String Ground

[marksound]

I'm still working on the solidbody acoustic electric thing, and I'm trying to figure out a good way to run a ground. I'm using bridge pins instead of a string through, so grounding to a ferrule is out.

Any ideas?

[GuitarGuy]

I'm still working on the solidbody acoustic electric thing, and I'm trying to figure out a good way to run a ground. I'm using bridge pins instead of a string through, so grounding to a ferrule is out.

Any ideas?

←

What about my fav....stained glass copper tape? You can get 1/4 inch or smaller than push a piece up th hole and when the string is pushed in it will be forced against it. Just a thought.

Edit: Just thought tho you may have probs when changing strings.

Edited June 20, 2005 by GuitarGuy

[thedoctor]

You know, putting a brass or steel plate under the bridge pin underbody is a good thing for two reasons. You get a good bite with the ball-ends of the strings that doesn't wear out and you got a place to ground. The accoustic purist would hate this because it adds mass to the belly of the guitar under the bridge but, hey, you are trying to ground it for a pickup. Your call.

[marksound]

You know, putting a brass or steel plate under the bridge pin underbody is a good thing for two reasons. You get a good bite with the ball-ends of the strings that doesn't wear out and you got a place to ground. The accoustic purist would hate this because it adds mass to the belly of the guitar under the bridge but, hey, you are trying to ground it for a pickup. Your call.

←

I've thought about that, and it is a solidbody after all ...

[unclej]

hey ms..i'm curious about something..if it's a solid body how are you going to make room for the ball ends so that they're not directly under the end of the endpins?

oh yeah, and what type of saddle are you using? you might think about a piece of brass if you're using an acoustic type bridge. you could ground directly to it.

[Mr Alex]

are you using an undersaddle pickup, cos if you are, I was told you dont need to ground the strings.

[frank falbo]

You could make a custom saddle out of a bone/brass/bone laminate, that looks neat. A piezo is wrapped in shielding, so possibly contact alone would ground the saddle, too. I do like the idea of a thin piece of metal laminated to the bridgeplate. Also, if you used a brass nut, you could consider that a grounding vehicle. I made one guitar where I think I grounded one string by contact and then the brass nut did the rest. Also a string retainer bar would bridge the strings, too. You could use the brass nut all by itself, if you ran a little wire inside the truss rod channel or next to it. Then, put a terminal at the end of the neck that you can solder to.

[lovekraft]

Mr. Alex makes a good point - if you're using only piezo pickups, the need for shielding is minimal (and usually built in to the sensor), and string grounding is pretty much optional.

[monkey69962000]

What is a solid body acoustic. Is it like one of those like stratocustics or telecustic?

[marksound]

hey ms..i'm curious about something..if it's a solid body how are you going to make room for the ball ends so that they're not directly under the end of the endpins?

oh yeah, and what type of saddle are you using? you might think about a piece of brass if you're using an acoustic type bridge. you could ground directly to it.

I have some flush string ferrules, and I was thinking about sinking them under the bridge so there's room for the ball ends and maybe a ground point. The saddle is a "bone" unit from the parts box. Heh, I said "bone" and "unit" in one sentence!

What is a solid body acoustic. Is it like one of those like stratocustics or telecustic?

Well, it's more like the Gibson Chet Atkins SST or the old Kramer Condor, but not. Solid Tele shape body with undersaddle piezo. All outboard electronics, i.e. no knobs or switches on the guitar. Basically just a boat paddle with strings.

[unclej]

i install undersaddle piezos all the time in acoustics. i've never had to ground them and never gotten any hum or buzz from the strings. i don't think you need to concern yourself with grounding at all.

this topic has raised a question for me though. what is it in the nature of an electric that causes the need for string grounding?

[marksound]

Thanks, guys. I've been worried about this ground thing because I didn't want to get the bridge glued down and everything then have to find a ground spot. But if it's no big deal, it's no big deal.

As far as why electrics need a string ground, beats the hell out of me ...

[frank falbo]

It's so your body can be grounded, and therefore act as a shield for noise. An electric has many parts that are susceptible to noise, whereas your acoustic, with a piezo and an output jack will have no need for a string ground.

If you were also putting magnetics in there it would be an issue, but you could also use a well shielded active pickup like a Bartolini or EMG, and still avoid the "need" for a string ground. Although personally, even with shielded actives and a well shielded electronics cavity I still like to install a string ground.