Earthing on a Jazz Bass. I dont like the exposed strip want to get rid of.

[Guest BassKS]

Hi there,

I noticed that some basses have the earth strip exposed to the rest of the world while others have it routed inside the body and makes contact under the bridge.

Is there any way that one may get rid of the strip? It doesnt look nice or would that be defying the laws of electromagnetics and keep the circuit open which would result in crazy humming and buzzing.

Thanks

[neepheid]

[quote name='BassKS' post='498578' date='May 27 2009, 11:01 AM']Hi there,

I noticed that some basses have the earth strip exposed to the rest of the world while others have it routed inside the body and makes contact under the bridge.

Is there any way that one may get rid of the strip? It doesnt look nice or would that be defying the laws of electromagnetics and keep the circuit open which would result in crazy humming and buzzing.

Thanks[/quote]

No earth on a passive bass is probably bad.

You could do what you propose, but you'll have to make alternative arrangements for earthing. If one doesn't exist, drill an angled hole from somewhere under the bridge plate into the control cavity. You'll need quite a long, narrow drill bit

Run a wire through the hole and solder it to a pot casing. Job done.

Doing this to a vintage instrument will most certainly harm its resale value, if that bothers you.

[Guest BassKS]

[quote name='neepheid' post='498586' date='May 27 2009, 11:15 AM']No earth on a passive bass is probably bad.

You could do what you propose, but you'll have to make alternative arrangements for earthing. If one doesn't exist, drill an angled hole from somewhere under the bridge plate into the control cavity. You'll need quite a long, narrow drill bit

Run a wire through the hole and solder it to a pot casing. Job done.

Doing this to a vintage instrument will most certainly harm its resale value, if that bothers you.[/quote]

hahah, good one.

Thats what I was hoping to do. the difficulty arises to find a long enough drill bit. But it can be done then


thanks neepheid.

BTW. If I chose to get a set of bartolinis passive with epoxy casing it shouldnt be bad, should it?

[Paul_C]

[quote name='BassKS' post='498602' date='May 27 2009, 11:30 AM']hahah, good one.

Thats what I was hoping to do. the difficulty arises to find a long enough drill bit. But it can be done then


thanks neepheid.

BTW. If I chose to get a set of bartolinis passive with epoxy casing it shouldnt be bad, should it?[/quote]

.... if you fitted a set of EMGs you wouldn't need an earth from the strings

of course EMGs might not be to your taste ..

Edited May 27, 2009 by Paul_C

[Guest BassKS]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='498616' date='May 27 2009, 11:50 AM'].... if you fitted a set of EMGs you wouldn't need an earth from the strings

of course EMGs might not be to your taste ..[/quote]

yeah, I have EMGS on my PJ and they sound great. I was thinking passive. Dimarzio or Barts

[Beedster]

I'm currently putting together a Jazz Bass and have the opposite problem, that is I need an earth strip as it's a 62' RI body and there's no way I'm gonna take a drill to the control cavity! However, as I'm installing a J-Retro, I'm getting the idea from the abovge posts that I can do so without needing to earth the bridge, is that the case?
Cheers
Chris

[Paul_C]

[quote name='Beedster' post='498634' date='May 27 2009, 12:06 PM']I'm currently putting together a Jazz Bass and have the opposite problem, that is I need an earth strip as it's a 62' RI body and there's no way I'm gonna take a drill to the control cavity! However, as I'm installing a J-Retro, I'm getting the idea from the abovge posts that I can do so without needing to earth the bridge, is that the case?
Cheers
Chris[/quote]


IIRC you are correct

[neepheid]

[quote name='BassKS' post='498602' date='May 27 2009, 11:30 AM']hahah, good one.

Thats what I was hoping to do. the difficulty arises to find a long enough drill bit. But it can be done then


thanks neepheid.

BTW. If I chose to get a set of bartolinis passive with epoxy casing it shouldnt be bad, should it?[/quote]

I had a Jazz with Barts in it once. It didn't like fluorescent lights very much, and that was with an earth.

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='Beedster' post='498634' date='May 27 2009, 12:06 PM']I'm currently putting together a Jazz Bass and have the opposite problem, that is I need an earth strip as it's a 62' RI body and there's no way I'm gonna take a drill to the control cavity! However, as I'm installing a J-Retro, I'm getting the idea from the abovge posts that I can do so without needing to earth the bridge, is that the case?
Cheers
Chris[/quote]

I don't think so - it's the fact that the pickups are passive that will dictate that an earth connection is required - EMGs are normally the only ones to get round this. A strip of shim brass can easily be installed 'top-side' to replicate the 62 style.

