got problems with my electronics - help needed

[micha]

hi there,
lately I experience some problems with either my amp or my guitar.
I use to sweat, when I play intense and for a couple of hours, and my guitar doesn't seem to like that.
she strikes back and gives me some elctro-shocks thru the strings.
this is really new to me, I never mentioned something like that for years, and my setup is still the same it always used to be (H&K triamp, with EMG loaded PS3T).

anyone got an idea what could be wrong?
I first got shocked on saturday night, but I was really kinda drunk, so I didn't think about it.
but just a couple of minutes ago it happened again, two times!!
I play some faster stuff and licks, and got bitten by the strings!! you can imagine this shock is not only electrical but also emotional!! my beloved guitar is trying to hurt me!! and it works pretty good actually...
some really annoying pain and it scares the shit out of me!
I can't really concentrate that way. I do some exercises and get shocked in one bar, next time I repeat I mess it up totally since I expect to get shocked again in that bar, ya know? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I got no clue how this can happen, but I'd appreciate any kind of tips or ideas.

maybe if I give her some polish she likes me again, who knows? or I have to sacrifice a goat or something...
got no real reasonable ideas here.

help please!!! [img]/images/graemlins/help.gif[/img]

///micha

[cobhc]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

You tried with different cables/amp/guitar? try swapping things to isolate what is doing it

[thurston]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

Check out the grounding on both your guitar and amp. I'd suspect the amp first unless you just did electronic work on your guitar.

[charvelguy]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

take a fav pair of socks, cut em off at the ankles and wear them on your wrists... then call me in the morning. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

You're ground is sounding like its not right, but since your guitar isn't making all sorts of hum and noise-I'd have to go with the amp or the cable somehow shorting out just the ground. Try a different cable to start and a different polarity on the amp circuit.

[micha]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

I think the amp is not, tried that already.
but I don't have a second guitar or cable around here...
maybe I should get myself another cable to try this first, I doubt it's the guitar itself, since I take good care of her, and didn't change anything in the electronics for quite a while...
you think a broken cable could cause this?

and it's not that it happens instantly. it was three times now in two days, I played a lot. so it could be hard to find the fault by switching components...


@charvelguy; I don't really get what your plan is, but I'm not about to kill my fav socks!! my day sucks enough getting these shocks from my guitar, last thing I need is cold feet...
does it work with my dads fav socks too? I could even call you twice tomorrow.

if you don't like goats this is all I can offer... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[micha]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

hey, did oyu edit something?
didn't see anything but your socks idea before my reply...

anyway, what do you mean with this amp polarity thing? and how do I change it?

[dg]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

Micha, this article may help. It goes into how to protect yourself when playing out, where you can't be 100% sure of the safety of the wiring at the venue.

http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/...fety/index.php

[toejam]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

[ QUOTE ]
or I have to sacrifice a goat or something...


[/ QUOTE ]
LOL Try that and see if it helps. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[MountainDog]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

The guitar itself doesn't create any voltage that could shock you, it has to be coming from your amp via the cord to the guitar (or per the article, from the house AC to your amp to your guitar). The article dg has the link for is very good. According to an electronics guy at my work, there are equivanents to the 120V "3-prong" sockets/cords but in 230V over in Germany/Europe (he showed me some). The 230V ones only have 2 pins, but have a metal strip on the outside of the plug that contact a metal tab on the perimeter of the 230V socket. If your amp has a ground type plug but your gig venue doesn't have a ground tab in the socket that could cause you the problem.

FYI amp polarity: many amps have a ON-OFF-ON switch where the polarity is flipped on the two different on settings. If your equipment had that type switch, then try both ON settings and see if one works better: NOTE: this is usually done to help hum/noise issues, not electrical shock.

For the sake of your amp, you should try to solve the problem by following the ideas in the article. FYI one sure way to stop getting shocked is to isolate yourself from the amp...so a wireless guitar system would be the way to go. I used to get the occasional tiny shock from a microphone (PA plugged into one house socket, my amp plugged in different house socket that maybe weren't wired the same). Once I started using a wireless system, no more shocks.

[Newc]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

If it was an amp ground issue, it would do it every time, but since it only happens on certain bars of a song or practice regimen, I'd say it's a loose ground in the guitar or the cable.
If it's in the guitar itself, you're probably touching two contact points at the same time only when you reach that particular bar or picking/fretting pattern (like maybe touching the strings AND the pickup poles or knob at the same time?)
It could, however, be in the cable, and only hits you in certain song/practice patterns because of how you reposition the guitar at that part of the pattern, but then I'd assume you'd hear it crackling in the amp.
I'd recheck all the ground wires in the guitar, especially the battery ground.

[micha]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

thanks for your replies!! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

the article was a little hard to read for me, since I'm a german blighter not an english technician... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
I didn't even know what this 3-prongs are, till mountaindog mentioned them.

but I think from what you wrote it should be a loose ground inside the guitar. my amp should be alright, I get it checked regulary, and I've been using it quite a long time, with the same 230Vsocket, and never had anything to complain about.
the cable is out, since I don't hear any cracks or hums, and newc; I think you got me wrong, it's not repeating in certain patterns, it's just that I expect it again in the patterns where it happened before. it's my own pure fear I guess, but nothing sensible. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
I just relate it to a some licks and phrases and am afraid to play them again, once they shocked me...
the effect itself seems to be quite unpredictable.

maybe it didn't happen before, coz I didn't practise as long as I did the last days for quite a while. (nice to have holidays... [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] )
both days I had these shocks I played for 3 hours or more, and got pretty sweaty fingers...
should reduce the resistance I think.


I do have a wireless, but I use it rarely since I always forget to change the batteries... but I'm gonna reanimate that thing. seems to be more important than I thought.
and I'm gonna check my soldering again. maybe I find a loose solderpoint.

thanks for your help guys, I'll let you know if I find the fault, or get grilled or something... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
thx///

[delt]

Re: got problems with my electronics - help needed

now if that happens when playing classical guitar i'm really gonna ask myself questions...... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]