Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
Post Reply
User avatar
electric_nan
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:46 pm

Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by electric_nan » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am

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?

User avatar
andy_tchp
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8010
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:36 am
Location: Brisbane

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by andy_tchp » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:44 am

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).
Last edited by andy_tchp on Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.

User avatar
timtam
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2729
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:42 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by timtam » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:49 am

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.
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

User avatar
electric_nan
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:46 pm

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by electric_nan » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:10 am

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.

User avatar
Hobiecats
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 7:50 pm

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by Hobiecats » Mon Feb 11, 2019 5:23 pm

I've done it, works just fine. :)

User avatar
Embenny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 10363
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by Embenny » Mon Feb 11, 2019 5:31 pm

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.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

User avatar
Rgand
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1171
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2017 3:55 pm

Re: Ground JM bridge via copper tape

Post by Rgand » Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:09 pm

I've also done this with no problems.

Post Reply