[Beedster]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='498655' date='May 27 2009, 12:24 PM']I don't think so - it's the fact that the pickups are passive that will dictate that an earth connection is required - EMGs are normally the only ones to get round this. A strip of shim brass can easily be installed 'top-side' to replicate the 62 style.[/quote]

Cheers Doc, I take it I simply attach that strip to the common earth one way or another?

[BOD2]

This might help explain why you usually ground the strings ...

[url="http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/noisebucket.php"]http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/noisebucket.php[/url]

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='Beedster' post='498658' date='May 27 2009, 12:29 PM']Cheers Doc, I take it I simply attach that strip to the common earth one way or another?[/quote]

The correct way would be to solder it to a brass plate which would also carry the sponge strip supporting the bridge pickup and then an ordinary piece of wire soldered onto that plate goes out to the control cavity along with your 'hot' and 'cold' pickup leads.

[Beedster]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='498668' date='May 27 2009, 12:35 PM']The correct way would be to solder it to a brass plate which would also carry the sponge strip supporting the bridge pickup and then an ordinary piece of wire soldered onto that plate goes out to the control cavity along with your 'hot' and 'cold' pickup leads.[/quote]

I don't have any brass plates, is it going to make a significant difference to simply earthing the bridge through the strip to a wire and then to the case of one of the earthed pots?

[Guest BassKS]

I can understand how active PUPS can eliminate the need of the grounding but active Pre? Not sure.
Anyway, beedster strikes again with a crazy project. Good luck... What happened to your PJ Sadowsky?

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='Beedster' post='498677' date='May 27 2009, 12:44 PM']I don't have any brass plates, is it going to make a significant difference to simply earthing the bridge through the strip to a wire and then to the case of one of the earthed pots?[/quote]

No real difference - that sounds fine.

[Beedster]

[quote name='BassKS' post='498682' date='May 27 2009, 12:49 PM']I can understand how active PUPS can eliminate the need of the grounding but active Pre? Not sure.
Anyway, beedster strikes again with a crazy project. Good luck... What happened to your PJ Sadowsky?[/quote]

LOL, still there mate, but as I'm not getting on with the neck I'm still after a fretted bass to match my fretless Jazz ('73 with a J-Retro). Sooo, I found a lovely neck and decided to build another Beedster Mongrel. Next week I'll be A-Bing my Sadowsky against it live; two of our songs have a very similar sound and feel so I'm going to use the Sadowsky for one and the Mongrel (with J-Retro) for t'other. As we've got a few friends coming, I'm gonna see if either I or they - or the band - can really tell the difference between the two (we'll be recording the gig also). I'm getting to the point bass-wise where I don't really care about the perfect tone any more, I just want two basses - fretted and fretless - that are easy to switch between in terms of feel, controls and sound; as I'm unlikley to be commissioning a Sadowsky NYC fretless anytime soon, I think the Beedster Mongrel Jazz Bass (and trust me, it's a pedigree mongrel, Fender USA body & neck, BADASS II, Fralin spilt coils, J-Retro), might just do the trick.

No doubt it'll be up for sale by July

[Guest BassKS]

[quote name='Beedster' post='498851' date='May 27 2009, 03:09 PM']LOL, still there mate, but as I'm not getting on with the neck I'm still after a fretted bass to match my fretless Jazz ('73 with a J-Retro). Sooo, I found a lovely neck and decided to build another Beedster Mongrel. Next week I'll be A-Bing my Sadowsky against it live; two of our songs have a very similar sound and feel so I'm going to use the Sadowsky for one and the Mongrel (with J-Retro) for t'other. As we've got a few friends coming, I'm gonna see if either I or they - or the band - can really tell the difference between the two (we'll be recording the gig also). I'm getting to the point bass-wise where I don't really care about the perfect tone any more, I just want two basses - fretted and fretless - that are easy to switch between in terms of feel, controls and sound; as I'm unlikley to be commissioning a Sadowsky NYC fretless anytime soon, I think the Beedster Mongrel Jazz Bass (and trust me, it's a pedigree mongrel, Fender USA body & neck, BADASS II, Fralin spilt coils, J-Retro), might just do the trick.

No doubt it'll be up for sale by July [/quote]


hahahaha, Ill be waiting for it once it goes up for sale. I might buy it then. Might lose the J Retro though....