Bridge Ground Observation

[MrBassman17]

This just occurred to me, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I have never seen a ground wire on the Gibson-style 3 point bridge, but there is on the flat plate Fender-style.

Why is that?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

The ground wire is usually connected to one of the bridge bushings in the body.

 

[bholder]

The ground wire on a Gibson 3-point bridge is usually buried under the post closest to the control cavity. Edit: "bushing", yeah, that's the word I was looking for...

 

[MrBassman17]

I knew it had to be grounded, just never looked. I'll have to open the cavity on my EB3 and check! Thanks!

 

[MrBassman17]

Here's another one - why aren't acoustic bass bridges grounded? I know grounding to wood would be worthless, but solid body basses are grounded, why not hollow bodies?

 

[Slater]

Here's another one - why aren't acoustic bass bridges grounded? I know grounding to wood would be worthless, but solid body basses are grounded, why not hollow bodies?

The electronics on an acoustic instrument are a “closed system” similar to EMG electronics, which also do not require a bridge ground.

 

[40Hz]

Here's another one - why aren't acoustic bass bridges grounded? I know grounding to wood would be worthless, but solid body basses are grounded, why not hollow bodies?

No bridge is grounded directly to the body. There’s always a wire or other electrical signal path that ultimately ties to the signal ground - which is the ground lug on the output jack.

If the guitar is not using magnetic pickups (i.e. they’re piezo pickups) like most “acoustic” guitars have, the strings gain no benefit by being grounded. Piezos have the added benefit of not needing magnetic strings to work. A piezo can also read nylon or bronze strings.

 

[MrBassman17]

No bridge is grounded directly to the body. There’s always a wire or other electrical signal path that ultimately ties to the signal ground - which is the ground lug on the output jack.

If the guitar is not using magnetic pickups (i.e. they’re piezo pickups) like most “acoustic” guitars have, the strings gain no benefit by being grounded. Piezos have the added benefit of not needing magnetic strings to work. A piezo can also read nylon or bronze strings.

Didn't think of that - thanks!

 

[walterw]

Here's another one - why aren't acoustic bass bridges grounded?

some are!

taylor acoustics use a grounded metal plate under the wooden bridge that the string ball ends rest on.

typically it isn't necessary as piezos don't pick up hum through the air like coils do unless they're damaged.