Tips for Telecaster Bridge Grounding?

[Chris of Arabia]

I've been looking for any info on grounding out the bridge on my Telecaster. Is it necessary firstly? If so, what's the best way to attach the wire?

It's one of the standard Wilkinson 3-saddle bridges and it has a Kinman Broadcaster 'single-coil' fitted in it.

 

[nathan a]

I've been looking for any info on grounding out the bridge on my Telecaster. Is it necessary firstly? If so, what's the best way to attach the wire?

It's one of the standard Wilkinson 3-saddle bridges and it has a Kinman Broadcaster 'single-coil' fitted in it.

Can't help you on the ground situation, BUT, how do you like the Kinman Broadcaster? I'm set on using those, except they're so expensive. But the website's sound clips are FIERCE. Worth it?

 

[Chris of Arabia]

If I ever get this thing wired up, I'll let you know. Busy trying to get an eBay S-1 set wired to a Fender 4-way switch mod, wired to a SD 'Seymourised' Mini, with the Kinman at the bridge - eyesight shot to hell and having a pig of a job identifying the right capacitors to use. Other than that, it's going great...  :doh:

 

[ibob74]

I discovered that with mine, the bridge pickup (being grounded) grounds the bridge.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Doh! Heads off to dig out the meter...

 

[Chris of Arabia]

So it does. Cheers all  :icon_biggrin:

 

[jackthehack]

I always ground the bridge itself as well. Just run a wire through the route for the pickup wires. Strip an inch or so off the bridge end and bend it over the edge of the PU route under where the bridge rests. If you have a heavy lacquer finish on the bridge or the finish is non-conductive you might want to abrade a spot where it is going to rest under the wire.

If you don't want to go that route, use a longer PU screw and use a nut at the bottom to secure the bridge end of the wire, this assumes that the bridge is conductive enough to provide a ground from the contact of the PU screw through the mounting hole.

The bridge PU ground won't necessarily always work to ground the bridge. If you assemble it all together but get a "hum" unless you are touching the strings/bridge/etc. you need to go back and ground it as above.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Thanks Jack. That was exactly the sort of info I was looking for. Will probably be working on this tonight when I get home from work.