Grounding after shielding

[jkirklan]

Hello Folks;

I am preparing to wire a Warmoth Mooncaster, which has a Les Paul like set up (2 Humbuckers, 2 volume, 2 tone, 3 way switch).

I am going to shield the cavity with copper tape. It seems to me that the pots are now grounded to the copper tape, which I think will have the bridge ground and the ground to jack soldered to it.

Do you now solder anything to back of the pots, or do you just solder the appropriate pickup wires to the copper tape?

When the pickup wires are soldered to the backs of the pots, they are always placed on their own pot, although the ground is common, right? Does it matter where you solder a ground wire? It probably does, I just don't know for sure.

Thanks!

Jim (Noobie)

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Welcome to the forum.

I wouldn't rely on the pots touching the shield for grounding. In fact, in my experience you need to deliberately touch a drop of solder at every join of the copper tape and then solder or make connection with the tape and something that is indeed grounded. For wiring, I would always make solid connections with wire and solder for the signal to travel through.

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Grounding after shielding

I just recently shielded my guitar.. I didnt ground the pots like i normally do on a guitar but instead relied on the shielding.. in retrospect i think i should of... ill probably go back and add some grounds though.. NO real issues, but would give me piece of mind.. NOW i did add a small piece of electrical tape on the top of the lugs as they might touch the conductive tape.. it will ground you signal and no sound.. and any place that a hot/signal tab would touch.. i added a small strip of electrical tape.. like the switch..those tabs where danger close to the conductive tape.. just for insurance..

all the cavities are connected via wire/solder and all the grounds except the p/u wires which are grounded to the V pot,converge at one point (i.e. Star)

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Hello Folks;

I am preparing to wire a Warmoth Mooncaster, which has a Les Paul like set up (2 Humbuckers, 2 volume, 2 tone, 3 way switch).

I am going to shield the cavity with copper tape. It seems to me that the pots are now grounded to the copper tape, which I think will have the bridge ground and the ground to jack soldered to it.

Do you now solder anything to back of the pots, or do you just solder the appropriate pickup wires to the copper tape?

When the pickup wires are soldered to the backs of the pots, they are always placed on their own pot, although the ground is common, right? Does it matter where you solder a ground wire? It probably does, I just don't know for sure.

Thanks!

Jim (Noobie)

ill forgot to add that i ground all the pups on one pot..on a 2v2t HH guitar id ground each pup to its respective volume and with a strat/superstrat w/ 2 or 3 pots.. i always ground pups to the 1st pot.. then run a ground to the other pups.. then a ground from the 1st pup to the body.. everyone is different though.. just how i do it.. ground from the jack is either connected to a kill switch that is then connected top the star or on the back of the 1st pot

 

[jkirklan]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Thanks for all of the great feedback!

It seems like you can basically wire the pickups and pots in the traditional way and then bring the ground wire that goes around the pots down to the copper tape and make a star there with the other grounds?

I was worried that there would be some redundancy (given that the pots are also forming some ground directly to the copper tape) that could create a "ground loop", with parentheses to indicate my lack of understanding.

It was a good idea to put some tape on the lugs of the pots.

Jim

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Thanks for all of the great feedback!

It seems like you can basically wire the pickups and pots in the traditional way and then bring the ground wire that goes around the pots down to the copper tape and make a star there with the other grounds?

I was worried that there would be some redundancy (given that the pots are also forming some ground directly to the copper tape) that could create a "ground loop", with parentheses to indicate my lack of understanding.

It was a good idea to put some tape on the lugs of the pots.

Jim

i thought the same thing as the reason i didnt initially do it but i also see beaubrummels point as well..

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Grounding after shielding

No, you don't have to solder the pup's ground wire to its respective vol pot. Make your ground connections wherever it is convenient. Just make sure ALL grounds are connected.

There is no such thing as redundancy with grounding...10 wires from the back of one pot to another is the same as 1 heavier gauge wire.

 

[jkirklan]

Re: Grounding after shielding

No, you don't have to solder the pup's ground wire to its respective vol pot. Make your ground connections wherever it is convenient. Just make sure ALL grounds are connected.

There is no such thing as redundancy with grounding...10 wires from the back of one pot to another is the same as 1 heavier gauge wire.

Thanks, That makes good sense to me.

One other question. If I decide to use a shielded cable for the long run from the 3-way switch to the output jack (is this a good idea?), what do I do with the shielding at each end?

thanks, Jim

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Not a bad idea. Ground the shielding at each end.

 

[jkirklan]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Not a bad idea. Ground the shielding at each end.

Sweet. Looking forward to a quiet guitar. I will be rewiring my frankenbuzstrat next.

thanks for the help!
jim

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Grounding after shielding

No, you don't have to solder the pup's ground wire to its respective vol pot. Make your ground connections wherever it is convenient. Just make sure ALL grounds are connected.

well i have OCD's about such things.. reason i always use the 1st pot for all the pickups..used its 2v2t ...

 

[Muddshark]

Re: Grounding after shielding

You can totally ground to shield. I did it that way with a strat. Use a multimeter with a circuit continuity buzzer. As long as you buzz all over when ur done ur fine


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[Brandenburg]

Re: Grounding after shielding

You can totally ground to shield. I did it that way with a strat. Use a multimeter with a circuit continuity buzzer. As long as you buzz all over when ur done ur fine


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YEP!!! that what I did.. touched the lugs with one probe and the shield with with another.set the DMM to the proper setting and if there was a buzz .. "houston we have a problem"

yea.. i tested mine when it wouldnt work.. yep.. buzzz!!

 

[TinPan]

Re: Grounding after shielding

Hello Folks;

I am preparing to wire a Warmoth Mooncaster, which has a Les Paul like set up (2 Humbuckers, 2 volume, 2 tone, 3 way switch).

I am going to shield the cavity with copper tape. It seems to me that the pots are now grounded to the copper tape, which I think will have the bridge ground and the ground to jack soldered to it.

Do you now solder anything to back of the pots, or do you just solder the appropriate pickup wires to the copper tape?

When the pickup wires are soldered to the backs of the pots, they are always placed on their own pot, although the ground is common, right? Does it matter where you solder a ground wire? It probably does, I just don't know for sure.

Thanks!

Jim (Noobie)

I have always preferred using the metal paint then the foil, then ground each pot with wire