Star Grounding in Strat

[Deeprig9]

Yeah yeah, I've read 1001 pages about it already, I'm sure it's already been discussed 100 times, but the search feature isn't "star grounded" either.

 

I'm trying to eliminate ground loop in strat. Problem with all the schemes and drawings is that while they claim to eliminate a ground loop, they just create another ground loop.

 

One negative always goes to the output jack from the volume pot. There's one ground.

 

The other ground wires all eventually terminate on the volume pot, then ground on both the tremelo/bridge/strings and into a screw into the wood.

 

The stock foil on the pickguard certainly creates a ground loop, but all the mods online take it a step further and insulate the entire cavity with foil (conducter) to shield EMI or ANEXT or whatever, hum from outside interference like fans and lights, or the Kentucky Derby.

 

So the ground loop (foil) that already exists on the pickguard is just being enlarged, and the star grounding methods I'm reading have the "star" of the new ground right on the foil. Isn't this still a ground loop between the potentiometers (tone pots?)

[ballhawk]

You might find this discussion interesting. It basically says ground loops are not important if EVERYTHING else is done properly.

 

http://guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=wiring&action=display&thread=1611

[Deeprig9]

Good stuff. Thanks, I'm going to try a few things and report back.

[Deeprig9]

Ok, I cut all the grounds and wire-nutted together into a single washer screwed down onto the foil.

 

There is one ground going to the jack that is also wire nutted into the star-cluster, also the tremelo ground.

 

The only grounds I didn't "star-cluster" were the grounds on the selector switch. I simply cut those.

 

Also, the tone pots were a tight fit so I insulated them with black vinyl electrical tape to keep contacts off the foil.

 

Now that I've put my guitar back together, the only thing I forgot to do is separate the ground contact from the volume knob so there is still a little ground loop there.

 

Unfortunatley, all my amps at a studio out of town, so I can't test it out. I'll go to a friend's house tommorrow and report back the results.

[Deeprig9]

For what it's worth, if it doesn't work out right, there will be some great "Fail" pictures.

[El Grinder]

Sounds like you're calling any electric connection a loop... The whole thing does need to be a circuit (which is a loop), but if every component has only one path to ground (a.k.a. star grounding) and one hot lead, then you should not have ground loop problems.