Human Ground

  • Thread starter Thread starter gnarled
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gnarled

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I have an '83 telecaster with the bridge pickup swapped for a Rio Grande. My electronics are really really noisy. But, virtually all the hum and buzzing stops when I touch one of knobs, etc. I assume this means things aren't properly grounded inside my guitar, but I don't want to spring for a wiring overhaul at the moment.

Can anyone suggest a good way to temporarily ground the guitar while I'm recording? Thanks.
 
Yep...

Keep part of your hand touching the strings or bridge during the entire guitar part you are playing.
Then, if there are parts where you are not playing for longer than two seconds, edit out the noise by inserting silence during the pause.
I know you were looking for a technical answer on grounding your guitar, but you'd probably have to get different pick-ups and/or sacrifice your sound to get the typically-normal line-noise out.
Believe me, once you are playing, the noise isn't there.
Here's another thing to try....
When you have your guitar plugged in an in the record-mode, turn back and forth and all around. Chances are, you'll notice that you find a "quiet-spot" as you move around with the guitar. Sometimes, my partner and I have to play with our backs to our equipment.
It's just something you get used to.
 
Well, I think its pretty impractical to try and touch some metal on part of the guitar all the time (especially if you're finger picking). The noise is loud enough so you can hear it while playing too, and doesn't seem to be affected by moving around. I'm going to try and fix one end of a wire to some metal on my guitar and the other one to my arm or something and see if that works.
 
that should work. the metal to arm trick i mean. and it's a BIG hassle to try to touch metal all the time, wont work. you say you can hear the noise when you're plaing to... in that case you can bring your guitar in for repair cuz that's no grounding issue anymore... but then again, maybe you ment it differently.

greetz guhlenn;)
 
take off the pickup cover and look and see if the ground wire at the bridge is detached.It should connect all pots and run to the bridge.

Tom
 
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