Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
- Thread starter t41200
- Start date
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
sounds like it could be an improperly grounded guitar ... try it while using someone else's guitar to see if it still happens ... if it only happens with your axe, open it up and make sure that the bridge is "grounded" to the rest of the 'grounds' in the cavity
good luck
t4d
sounds like it could be an improperly grounded guitar ... try it while using someone else's guitar to see if it still happens ... if it only happens with your axe, open it up and make sure that the bridge is "grounded" to the rest of the 'grounds' in the cavity
good luck
t4d
casblah
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Yeah, what Zerb said! I've been blasted more times than I care to admit, and sometimes it down-right hurts. I'ts prolly a grounding issue, as previously mentioned.Zerberus said:Buy an outlet tester, Fast.
Use it, often.
Live a bit, longer
RushOfBlood
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
i had some major numbage and a grill-looking burn mark on my lip for a couple days after such an incident.
i had some major numbage and a grill-looking burn mark on my lip for a couple days after such an incident.
kmcguitars
GuitarArtologist
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Check your amp or P.A. amp to see if your have a polarity switch? Most old
SF/BF fender amps have a switch. My Peavey powered Mixer has a Switch
for this to. And don't forget to buy some Chapstick !! for burned lips. :yell:
Check your amp or P.A. amp to see if your have a polarity switch? Most old
SF/BF fender amps have a switch. My Peavey powered Mixer has a Switch
for this to. And don't forget to buy some Chapstick !! for burned lips. :yell:
Chaos
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
A typical AC outlet has three wires: Hot, neutral and ground.
Neutral and ground are bonded (connected together) at the breaker panel. Even though the wires are connected, they are not the same. Neutral is the current return path for the hot lead. Ground is provided as a safety.
If an outlet is wired incorrectly, the hot lead can function as the neutral and vice versa. (bonding the hot and ground together) The outlet will function, but if you touch another piece of equipment that is connected to a different outlet you may find that ‘ground’ on one piece of gear is ‘hot’ in reference to a second ground.
In other words, touching the grounded strings on your guitar and touching a grounded mic at the same time (on a mis-wired outlet) is the same as sticking your fingers in a light socket (or kissing a light socket in this case) Very dangerous.
Buy yourself a cheap outlet tester at Home Depot or Lowe’s. They should cost less than $15.00- $20.00. It has little red and green lights that glow depending on how things are wired. Plug it into every outlet that you are likely to use. If any outlet is mis-wired, don’t use it. Tell the club owner that they have a lawsuit waiting to happen if they don’t fix it immediately.
A typical AC outlet has three wires: Hot, neutral and ground.
Neutral and ground are bonded (connected together) at the breaker panel. Even though the wires are connected, they are not the same. Neutral is the current return path for the hot lead. Ground is provided as a safety.
If an outlet is wired incorrectly, the hot lead can function as the neutral and vice versa. (bonding the hot and ground together) The outlet will function, but if you touch another piece of equipment that is connected to a different outlet you may find that ‘ground’ on one piece of gear is ‘hot’ in reference to a second ground.
In other words, touching the grounded strings on your guitar and touching a grounded mic at the same time (on a mis-wired outlet) is the same as sticking your fingers in a light socket (or kissing a light socket in this case) Very dangerous.
Buy yourself a cheap outlet tester at Home Depot or Lowe’s. They should cost less than $15.00- $20.00. It has little red and green lights that glow depending on how things are wired. Plug it into every outlet that you are likely to use. If any outlet is mis-wired, don’t use it. Tell the club owner that they have a lawsuit waiting to happen if they don’t fix it immediately.
bryvincent
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
are your mic and P.A. have balanced(XLR) connections?
are your mic and P.A. have balanced(XLR) connections?
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
If your rehearsal space has different outlets on the same breaker, then you plug your amp into one of them, then the PA into another, you've created a ground loop, where your lips become the 'spark plug'. Before anything else, plug a power conditioner into one of the sockets, then run everything you use into that 1 power source. If that doesn't do it, keep trying other wiring combinations till you find one that doesn't shock you.
If your rehearsal space has different outlets on the same breaker, then you plug your amp into one of them, then the PA into another, you've created a ground loop, where your lips become the 'spark plug'. Before anything else, plug a power conditioner into one of the sockets, then run everything you use into that 1 power source. If that doesn't do it, keep trying other wiring combinations till you find one that doesn't shock you.
guitar center 334
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
The usual reason is because your using a Shure SM58LC mic. Most common overrated mic in the world. Most people dont know that the SM58 is mass-produced in mexico now and doesn't have the ground wired to the XLR. Therefor the ground is the body of the mic itself. If you are a guitar player then you become the ground and "ouch". Do yourself a favor purchase a AUDIX OM2 for the same price as a SM58 and you'll sound better, get less feedback, and not get shocked anymore.
Matt Edgar @ Guitar Center Chicago
773.248.2808
feel free to call
The usual reason is because your using a Shure SM58LC mic. Most common overrated mic in the world. Most people dont know that the SM58 is mass-produced in mexico now and doesn't have the ground wired to the XLR. Therefor the ground is the body of the mic itself. If you are a guitar player then you become the ground and "ouch". Do yourself a favor purchase a AUDIX OM2 for the same price as a SM58 and you'll sound better, get less feedback, and not get shocked anymore.
Matt Edgar @ Guitar Center Chicago
773.248.2808
feel free to call
fuzzyratfarts
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Advertising maybe??
Advertising maybe??
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
I´ve been using and selling Shure´s for almost 15 years. I´ve never heard of this (don´t rulw it out, though), but I HAVE been shocked by old shure´s exactly the same as by new ones..
