Grounding issues with mag pickups in acoustics....

Lewy · March 2016

So, I dug my vintage Dearmond 210 out of a box because I fancied a bit of Lightnin' Hopkins shennanigins only to quickly remind myself why I stuck it in a box in the first place....

....it's noisy as f**k unless you're touching part of it, which I'm not when I play. I know it's to do with grounding ... I've experienced it on electrics but it;s never been a problem then because as long as you're touching the strings, or the bridge etc it's fine and you do that naturally when you play. That doesn't apply here. I've never really understood the grounding business too well so keep it simple please

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

ICBM · March 2016

The only real solution is to ground the strings, which can be tricky on an acoustic. If it has a standard pin bridge, the best way is to put a piece of self-adhesive copper shielding tape on the inside of the guitar over the string holes in the bridge, and punch holes in it from the inside, so the ball ends of the strings are pressing on it. It needs a wire soldered to it - obviously do this *before* you stick it to the inside of the guitar

and connected to the ground of the pickup system. Again obviously, best done if the pickup is a permanent or semi-permanent installation so you're not always having to disconnect it.

If you don't want to make it that permanent or difficult to do, you need to attach a wire to the strings between the saddle and the pins, and again connect that to the pickup ground - that means it will be hanging on the outside of the guitar, but if it's a pickup with a trailing cable as well it's not that much more of a nuisance.

Lewy · March 2016

Thanks for this ICBM. I don't think I want to make it a permanent installation....its a big old lump to have in the soundhole and it does affect the acoustic sound. Sounds so good plugged into a guitar amp and looks so cool though

ICBM · March 2016

Yes, those are really cool

.

If you don't want to make it permanent you just need to find some way of grounding the strings that isn't massively in the way. Usually a wire threaded through the strings behind the bridge saddle so it's contacting all of them, and maybe taped to the pickguard to keep it fairly tidy, will do the job. I would use a black-covered solid-core wire probably, and just strip enough to touch the strings - it won't be too obtrusive.

Lewy · March 2016

Quick fix....elegant it ain't but it works:

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Grounding issues with mag pickups in acoustics....

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