Shocking guitar

Alexi

hi guys.
i play a strat, but lately when i play it barefoot it shocks the living crap out of me. iv opened it up and did not find any loose wiring. im scared to get electrocuted so bad it shocks me. any advice?

AlanRatcliffe

The problem is not specifically with your guitar - it's your amp or something else in the electrical chain that is not earthed properly (effects PSU, the wall socket itself, etc.). Your guitar is earthed properly, so your system uses you as the shortest earth path when you play barefoot. Check out your amp's power lead and if necessary get a mains earth tester to check the earth on the wall socket.

...and never play barefoot. Especially if you gig. Many clubs locally have such bad wiring it's not funny and potentially dangerous.

themanthatwalks

o the joys of bad wiring. I still hesitate when i approach a mic

g1

themanthatwalks wrote I still hesitate when i approach a mic

Said whiles twitching

themanthatwalks

That was bad. Friend once stuck a jack in his mouth to do something with his hands and for some reason the phantom power (45V or so) gave him a tzzztz. Imagine. Ever stuck a 9V on your tongue X5

toastyrat

I know i had this problem when i used a tube amp with a power cable that didn't have an earth wire on it. Check that... Can be painful.
@ Alan couldn't be the pa system? current coming down the mic cable???

AlanRatcliffe

I know i had this problem when i used a tube amp with a power cable that didn't have an earth wire on it.

Some of the earliest amps didn't have earth at all and have to be modified to make them safe. Otherwise this is generally when the amp has the two pin "Euro plug" - which is supposed to get earth from a pin in the mains socket, but plugged into a simple 2-pin adaptor, the amp is unearthed. You should always make a point of cutting those plugs off and fitting a good, solid three pin plug (I like the heavy duty rubber top ones).

Another common one is an unearthed PA - your lips end up supplying a short path to earth as you step up to the mic and can get a small shock. Not usually a huge issue, but if the amp gets a serious fault and real voltage tries to ground...

I still hesitate when i approach a mic

I always have, but that's not shock related (except maybe from an audience perspective) ?