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Help! Amp (not bass) shocks me, literally...

F

Flatty Banks

Oct 26, 2008
1,314
44
Arizona
#1
I don't know if it's a first, but I'm really hoping for a solid answer.

So, I was in the studio today, recording my new reggae ep, and I'm sitting there. I have my bass in my lap as if I were playing it, and my forearm is sitting across the bridge. Suddenly, my bass shocks me. I yelped.

Never in my six years of owning my '82 Bullet Deluxe has this ever happened. I thought it may of been a kink, so I place my forearm diligently on the strings again. Bam! Shock. I yelp, by then my band's on the floor laughing.

Solutions? This only happens on my 1982 Fender Bullet Deluxe when it's plugged into the amp. My arm's burned slightly, it's growing a blister.

I love this bass, help!


EDIT 2: Problem solved. Thanks for your care and support for my wellbeing, that's new for an internet forum. I had my second degree burn looked at, creams given, and I'm happy. After a headache, I got my Bullet back together. Plugging the amp into a different outlet stopped the shocks and flow of electricity.
 
#4
You are somehow touching ground, so when you touch the strings of the bass (which are themselves connected to the ground wire which then goes to your amp which is not grounded [floating]) the amp tries to ground itself through you. Ground the amp, remove the grounding on the strings, or wear rubber shoes and don't touch anything that will turn you into ground.
 
#8
Well has the bass taken a spill or been moved around a little more harshly because a ground in the bass could have fallen off.

Make sure that all the grounds are in place, and that the amp is grounded (isn't that the 3rd prong on the outlet?)
good luck
 
#9
danomite64 said:
Only if you're replacing everything. Greenshift up in Tampa would give you a fair price; hell, I could look it over for free if you feel like driving up to Tampa.
Click to expand...

Hmm, it's only an hour away. How much would you guys charge to replace the thirty-year old pickups with something better, too? Same day?

I'm also baffled, it randomly shocks as well, like there's a loose wire falling around.
 
#11
Armbruster said:
I don't know if it's a first, but I'm really hoping for a solid answer.

So, I was in the studio today, recording my new reggae ep, and I'm sitting there. I have my bass in my lap as if I were playing it, and my forearm is sitting across the bridge. Suddenly, my bass shocks me. I yelped.

Never in my six years of owning my '82 Bullet Deluxe has this ever happened. I thought it may of been a kink, so I place my forearm diligently on the strings again. Bam! Shock. I yelp, by then my band's on the floor laughing.

Solutions? This only happens on my 1982 Fender Bullet Deluxe when it's plugged into the amp. My arm's burned slightly, it's growing a blister.

I love this bass, help!
Click to expand...

:eek: GET THIS FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!!!​

Whatever your bass is plugged into is not properly grounded, or the AC outlets in your studio are incorrectly wired. (You can find an outlet tester similar to this one at many hardware stores.)

If the AC outlets in your studio prove to be properly wired, then take your amp to a qualified tech before you wind up like Gary Thain did!

Nearly all electric basses/guitars have grounded strings in order to use the player's body as shield against electromagnetic interference--a dubious scheme which has contributed to the electrocution of a number of musicians over the decades, including Mr. Thain (Uriah Heep) who was one of the finest bass players ever recorded.
 
#12
MIJ-VI said:
:eek: GET THIS FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!!!​

Whatever your bass is plugged into is not properly grounded, or the AC outlets in your studio are incorrectly wired. (You can find an outlet tester similar to this one at many hardware stores.)

If the AC outlets in your studio prove to be properly wired, then take your amp to a qualified tech before you wind up like Gary Thain did!

Nearly all electric basses/guitars have grounded strings in order to use the player's body as shield against electromagnetic interference--a dubious scheme which has contributed to the electrocution of a number of musicians over the decades, including Mr. Thain (Uriah Heep) who was one of the finest bass players ever recorded.
Click to expand...

Thank you. So much. I think it may be fixed, I changed the outlet and it went away. But then again, it might come back, as in the previous outlet, it would come and go every, like, 10 minutes. I'll post here and complain if it does.

