Doubleneck wiring issues

[JCallaway82]

I have a double neck 6-string guitar on top 4-string bass on bottom.

It didn't come wired it was all pretty much custom...I've read alot of things about ground loops or shock issues so I need some help.



It has two pickups, each pickup runs to an on/off rocker killswitch then to a volume, then to the output jack.


basically the two necks side by side are like this now.

Guitar humbucker-->rocker switch-->volume pot--output jack
Bass pickup-->rocker switch-->volume pot--output jack

The only thing is I wondered if I should ground everything together...bass bridge, guitar bridge, both pickups, pots, and jacks. I have been told that this will likely create a ground loop.

So I am not sure what my options are.


Keep both chains separate from pickup to jack? Keep everything grounded?


Other notes: both necks are played at the same time tap style a good amount of the time...and both amps are plugged into the same power strip.

This is how it is currently:

Any help is greatly appreciated. I've been :banghead: over this stupid thing.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Doubleneck wiring issues

In your diagram, the electronics for each half of the instrument are totally discreet from those of the other half. As long as you keep things this way, the only opportunity for a ground loop is the electricity supply to the two amplifiers.

 

[JCallaway82]

Re: Doubleneck wiring issues

In your diagram, the electronics for each half of the instrument are totally discreet from those of the other half. As long as you keep things this way, the only opportunity for a ground loop is the electricity supply to the two amplifiers.

Ahh..thanks! That's what I thought. But someone said something like..."You are creating the loop when I touch both guitar's strings."

Does that make sense?

"Have you ever touched your other guitarists/bassists guitar while touching yours and got a jolt?"

I haven't...but apparently they thought that would happen all the time when I am playing on both necks. And I've never wired two guitar side by side..lol.

 

[JCallaway82]

Re: Doubleneck wiring issues

Any other insights are greatly appreciated.

I already have a better idea from the one response I got here than from anything I got from 3 other forums....the internet is surprisingly unhelpful. I did plenty of googling..until 4:30 AM last night. Still a bit unsure...but I think I am just going to keep them separate like FunkFingers suggests.

 

[JCallaway82]

Re: Doubleneck wiring issues

Just if anyone is interested, another guy gave me a pretty good reply on Ultimate Guitar.


jof1029:

"With the two amps plugged into the same power strip, you should be able to expect them to be at the same potential. by wiring the two sets together you are making sure that ground on both sets of necks is at the same potential, which reduces the chance of you shocking yourself. no difference in ground potential means no current when you connect grounds via another path (ie. you). it is when things are not connected together that you can get shocked when you connect them. as long as you make sure you use the same power strip though, you should be fine with either."


Sounds like I will just wire the neck independently and just make sure to use the same strip.