Re: Bridge thimble grounding - one or two?

dinosaur · Post by **dinosaur** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:53 am

I could sure use some grounding help, please. Both of my 59s are refins, and both were never grounded properly at the bridge thimbles with guitar string. I saw how to do it properly in fullerplast's post about his '58, but I saw that some guitars had one thimble grounded but most had both. Is there any benefit to doing both? I ask because both of my gold guards are only sanded down at one thimble. I assume this means I only use a string at this thimble. Or am I suppose to use one at the other thimble, too?

Post by **fullerplast** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:05 am

Theoretically, it shouldn't make a difference. If the single ground is good (actually making contact) then it really can't be "any more grounded". Kind of like not being able to be "a little bit pregnant". Either it is, or it isn't.

My opinion would be to just do one if the guard was only setup for one.

My guard was repro, so I did two like I'd seen in some photos. But I'm also the nut who ran the grounds all the way to the cavity shielding. I guess I got that idea from the Jaguar shield ground...

P.S. I can't see your pics.

dinosaur · Post by **dinosaur** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:21 am

Thanks, I'll stick to just one.

Damn that goolge picassa. I'm still experimenting with hosting images.

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:38 pm

I agree with Doug. For the record, my '62 only has one (it is a slabboard with a neck date of May, which was right before they started the newer grounding scheme). It is a refin though, so it's hard to tell if it had two originally.

I can see you photos just fine right now, so if you made some changes, they worked

Justin

dinosaur · Post by **dinosaur** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:24 pm

Well that was easier than I thought! One guitar finished, waiting for new strings to do the other. Thanks guys.

enormous · Post by **enormous** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 3:02 pm

I had a '64 refinished recently and they removed the ground wire stapled to the body. I don't have anything that will staple into wood, so I guess I am going to have to use the old-fashioned thimble method. Here's my question, how do I get the thimbles out, they seem to be stuck. I have pulled on them with pliars and they won't budge, any suggestions?

Post by **fullerplast** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 3:09 pm

Heat them up with a soldering iron, then gently rotate and pull with pliers. They should come right out.

enormous · Post by **enormous** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:05 pm

I have a quick grounding question, sorry if it's dumb, but I just want to make sure. If I use the wire under the tremolo method, is the staple a necessity? Shouldn't the firm contact with the tremolo be enough?

Post by **fullerplast** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:15 pm

Yeah, it's enough.

I've stripped them back, routed the stripped portion up onto the body, and circled it around a screw hole (just to make sure it stays there). But actually just squishing it between the plate and body is enough.

lalalandstudios · Post by **lalalandstudios** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:02 pm

Just to be clear, I have seen:

Pretty much one ground with the gold gaurd 58-59's (maybe b/c the gold anodizing needed to be sanded away)

Two grounds with many of the subsequent metal under the nitro guard thru 62 (where no sanding is necessary to make contact). I have no idea why they did this though.....

dinosaur · Post by **dinosaur** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:02 am

lalalandstudios wrote: Just to be clear, I have seen:

Pretty much one ground with the gold gaurd 58-59's (maybe b/c the gold anodizing needed to be sanded away)

Two grounds with many of the subsequent metal under the nitro guard thru 62 (where no sanding is necessary to make contact). I have no idea why they did this though.....

Thanks. That does make sense with what I have seen, though I never even realized it.