again. I think I'll try that after I've solved my short problem.

ICBM

axisus said:

I ran the wire to the metal insert that the bridge goes into, but having hammered the insert in it would be hard, nigh on impossible to take it out again without destroying it.

You can remove them with a bolt of the same thread, a piece of flat wood, and a claw hammer or a crowbar . Just go carefully and make sure it doesn't lift the finish. If you don't have a matching bolt you can usually use the bridge post, although it's best to protect it with a bit of thick cardboard or something.

I had to do one on a '71 Les Paul Custom recently, the owner was amused by the size of the crowbar . (Actually better with a really big one, it gives more control.)

Or just fit it under the Bigsby instead.

axisus

ICBM said:

axisus said:

I ran the wire to the metal insert that the bridge goes into, but having hammered the insert in it would be hard, nigh on impossible to take it out again without destroying it.

You can remove them with a bolt of the same thread, a piece of flat wood, and a claw hammer or a crowbar . Just go carefully and make sure it doesn't lift the finish. If you don't have a matching bolt you can usually use the bridge post, although it's best to protect it with a bit of thick cardboard or something.

I had to do one on a '71 Les Paul Custom recently, the owner was amused by the size of the crowbar . (Actually better with a really big one, it gives more control.)

Or just fit it under the Bigsby instead.

I made the inserts myself, there is no thread in them. I did consider trying to wind something in but I couldnt find anything the right diameter. I might run another to the bigsby, probably best idea actually as I can see how I could get a better angle there.

Kalimna

Apologies for the necro-bump, but as I am about to wire up my bass project (and this thread came up via Google!) I thought I'd ask. When you mention a high voltage cap as partial protection against shocks, ICBM, what value/type should this take? And where in the circuit should it be placed?

Many thanks,

Adam

axisus

Kalimna said:

Apologies for the necro-bump, but as I am about to wire up my bass project (and this thread came up via Google!) I thought I'd ask. When you mention a high voltage cap as partial protection against shocks, ICBM, what value/type should this take? And where in the circuit should it be placed?

Many thanks,

Adam

You want to put @ICBM to flag this up to him!

Kalimna

Ahaaa, so that's what the '@username' is for. Learn something new every day....

Cheers

Bridgehouse

Kalimna said:

Ahaaa, so that's what the '@username' is for. Learn something new every day....

Cheers

Yes, if you use @ username they will get a “x mentioned you in...” notification

ICBM

You called?



The value isn't very important - anything in the .01uF to .1uF range seems to work fine. The important thing is the voltage rating, which should be at least 250VAC or 400VDC (higher than the peak-to-peak voltage at 240VAC) and preferably a 'Class Y' safety capacitor, although that's really belt-and-braces.

You need to fit it in the connection to the string ground, which is the wire that goes to the tailpiece or tremolo claw - undo it at the control cavity end, connect the cap to it with some heatshrink over the joint, and the other end of the cap back to where the wire was.