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Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
by electric_nan
Can't seem to find anyone suggesting this but it seems way easier than soldering a wire/drilling a hole from the thimble holes to the cavity. I've lined the cavities with just copper tape - no soldering - and conductivity, measured via a borrowed multimeter, is perfect throughout, so it seems perfectly logical to just stick some between the cavities and the thimble holes, of course ensuring that the thimbles are tight.

Anyone tried it?

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:44 am
by andy_tchp
No reason not to, but this is exactly the same way as the 'ground wire in bridge thimble' method.

The wire isn't soldered anywhere and no hole drilling is required, it's jammed in the thimble hole then the other end contacts the pickguard shielding when it's installed (and cavity shielding if you so desire and have made the wire long enough).

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:49 am
by timtam
WRITTEN AT THE SAME TIME AS THE ABOVE ... ;)

Ground is ground in a guitar. So yes tape would def work to ground the bridge/strings/trem (assuming metal saddles). But over time the tape could wear through and separate at the bend point where it enters the thimble hole.

So a little piece of bared wire would be more secure ... also from the cavity to the thimble hole. As on AVRIs and vintage ...

Image

Or just a short bare wire from the thimble hole sandwiched between the body and surrounding (grounded) pickguard shielding.

BTW my trick for easily removing thimbles (to add said wire) is a 6mm expansion bolt.

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:10 am
by electric_nan
Ok cheers guys, just making sure I'm not missing something obvious. Went with tape, I can't imagine it degrading enough over time, there's no movement to allow it, seems like plenty of contact too.

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 5:23 pm
by Hobiecats
I've done it, works just fine. :)

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2019 5:31 pm
by Embenny
I have a Jag I built whose right thimble is grounded via the shielding tape I used in the cavity. Check for continuity. Ground is ground.

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:09 pm
by Rgand
I've also done this with no problems.