Wiring Ground Hole Missing

[Lou Bottini]

I have a custom Pbass body with no ground wire hole drilled from the bridge to the control cavity. I am nervous about drilling holes in a body that has already been finished by Pat Wilkins. Will shielding the cavity with copper tape provide an acceptable ground for the electrics? Is there another reason to run a ground wire to the bridge?

 

[Stumbo]

I have a custom Pbass body with no ground wire hole drilled from the bridge to the control cavity. I am nervous about drilling holes in a body that has already been finished by Pat Wilkins. Will shielding the cavity with copper tape provide an acceptable ground for the electrics? Is there another reason to run a ground wire to the bridge?

Pics!

 

[Lou Bottini]

There is no hole drilled from the cavity to under bridge. Will copper shielding do the trick?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I have a custom Pbass body with no ground wire hole drilled from the bridge to the control cavity. I am nervous about drilling holes in a body that has already been finished by Pat Wilkins. Will shielding the cavity with copper tape provide an acceptable ground for the electrics? Is there another reason to run a ground wire to the bridge?

While shielding and grounding are two related subjects and they work together, they are not really the same thing.
Shielding in the cavity will provide for some noise rejection to the electronics in the cavity. But to ground the bridge, it must have a physical ground conductor attached to it that goes to the bass grounding point, which is common to the sleeve connector on the Jack.

 

[Lou Bottini]

OK. So I should do both? I still need to drill a hole from the bridge into the cavity. What sized drill bit is recommended for this? I guess it needs to be quite long to make the shallow angle work. I'm nervous about attempting this with finish on the bass already.
Thanks for the input guys.

 

[FunkHead]

Most important is the ground to the bridge. It would be cool looking too. But I believe you'd need the Copper base under the pickups. Or else just run a wire to the copper strip going to the bridge.

 

[ddnidd1]

OK. So I should do both? I still need to drill a hole from the bridge into the cavity. What sized drill bit is recommended for this? I guess it needs to be quite long to make the shallow angle work. I'm nervous about attempting this with finish on the bass already.
Thanks for the input guys.

You'll want an aircraft drill bit. I would guess about 12" in length and the diameter large enough to poke the wire through.

 

[Lou Bottini]

Hey, thats an idea. My '62 Fullerton Jazz has that. So run a wire from the copper strip under the pickups and to the control plate?

 

[FunkHead]

Hey, thats an idea. My '62 Fullerton Jazz has that. So run a wire from the copper strip under the pickups and to the control plate?

That would do it. As long as there's a grounding plate under the Pup. Otherwise you can grab ground from one of the Pots.

 

[HaMMerHeD]

Dunno what kind of electronics you're using, but fyi, EMG recommends against bridge grounding for their active pickups.

 

[Lou Bottini]

Passive. Duncan Antiquity P pickup.

 

[WardEarth]

I think you can find a long 1/4" drill bit at Home Depot.

 

[Stumbo]

I think you can find a long 1/4" drill bit at Home Depot.

I picked up an 18" bit when we were doing some electrical work.

 

[Maryvillebass]

I highly recommend not drilling that hole yourself... starting the hole on the right angle is soooooo key. If you get just a little deep you will be out the back of the bass... little shallow and you will raise the finish next to the bass. Plus, if you start the hole on the wrong angle, there is no way to change it, gotta start a new hole.

 

[b3e]

Oh yeah, you have to be super careful, go shallower than you think, or better, use some template with the right angle. That cavity is small and far away from the bridge on a P. I though I was goin flat enough and missed the cavity by a centimeter. Twice. On one body.

 

[jag-atk]

i had a P bass body with no hole for bridge ground, installed an EMG P and i am very happy about it.

 

[Smoove-Groove]

I think you can find a long 1/4" drill bit at Home Depot.

I think 1/4" would be a bit overkill for a ground wire.

 

[bolophonic]

Even an experienced tool-worker (me) had no problem drilling the wrong angle and poking the drill out the back of a bass body. Be careful.

 

[Slevage]

Use a drill with a diameter less than 1/4”.
Put tape on the drill about 4” up the shaft,
You can remove and replace the tape as necessary.
When you get close to breaking through,don’t aggressively push— sometimes it helps to run your drill in reverse fo the last 1/4 inch or so when drilling soft material. This helps to have a clean “break through”.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Also, when drilling, be careful not to hit a mojo pocket.
If you do, you'll never be able to love that bass again.
I know this from personal experience.