grounding to a painted bridge

[cataract]

I replaced the stock chrome bridge on my old Squier bass with a black bridge of the same type..

However, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to ground the pickups to the strings.

Running the wire to the bridge (through the pre-drilled hole underneath) will obviously do nothing now.
Or am I wrong? Any creative suggestions on what to do here?

I was thinking of running conductive tape under and over the back of the bridge to where the strings feed through, but maybe there's a better way..

[fhm555]

If the bridge painted or plated?

If it's plated there should be no problem.

If it's painted, scrape some of the paint off so the wire can touch metal.

[cataract]

I'm not sure if it's painted or plated.
Here's a link..
Maybe you could tell me?

[john grey]

The hole running from your control cut-out area (routed section where your pots are) should have a lead ground that had made contact with the original bridge. The lead should make clean contact with the new bridge.
IF you need to; un-string your Bass and carefully remove your new bridge and find that lead-wire. Generally it simply is a press-fit contact with the bridge.
Locate the wire and with a small bit of sand paper make a clean contact surface on the UNDER-SIDE of your new bridge. Take a small piece of tape & carefully tape the lead on the the clean contact surface. Carefully replace the bridge into position and (making sure the wire is still in contact) screw back the bridge into position and re-string your Bass.

That is a blacked steel usually preformed with a copper sulfate / or similar gun-blue solution. Although it will conduct (or should, cleaning a small area underneath the bridge is no big deal). Tape the lead into position so that you get a good pressure fit and replace.

[lethargytartare]

If you have a multimeter, just test for continuity between the strings and the bridge. You can also just try scraping a spot on the underside of the bridge where the string will make contact -- it's not an expensive bridge, so you're not going to harm its value.

[cataract]

I'm aware of how to connect the lead to the bridge, I'm just unsure of whether or not the bridge needs to be exposed to bare metal underneath, or if I need to get a direct connection to the strings (the saddles and saddle screws are also black, of course..)

thanks for all of your replies thus far.

[john grey]

It will conduct via the string contact: you'll have no problems.

[scottbass]

Just scrape or sand the plating off the underside of the bridge where it makes contact with the ground wire.

[cataract]

Cool. I'll be installing the guts of an American Special P into this thing once they arrive.
I'm quite excited. Thanks for all of your help!

[lethargytartare]

Originally Posted by cataract

I'm aware of how to connect the lead to the bridge, I'm just unsure of whether or not the bridge needs to be exposed to bare metal underneath, or if I need to get a direct connection to the strings (the saddles and saddle screws are also black, of course..)

Originally Posted by lethargytartare

If you have a multimeter, just test for continuity between the strings and the bridge.

That's how you tell unambiguously whether you'll be grounded properly.

Originally Posted by lethargytartare

You can also just try scraping a spot on the underside of the bridge where the string will make contact

...to determine if it's painted or plated.

[darkstorm]

For every black bridge Ive put on I take the flathead end of screwdriver and scrape off a good amount of the black where ground wire is gonna be. Works great, just takes a minute or so to scrape back of bridge in that area with flathead screwdriver tip.

[cataract]

Replaced the stock pickups in my very first bass tonight, the ground wire works fine with the black bridge after all.. thanks for all of your advice. I love this site!