Some Grounding help

Splods · #1 12-25-2012, 03:34 AM

Hello everyone.

I am hoping someone can help me with an issue I am having.

I am working on the final building stages of my Orchid 6 string fretless (Inspired by Rick Toones beautiful Orchid basses), and I am having some issues with the grounding.

I haven't grounded it yet, so It is buzzy of course. I know that it is a case of grounding it to the bridge. Just one problem though; the bridge is too far away from the electronics cavity. The cavity is located in the upper horn.

My question is, how, and where should I ground my bass to?

The bass is active, and the ground wire is connected to the input jack earth spot.

Hopeful some of the electronics nuts here can help me.

Cheers.

Bruce Johnson · #2 12-25-2012, 01:34 PM

That's not really an electronics problem, it's a mechanical problem! You need to figure out a way to get a wire from the bridge to either the control cavity, or to the output jack. Whichever is closer or easier. The usual way is to carefully drill a hole diagonally through the body, using a long small drill bit. A 3/16" x 12" bit is great for those wiring holes.

Without seeing your bass, you probably want to start the bit in the side wall of the output jack cavity and aim it so that it breaks through the surface of the body right under the center of the bridge.

ACNick · #3 12-25-2012, 04:06 PM

Drill from the bridge to the pickup cavity. There is a hole connecting the control cavity to the pickup cavity, right? So you could easily run a longer grounding wire from the bridge through the pickup cavity into the control cavity. I think. That seems like the simplest solution, without seeing your bass.

Splods · #4 12-25-2012, 06:37 PM

I was afraid you guys would say that.

Time to find a million miles of wire then.

uOpt · #5 12-25-2012, 07:32 PM

An alternative to grounding the strings is full shielding of the electronics cavity (plus using all shielded wire outside the cavity of course).

The only reason why some moron had the idea to ground the strings is that they were too cheap to properly shield the guitar. So they abuse your belly as a shield by grounding you via the strings. IMHO this is life-threatening nonsense anyway but it is what people are used to.

Anyway, once you shield inside the guitar you don't need to play outside shield anymore and the grounded bridge is not necessary.