Question Shocked by your guitar?

[BCMCMoose]

Hello all!
Strange occurrences today. Played over at a friends house, using both my BFR JP6 and the Sterling 4string.
Obviously separate amps, but plugged into same outlet. Got shocked from both instruments!

Playing the BFR, got shocked on the inner wrist from bridge, and tremolo. On the bass all four strings were carrying current, felt with inside of forearm. Is this something caused from a faulty outlet? Maybe a bad ground? No injuries or damaged equipment, just odd, and would like to help identify the problem. Never noticed this before on either instrument.

 

[fbecir]

Hello

The problem does not come from the guitars & bass but from the power outlet. I guess there is a bad grounding. Beware it can be dangerous. An amp must be earthed. Some guys remove the earth because it can cause hum but that's really a bad idea !

 

[DrKev]

The problem does not come from the guitars & bass but from the power outlet. I guess there is a bad grounding. Beware it can be dangerous. An amp must be earthed. Some guys remove the earth because it can cause hum but that's really a bad idea !

Yep, your buddy's wiring is dangerous, or both of the amplifiers you played through are faulty. It all needs to be all checked out. Musicians do die through faulty wiring.

 

[auxren]

I hate that feeling of playing through an un-grounded amp. Its ever so slight... You start playing, and then 20 min later, your arm is tingling... Get one of those cheap $3 outlet testers

 

[guitarp77]

If the plug don´t have 3 legs, then it will kill...

That´s my philosophy

 

[BCMCMoose]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. The plugs were three prong, but possibly the outlet itself is faulty. Never experienced the problem with either amp before. I will get with him and test that plug.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Just don't "play with fire" !! Get it sorted - I had a big shock when I played a club in Munich back in the 70's - bad experience, and I'm lucky to tell the tale.

 

[guitarp77]

Yesterday I went to a rehersal room with my band, an the mics were not well grounded...the singer got a shock, and I grabbed the mic and felt my left hand shaking...

It was creepy...

 

[Jack FFR1846]

The plug was likely incorrectly wired, then. I've seen it before when people replace their socket and put in a 3 prong where there is only line and neutral coming into the old one. They randomly hook up line and neutral. Most people simply ignore the ground wire.

I think I'd take an ohm meter and see what the ground of your signal cable connects to on the plug side that goes into the wall. The larger side is neutral, smaller is line and 3rd is safety ground. I know that back in the day, I had an amp that had 2 prong only and had a polarity switch on the back. I'd go on my parent's porch with a concrete floor and when I first touched the strings, if I shocked the crap out of myself, I'd switch the polarity switch and all was good.

I guess that's all good reasons to go wireless. The wiring can be all messed up, but you don't end up shocking yourself whenever you touch the strings.

 

[BCMCMoose]

I do appreciate all the responses. My friend and I will be looking in to it ASAP.