whitebison66
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If I use active accessories like the EMG SPC or the Chandler Tone-X (in both cases with passive pickups), do I need to keep the string ground? Like everything else on the Internet, I''ve seen both answers.
Batteries and string grounds...
- Thread starter whitebison66
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I've been doing some experimenting with grounds on my guitar. I don't have active components & therefore no battery. But I was picking up a lot of noise when I released the strings & didn't understand why this was happening. I was "shocked" to discover that the strings were connected to "earth" (the building's electrical ground). So when I was playing I was "earthed". After reading varying opinions regarding the grounds I decided to do some experiments on my own. I'm not sure I have any significant revalations.
With active pickups you shouldn't need a string ground. The electronics in the pickup are designed to filter out noise (aka hum). Adding/keeping the ground won't cause any signal degredation, it just provides a direct path between you (the player) and the building's electrical wiring. This could be OK, it could be deadly.
If you play at various venues and you have no idea what the integrity of the electrical wiring is I would REMOVE the string ground since you are using active pickups. You will be MUCH safer. If you always play in the same locations and you're sure the electrical wiring is sound you can keep or remove the ground, it shouldn't make any difference to your sound or your safety.
Good Luck
With active pickups you shouldn't need a string ground. The electronics in the pickup are designed to filter out noise (aka hum). Adding/keeping the ground won't cause any signal degredation, it just provides a direct path between you (the player) and the building's electrical wiring. This could be OK, it could be deadly.
If you play at various venues and you have no idea what the integrity of the electrical wiring is I would REMOVE the string ground since you are using active pickups. You will be MUCH safer. If you always play in the same locations and you're sure the electrical wiring is sound you can keep or remove the ground, it shouldn't make any difference to your sound or your safety.
Good Luck
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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When using the EMG accessories on passive systems, the ground attached to the spring claw or bridge is left attached. Only when using the EMG active pickups is it not necessary.
On StewMac's FAQs about guitar wiring it states, "A cable plugged into a guitar amp will not shock you—unless there is a severe grounding problem with the amp!"
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Electronics/Misc/i-4000/i-4000_2.html
On it's face I would agree with this, but it doesn't explain how one gets shocked at some venues while not shocked at other venues using the same equipment. It is because of improperly wired recepatacles. It could be as simple as not having a ground on one piece of equipment then touching another that does, or a hot/neutral reverse on one receptacle if using more than one.
On StewMac's FAQs about guitar wiring it states, "A cable plugged into a guitar amp will not shock you—unless there is a severe grounding problem with the amp!"
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Electronics/Misc/i-4000/i-4000_2.html
On it's face I would agree with this, but it doesn't explain how one gets shocked at some venues while not shocked at other venues using the same equipment. It is because of improperly wired recepatacles. It could be as simple as not having a ground on one piece of equipment then touching another that does, or a hot/neutral reverse on one receptacle if using more than one.
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom said:
One problem with the string ground is that faulty wiring in the building can lead to AC on the ground. The 1st time I discovered this I was shocked. The other problem is that high voltage believes that the shortest path to ground is always through the lead guitarist. If the strings are floating high voltage has to find another path. The more amplified instruments & mics you deal with the more potential for stray voltages looking for a quick path to ground. Mics are notorious for floating grounds. No matter where they come from they generally find the lead guitarist first. :evil4:
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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Not Clapton, Beck, or Page, but one of the Yardbirds' guitarists was electrocuted that way.
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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I keep one of those in my bag of tricks, but it doesn't fix anything. It just tells you what is wrong. The club owner doesn't care because the last band played just fine the way it was.
W
Watershed
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I wired some passive pickups with an EMG PA2 a while back.
I did some basic internet searches and came up with no conclusive answer as to the ground.
So, I resorted to the tried and true "try it and see what happens" method.
Here's what I found:
It buzzed a lot with no ground.
In my case the ground was necessary.
I did some basic internet searches and came up with no conclusive answer as to the ground.
So, I resorted to the tried and true "try it and see what happens" method.
Here's what I found:
It buzzed a lot with no ground.
In my case the ground was necessary.
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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EMG pickups don't have to have a string ground, end of story. If EMG accessories are not going to EMG pickups, proceed as normal (with a string ground).
What an emotionally loaded reply! :laughing3:
I'm just trying to be nice with my soft delivery.
Lets refer to the original question, shall we?
Guy is not using EMG pickups anyway, so I'm not sure where the venom is coming from, or even why they were brought up at all....Guy is asking about active accessories and passive pups, NOT anything about EMG pups, so again...not sure where this tone comes from.
Besides, you already said,
"When using the EMG accessories on passive systems, the ground attached to the spring claw or bridge is left attached"
I'm getting a chili dog...wanna come?
I'm just trying to be nice with my soft delivery.
Lets refer to the original question, shall we?
Guy is not using EMG pickups anyway, so I'm not sure where the venom is coming from, or even why they were brought up at all....Guy is asking about active accessories and passive pups, NOT anything about EMG pups, so again...not sure where this tone comes from.
Besides, you already said,
"When using the EMG accessories on passive systems, the ground attached to the spring claw or bridge is left attached"
I'm getting a chili dog...wanna come?
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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Sorry. I re-read my post, and I didn't see or mean anything moody. If it was taken that way, I apologize.
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
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I would've given my chili dog to you anyway. Not too appetizing, IMO. Anywho, the "end of story" was added to clear up any confusion. The confusion comes because the EMG pickups do have a ground, the ground coming from the cable. They just don't have that connected to the strings. If using any of the EMG accessories with EMG pickups, still no string ground. If using passive pickups, where a ground wire to strings is recommended, with EMG accessories, you still use the string ground like normal. One more point of confusion, a string ground does not create a ground, it allows a path for the strings to the ground coming from the cable. If grounding to the bridge, or to pots, or to control plates, or to shielding, or to the jack, they are not separate grounds. They are all connected. Ground is ground. If they are all connected though, avoid parallel or redundant paths to ground as they can cause ground loops. That's why a "star ground," usually on one of the pots, is necessary.
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