I ripped open my Bullet Bass thinking it was the bass, and the pickups just *feel apart*, I mean really, now I HAVE to get new pickups. Haha. I put all the screws in a plastic baggie and it's sitting on the kitchen counter. Might have to hit up Greenshift in Tampa later this week.

I think I'm going to stop by the clinic or Hospital for my burn. It's blistering and it's bleeding a bit, and I have no medical supplies here; it's gone untreated for around 9 hours. I have it rapped up, need some advice here. It's not that painful, but it looks like a... burn, very red, and a large blister (of which I popped). It's probably not that big of a deal.
 
#13
Armbruster said:
Thank you. So much. I think it may be fixed, I changed the outlet and it went away. But then again, it might come back, as in the previous outlet, it would come and go every, like, 10 minutes. I'll post here and complain if it does.

I ripped open my Bullet Bass thinking it was the bass, and the pickups just *feel apart*, I mean really, now I HAVE to get new pickups. Haha. I put all the screws in a plastic baggie and it's sitting on the kitchen counter. Might have to hit up Greenshift in Tampa later this week.

I think I'm going to stop by the clinic or Hospital for my burn. It's blistering and it's bleeding a bit, and I have no medical supplies here; it's gone untreated for around 9 hours. I have it rapped up, need some advice here. It's not that painful, but it looks like a... burn, very red, and a large blister (of which I popped). It's probably not that big of a deal.
Click to expand...

It IS a big deal. DON'T toy with your life and health!

Get your electricity problem, and your injury properly seen to!
 
#16
Armbruster said:
I ripped open my Bullet Bass thinking it was the bass, and the pickups just *feel apart*, I mean really, now I HAVE to get new pickups. Haha. I put all the screws in a plastic baggie and it's sitting on the kitchen counter. Might have to hit up Greenshift in Tampa later this week.
Click to expand...

Okay, there are a few options for a replacement Bullet pickup.

Seymour Duncan: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Seymour-Dun...03QQptZGuitarQ5fAccessoriesQQsalenotsupported

Fender: http://cgi.ebay.com/GENUINE-FENDER-...temZ270366890871QQptZGuitarQQsalenotsupported

And Aero: http://cgi.ebay.com/Aero-Mustang-Pi...48QQptZGuitarQ5fAccessoriesQQsalenotsupported

As for your amp, is it still under warranty?
 
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#18
danomite64 said:
Okay, there are a few options for a replacement Bullet pickup.

Seymour Duncan: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Seymour-Dun...03QQptZGuitarQ5fAccessoriesQQsalenotsupported

Fender: http://cgi.ebay.com/GENUINE-FENDER-...temZ270366890871QQptZGuitarQQsalenotsupported

And Aero: http://cgi.ebay.com/Aero-Mustang-Pi...48QQptZGuitarQ5fAccessoriesQQsalenotsupported

As for your amp, is it still under warranty?
Click to expand...

I edited the first post. My amp's fine, my arm is recovering, and I got my Bullet back together. I'd still like to replace the pickups. If I were to buy one of those, how much would it cost for the install with you guys?
 
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#19
Armbruster said:
I edited the first post. My amp's fine, my arm is recovering, and I got my Bullet back together. I'd still like to replace the pickups. If I were to buy one of those, how much would it cost for the install with you guys?
Click to expand...

Hi Armbruster.

Please get the AC outlets in your studio tested and repaired BEFORE you bother with the f**king bass pickup!

Thank you.

John
 
#20
Armbruster said:
How can I check if all this is fixed? It's extremely random when it shocks me.

If God had a sense of humor, he's going to strike my car with lightning on the way to the local hospital tonight.
Click to expand...

Send the amp away. Its likely a ripped out prong or a loose grounding nut or something on the chassis, so not a big deal... that said you shouldn't go near the thing... especially with (sorry, this is a pretty dangerous situation) an apparent lack of understanding of grounding (Gods sense of humor wouldn't be funny in that case, since the car acts as a Faraday cage and the energy does not travel through it to ground since the tires are rubber.. you would be fine).

edit- just read you found out it was a bad outlet, good thing!!
 

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