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Where should my ground go for shielding cavities?

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by BassMan5k, Jul 23, 2013.

  1. Jul 23, 2013 #1
    BassMan5k

    BassMan5k

    Jan 5, 2013
    Hi, I just applied copper shielding to my pick-ups and control cavity and am confused where my grounds should go.

    It sounds like

    A) ground from bridge to pot
    B) ground from the copper shielding on the pick-ups to the copper shielding on the control cavity

    Does that sound right?
     
  2. Jul 23, 2013 #2
    DiabolusInMusic

    DiabolusInMusic Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism

    Dec 22, 2010
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
    You want to attach the ground to your copper shielding, I run my pickup surround and cavity shield grounds all to a common point in the control cavity. If it is a jazz bass do not forget to ground the bridge cavity as well. I like to take some copper foil and wrap it around to the edge of the pickup covers so I can solder to the outside, ensure your leads do not touch the shielding anywhere.

    Hope that helps, I hate hum personally so I try to remove as much of it as I can, even if it isn't on my bass.
     
  3. Jul 25, 2013 #3
    BassMan5k

    BassMan5k

    Jan 5, 2013
    Thanks! Also, I cracked up about the bit on hate buzzing.

    - ran grounds from neck and bridge pick-up cavities to the pot in the control cavity
    - taped down existing ground from the control cavity pot to the bridge with copper shielding tape
    - ran ground from control cavity pot to the copper shielding in the control cavity
    - copped shielded the control cavity plate to make 1 continuous shielded cavity.

    Holy [email protected]#$, after about 1.5 hours, and about $5 of copper shielding, my bass is quiet as a mouse. I think my bass was adding extra noise in the PA for my country band (especially with the sketchy power sources we've been using).

    BTW, I bought the WD tape (cheapest price with no shipping) and used about half the sheet to shield the pick up cavities and control cavity plate. The actual control cavity was already shielded, so 1 sheet could cover 2 basses if there was too much being used).

    http://www.amazon.com/WD-Copper-Shi...d=1374773939&sr=8-1&keywords=copper+shielding
     
  4. Jul 25, 2013 #4
    DiabolusInMusic

    DiabolusInMusic Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism

    Dec 22, 2010
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
    Glad to hear it is quiet now. I know you are enjoying it just a little bit more now!
     
  5. Jun 29, 2015 #5
    Jakub

    Jakub

    Apr 20, 2014
    Moszczenica, Piotrkow, Poland
    Hi all ! My friend applied the copper shielding in my StingRay cavity and it's much better but... it's still some buzz from electronics. When I touch the pots, bridge or cable plug or turn down a little bit my treble on onboard preamp (about a 1/2 turning down) it's quiet. Tweeter in my svt410hlf buzz as hell too, but when I turn it completely off and turn down some treble on bass the rig is quiet. What could be wrong ? any thoughts ? And how to ground my svt4pro DI output ? It's such a mess with this gear. :/
     
  6. Jun 29, 2015 #6
    line6man

    line6man

    Jun 20, 2008
    Close to Los Angeles, CA
    It makes absolutely no difference how/where you ground, just as long as everything that should be grounded, is grounded, with zero Ohms continuity. Don't overthink it.
     
  7. Jun 30, 2015 #7
    Sav'nBass

    Sav'nBass

    Jan 18, 2009
    Virginia Beach
    This is actually good advice period... When I redid my Heir my plan was to rfeplace the bridge as well and when I took off the old bridge I discovered that the ground connection was not very good.. what I wound up doing was putting a small strip of copper tape over that ground wire and then replacing the bridge.. it made a much better ground... The reason I even started to work on my Heir was because I had a hum that used to drive me nuts because it would come and go.. It could have been that bridge all along but by then I had the modding fever and had already bought the Delano stuff..