I'm tired of my 72 Pbass electrocuting me all the time. I've recieved several very minor burns on the inside of my right arm lately. Feels alot like a small bee sting but its starting to get annoying. Any ideas on what could be causing it?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Capital Punishment P Bass
- Thread starter TJBass
- Start date
Right!
You are in danger. It's not your guitar/bass that's causing this, it's either a fault in your amp sending live voltage up your guitar lead or a problem with the wiring in your house - voltage through the ground circuit - or both.
I'd have both checked by a professional. Seriously.
Try putting one of those ground-leak breakers between the wall socket & the amp and see if it drops.
Someone I knew (Leslie Harvey - Stone the Crows) was electrocuted to death on-stage.
You are in danger. It's not your guitar/bass that's causing this, it's either a fault in your amp sending live voltage up your guitar lead or a problem with the wiring in your house - voltage through the ground circuit - or both.
I'd have both checked by a professional. Seriously.
Try putting one of those ground-leak breakers between the wall socket & the amp and see if it drops.
Someone I knew (Leslie Harvey - Stone the Crows) was electrocuted to death on-stage.
also have the power checked where you are plugged in...
chances are there are some serious issues there, as well.
Look this is serious! This stuff can KILL.
So have it checked out by a competent, licensed electrician.
chances are there are some serious issues there, as well.
Look this is serious! This stuff can KILL.
So have it checked out by a competent, licensed electrician.
:scowl: Bahahaa! How long did it take you to stop plugging it in?
Perhaps Pavlov was wrong?!?!
Ow! Quit it. Ow! Quit it. Ow! Quit it...........
Perhaps Pavlov was wrong?!?!
Ow! Quit it. Ow! Quit it. Ow! Quit it...........
:scowl: Bahahaa! How long did it take you to stop plugging it in?
Perhaps Pavlov was wrong?!?!
Ow! Quit it. Ow! Quit it. Ow! Quit it...........
hahaha....now thats funny!
If I plug my Schecter in this doesn't happen....same amp, same plug, same house.
Are you guys sure this isn't a grounding issue with the bass?
I'd hate to have to move just to play bass
If I plug my Schecter in this doesn't happen....same amp, same plug, same house.
Are you guys sure this isn't a grounding issue with the bass?
I'd hate to have to move just to play bass
Yes. Your Schecter must be wired slightly differently so that your potentially lethal malfunctioning amp and/or home wiring can't shock you. But there's no way to miswire a bass to shock you.
EDIT: I wouldn't plug in again until you get your amp and wiring checked out and fixed.
Your Schecter is an active bass, and since it is internally grounded, there is no string ground. Hence, no way to shock you.hahaha....now thats funny!
If I plug my Schecter in this doesn't happen....same amp, same plug, same house.
Are you guys sure this isn't a grounding issue with the bass?
I'd hate to have to move just to play bass
Check your amp, first and foremost. If you want some protection (not complete protection, mind you) for next time (because this stuff will kill you), you can add this simple mod:
Link Removed
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
- 252
- 68
- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
Not all active basses lack string grounding, but if they have EMG's they usually don't have the strings grounded.
Check to see if your amp has a ground switch. On some amps the power switche has two ons. Also if you amp has a three pin power plug, make sure you have it plugged into a grounded outlet. If you are using one of those adaptors, ground the little lug coming out to the screw on the outlet plate. You should also check the outlet itself, as many are wires improperly... with the hot and common reversed, and the ground not connected.
You can wire a large value/high voltage cap between your bridge's ground wire and ground. That will block DC current. I have a schematic for that somewhere... I'll post it when I find it.
I once measured almost 90 volts between my bass' strings and a microphone! So take heed, this is not a matter to ignore. I've been playing around 40 years, and have had a few bad shocks in my time. Luckily nothing serious. Now I carry around a neon bulb outlet tester. I touch it between my strings and the mic. If it lights up I know I have to fix some grounding issues.
HAS Sound sells a "Zap Trap Safety Circuit" that protects you from shocks. It's probably a large cap and maybe a resistor. It's cheap and worth checking out.
Check to see if your amp has a ground switch. On some amps the power switche has two ons. Also if you amp has a three pin power plug, make sure you have it plugged into a grounded outlet. If you are using one of those adaptors, ground the little lug coming out to the screw on the outlet plate. You should also check the outlet itself, as many are wires improperly... with the hot and common reversed, and the ground not connected.
You can wire a large value/high voltage cap between your bridge's ground wire and ground. That will block DC current. I have a schematic for that somewhere... I'll post it when I find it.
I once measured almost 90 volts between my bass' strings and a microphone! So take heed, this is not a matter to ignore. I've been playing around 40 years, and have had a few bad shocks in my time. Luckily nothing serious. Now I carry around a neon bulb outlet tester. I touch it between my strings and the mic. If it lights up I know I have to fix some grounding issues.
HAS Sound sells a "Zap Trap Safety Circuit" that protects you from shocks. It's probably a large cap and maybe a resistor. It's cheap and worth checking out.
I've been having a similar problem at my house. I've been playing in a basement with a concrete floor, and unless I'm wearing shoes, I getting a minor shock touching my bass strings. This happens if I touch metal cable connectors going threw my computer in the basement also. Is this normal with a concrete floor, or is something seriously wrong with the power. It's really only a very minor shock, more like a tingling sensation.
well I am doubting the wiring in the house, its an older house and the light bulbs outside always go out long before they should. And some of the outlets the plugs dont want to stay in.
However......
I took both my basses to a few friends houses and plugged in to their amps, one house is less than a year old and he has no problems with his pbass through an older ampeg combo as well as a carvin stack. The Pbass did the same thing to me through both amps at his house as well as the other guys house through a crate combo....I'm telling ya guys...the bass is trying to kill me! I just wonder why its doing this, I can see if it was just at my house and my amp....hmmm
However......
I took both my basses to a few friends houses and plugged in to their amps, one house is less than a year old and he has no problems with his pbass through an older ampeg combo as well as a carvin stack. The Pbass did the same thing to me through both amps at his house as well as the other guys house through a crate combo....I'm telling ya guys...the bass is trying to kill me! I just wonder why its doing this, I can see if it was just at my house and my amp....hmmm
Careful. I believe it was Paul Samwell Smith (or someone else from the Yardbirds) who got electrocuted by his guitar.
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
- 252
- 68
- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
Also the bass player from the Pretenders died as a result of a bad sock he got on stage.
I want to make sure this active bass is safe to play...how can I chek the voltage at the strings to make sure I am not grounding myself out....
If your getting shocks from one bass, then you don't wanna be taking any risks, even if it is wired very differently. I can only assume, but the kinda currents that have caused people to be fatally wounded in the past I'd imagine could easily bypass any sort of grounding your bass has, and go straight through you.
It's really not something you should be trying to find a way round, or even find a short term solution to, just seriously DON'T use that amp until it's been checked over.
It's really not something you should be trying to find a way round, or even find a short term solution to, just seriously DON'T use that amp until it's been checked over.
