jlh Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 It seems like so many musicians, particularly guitarists, have been electrocuted by bad grounding and reversed polarity between the PA and their amp. I don't know how many times I've seen somebody lean into the mike to sing and jump back from a shock to their lips. Very dangerous. When I played in bands in the '60s and early 70's nothing much had three pronged plugs and everything had polarity and/or ground lift switches. We pretty quickly discovered that if you held your guitar strings up to the mike and there was much of a spark that the polarities were wrong and you'd surely get a shock trying to sing. Then we'd either turn the 2 prong plug over, or use the polarity switch and keep fooling around like that with all the gear until nothing was buzzing with 60 cycle and nothing sparked when it touched. This worked for guitars too by touching the rhythm and lead or bass guitar's strings against each other. If you use a volt meter you'll usually see 40-50 volts if the polarity is wrong. That's enough to give a nasty shock and the ol' ticker lives between the hands and the mouth so it can kill! I know that a lot of instruments now use a capacitor in the bridge ground wire to prevent shocks, so this may be obsolete, but I was just wondering if anybody else uses this technique to play safe and comfortably. I still do anytime I'm using a mike and amp together. Jamie But never fear, you're safe with me... Well maybe. - Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 I haven't been shocked in a long time, but, I do have an old Ampeg VT-22 that has the old 2 pronger on it. Seems to me I did do the ol' checkeroo on it a couple of times, and put a sticker on the top of the plug ("This end up") kind of thing (doesn't always work). My best electrical jamming story caught me the nickname "Blue Spark" on the guitar forum here for awhile. It wasn't fun. I'll perhaps rehash it in a bit. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 I promise http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif not http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif to razz http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif you about that any http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gifmore, Bl- I mean, Tedster! Yeah, the cap in the string-ground path is a good idea, greatly reducing if not eliminating the potential hazards. Active EMG pickups (and, most likely, those active models by Seymour Duncan, and possibly others) do not require any "string grounding" as a measure of noise reduction, either, so you can disconnect that wire to the bridge or tailpiece when using them. I believe that it was (Craig) Anderton who published an article in Guitar Player years ago about "D.I.Y."-building the "No Zap"- a safe, hand-held device for detecting and identifying unwanted "hot" circuits, so you could sitch polarity, etc. without getting zapped. That, and a pocket outlet-tester, will get you a long ways down the road towards a shock-free gig or studio! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Geezer Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 Originally posted by Caevan O'Shite: I believe that it was (Craig) Anderton who published an article in Guitar Player years ago about "D.I.Y."-building the "No Zap"- a safe, hand-held device for detecting and identifying unwanted "hot" circuits, so you could sitch polarity, etc. without getting zapped.Cool Lynn G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 I use a wiggy. You can buy them at auto parts stores or Radio Shack, usually for about $2, and fit easily into any spare space in a case(since they are just 2 pieces of wire and a tiny lamp). They come in different ranges, so buy the right thing. Touch it to your strings and the mic. No light = safe. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 Originally posted by bpark@prorec.com: I use a wiggy. You can buy them at auto parts stores or Radio Shack, usually for about $2, and fit easily into any spare space in a case(since they are just 2 pieces of wire and a tiny lamp). They come in different ranges, so buy the right thing. Touch it to your strings and the mic. No light = safe. BillUnless you really just want to build one yourself, that sounds like the best solution for identifying shock risks! Why didn't I already know this? I'm just outta the loop! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 jlh - Holy crap it's you! My other Colorado Springs guitar forumite. Anyway, we need to meet sometime. Just for the sake that we can say we had a Colorado Springs Guitar Geek Convention. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John O. Lennon Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Two words (well, one acromym & one word ): EMG pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banditt Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 or just go wireless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Thorne Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 Originally posted by Tedster: ...I do have an old Ampeg VT-22...I had one of those once. Great sound but weighs about twice what a Fender Twin does. Hope you don't schlep yours to gigs the way I used to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 Originally posted by Banditt: or just go wireless This is not a solution! I once witnessed half a band suddenly find themselves with hot and ground crossed on a quad box. It happened in the middle of a guitar solo. When the musicians returned to their mics they were shocked pretty badly. The wireless fiddle player burned his finger. He likes to roll the volume knob when he's singing. He places his pinky underneath the knob and was touching the metal post. His lips were fine but the finger was burned by the electrical shock. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlh Posted August 4, 2004 Author Share Posted August 4, 2004 Hey Revo, I've often thought it'd be kind of neat to meet sometime too. Ya know, psychocountry surfpunk jazzabilly codger without a lick to his name meets talented young metal screamer with a future and neither has a clue! Didn't I see in a post a while back that you work at a Panda Express? Which branch and what shift? Or you can PM me. Jamie But never fear, you're safe with me... Well maybe. - Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I work at the one on Garden of the Gods and Centennial. Just look for the abnormally tall white kid with the name "Tobin" on his nametag. I work all kinds of shifts, so who knows when I'll be there, but the next to nights I'm working dinner, so feel free to show up anytime between 5 PM and 9 PM. Otherwise on Friday I work 10 AM - 2 PM. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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