QTB Tele bridge pickup grounded via bridge plate?

[faraji]

Hi... I've got a G+L Tele that I just QTB.

However, my bridge pup has a metal base, and the pup screws have the side effect of coupling the pup's ground to the bridge plate.

Is this bad? I removed the bridge ground wire to prevent a ground loop, but I'd rather have my pup insulated from the bridge entirely and and ground the bridge via a separate wire rather than via the return on the pickup.

Thank you!

[ashcatlt]

In most teles the issue is that the signal return wire is connected to bridge via a ring connector on one of the screws. You can certainly go ahead and remove that, running a new wire for the bridge ground. This isn't really necessary, however, unless you're using the "safety" or isolation cap, which is not indicated in the Tele version of QTB instructions.

[faraji]

In this setup, the bridge is coupled to the pickup via the pickup mounting screw. The screw, pup base, and the bridge are all metal, so the bridge is effectively grounded to the negative wire on the pickup.

I could isolate the pup if I used plastic screws.

Is it ok to have the pup's negative wire serve as the bridge ground path, or did I just lose some of my noise insulation?

Thank you!

[newey]

As Ash noted, probably won't make a difference, but to be on the safe side, noisewise, run the bridge pup signal return (i.e., the "negative wire') separately. I don't see any need to use plastic screws, once you run the bridge signal return separately, the bridge pup baseplate can contact the bridge as it's no longer in the signal chain.

You would then run a separate ground from the bridge/strings/screws/pup baseplate to your shield ground.

Or, are you saying that you can't run a separate wire for the bridge pup signal return? That is, if it's not connected via a ring terminal, is it internally connected under the coil?

[faraji]

Yes, that's correct. I can't run the pup signal separately unless I use plastic screws - the screws couple the metal base of the pup to the metal bridge, and I'm pretty sure the base of the pup is tied to the negative. But I'll double check it.

I guess I won't worry about it for now and try it out at the session with the dimmer switch!

[ashcatlt]

I would encourage you to strap your meter across the thing and see if it actually does conduct from the base of the pickup to the wire in question.

Really, though, it's all going to the same place. The bridge/shield grounds will all end up co-mingling with the signal return at some poinit on the way to the jack. I don't think it really matters where this happens.

Unless you're installing the safety cap...

[ChrisK]

The Tele bridge pickup signal return wire is usually common with the bridge plate, and is (eventually) connected to jack ground.

The Tele neck pickup cover is also connected to its signal return wire, and is (eventually) connected to jack ground.

This is the method begun before pickups were selected in tandem, and amps had such lousy high frequency response that few cared about (or heard) the noise.


While Leo was many thing, he was above all a businessman, and hence, cheap. A Tele is the epitome of cheap construction and wiring.


I usually run a separate bridge plate ground just because I can.

[dannyhill]

Hi guys,

I broke the connection of the copper plate to the -ve connection of the bridge pup and it goes to the -ve lug of blade switch (shielding and grounds only meet at jack) it allows me to reverse phase of brridge pup wrt neck.

Therefore the bridge tray is still connected to the copper plate through the screws, the and the tray to the shielding circuit through a shielding wire.

Perhaps coincidentally my bridge pickup went down from 8.8kOhm to 6.2kOhm. was that due to disconnecting the copper plate? The tone does seem more anaemic.
Can I tie the copper plate in again and still reverse the phase?
How do I isolate the copper plate from the tray? Plastic screws and tubing?
Thanks in advance,

Daniel

[ashcatlt]

I think you broke it dude.

Even if the wire going out to the world was connected as far as possible from where the pickup wire connects to the base, it can't possibly introduce 1.6KΩ. 1.6Ω maybe...

This and the change in tone leads me to believe that you have somehow managed to short a chunk of the coil, or otherwise messed up the pickup.

[dannyhill]

Hi Ashcatlt,

Probably true.

Either that or I haven't measured it properly.
Either way, if it does work out fine or I order a new one (about 30 dollars), in the Anderton wiring scheme can I have the copper plate connected to the -ve connection, although isolated from the bridge plate, which is connected to the shielding circuit? I guess using plastic screws etc and tubing? I've read online that the plate gives the tele bridge some more lowdown uumf i.e. added bass and low mids. Or is it going to make it noisier if I 'wire it back in'?
Thanks in advance,

D