P Bass/LaBella Tapes/ground fail...cure?

[Chef]

1972 P bass, fretless, stock, had it since 1974-ish.
Been a while since i played it, but I don't remember it having a grounding problem....
It has LaBella nylon tapes on it, and unless I'm touching the bridge, knobs, or tuners....massive ground him.

How do I fix that, and keep the strings?

I'm surely a moron about this, I'm bet it's something obvious and simple., right..........?

two notes:
my 1972 telecaser (dark star'd) with same strings doesn't do this.
running a test wire from the bridge, to knobs, tuners, jack...same thing

 

[Silens]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/nylon-tape-grounding-864992/

This thread might help.

 

[Chef]

read it
I do have copper shielding tape, and can to that

touching ball ends of the strings does stop the hum, just like touching bridge, knobs, tuners.

 

[bumperbass]

Try putting a small washer where the ball ends hit the bridge. Better ball-end to bridge contact. You'll have to remove the strings, obviously.

 

[Chef]

I could do that whilst I shield I reckon.

 

[bumperbass]

Here's mine. What it doesn't show is a small (1/4") strip of copper foil to the PG screw holes, and the corresponding strips for the underside of the PG, which also went to the screws holes.
Notice all the solder dabs where the foil overlaps.
Make sure you put enough foil so that you get a slight overlap over the top of the cavity. That will mate with the foil on the PG to sort of give you an 'enclosure'.
I'm not trying to be an obnoxious know-it-all.
Just my $ .02 to a generous forum member.

I hope you're not doing this JUST to solve your problem. If the hum stops when you touch the bridge, then obviously the bridge is grounded. Shielding is a really neat DIY project that is very rewarding.

 

[Chef]

Thanks, and I certainly didn't take it that way....