DIY - Guitar String Ground

Started by Elantric, January 13, 2017, 12:20:08 AM

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Elantric

DIY - Guitar String Ground

Excellent discussion of Guitar String Ground concepts

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t42776/

QuoteAs for the string ground:

The player is probably not normally grounded, but must be at some potential resulting from fields in the area or possibly contact with something else that is not at ground potential. So when the player touches ungrounded strings, they are raised to the same potential above ground. Thus a field develops across an imperfectly shielded pickup or other guitar component, causing hum. The voltage developed in the circuit is referred to the guitar ground: so put the strings at this ground potential, and the player touching them goes to the same potential, or almost so. Thus in summary, if the shielding is imperfect, get rid of nearby fields by grounding the player. Too bad if the player is also connected to another source at a different potential with some force behind it!


QuoteGibson had some Les Paul guitars & basses with balanced outputs. Never caught on much. Still needed a transformer at the amp end. And if "going direct" guess what's in the mix console, just on the other side of those balanced inputs. A transformer again. It's a bit disheartening to see all those studio gadgets with balanced inputs, each and every one processes signals in a "one sided" circuit so there's transformers or the op amp equivalent at inputs & outputs. There was a notion for a long time "get the iron out of the signal path" - no transformers please - but in actuality practically all the recorded music we enjoy has passed thru many of them. And somehow we still manage to enjoy it.

Can you imagine the size and expense of a pedal board where all the effects have balanced ins & outs? All to no good effect really, just makes everything bigger and raises the price a lot. I'm sure there are some people for whom that would be an attraction.



Elantric