I´m calling "sales pitch"/ FIrst Post SPAM until I can see some form of proof that the shock hazard is created by this supposed change (which I question in itself... how is a Microphone who´s ground isn´t wired up to the plug supposed to function exactly?
)
It is NEVER an equipment issue unless a hack rewired your equip (specifically your amp)... the problem is incorrect house / venue wiring. Usually by the club owner´s Uncle roy that fixes RC cars.
Never, EVER plug properly wired equipment into an improperly wired outlet, make sure nobody onstage with you does, and check the mains outlet of EVERY piece of equipment you´re likely to touch (House PA)....
guitar center 334 said:
I´ve been using and selling Shure´s for almost 15 years. I´ve never heard of this (don´t rulw it out, though), but I HAVE been shocked by old shure´s exactly the same as by new ones..
I´m calling "sales pitch"/ FIrst Post SPAM until I can see some form of proof that the shock hazard is created by this supposed change (which I question in itself... how is a Microphone who´s ground isn´t wired up to the plug supposed to function exactly?
)It is NEVER an equipment issue unless a hack rewired your equip (specifically your amp)... the problem is incorrect house / venue wiring. Usually by the club owner´s Uncle roy that fixes RC cars.
Never, EVER plug properly wired equipment into an improperly wired outlet, make sure nobody onstage with you does, and check the mains outlet of EVERY piece of equipment you´re likely to touch (House PA)....
RiffRaff
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Sounds like either your amp or the PA isn't grounded properly, you should have three prong connectors for both systems with the proper grounding internally in the amp and PA head. A simple short term solution, put a foam cover on your mic - but get the problem fixed.
Sounds like either your amp or the PA isn't grounded properly, you should have three prong connectors for both systems with the proper grounding internally in the amp and PA head. A simple short term solution, put a foam cover on your mic - but get the problem fixed.
clint_41
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
you could take the ground wire off of your bridge so that your strings arent grounded. I did that with my guitar, and i never get shocked. you just have to shield your cavities very well and make sure the rest of the electronics are grounded properly if you do this.
you could take the ground wire off of your bridge so that your strings arent grounded. I did that with my guitar, and i never get shocked. you just have to shield your cavities very well and make sure the rest of the electronics are grounded properly if you do this.
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Look at the guitarnuts website. He has good instructions for rewiring your guitar so that you will not get shocked.
This is serious $#|+. If you touch the mike with one hand and the strings with another, that current can go right through your heart, and it'll be time to call the priest.
Dr. Joe (no kidding)
Look at the guitarnuts website. He has good instructions for rewiring your guitar so that you will not get shocked.
This is serious $#|+. If you touch the mike with one hand and the strings with another, that current can go right through your heart, and it'll be time to call the priest.
Dr. Joe (no kidding)
Last edited:
80's_Metal
Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
WHAT HE SAID! My peavey mixer/amp does the same thing. :cool3:
I learned the hard way too, my polarity would be off, and I would touch my buddies guitar to show him a fret or chord or something, ZAP-O-La man it would shock the piss outta my hand ! MAN we could play really fast that way!
kmcguitars said:
WHAT HE SAID! My peavey mixer/amp does the same thing. :cool3:
I learned the hard way too, my polarity would be off, and I would touch my buddies guitar to show him a fret or chord or something, ZAP-O-La man it would shock the piss outta my hand ! MAN we could play really fast that way!
J Moose
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Yeah...lemme call your manager and complain about not only spamming but spamming with misinformation!!! Granted I like the Audix mics a lot more then SM58's (which are the bane of my existence) but saying that you get shocked for it? WTF are you smoking and tell me where NOT to get it! Obviously the kids a few fries short of a happy meal...not only is he spamming but he's spammin' audio gear to a guitar forum! :smack:
The 'brand' of mic has nothing to do with it and there's a 50/50 shot that the electrical wiring isn't the culprit either. Don't muck with the guitars grounding because that's not the problem.
It is a ground issue and the only way to 'solve' the problem is by throwing the polarity switch on either the amp or the PA. The worst case 'quick fix' is to use a 3-prong to 2-prong 'ground lift' on your amp and that'll get you through a show but like everyone's pointed out...that's really highly dangerous and could very well kill you. At the very least, spend $2 on a foam microphone cover and stick that in your case for the times when it happens.
guitar center 334 said:
Yeah...lemme call your manager and complain about not only spamming but spamming with misinformation!!! Granted I like the Audix mics a lot more then SM58's (which are the bane of my existence) but saying that you get shocked for it? WTF are you smoking and tell me where NOT to get it! Obviously the kids a few fries short of a happy meal...not only is he spamming but he's spammin' audio gear to a guitar forum! :smack:
The 'brand' of mic has nothing to do with it and there's a 50/50 shot that the electrical wiring isn't the culprit either. Don't muck with the guitars grounding because that's not the problem.
It is a ground issue and the only way to 'solve' the problem is by throwing the polarity switch on either the amp or the PA. The worst case 'quick fix' is to use a 3-prong to 2-prong 'ground lift' on your amp and that'll get you through a show but like everyone's pointed out...that's really highly dangerous and could very well kill you. At the very least, spend $2 on a foam microphone cover and stick that in your case for the times when it happens.
KoreanGuitarMan
New member
Re: Why do I get Shocked from my mic?
Get an in-line gfci, our a short extension cord with one built in, as well as an outlet tester with a gfci button.
First, be sure to pick up some nice Neumann mics from Guitar Center.t41200 said:
Get an in-line gfci, our a short extension cord with one built in, as well as an outlet tester with a gfci button.
